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THE DEFENCES OF BALTIMORE. 539
The long trains of wagons and drays through the streets carrying hogsheads, barrels, and other materials required for the barricades, were rather a
novel sight for Sunday, and brought to mind the scene presented on Sunday,
the 21st of April, 1861. The work of erecting the barricades progressed
rapidly, and on Sunday, June 21st, the entire circuit of the city was completed
and ready for military occupation at any moment that the scouts and pickets
should announce the approach of the Confederates. The line of entrenchments and fortifications on all the approaches to the city attracted thousands
of visitors. The barricades which were erected in many parts, closed the
streets to carriages, and it was supposed would be effectual against cavalry,
although some of them were so low that a horse could have cleared them with
ease. They were generally constructed at the corners of streets by gathering
one or two carts at each end on the sidewalk, and then by digging up stones
on the road-way, sufficient earth was thrown up to form an embankment,
leaving a narrow passage on each side for foot passengers. If an attempt had
been made to take the city, the houses in the vicinity of the line of barricades
were to be occupied by riflemen. In addition to Fort McHenry, which had
already played an important part in the war, Fort Federal Hill, and Fort
Marshall, upon higher ground than Fort McHenry, mounted each with fifty
to sixty guns of forty-two and thirty-two pounders, and eight-inch columbiads
with a few rifled pieces, could have destroyed Baltimore in a short time, this
being the style of " defence" determined on, if they were not able to keep the
Confederates from capturing the city. Boasts were openly made that the
first shell from Fort Federal Hill would be thrown directly into the Maryland Club, at the northeast corner of Franklin and Cathedral streets, the
"latin quarter," as it was sometimes called, for the exact range of the buildings had been ascertained, and it was regarded by the military authorities as
the very focus of " treason " in the city.l Besides these heavy works, and
Fort Washington, afterwards constructed on the northeastern outskirts of the
city, on even higher ground than Fort Marshall, a great number of earthworks were thrown up completing the circuit of defences.
As the proclamation issued by Governor Bradford on the 16 th of June,
did not have the desired effect, and as the troops were needed at once for the
defence of the city and State, the governor on Sunday, June 21st, issued the
following appeal:
" TO THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE AND CITY:
" Baltimore June 21, 1863.
" The proclamation which I issued on the 17th instant, calling upon you to furnish
six months' volunteers for the quota of militia required of us by the government has not
met with that prompt and practical response which I thought I had the right to expect.
Whilst some, with a chesrful alacrity worthy of all praise, have offered themselves forth e service, the number, I regret to say, has fallen far short of what is required.
1 It was closed on the 28th of June, 1833, by opened until after the war ended, two years
order of General Schenck, and was not again later.
| Title | History of Maryland - 3 |
| Creator | Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas) |
| Publisher | J. B. Piet |
| Place of Publication | Baltimore |
| Date | 1879 |
| Language | eng |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Title | 00000574 |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Transcript | THE DEFENCES OF BALTIMORE. 539 The long trains of wagons and drays through the streets carrying hogsheads, barrels, and other materials required for the barricades, were rather a novel sight for Sunday, and brought to mind the scene presented on Sunday, the 21st of April, 1861. The work of erecting the barricades progressed rapidly, and on Sunday, June 21st, the entire circuit of the city was completed and ready for military occupation at any moment that the scouts and pickets should announce the approach of the Confederates. The line of entrenchments and fortifications on all the approaches to the city attracted thousands of visitors. The barricades which were erected in many parts, closed the streets to carriages, and it was supposed would be effectual against cavalry, although some of them were so low that a horse could have cleared them with ease. They were generally constructed at the corners of streets by gathering one or two carts at each end on the sidewalk, and then by digging up stones on the road-way, sufficient earth was thrown up to form an embankment, leaving a narrow passage on each side for foot passengers. If an attempt had been made to take the city, the houses in the vicinity of the line of barricades were to be occupied by riflemen. In addition to Fort McHenry, which had already played an important part in the war, Fort Federal Hill, and Fort Marshall, upon higher ground than Fort McHenry, mounted each with fifty to sixty guns of forty-two and thirty-two pounders, and eight-inch columbiads with a few rifled pieces, could have destroyed Baltimore in a short time, this being the style of " defence" determined on, if they were not able to keep the Confederates from capturing the city. Boasts were openly made that the first shell from Fort Federal Hill would be thrown directly into the Maryland Club, at the northeast corner of Franklin and Cathedral streets, the "latin quarter," as it was sometimes called, for the exact range of the buildings had been ascertained, and it was regarded by the military authorities as the very focus of " treason " in the city.l Besides these heavy works, and Fort Washington, afterwards constructed on the northeastern outskirts of the city, on even higher ground than Fort Marshall, a great number of earthworks were thrown up completing the circuit of defences. As the proclamation issued by Governor Bradford on the 16 th of June, did not have the desired effect, and as the troops were needed at once for the defence of the city and State, the governor on Sunday, June 21st, issued the following appeal: " TO THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE AND CITY: " Baltimore June 21, 1863. " The proclamation which I issued on the 17th instant, calling upon you to furnish six months' volunteers for the quota of militia required of us by the government has not met with that prompt and practical response which I thought I had the right to expect. Whilst some, with a chesrful alacrity worthy of all praise, have offered themselves forth e service, the number, I regret to say, has fallen far short of what is required. 1 It was closed on the 28th of June, 1833, by opened until after the war ended, two years order of General Schenck, and was not again later. |
