The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1861-05-03
Tho Baltimore Fight.

Friedrich.
Tho Baltimore Fight.
Blood was spilled on Friday April 10Th, in
the streets of Baltimore-the first blood OF
the real struggle between Secession and Un.
ion and, as in the Revolution, on tho same
10Th of April, Massachusetts, blood has been
the first to flow. II was intimated in the
Washington dispatches on Thursday that q
desperate combination had been formed in
Baltimore to resist the passage through that
place Of Northern troops, and subsequent
events prove such to have been the case
The Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts, vol
untccrs reached there at about the same time;
and, on attempting to pass through to the
Washington depot, were opposed by mob,
armed with guns and paying-stones. The
struggle appears to have been most despe-
rate one, the police, headed by the Mayor,
being apparently utterly powerless to aid the
passage of troops. Tho Pennsylvanians were
unprepared for such demonstration, but
eventually succeeded In crossing the city
But the Massachusetts, men were opposed
with such ferccness that they were obliged,
in self-defence, to fire upon the mob, and
killed and wounded number of them, NOT,
however, before the mob had fired upon them
and killed two of their number. They then
forced their way through, reached the depot,
and left for Washington amid yolley of
paving-stones. They reached Washington
Friday evening.
The Times has the following interesting
account of this contest from an eyewitness !:
Desperate Charge OF One Hundred Men
against Ten Thousand Rioters.
Through the courtesy of an eyewitness OF
the disturbance in Baltimore, upon the occa-
sion Of tho passage of tho Massachusetts,
volunteers, wo arc enabled to give reliable
account of what actually occurred, and at
the same time correct false impression in
regard to tho number of tho troops engaged
in the conflict with the secession mob.
1t appears that the Massachusetts, rcgi-
mcnt occupied eleven cars, and arrived safely
and in excellent spirits at Baltimore. There
was no demonstration made on their arrival,
and the cars were permitted to leave the de-
pot with the troops still on board. The cars
proceeded quietly through the streets of Bal.
timore, on their way to the depot, at the 9th.
or side of the town, and the fears expressed
BY some of the citizens that an attack would
be made were somewhat allaycd. But they
had not proceeded more than couple of
blocks before the crowd became 30 dense that
the horses attached to each car were scarcely
able to push their way through.
At this point the mob began hooting and
yelling frightfully, and loud threats were ut
tered against the military. The troops, how
ever, maintained q strict reserve, neither
showing themselves nor replying to the In
suits so plentfully heaped upon them. The
crowd finding they could not thus exaspcratc
the volunteers, commenced throwing stones,
brickbats and other missiles, and eventually
tearing up the payemcnts and hurling them
against the cars, smashing the windows and
severely wounding several Of the troops
However, the first nine cars succeed in reach
ing the depot, and departed for Washing
ton.
The remaining two cars Of the train, con-
tanning about hundred men, were cut oil
from the main body, and the men found
themselves encompassed by an inluriated mob
of over 5000. Those isolated cars were
Immediately attacked, and several OF the
soldiers had their muskets snatched from
them. At this moment the news came that
the Philadelphia volunteers had arrived, and
the report excited the mob to fearful degree
The Massachusetts, men, finding the cars
untenable, alighted, and forming solid
square advanced with fixed bayonets upon
oil sides in double quick time, all the while
surrounded by mob-now swelled to the
number Of at least 10 ,O00-yelling and hoot-
ing. The military behaved admirably, and
still abstained from firing upon their asS'ii-
lants.
The mob now commenced throwing per.
feet shower of missiles, occasionally varied
by rantiom shot from revolver or one ol
the muskets taken from the soldiers. The
poor fellows suffered severely from the i'm.
mense quantity of stones, oysters, brickbats,
paying-stones, &C., the shots fired also wound
ing several. When two OF the soldiers had
been killed, and the wounded had been con-
veyed to the centre Of the column, the troops
ut last, becoming exasperated and madden
Cd by the treatment they had received, CON-
menced returning the FIRE singly, killing sew
eral, and wounding large number of the
rioters; but ut no one time did single pla-
tooh "o III Noicy. Our iniofmahs :" ~
tive on this point.
The volunteers, after protracted and 30
we're struggle, ut last succeeded in reaching
the depot, bearing with them in triumph
their dead and wounded, and Immediately
embarked. The scene is described in glow
ing terms by our informant, who says that
the calm courage and heroic bearing OF the
troops spoke volumes for the sons OF Massa-
chusctts, who, though marching under iirs
Of the most embarrassing description, and
opposed to overwhelming odds, nevertheless
succeeded in efecting passage through
crowded streets distance Of over miie-a
feat not easily accomplished by body 'oi
less than 100 men when opposed to such icar-
ful odds.
REVOLUTIONARY Srox.-ln the Concord
company which Ia with the Filth Massnchu-