Lewis E. Harvie to Senator Robert M. T. Hunter, September 4, 1857

[AMELIA, VA.], September 4th, 1857.

MY DEAR HUNTER: I find your letters at home after an absence of six weeks from the State. Just having returned of course I am not well posted in regard to current events. I am sufficiently so however to feel very confident that your reelection is safe. I came thro' the North West over the Baltimore and Ohio R[ail] R[oa]d and saw Judge Camden and Oldham who told me that you would get the whole vote of that section of the State. I heard from Alfred Barbour at the same time, the same thing. From Jack Willis and Jack Barbour at the same time I heard that from Alexandria thro' the red land country under the mountain all was right. Lee alone preferring Wise and he not daring to misrepresent what he knows to be the will of his constituents. The Southside is all our own, I am sure. Powell's and Richardson's districts [are] all right. Your own county I suppose is sound. Still our friends should be alert and active, for we have fierce, unscrupulous and wiley foes. Write again and tell me all you know, what and where are the weak points and I will help to strengthen them. Your views and policy are all right and I and Wm. Old, Jr and Lewis [?] have been impressing them on Pryor warmly and earnestly before I went away. Pryor has been away from his post for a month leaving his paper in the hands of his assistant and his paper has lost ground and is losing it I fear daily. He had the Enquirer down and has now lost the advantage. I had urged Mayo to write to him to return at once and I think he will when he gets my message. In the mean time Wm. Old has sent a communication down to-day, which I presume will appear as an Editorial placing the paper on the true ground which is the same as that suggested in your letter. This he will follow up with others. I have written to Mayo to place the paper on it and not to drug it. To keep V[irgini]a in the Democratic party at the head of the South and not at the tail of the north and to appeal to State pride and urge upon him not to abandon her principles and natural allies for the purpose of getting broken victuals to feed her hungry politicians. I am and have been all along out and out against making war on Buchanan. It will be time enough when he does something not covertly but openly that will justify it. Any attack on him now only weakens his assailants and strengthens him. If we are to strike let us be clearly right and put him clearly in the wrong and then we can strike hard. Granting that we are able to pull down the pillars of the temple now cui bono. It crushes us as well as him. No I am for giving him full and fair play, supporting him until he drives us off, and to the end of the chapter. At the same time I have little hope that he will permit us to do it. I for one however will assail each in its turn every violation of principle and pledge, until forbearance ceases to be a virtue and then I will war on their authority, but not our Democracy, I am done with that. I wish to live and die in the Democratic fold and faith and shall fight enemies from without or false friends within under the broad shield and panoply of Democracy. Let us all take this position and be brave ourselves and we will keep these hungry curs in their proper places. I do not see any thing that you can do until the meeting of Congress. Then you should and I suppose will take the first opportunity to define your own position and not allow these gentry to make one for you. They can't put you against the administration if you don't choose to be against it, nor can they prescribe the mode and manner of your support or the extent of your opposition. In the meantime his excellency in his zeal for old Buck [Buchanan] or himself is as likely to run afowl of something or other in or out of his way as one that I know and his ex-excellency may be expected to protect the interest of Uncle Sam in other transactions as effectually as he is said to have done in the sale of Fort Snellings and be as implicity trusted by the people of Virginia as he is now. We have beaten these men before and can and will do it again. Keep me advised and trust [William M.] Ambler and Wm. Old implicitly. I name these because they are in the Legislature and should understand every move at once.

I sat up late last night on two strong cups of coffee to keep my eyes open in order to reply to your letters, as soon as I got them. That admirable narcotic having the effect of exciting my brain, may have prevented me from giving such a reply to your letter as it required and would have gotten when it ought to have reached me. Since then no doubt great changes have taken place in the tactics and perhaps in the views of the coalition. That they will crush us if they can is certain. If they can't they will say that they wouldn't if they could and perhaps one of them that he would "crawl to Washington to make you President." "Nous verrons” We will be more than a match for them. There is no doubt, that Wise is or has been at work. Write and tell me all you know.

