William Schouler, A history of Massachusetts in the Civil War: Volume 1

[92] thousand inhabitants, more than half of whom were rebels; the attack upon it by the mob; the death of four, and the wounding of thirty-six, of its members, on the memorable 19th of April,—sent a thrill through the heart of the nation, and aroused it like a giant to defend its life. This was the anniversary of the battle of Lexington, in which, on the soil of Massachusetts, the first blood was shed in the struggle for Independence in 1775. This regiment came from the county of Middlesex, in which are ‘Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill;’ and some of the men who were attacked in Baltimore were the direct descendants of the men who breasted the power of England in those memorable conflicts.

At midnight on the 18th, reports reached Philadelphia, that preparations were being made to dispute the passage of this regiment through Baltimore, and to attack Washington. The long roll was beat; and the men formed in column, and marched to the depot of the Philadelphia and Baltimore Railroad, and took their places in the cars. At one o'clock in the morning, the train started; Colonel Jones intending to have his command pass through Baltimore early in the morning, before a force could be gathered to impede its march. Mr. Felton, President of the railroad, says,—

Before they left Philadelphia, I called the colonel and principal officers into my office, and told them of the dangers they would probably encounter, and advised that each soldier should load his musket before leaving, and be ready for any emergency. We had arranged a cipher, by which messages were sent and received every few moments along the whole road, and from the officers of the Baltimore and Ohio road; so that we were posted up constantly as to the exact condition of affairs. Just before the starting of the Sixth, I received a message that a part of a Pennsylvania regiment had arrived over the Northern Central road, and passed through Baltimore without any demonstrations of hostility, save a few hisses.¹ This fact I communicated to the Sixth, but, at the same time, advised that they should relax no vigilance on that account. The regiment started; and I stood at the telegraph instrument in Philadelphia, constantly receiving messages of its progress. Finally, it was announced from Baltimore that they were