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John G. Nicolay, The Outbreak of Rebellion, Chapter 7: Baltimore. (search)
, all this hidden intrigue blazed out into open insurrection. The convention, notwithstanding many previous contrary votes, held a secret session on April 17th, and passed an ordinance of secession, eighty-eight to fifty-five. The gradual but systematic arming of the State militia had been going on for a year past. Governor Letcher insultingly refused the President's call for troops on the 16th, and immediately set military expeditions in movement to seize the United States Navy Yard at Norfolk, and the United States Armory at Harper's Ferry. The convention made a pretence of submitting the question of secession to a popular vote, to be taken on May 23d following; and then, as if in mockery, entered at once into a secret military league with the Confederate States on April 24th, placing Jefferson Davis in control of all her armies and military affairs, and filling the State with foreign regiments from the South. In the Border State of Maryland the situation was somewhat diffe
John G. Nicolay, The Outbreak of Rebellion, Chapter 8: Washington. (search)
y took possession, and though the fire had done much damage, the principal part of the machinery was rescued by them and afterward sent to Richmond. As already mentioned, a rebel camp was immediately established, and its force in a few days augmented to two thousand four hundred men-doubtless with a view to join rebellious Maryland in a descent upon Washington. Serious as was the loss of Harper's Ferry, a sacrifice of infinitely greater proportions almost immediately followed. Near Norfolk, Va., was one of the principal naval stations of the Government, the Gosport Navy Yard. This, too, was one of the prizes coveted by the conspirators; its buildings, supplies, machinery, dry dock, and especially a number of valuable ships, constituted a money value amounting to many millions; and the importance of their possession and use to either the insurgents or the Government, in a rebellion, was of course immeasurable. Beyond mere occupancy by a few officers and a little handful of mari
John G. Nicolay, The Outbreak of Rebellion, Chapter 14: Manassas. (search)
with troops on the line of Bull Run, and for this he was urgent in demanding large reinforcements. As has been already mentioned, it was General Scott's opinion that the Government ought not to engage in any military undertakings with the three months volunteers, beyond those to which these forces had been already assigned and distributed, namely: to protect Washington and fortify Arlington Heights; to garrison Fort Monroe and, if chance should offer, recapture the Gosport Navy Yard at Norfolk; to hold Baltimore and Maryland; to prosecute Patterson's campaign against Harper's Ferry; to recover West Virginia through McClellan's campaign; to guard the Ohio line, and control Kentucky and Missouri. Larger and more distant operations, he believed, ought to be undertaken only with new armies formed of the three years volunteers, giving the summer to drill and preparation, and entering on combined movements in the favorable autumn weather. Important reasons, partly military, partly