SOURCE: Charles Henry Ambler, Editor, Annual Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1916, in Two Volumes, Vol. II, Correspondence of Robert M. T. Hunter (1826-1876), pp. 220-2

Diary of Private William S. White, September 18, 1862

Although this place is only ten miles from Shepherdstown, its character is very different; most of the people are bitter Unionists, and show us few favors. Such I find it pretty much the case in every village situated on the "Baltimore and Ohio Railroad." Soon this morning our two Parrot guns were ordered back towards Shepherdstown, and the remainder of our battery, the two howitzer guns, together with five other guns belonging to our regiment, are preparing to move on to Williamsport. Lieutenant Paine, of my company, with two or three others and myself, were sent on in advance to reconnoitre. Went on to Williamsport, but there was no enemy on the south side of the Potomac. Our force camped at Falling Waters, about four miles from Williamsport.

SOURCE: William S. White, A Diary of the War; or What I Saw of It, p. 133

Horace Greeley to Abraham Lincoln, December 22, 1860

Office of The Tribune,        

New York, Decr. 22nd 1860

My dear Sir,

I have yours of the 19th.¹ Let me try to make my views a little more clear:

1. I do not believe that a State can secede at pleasure from the Union, any more than a stave may secede from a cask of which it is a component part.

2. I do believe that a people — a political community large and strong enough to maintain a National existence — have a right to form and modify their institutions in accordance with their own convictions of justice and policy. Hence if seven or eight contiguous States (not one small one) were to come to Washington saying, “We are tired of the Union — let us out!” — I should say, “There's the door — go!” and I think they would have a right to go, even though no one recognized it. If they should set to fighting and whip us, every one would say they had a right to govern themselves; and I do not see how their having a few more or less men, or a better or worse governmen general than we, can make or mar their right of self-government.

3. If the seceding State or States go to fighting and defying the laws, — the Union being yet undissolved, save by their own say-so — I guess they will have to be made to behave themselves. I am sorry for this, for I would much sooner have them behave of their own accord; but if they wont, it must be fixed the other way.

4. We shall never have peace nor equality in the Union till the Free States shall say to the Slave, “If you want to go, go; we are willing.” So long as they threaten secession and we deprecate it, they will always have us at a disadvantage.

5. The Cotton States are going. Nothing that we can offer will stop them. The Union-loving men are cowed and speechless; a Reign of Terror prevails from Cape Fear to the Rio Grande. Every suggestion of reason is drowned in a mad whirl of passion and faction. You will be President over no foot of the Cotton States not commanded by Federal Arms. Even your life is not safe, and it is your simple duty to be very careful of exposing it. I doubt whether you ought to go to Washington via Wheeling and the B. & O. Railroad unless you go with a very strong force. And it is not yet certain that the Federal District will not be in the hands of a Pro-Slavery rebel array before the 4th of March.

6. I fear nothing, care for nothing, but another disgraceful back-down of the Free States. That is the only real danger. Let the Union slide — it may be reconstructed; let Presidents be assassinated — we can elect more; let the Republicans be defeated and crushed — we shall rise again; but another nasty compromise whereby everything is conceded and nothing secured will so thoroughly disgrace and humiliate us that we can never again raise our heads, and this country becomes a second edition of the Barbary States as they were sixty years ago. “Take any form but that!”

Excuse me fore boring you at such length, when you must be drowned in letters. I hope not to do so again.

Yours,

Horace Greeley

(So many people entertain a violent prejudice against my handwriting that I have had the above copied to save you trouble in deciffering it.)

H. G.

_______________

¹ This letter has not been located.

SOURCE: Lincoln, Abraham. Abraham Lincoln papers: Series 1. General Correspondence. 1833 to 1916: Horace Greeley to Abraham Lincoln, Saturday,Secession. 1860. Manuscript/Mixed Material. https://www.loc.gov/item/mal0525800/.

Diary of 1st Lieutenant Daniel L. Ambrose: about June 1, 1865

About the first of June we leave Washington by rail, taking the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, and while passing by Harper's Ferry the men make the welkin ring by singing "John Brown's soul is marching on." Upon arriving at Parkensburg, Va., we embark on Government steamer and are soon floating down the Ohio.

