Whose picture should be next to 'scalywag' in the dictionary. He ordered the State Militia to muster their arms at their armories and wait for the call to arms...which he never issued, even as the State was being invaded.
In fact, Governor Hicks perfectly reflected the politics of Maryland at the time, which was generally sympathetic to slavery, but also wanted to preserve and remain part of the Union.
The Maryland legislature voted more than two-to-one against secession, and Marylanders joined the Union Army by two-to-one over the Confederates.
Indeed, the great Battle of Antietam was fought because Davis & Lee just couldn’t believe more Marylanders were not eager to join the Confederate Army.
But it turned out Davis & Lee were wrong about that, because the vast majority of Marylanders were happier in the Union than out.
Today, of course, many like to pretend otherwise, but facts, as they say, are stubborn things.