Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 29.djvu/272

 256 Southern Historical Society Papers.

work and large pile of paving stones the cobble stones such as were used at that time furnished the mob with the weapons for their at- tack. Policemen undertook to drag the anchors from the track, but the crowd would not permit them to do so until Mayor Brown came along and ordered the obstruction removed. His authority was not resisted. But in the meantime the seventh car having come up to the obstruction, the driver hitched the horses to the other end and returned rapidly to President street, the cars following of course re- versing and also returning amid a shower of stones and other missies and hoots and yells of defiance.

MARCH TO CAMDEN STATION.

There were now at President Street Station four companies of the Massachusetts Regiment, C, D, I and L, under Captains Follonsbee, Hart, Pickering and Dike. They were cut off from their colonel and the rest of the command. In these four companies were 220 men, who were confronted by a dense and angry crowd, cheering for Jeff. Davis and the Confederacy, and denouncing Lincoln and the North. The unarmed Pennsylvanians and the regimental band re- mained in the railroad station, but the four Massachusetts companies formed on President street and began their famous march to Camden Station. As they marched up President street the commotion in- creased. A man went for some distance in advance of the soldiers carrying a Confederate flag, but this was taken away from him by other citizens. The march had hardly begun when the stones be- gan to fly, increasing as the soldiers advanced. It was remarked that many of the stones were thrown by negroes. At the corner of Fawn street two soldiers were knocked down, seriously injured. In crossing Pratt street bridge obstructions were encountered, over which the soldiers had to pick their way. Very soon the soldiers became utterly frightened and demoralized and broke into a run, or a double-quick as it was called, firing at random as they ran. They killed and wounded a number of citizens, but invariably those who were taking no part in the attack. Those who were engaged in the attack were behind, in pursuit, and the soldiers, instead of facing about to defend themselves,, fired generally to the front. At the cor- ner of South street several citizens who were standing in a group fell, killed or wounded by the reckless firing of the soldiers. Near the .corner of Light street a soldier was mortally wounded and a boy on a vessel lying in the dock at that 'place was killed. Near the