Sitting upon the deck of the proud steamer, Lieutenant Flint, ever full of his poetical genius, writes:

Beautiful river; well named they of old

Thee, the blue flood that pours o'er thy channel of gold,

Speed down from the mountains, thou fairest of daughters,

That meet on the breast of the father of waters.

Rush down from thy mountains and bear us along,

With bugle and drum note, and wild burst of song,

Our eyes will grow dim as they follow thy shore,

And thy waves bear us downward and homeward once more.

Bring out the old flags; their rents and their scars,

Are as dear to our hearts as their stripes and their stars,

Wave your old flags, men, point them towards home,

Proudly in victory and honor we come.

O mothers and sisters, and sweethearts and wives,

Glean our prairies of flowers for this crown of our lives;

Strew a path for the war-horse that moves at our head,

For his rider is dear to the legions he led.

Know ye our leader? Aye, millions shall tell

How the strongholds of Treason like Jerichos fell,

From the streams of the west to the furthermost shore,

His story is writ on the banners he bore.

Shake out your old flags and point to their scars,

Sherman is leading his host from the wars;

Wave your old flags, men, point them towards home,

Shout! for in victory and honor we come.

The weather is pleasant and the boys seem happy as they remember that blood has ceased to flow, and that a conquered peace is drawing nigh. As we stand upon the steamer moving so queenly, we cast our eyes towards the Kentucky shore; the hills are green and our feelings tell us they never were so beautiful before. Years ago, one could not help thinking of the many sad hearts that throbbed over there. But now the song of freedom is sung on that side of the river as well as on this side. Yet there are memories associated with those hills that will make us sad years to come, for many brave hearts are stilled in death over there. Over and around their graves the green grass is growing, and the freedman will weave chaplets of flowers and spread over the graves of the lone soldiers; and may be he will sing a song in grateful remembrance of his fallen benefactor. Arriving at Louisville we pass through the city and go into camp about five miles up the river.

We now notice that Colonel Rowett wears the well merited stars, which are honors fitly bestowed, and which should have fallen upon his shoulder long ere this. But as it happened he was no sycophant, and never crawled at the feet of power. After remaining in camp here a short time the Seventh is ordered to proceed to Louisville and report to the post commander for provost guard duty. We go into camp upon one of the vacant lots in the city where we remain performing the aforesaid duty, until we receive orders to prepare to be mustered out and discharged from the United States service.

SOURCE: abstracted from Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 311-13

Diary of Corporal Lawrence Van Alstyne: Monday, October 6, 1862

Back in Camp Millington, and the rest of the day is ours. A letter from Miss Hull, in answer to one written her mother. It was full of home news, and I feel as if I had been there. My homesick fit has left me, but it was a terror while it lasted. I believe it is more common than we think. I see many faces yet that look just as mine felt. Like me they keep it to themselves, or possibly tell it to their diaries, as I did to mine. I am not the only one who keeps a diary. There are plenty of others who do, and others still who say they can remember enough of it without writing it down. In the afternoon Lieutenant Dutcher invited me to go for a walk. We followed the Baltimore & Ohio R. R. for about a mile and came to abandoned camp grounds nearly all the way. We found some housekeeping necessities which we brought back with us. After dress parade, we visited about until roll-call, and are going to bed early, for to-morrow the grind begins again. Good-night.

