Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 2.djvu/111

Rh less and notwithstanding this outcry, in April, 1862, Congress passed a law for the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia. The legislature of Maryland passed a "treason law," which denounced the penalty of death against any one convicted of levying war against this State, or who shall t adhere to the enemies thereof, whether foreign or domestic, giving them aid or comfort within this State or elsewhere. Punishments were also denounced for breaking railroads or canals ; for belonging to any secret club intended to encourage the secession of the State from the Union; for displaying secession flags, encouraging any minor to go South and join in the rebellion, or furnishing any minor or any other person with money, clothes, provisions or conveyance to aid in such an object. It also appropriated $7,000 for the relief of the families of those soldiers of the Sixth Massachusetts regiment who were killed in the riot of April 19, 1861. It made no provision for the families of those citizens of Maryland who were killed by the soldiers. Loyalty could not further go.

When President Lincoln, on the i4th of April, 1861, called for seventy-five thousand volunteers to suppress the rebellion, he required Maryland to furnish four regiments of four hundred and eighty men each as her quota. But on the 20th, the day after the Baltimore attack on the Massachusetts troops, Governor Hicks wrote him that "he thought it prudent (for the present) to decline responding affirmatively to the requisition." About the last of April, as has been noted, the Federal government commissioned Hon. James Cooper of Frederick to raise a brigade. Recruiting was at once begun in Baltimore by J. C. McConnell, and other companies were raised in different parts of the State, and before the first of June, 1861, the First regiment Maryland volunteers was mustered into the service of the United States, and John R. Kenly commissioned colonel, and Nathan T. Dushane lieutenant-colonel. The Second regiment was mustered