Richmond Enquirer
April 20, 1861
Latest by Telegraph.
THE FIRST BLOODSHED.
Resistance to Northern Troops, etc., etc., etc.
BALTIMORE, April 19.—A terrible conflict has occurred this afternoon between the people of this city and a portion of the soldiers of the New York Seventh Regiment.
Several have been killed and wounded.
The whole volunteer military force of the city is under arms, and Governor HICKS has proclaimed martial law.
The city was considerably excited yesterday afternoon by the above rather meager despatch, which appeared upon the bulletin boards. Owing to the wires having been cut or otherwise disarranged, no further particulars of this exciting news was sent to us by the agent of the Associated Press, but from a number of conflicting private despatches, which have been kindly furnished us, we glean the following information:
It appears that such detachments of the New York Seventh Regiment as were willing to become the tools of Coercion (the Regiment, as a whole, being opposed to such a cause) reached Baltimore today. An excited mob met them upon their arrival at the President Street Station, and began throwing stones at the car containing them. The newly arrived companies abstained from resenting the attack, and thanks to their own prudence, combined with the efforts of the police, succeeded in reaching the Camden Station, whence they were to start for Washington.
A Massachusetts Regiment arriving about the same time was also stoned, and in reply fired upon the populace, killing a number of citizens, and among others several highly esteemed in the community. We hear that Mr. DAVIS, of the firm of DAVIS, PAYNTER & CO., was among those killed. At the last accounts the firing was till going on. The number of the killed is variously stated from twenty to two hundred.
The city volunteers, who sympathize with the South, had immediately mustered, and Governor HICKS had proclaimed martial law.
JOHN W. GARRETT, the President of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company, had issued orders that the trains upon the Company’s road were, upon no pretext, to transport troops either to or from Washington.
The populace had torn up the railroad track to prevent the passage of the trains, and there is reason to believe that the telegraph wires were cut—both those connecting with the North and with the South
We have received no further intelligence of the outbreak up to the moment we go to press.—EDITOR MERCURY.