SOURCE:  Lawrence Van Alstyne, Diary of an Enlisted Man, p. 45

Diary of Musician David Lane, March 27, 1863

Louisville, Ky. We did not go to Suffolk as I anticipated. Third Division went in our stead, while we took another direction, and in eight days, by water and rail, landed in Louisville. We broke camp at Newport News on the 19th inst., marched on board a fleet of transports, went to Norfolk, where we took in coal. While lying there a heavy storm of snow set in, which lasted several hours. It was bitterly cold, or so it seemed to us, and we suffered severely. Toward night the storm abated and we sailed for Baltimore. There we were transferred to cars and came by the way of the B. & O. R. R. to Parkersburg, W. Va. From Harper's Ferry our route followed the course of the Potomac River to Columbia, a lovely city far up among the mountains, and near the head of that river. The country from Harper's Ferry is mountainous, and Columbia is near the dividing line, from which point the water flows in opposite directions. We were three days and three nights on the cars, winding around or darting through the rocky barriers that opposed us. For, where they could not be evaded, the energy and power of man pierced their huge forms and ran his fiery engines beneath their towering summits. There are twenty-seven tunnels on this road, twenty-five of which we passed through in the daytime. Some of the shorter ones are arched with brick, others with heavy timbers, while some are cut through solid rock and need no support. At Parkersburg our three regiments were crowded into one vessel, and away we went "down the Ohio." We made a short stop at Cincinnati, where we received orders to report at once to Louisville, as an attack at that place was apprehended. We halted on our way through Louisville and partook of a free dinner, prepared for us by the loyal ladies of that city. Soft bread, potatoes, boiled ham, cakes and hot coffee were served us till all were filled (and many a haversack was also filled), when we gave three cheers and a tiger for the generous donors.

We found much excitement, as bands of guerillas came within six miles of the city the night before, conscripting men and confiscating horses and other supplies.

We stole a march on the Johnnies in coming here, they having notified the citizens that they would breakfast with them on the morning of our arrival, and when they—the citizens—saw their streets filled with soldiers, they thought the promise about to be fulfilled, but the Stars and Stripes soon undeceived them. Here our brigade was divided, the Eighth Michigan and Seventy-ninth New York going to Lebanon, the Seventeenth and Twentieth Michigan remaining at this place.

SOURCE: David Lane, A Soldier's Diary: The Story of a Volunteer, 1862-1865, p. 35-7

Diary of Corporal Lawrence Van Alstyne, September 10, 1862

CAMP MILLINGTON. We were too tired last night to look about and see where we were. This morning we were ourselves again, and began to take stock of our surroundings. We are in a newly seeded field, sloping generally to the east, though the upper part of it is nearly level. The place is called Millington, so we have named our camp, "Camp Millington." We pitched our tents in such a hurry that it had not a very orderly appearance, and after breakfast we divided up into companies, and each has tried to beat the other in slicking up.

We have quite an extended view. Towards the east we can see for miles across a sandy plain clear to the waters of Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore lies to the north. In other directions little but trees can be seen. Right in front runs a large brook, which turns the wheels of a flour mill, from which loads of flour are constantly being taken. Back of the mill, and not far from it, runs a railroad, said to be the Baltimore and Ohio. All day long, trains have been running, and the most of them loaded with soldiers. Some go towards Baltimore and some the other way. If I knew what it all means I would tell, but we are all strangers to the place and there is no use asking questions. Guards are posted on every side of us, and outside of that another line of guards called pickets are posted. We were called up and talked to by Major Parker. A whole lot of rules were given out, which, if they are observed, will make the 128th a model regiment and each member of it a gentleman. I have sewed on my corporal stripes to-day, having carried them in my pocket until now. The only difference I have yet found out between a corporal and a private soldier is that a corporal does not have to stand guard. If we are really going to stay here I expect the next thing will be learning how to march, taking up the lesson where we left off in Hudson. From the way the regiment that escorted us through Baltimore handled themselves, I can see we have a whole lot to learn yet.

SOURCE:  Lawrence Van Alstyne, Diary of an Enlisted Man, p. 23-4

Diary of Private Theodore Reichardt, Sunday, July 28, 1861

The Second Battery left Camp Clark by four o'clock P. M., for Harper's Ferry, to receive the guns of the First Battery, whose term of service had expired.

Gov. Sprague made a short speech to the men. The battery travelled by way of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, via Annapolis Junction and the Relay House.

SOURCE: Theodore Reichardt, Diary of Battery A, First Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, p. 16

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: December 3, 1864

Very warm-clouds and sunshine, like April. Roger A. Pryor, who resigned his brigadiership, and has been acting as a scout (private), fell into the hands of the enemy the other day while exchanging newspapers with their pickets. They have him at Washington, and the United States newspapers say he makes revelations of a sad state of affairs in Georgia, etc. This is doubtless erroneous.

