Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1901-12-18
Urged to Occupy
Baltimore Uity

e. H Nc GA J, harl stow
Va, writes thus to the Ba timor Su
On the nigh Of Arr Is, 1861, tn
Virginia .roop under command G
Gen. Ken on HaT :, mac ed INT
Harpers Ferry b, lie igOI f tn
burning arsenal and armory, 4re5 p.
The Federal soldiers De ore 5heIr e7acu
alton. On the day following Fedora
Itroops from Massachusetts were a.
tackled by the people of Baltimore as
hey passed through her streets on
heir way to the South. Mary AMOS
bes an mob est SON. W re Ii sympathy
with The South, but situa ed as she
was between he North and Washing
ton, she would have be n fore ost III
he brunt Of a terrible war. Her blsl-
ness men had large interests in the
n nth as we'll as the South, and hesl-
tated to stake upon alt tn Issues -
war; so, az fir t she stood for neut'
rality and denied the Federal trocps
the right to pass through her ter ltor
without her consent. When, IN de-
fiance of this right, Massachusetts
troops were marched through the
streets of Baltimore and her citizens
were shot down in cold blood, the
whole State bee lme arous d and wo Id
if hey could, have Jolned the South H.
err attempt to resist the INVASION 81
her soil by recourse to arms. In Ba I'll
more the excitement was iniense, ana
The offer of volunteers far exceeded
the ability of the authorities to arm
them. Gen. George H. Stewart, COM
handing the troops in Baltimore, APP
pealed at once to Virginia for arms IN
8 letter sent by L. T. Bayne and ). D.
who, in delivering Is SAID
The people of BaItim ore al | the
citizens of Maryland generally were
Ii lied in at least one thing, VIZ, that
lroops volunteering for Fedtlal service
ugainst Virginia or other sister South
ern States should not pass over the
oil OF Maryland if they could prev N
it."
ARMS FOR MARY LAND.
In response to this appeal, Cover
uor Letcher, CT Virginia, sent the fol-
lowing telegram on April %; "MaJ-
Gen. Kenton Harper, in command at
Harpers Ferry, is hereby ordered to
deliver to General Stewart, OF Balt'-
more, 1000 Of the arms recently taken
at Harpers Ferry" On the same day.
at the recommendation OF the Cover
nor, the Advisory Council of the State
of Virginia agreed to loan the State OF
MARYLAND 5000 more arms from the
arsenal at Lexington, Va. The dis
patch arriving late that night was given
me as one OF General Harper's aides-de
camp and carried to headquarters after
the general and hi, staff had retired
He sent for Major Harmon, his
ouartermastsr, who said it was i'm.
possible to ship them that night.
Seeing the importance Of the order
7 suggested to the general that 1t
could bo done, and proposed 10 de-
deliver them in Baltimore before morn
ing il he would give me regiment
ond transportation. The necessary
orders were given and 1 went TO the
railroad station and telegraped Tor an
engine and car, which were promised
to be ready within an hour. then
went to the officer il, command OF the
second Virginia Regiment and tod
him to turn out his command. He
demurred until he saw the orders, and
approaching the Importance OF the
service, he and his men obeyed cheer
fully, some carrying arms, others
straw, while we packed them in the
car.