[mac_truck]

There had been riots in the streets (much of it caused by Southern sympathizers) when troops from other states moved through Baltimore, a not too common occurrence back when the armed coercion of states by other states was thought to be wrong.

The troops you refer to were the 6th Massachusetts Regiment, one of the first to respond to President Lincoln's call to arms. They were on their way to Washington to defend the capitol. There was no direct rail line through Baltimore, so the troops had to de-rail and move through town to board another train to take them to DC.

I believe both the governor of Maryland and the Mayor of Baltimore were aware of this when they ordered the railroad bridges, and telegraph links to Washington, destroyed.

[rustbucket]

The troops you refer to were the 6th Massachusetts Regiment, one of the first to respond to President Lincoln's call to arms. They were on their way to Washington to defend the capitol. There was no direct rail line through Baltimore, so the troops had to de-rail and move through town to board another train to take them to DC.

I believe both the governor of Maryland and the Mayor of Baltimore were aware of this when they ordered the railroad bridges, and telegraph links to Washington, destroyed.

What was it exactly that you believe the governor and mayor were aware of? That the troops involved in the earlier riots were the 6th Massachusetts? That the troops had to de-rail and reboard another train because the train lines didn't connect. That the troops had been going to Washington to defend the capitol?

These were all things known to everyone in the city. How is it that the governor and mayor could not have been aware of them?