A "peace resolution" has been introduced in the North Carolina Legislature.

Hon. Mr. Foote yesterday introduced a resolution in Congress, calling for a convention of the States—or appointment of commissioners from the States. Voted down by a large majority.

Gen. Rosser (two brigades) made a descent, a few days ago, on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, capturing some nine guns altogether, including four siege, which he spiked. The others he brought off, with 800 prisoners. He destroyed 200 wagons and a large amount of quartermaster and ordnance stores.

Per contra. Grant has pounced upon one of our depots at Stony Creek, Weldon Railroad, getting some 80 prisoners, and destroying a few stores. It is said he still holds the position-of some importance.

Gen. Ewell still thinks the aspect here is "threatening."

Brig. Gen. Chilton, Inspector-General, has ordered investigations of the fortunes of bonded officers, who have become rich during the war.

A strong effort has been made to have Gen. Ripley removed from Charleston. He is a Northern man, and said to be dissipated. Senator Orr opposes the change; the Secretary recommends his retention, and the President indorses: "I prefer that Gen. Ripley should remain.—J. D."

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 2, p. 346

William Preston Smith to Major-General William B. Taliaferro, December 1, 1859

Baltimore, December 1st, 1859.

General Taliaferro,
        Charlestown.

We desire anxiously to learn from whom the dispatches were sent to you, upon which you ordered the arrest of the two passengers at Martinsburg. They seem to be disposed to blame our Company exclusively, by alleging that our employees gave you the information leading to their arrest.

Will you favor us as we desire, therefore, and if not asking too much, will you send us a copy of the dispatches in question.

W. P. SMITH,        

M. of T., B. & O. R. R.

SOURCE: B. H. Richardson, Annapolis, Maryland, Publisher, Correspondence Relating to the Insurrection at Harper's Ferry, 17th October, 1859, p. 72

S. Bassett French to Major-General William B. Taliaferro, December 1, 1859

HEAD QUARTERS,        

Charlestown, Dec. 1, 1859.

W. P. Smith, Esq.:
        Master of Trans:, B. & O. R. R. Co.

Dear Sir:—I am instructed by Maj. General Taliaferro to say to you that your dispatch of this afternoon was received while he was most busily engaged—and he answered it, having given only a cursory attention to it. Having had an opportunity to examíne it, he thinks it proper to say to you, that the dispatch was received from persons, who are in no wise, so far as he is apprised, connected with the Balt. & O. R. Road, that they were and are entire strangers to him.

The General in command regrets that your company should be subjected to blame on the part of\ the persons who were arrested.

I am, most respectfully,

S. BASSETT FRENCH,                

Mil. Sec. to Wm. B. Taliaferro,        

Maj. Genl. Commanding at Charlestown.

SOURCE: B. H. Richardson, Annapolis, Maryland, Publisher, Correspondence Relating to the Insurrection at Harper's Ferry, 17th October, 1859, p. 72

S. Colhoun to William Preston Smith, December 1, 1859

Philadelphia, Dec. 1st, 1859.

W. P. Smith, Esq.

Dear Sir:

I cut the enclosed slip from the editiorial of this afternoon's “Bulletin:”

“TRICKS UPON TRAVELERS.—The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company will have no reason to thank the army of Gov. Wise for the manner in which he treats their trains and passengers. In the severest days of the Austrian police system there were no such high-handed proceedings towards travelers. Every train, it appears, is stopped at Harper's Ferry, and armed men pass through every car, hunting for spies, insurgents and sympathizers with Brown. In one case, three Cincinnati merchants, on their way to Baltimore, were actually taken out of the cars and imprisoned, because they spoke kindly of the poor creature who is to be hung to-morrow. This is the Virginia idea of freedom. Travelers will please take notice.”

Everybody appears desirous of making the most out of “Old John Brown," and if it is true that several Cincinnati merchants have been taken out of your cars at Harper's Ferry, the “Bulletin” thinks it should be used as a spoke to strengthen the wheels of the Pennsylvania Railroad.

