The Baltimore Riot

Even before Lincoln’s call for troops, state regiments throughout the North were preparing for action. Pennsylvania troops were the first to reach Washington as several companies arrived the day after Lincoln’s call. But the 6th Massachusetts was the first fully equipped regiment to rally to the President’s call. They left Boston to the cheers of crowds on April 17th and received more cheers as they passed through New York and Philadelphia. But when they arrived in the Southern city of Baltimore their reception changed dramatically. On the 19th of April, the anniversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord, the 6th Massachusetts arrived in Baltimore. They joined forces with ten companies of volunteers from Philadelphia …show more content…
Going through Baltimore the trains arrived at the northern depot and each car was pulled through the streets by four horses. Five cars were detached and drawn singly through the city, but there were no more available horses, so the rest of the soldiers were marched through the streets.

A large crowd formed around the soldiers and soon they started blocking the soldiers’ line of march. They also went ahead of the cars being pulled and piled stones and debris onto the tracks to block the path of the cars. The mob got out of control and started throwing paving stones and other objects at the troops. One rioter seized the musket of a soldier and shot him dead with his own musket. The soldiers were ordered to fire. The mob retreated, but as the soldiers closed their ranks, the mob attacked again.

The mob was estimated at over “5,000 ruffians” yelling, “We’ll dig your graves,” “Down with the Yankee cowards” and “Hurrah for Jeff Davis.” After two hours the troops reached the cars at Camden Station and moved on toward Washington. In the riot, four soldiers and 12 civilians were killed. Thirty-six soldiers were badly wounded. The first blood of the Civil war was spread on Pratt Street in