Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Brigadier-General Benjamin F. Butler to Governor John A. Andrew, April 19, 1861, 11:45 p.m.

PHILADELPHIA, April 19th, 1861. 11.45 P.M.

Governor ANDREw, 21 Charles Street, BosTON:

The Massachusetts troops were attacked in Pratt Street, Baltimore. Were assaulted with stones and pieces of iron. One man killed with a piece of iron thrown from an iron foundry. They bore attack with utmost patience until a prominent citizen of Baltimore told them to fire upon the mob. Did so. Part of mob responded with fire. Rest scattered. Troops fought manfully. No man offered to run. All arrived in Washington except six injured, well cared for in Baltimore. Two killed. Twenty-five others at Washington wounded. Large meeting of citizens at Baltimore this evening. Almost unanimously denounced passage of more Northern troops through Baltimore.

B. F. BUTLER, Brig. Genl.

SOURCE: Jessie Ames Marshall, Editor, Private and Official Correspondence of Gen. Benjamin F. Butler During the Period of the Civil War, Volume 1: April 1860 – June 1862, p. 17

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