We presume your Company took a personal interest at once, in protecting the Cincinnati sufferers. I send you the enclosed as an “on dit.”

Yours, truly,

S. COLHOUN.

SOURCE: B. H. Richardson, Annapolis, Maryland, Publisher, Correspondence Relating to the Insurrection at Harper's Ferry, 17th October, 1859, p. 73

William G. Allan to Thomas H. Parsons, Sunday, December 4, 1859—9 p.m.

Harper's Ferry.        

Sunday, Dec. 4, 9 o'clock, P. M.

T. H. Parsons,

        Agent Balto. & O. R. R., Washington.

We want two largest four-horse wagons to convey baggage: and breakfast for two hundred on steamboat.

WM. G. ALLAN, Qr. Master, 1st Reg’t Va. Vols.

SOURCE: B. H. Richardson, Annapolis, Maryland, Publisher, Correspondence Relating to the Insurrection at Harper's Ferry, 17th October, 1859, p. 77

Andrew Hunter to John W. Garrett, December 10, 1859

Charlestown, Dec. 10, 1859.

John W. Garrett,

        Pres't B. & O. R. R. Co.

In a conference I have just had with Gen. Taliaferro, commanding the troops here, he desires me to say, that nothing but the extreme pressure of his public duties has prevented his communicating to you officially, before this time, his high appreciation of the liberal, public spirited and patriotic conduct of your company in connection with the excitement and other troubles in which our community and State have been involved. He will take care that ultimately, and in a proper manner, the important services rendered us by your company shall be acknowledged by the commonwealth of Virginia.

I may here add, that the General declared unhesitatingly, that our arrangements in respect to preventing a mixed horde of strangers coming here over the road, had done more than all the military display in securing quiet and good order on the day of John Brown's execution, and in this I fully concur.

In reference to the executions to come off on Friday next, we desire your company to pursue the same plan and policy that worked so efficiently on the former occasion, with this single additional suggestion, that it is scarcely necessary to carry out the arrangement so stringently as at that time, yet we consider it highly unadvisable for strangers to crowd in here in great numbers, at the coming executions. They will encounter still a very strict surveilance. We cheerfully leave this whole matter to the sound discretion of yourself and the intelligent officers  of your company.

Most truly,

Your obedient servant,

ANDREW HUNTER.

SOURCE: B. H. Richardson, Annapolis, Maryland, Publisher, Correspondence Relating to the Insurrection at Harper's Ferry, 17th October, 1859, p. 77-8

Diary of Private Louis Leon: July 21, 1863

Went through town at 5 this morning, to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, with Johnson's division and part of Hampton's Legion, to tear up the railroad. We destroyed six miles of it and returned to our camp at Darkesville-fifteen miles to-day.

SOURCE: Louis Leon, Diary of a Tar Heel Confederate Soldier, p. 42

General Robert E. Lee to James A. Seddon, October 16, 1864

CHAFFIN'S BLUFF, October 16, 1864.

On the 14th instant Colonel Mosby struck the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at Duffield's; destroyed U.S. military train consisting of locomotive and ten cars, securing twenty prisoners and fifteen horses. Among the prisoners are two paymasters with $168,000 in Government funds.

R. E. LEE.

Hon. JAMES A. SEDDON,
        Secretary of War.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 43, Part 1 (Serial No. 90), p. 633

John W. Garrett to Andrew Hunter, November 28, 1859

BALT. & OHIO R. R. OFFICE,        

28th November, 1859.

Andrew Hunter, Esq., Charlestown, Va.

My desire and design are to meet fully the wishes of your State in connection with the subject of your communication of 25th instant. To arrange definitely, I will meet yourself and other representatives of Virginia whom you may suggest on the arrival of the mail train at Harper's Ferry to-morrow (Tuesday) at 12 M.

I will be accompanied by our Master of Transportation, Mr. Smith.

J. W. GARRETT, Pres’t.

SOURCE: B. H. Richardson, Annapolis, Maryland, Publisher, Correspondence Relating to the Insurrection at Harper's Ferry, 17th October, 1859, p. 54

George W. Mumford to John W. Garrett, November 28, 1859

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,        

Richmond, 28th Nov., 1859.

