Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-07-14
FIRST BLOODSHED.
THE ATTACK Is BALTIMORE APRIL
10. 1851, on 9Th MASSACHUSETTS.
Personal "reminiscences OF vir-
ginian Who Had Conc TO the Mon
umcptat CITY to Duy Arrns-Thc
scene mt Camden station.
cwrItten for the pIspatehl

early in 1861 n convention 20 CONSIDER
the questions that were agltaung the
public mind at this momentous Crisis
IT was composed OF the ablest men 'ha'
had assembled IN the state IoT many
ycars-not the Cataiines ana 'he pHnh-
rupts in fortune and character VINO uS"-
ally come 10 the front In a reVoiutioh'
but high-toncd gentlemen OF substance
influence, and intelligence VINO luily
felt the responsibility OF their position
Among them were ex-Presideht 1ohh
TYLER Hon. William Ballard Preston,
,o,mer,v Secretary OF the Navy under
presidep, Tavlor: Hon. A. II. ii. Stuart.
for,,crIv Secretary OF the Interior under
President Fillmore; Hon. II. A. Wise.
late Governor OF Virginia; Hons. Jerry
Morton ana 4. s. Flournoy, former
members Of Congress, and other distin-
o,ished men. This convention received
commissioners from the seeded states.
end also sent commissioners TO Wash
.ueton to treat OF peace. Pending these
negotiations the convention INDUCED in
hrrh debate on the exciting political
topics Of the day. All this eloquence was
tNAeu NOWH HY Elti41FidUHti6 anu pun
hshed, but amid the rapid recurrence OF
events II has persisted and been forgot
zen. Tho bombardment of Sumter, the
reverberation Of cannon from the Capt.
fol Square, the Confederate flag flying
from the Capitol building, the call of
Lincoln for troops. and the assembling or
n rival convention In Metropolitan Han.
soon furnished the regular legal conven-
ton other and far different employment.
be
of Mr. Iincolns proclamation OF war.
the convention went into secret session.
ond on the following day passed the or
finance dissolving Virginia's connection
with the other States Of the Union.
TO BUY ARMS.
On tho night Of April 18th the late
lanes y. Ficklen. Of Buckingham county,
and the writer-both being then resi-
aents Of Richmond-startcd by the Frede-
ricksburg and Aquia-Creek route 10 Bal
timcre 10 buy all the improved arms that
could be found for sale in the latter city.
For we believed that arms would now be
more useful than words and Belgian
rifles more effective than eloQuence.
Among those on the train was q gentle
man from Fredericksburg. who said that
the original secessionists would now go
10 the front. and take the post of danger.
which was the post Of honor, that Con-
federate privateers would fiji the ocean.
drive the Federal flag from every sea.
and bring the war TO a speedy and sue
cessful issue. There were also on the
train several northern residents Of Rich
mond. who had not been acclimated. flee
ing from a teceded State while the way
was open. They had not a day TO lose.
for after that night the established
routes between the North and the hostile
NtTfsl faf
mission was unsuspected by any one. even
our Fredericksburg friend whose bril-
liant rhetoric we feared would avail but
little amid the clash of arms, nor were
we mistaken. In war the orators occu-
pation's gone-it is vox ct praeterea nihil-
ashes and not fruit. The bully is n
bully no longer. In the fiery ordeal the
pure gold Is revealed, while the ALLOW dis
appears.
ARRIVAL IN WASHINGTON.
We arrived I'm Washington the morning
OF the 18th Of April. soon after the break
Of day Even at that early hour we found
a militia company which was not In uni
form. marching around the Capitol
grounds. and n few Federal dragons
were sauntering about the Baltimore de-
pot with their clankng sabres buckIad
beneath their overcOats. which were
thrown loosely over their shoulders-the
morning being cool. though bright and
clear. AS II would be two hours before
the next train left for Baltimore, we
spent the intervening time walking about
the city. Pennsylvania avenue seemed
deserted. and the greater part OF the
city In n profound slumber as If its citi-
zens We're oblivious OF the volcano about
TO burst beneath their feet. No authentic
intelligence had vet been received OF the
secession OF Virginia. and the boat be
tween Washington and Aqua creek had
her regular trips. though the
one made that morning was her last. No
northern troops i'm arms had then arrived
IN Washington. and the city was almost
defenceless-the United States marines.
a few companies Of regular cavalry, a few
batteries Of artillery and some militia
THE latter half-hearted in the northern
cause), constituting nearly all its defen-
sive force-while a large majority OF its
citizens were southern sympathzers.
OFF For BALTIMORE.
At last tho train. crowded with passen-
gers, started for Baltimore. Full news
Of the secession OF Virginia had now
been received. At single leap the war
had been brought 10 the Potomac. and
the excitement on the train was intense.
Angry discussions ensued, but southern
sympathzcrs being in a large majority,
the northerners were at length reduced
10 silence.
on our arrival IN Baltimore we received
the first intelligence OF the capture of
Blrper's Ferry. long account Of which
was published that morning in the second
edition Of the Baltimore Sun. What arms
Of suitable character we could find In
the eln-stOres we purchased early In the
morning-and IL was well we did this,
for Few hours later there was not a
weapon OF any kind for sale in the city
After we had boxed our guns and seen
them safely stored on a vessel loading for
Fredericksburg (as the route by which
We came would now, we thought, be
closed, We returned TO the upper part Of
the city, as the Fredericksburg boat would
not leave until the evening
THE SIXTH MASSACHUSETTS,.
We had been back but a short time
VIXEN young man rushed into the store
where We were, and cried out In an ex-
cited manner that northern troops were
passing through the city. As we were not
far from Camden depot. which is at tie
southern or Washington end of Pratt
street party Of US. among whom was
Mr.. Slaughter (then. or soon afterwards.
Mayor OF Fredericksburg. Va, whom we
met in Baltimore. concluded to walk down
TO the station TO see them. We found
them TO be the Sixth Massachusetts Regi-
menL ana they were an on the train
when we reached the depot. They had
on their uniform oyercoats closely but
toned, and. excepting those in the two
rear coaches. presented quite a soldierly
We had heard nothing about
ff.alF
and were therefore surprised as we passed
down the nIaffnrm 10 sna The snllinrs In