NEWS OF THE WAR: Condition of Affairs at the National Capital; The New-York and Massachusetts Troops There; GEN. BEAUREGARD RECONNOITERING (4/25/1861)

New York Times archives – Times Machine ^ | 4/25/1861

[Homer_J_Simpson]

TIMES OFFICE, Wednesday, 10 o'clock A.M.

A special correspondent from Washington to the TIMES arrived at our office at 3 1/2 o'clock this morning, bringing news from the Capital up to yesterday (Tuesday) morning, 7 1/2 o'clock, at which hour he left that city. Our messenger came through Baltimore, where he spent an hour or two, and by private conveyance to Havre de Grace, Maryland, and the aid of a fisherman's skiff to cross the Susquehannah, he reached Perryville, on the east bank of that stream, in time to take the evening train for Philadelphia. We are enabled, through this means, to lay before our readers a good deal of valuable and highly interesting intelligence.

Baltimore was crowded with people from the country, and there was much excitement, but no violence. Martial law prevails; suspected strangers are overhauled; the military throng the streets in small squads; the armories are filled with soldiers; the Maryland colors and the flag of the Southern Confederacy totally exclude the Stars and Stripes, and on every hand the strictest vigilance is exercised to guard against a surprise from any quarter, as well as to intercept bearers of dispatches for the Government.

During the hour and a half spent there by our correspondent, he was unable to hear anything confirming the statement of the Baltimore American, that Gov. Hicks would to-day lead Maryland troops to drive out the Seventh (New-York) Regiment and Gen. Butler's Massachusetts men, who had landed at Annapolis. Our correspondent says:

The New-York Seventh arrived safely at Annapolis on Monday morning, on board their steamer, and were joined there by Gen. BUTLER with his Massachusetts men, who came around from Perrysville on the Susquehannah River, having seized the railroad steam ferry-boat Maryland at that place for transportation purposes.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Free Republic University, Department of History presents U.S. History, 1855-1860: Seminar and Discussion Forum
The American Civil War, as seen through news reports of the time and later historical accounts

First session: November 21, 2015. Last date to add: Sometime in the future.
Reading: Self-assigned. Recommendations made and welcomed.

Posting history, in reverse order

https://www.freerepublic.com/tag/by:homerjsimpson/index?tab=articles

To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by reply or freepmail.

Link to previous New York Times thread

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3953441/posts

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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[Homer_J_Simpson]

News of the War: Condition of Affairs at the National Capital – 2-4
The Seventh Regiment: Authentic and Important Information – 4-5
The Seventh in Washington: Official Reports of Operations at Annapolis – 5
Affairs in Maryland – 5-6
Highly Important Report: A.H. Stephens at Richmond-Jeff. Davis to be there Soon – 6
Important from Fort Monroe: Virginians Concentrating at Norfolk – 6-7
Affairs at the South: Matters In and About Washington – 7
Movement of Troops – 7-9
Editorial: Wanted-A Leader! – 9-10
Editorial: Treason in Baltimore – 10
Editorial: The Administration’s View of the War – 10
Western Virginia – 11
Editorial: The Plan of the Campaign – 11
Editorial: The People Will Not Wait – 11
Wanted-Gun-Boats! – 11-12
How Rumors Grow – 12

[BroJoeK]

"Editorial: The Administration’s View of the War – 10"

Our editors decry Pres. Lincoln's attempts to negotiate with Baltimore's "neutral" Mayor Brown and Lincoln's subsequent order to reroute Union troops around Baltimore, to avoid further bloodshed.

The editors say Lincoln should have been more direct & blunt, ordering Brown to make Union troops' passage through Baltimore safe.
In Lincoln's defense, we might notice that soon after, Maryland's legislature voted more than 4 to 1 against secession, and that vote might have been quite different had Lincoln been more "coercive" with Brown.

This is also perhaps the place to post a favorite Lost Causer fake-quote from Lincoln:

"No wonder that Mr. Lincoln when asked, "why not let the South go?" replied, "Let the South go! where then shall we get our revenue?"
Admiral Raphael Semmes, Memoirs of Service Afloat, During the War Between The States"

Similar words were alleged in post-war testimony by CSA Col. John Baldwin, as coming from Lincoln before Fort Sumter, but there is no such language directly from Lincoln, or from anyone without an ax to grind against him.
Nor is there any chance that by April 25 -- with Washington, DC, under threat of attack by Confederate forces -- that Lincoln entertained the idea to "let the South go."