Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 38.djvu/333

 BALTIMORE IN 1861,

Recollections of Stirring Events in the Monumental City—An Exciting Sabbath Day.

Rumors of Ihe Advance of Federal Troops—An Interview With President Lincoln, Who Expresses Pacific Intentions. On the afternoon of Friday, April 19, 1861, at 4 o'clock, there was a great mass-meeting in Monument Square. Speeches were made by Dr. A. C. Robinson, Mayor Brown, William P. Preston, S. Teakle Wallis, Jon E. Wethered, Robert L. McLane and Governor Hicks. The people were counselled to rely upon the authorities, which would protect them. The invasion of the city and the slaughter of citizens were denounced. Mr. Wallis said it was not necessary to speak. "If the blood of citizens on the stones in the streets does not speak," he said, "it is useless for man to speak." His heart, he said, was with the South, and he was ready to defend Baltimore. The Governor made his famous declaration that he would suffer his right arm to be torn from his body before he would raise it to strike a sister State. That night ex-Governor Louis E. Lowe made a speech to a great gathering in front of Barnum's Hotel. The streets were thronged with people discussing the events of the day, and many citizens walked the streets with muskets or guns in their hands.

PREPARATIONS FOR DEFENCE.

The condition of Baltimore on Saturday, the 20th of April, the day succeeding the riot, reminded the old inhabitants of similar incidents on the nth and 12th of September, 1814, many of whom had witnessed those events.

* * * The militia were called out and 15.000 citizens were enrolled and put under the command of Colonel Isaac R. Trimble. All day long companies of the State militia were arriving from the counties. The first to come was a company of riflemen from Frederick, under command of Captain Bradley T. Johnson. Between 300 and 400 colored men offered their