Washington April 19^th 8½ p.m. 1861

Senate chamber

 

Mr Huse

            Dr Sir—As I promised you when leaving [?] that I would occasionally write you, I therefore sit me down where have heretofore assembled the wisdom and greatness of the nation (the Senate chamber of the U.S.) to make good so far my promise. After leaving Boston Wednesday night we had quite a pleasant time. At all the stopping places between there and New York where we arrived about 8 yesterday morning and were pro it was one continual demonstration of enthusiasm in New York provided for at the Astor & Metropolitan houses in the shape of a good meal which I assure was generally needed and was as essentially relished

 

We left New York for Philadelphia at 12½ M. and traveled where we arrived late in the afternoon in good health and spirits and amid the wildest of excitement and enthusiasm were escorted to the Gerard & Continental houses where the inner man was / again attended to. Leaving Philadelphia at a most sudden call at twelve O'clock, we were obliged to buckle on our armour, void of of rest for twenty four forty eight hours and take cars for Baltimore in which town we arrived this forenoon, and owing to the amount of our regiment it became necessary to divide it, for transportation to take cars for here, but while seven Co's of our column went to take the cars and the remainder undertook the same, in which body I was as ensign of the regiment, (Mr Barnard having ran away first night of the Campaign) they the Baltimore roughs began to spoil us with epithets to polite to mention and also to assault us with stones brickbats &c. But as we had orders before arriving at that God forsaken city to load with ball cartridge but not to to fire unless fired upon we did not do it. But presently that / came and Baltimoreans have now occasion to regret it. Revolvers became common with the rabble and the flag of secession seemed to predominate. Our men after suffering all the indignities of insults and brickbatting became enervated for the contest and the first discharge of a firearm turned with determination upon their assailants and instantly the streets became (for a moment) as vacant as a churchyard at night. But it was for a moment only for the cowardly rebels fired from the windows and house tops but many a stout hearted recreant, that gloried in his heart of hearts that the sentiment of the Southeran Confederacy would prevail now lies low. Our men have acted on the defensive and their defense has told well for the gallant sixth but detrimental to the plug uglies of Baltimore. It is reported that 25 or 30 of those rascals are gone to their final home and some ten or twelve of our men are wounded, 2 men from Lowell / are reported dead, one Dan'l Tyler stabbed of which he died this afternoon another Dan'l Stevans of Lowell both of City Guards the latter stabbed with a bayonet and as is reported dead. By last accounts Gov Hicks has put the city under martial law and the Mayor of the city, owning the fight took from the hands of one of our men his musket and shot through the head a ruffian in the act of casting a stone at our Colors

 

            Our Band have all been taken by the Baltimoreans and if last accounts are true, are all butchered this I do not credit as there are a goodly share of Union sentiment in Baltimore and as I believe sufficient to protect them from such an uncivilized occurrence.

 

            Rumors are afloat that the Capitol is to be attacked tonight and we are all sleeping under arms in the building.

           

More anon                  

T. A. Crowley

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