Gov. Hicks, & Mayor Brown Washington, April 20. 1861Gentlemen: Your letter by Messrs. Bond, Dobbin & Brune, is received. I tender you both my sincere thanks for your efforts to keep the peace in the trying situation in which you are placed. For the future, troops must be brought here, but I make no point of bringing them through Baltimore. Without any military knowledge myself, of course I must leave details to Gen. Scott. He hastily said, this morning, in presence of these gentlemen, ``March them around Baltimore, and not through it.'' I sincerely hope the General, on fuller reflection, will consider this practical and proper, and that you will not object to it. By this, a collision of the people of Baltimore with the troops will be avoided, unless they go out of their way to seek it. I hope you will exert your influence to prevent this.
Now, and ever, I shall do all in my power for peace, consistently with the maintainance of government. Your Obt. Servt.
A. LINCOLN
The day after the order to burn the bridges Lincoln personally invited Mayor Brown to the White House where the two met and agreed that future troop shipments should not go through Baltimore.
It is unlikely Lincoln would have known immediately of the mayor's complicity. Brown was arrested in September, when his treason became known.