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Had Maryland been allowed to vote on secession and voted against it, I would not be able to say Maryland was an Occupied State. Prior to the vote (which had been delayed while awaiting Virginia's decision for obvious reasons), Maryland was invaded by the Mass. Militia and others. Arms which had been stored at the armories awaiting call-up by the Governor were siezed and the Maryland Milita was defeated without firing a shot. The Governor, in cahoots with Lincoln, never gave the order.

Under the suspension of Habeas Corpus, the Maryland Legislature was held under house arrest at Fort McHenry and not allowed to vote on secession. The State was placed under martial law, enfored by Northern troops. Sounds occupied to me.

Citizens rioted in Baltimore at the invading Northerners, railroad bridges were burned, and not rebuilt until after the war. The State Song, Maryland, My Maryland, was written by an expatriate Marylander in Louisiana. The song begins "The despot's heel is on thy shore..." referring to the invading and occupying Northern forces.

"The citizens [of Frederick] were in the greatest trepidation. Invasion by the Southern army was considered equivalent to destruction.

Invasion by a friendly army is tantamount to destruction.

Telegrams were crowding rapidly on the army officers located here, directing that what stores could not be removed should be burned, and that the sick should as far as possible be sent on to Pennsylvania. Here began a scene of terror seldom witnessed in this region

Not many clashing armies in those parts, recently? Reign of panic is more like it. Union troops burned what they could not remove. Common practice. Not too hard for the citizens of Northwestern Maryland (Pennsylvania Border, Barbera Frietchie, Union Sympathizers, and all that)to panic along with them. If Atlanta can be described as "puny" by another poster, Frederick was a mere flyspeck on the map.

BTW, try and see what you can find on the sentiment of Marylanders below the fall line, especially Baltimore, Southern Maryland, Annapolis (less the D@mn turncoat governor), and the Eastern Shore.

It is hard to blame the citizens of Fredrick for catching the panic the Northern troops had, nor should one blame Southern troops for the Northern officers following orders.

The incident with the ring sounds a bit trumped up. No Southern gentleman would offer such a grisly trophy to a lady, especially a Southern Lady. But, if such occurred, chances are the Yankee was a Yankee horse or beef. It reeks of propaganda to me. Such sensationalism was common to the time.

No one in my family was conscripted, they fought willingly.