J. W. Garrett, Esq.,
        President, &c.

From information in the possession of the Governor, of a contemplated attempt to rescue the prisoners condemned to death at Charlestown, he has deemed it proper to issue a proclamation taking possession of the Winchester and Potomac Railroad, on the first, second and third days of December next, and it will be held under impressment, with a guard, for the use and occupation of Virginia troops alone, and no transportation will be permitted other than for them. Under these circumstances, he requests me to suggest to you, as President of the Balt. & Ohio Railroad Company, the propriety of stopping all trains on your road on the first and second of December, other than for carrying the United States mail. Passengers coming through Virginia on those days will not be permitted to pass. Major General Taliaferro, in command at Charlestown, has orders to this effect.

GEO. W. MUMFORD, Secretary of the Commonwealth.

SOURCE: B. H. Richardson, Annapolis, Maryland, Publisher, Correspondence Relating to the Insurrection at Harper's Ferry, 17th October, 1859, p. 55

Josiah Perham to John W. Garrett, November 12, 1859

Boston, Nov. 12th, 1859.

President and Superintendent B. & O. Railroad Co.,

Gentlemen:— I wrote you a few days ago in regard to an excursion to Washington over the line of your road, to which I have received no reply. At the same time I wrote you I wrote Mr. Felton, President of P. W. & B. R. R., and have received a reply consenting to take the party over his line of road.

As I am a stranger to you, I refer you to Mr. Felton, who knew me when he was on the Fitchburg Railroad, and took large parties over his road for me in 1850 and 1851.

Will you state to me the lowest fare you will take from Baltimore to Washington and back, and also from Baltimore to Harper's Ferry, or Charlestown, and back?

Yours, very truly,

JOSIAH PERHAM.

SOURCE: B. H. Richardson, Annapolis, Maryland, Publisher, Correspondence Relating to the Insurrection at Harper's Ferry, 17th October, 1859, p. 57

Josiah Perham to John W. Garrett, November 21, 1859

Boston, Nov. 21st, 1859.

President or Superintendent Baltimore & Ohio R. R.

Gentlemen:— My second letter had been sent to you before I received an answer to my first, declining to make a reduction in the fare on your road for an excursion party to Washington and Harper's Ferry, and Charlestown. Since I received your answer I have seen paragraphs in the newspapers stating that you were afraid to take my excursion, as you believe it, they would not be a suitable class of people to visit Virginia. In answer to that, I would say that I have moved more than 200,000 people within the last nine years in excursions, and I have had no accident happen to any of them, nor have I ever had any complaint made that any of them did not behave well. I do not think any one would go on my excursion to Washington or Harper's Ferry that would not conduct with propriety. I cannot say how many would go on the excursion, but if it is got up about the middle of December, so that they could be in Charlestown on the 16th of December, I think a very large party could be got out. Many would go to Washington, and not go to see the men hung, while a great many would go to witness the hanging. The sentence of the Judge was for them to be hung in public, which means that the people may go to see them hung that want to. In case a large party should go it would be necessary that an extra train should be in Baltimore on the morning of the 16th for Harper's Ferry and Charlestown, and remain there for three or four hours, and return to Baltimore or Washington the same night. I am told there are no hotel accommodations at either Harper's Ferry or Charlestown, sufficient to take care of one or two thousand people. If you will take one fare for the excursion ticket from Baltimore to Washington and back, I will advertise the excursion at once, and sell them all tickets through to Washington, with the agreement that you will sell round trip tickets to Charlestown or Harper's Ferry for all that wish to go there.

You need not fear of any trouble from any of the people that will go on my excursion, as any one that would not behave well would not dare to go. Hoping to receive a favorable answer from you by return mail, I remain truly,

Your ob’t servant,

JOSIAH PERHAM.

SOURCE: B. H. Richardson, Annapolis, Maryland, Publisher, Correspondence Relating to the Insurrection at Harper's Ferry, 17th October, 1859, p. 57-8