Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-08-22

streets OF Baltimore, the mob de-
termined that no more soldiers should
reach Baltimore by the railroad, at all
events. Large GRO Sds left the oity, bent
upon the destruction OF the railroad
bridges, and they did their work etfec
lively. They waited until train ar
rived at the bridge at Canton, when a
pistol fired at the engineer brought the
matter to a crisis, The passengers
were made to get out, the crowd
thron9ed into the cars, and the engi-
ner was compelled to take them to
Gunpowder bridge, where, while sumo
took charge of the cars, others com
menced the work of burning the bridge.
The destruction was complete. On the
way back they fired several other
bridges and completely destroyed the
possibility of any\railroad communion
ton" IA
How to forward troops to Washington
became serious consideration, and in
this manner was the solution reached
The day after the riot in Baltimore,
Capt Anthony Reybold left that city
on the Ericsson line steamer Henry L.
Cav, Capt. Eyler, and during the trip
the exciting incidents in Baltimor 9
were naturally the subject of discus
sion. Capt. Reybuld maintained the
right of the government to transport
troops to the defense Of the capital. and
in the course of the discussion declared
that he could convey troops from the
North to Washington by a route that
would avoid the opposition OF the Bal
timore mobs.
Among the listeners TO this converse.
sion was gentleman who took no part,
but acted promptly upon the informa.
tion thereby obtained. This gentle
man was Hon. Il. Joy Morris, then a
member OF Congress from Philadelphia,
and upon his arrival in the latter city
he at once went to work. In conse
quence, Capt Reybold found himself
called to u conference OF War Depart
ment officials with Thomas A. Scott,
then president of the PENNSYLVANIA
Railroad Co., and was invited to detail
his plans Tor transporting troops
through to Washington without going
by way of Baltimore. He advised the
seizure OF the necessary beats, and the
transportation of troops by rail to
Perryville, on the Philadelnhis, Will
mington u Baltimore Railroad, Themes
to be taken by the boats to Anpapolis,
and thence by the Annapolis Short Line
and Baltimore & Ohio Railroads to
Washington. This plan was followed
with signal SUCCESS.
1t may be inquired why the troops
were not taken by the boats directly
from Philadelphia, through the canal,
to Annapolis. The answer is that the
hospitality of oetain elements along the
line of the canal, both in Delaware
and Maryland, was 80 fierce that threats
ware made to cut the canal in the event
that the government endeavored to send
through 1t boats loaded with soldiers.
When the string OF boats seized for
transportation purposes steamed slowly
through the canal, on the way to Perry
vile, they we're CLOSELY watched from
point to point, but as it was apparent
they carried no soldiers, no obstructive
tactics were resorted to. When the
tieet left the canal at Chesapeake City
and reached the mouth of Elk River,
the sealed orders given at Philadelphia
were opened, and in accordance with
these orders, the vessels, instead of
proceeding on the usual route to Balti-
more, went to Perryville. Here the
troops, under command Of Gen. Butler,
were taken aboard, and after delay of
two days, insisted upon by Butler for
the purpose OF arming the old railroad
ierrybost Maryland and using her for
convoy, the voyage to Annapolis was
safely made. and soon the troops we're
carried by rail to Washington.
Gen. Butler claimed the credit for
devising this method OF transporting
troops around hostile Baltimore, tut
the sole credit for its conception is
due to Capt. Anthony Reybold.
Capt. Reybold, hale and hearty,
though well advanced in years,
now resides in Wilmington. Among
his most treasured war relics is frag.
ment of the shell from the Confedera te
ram Merrimao, which played such havoc
on the GOOD old steamer Whilldin, after
the latter's famous mission OF mercy
IN rescuing sailors from the sunken
Cumberland.