New York Herald
April 20, 1861
President Lincoln has issued a proclamation announcing a blockade of the ports of the revolutionary States. The document is given in another column.
Baltimore was the scene of a bloody fight yesterday. On the arrival of the Massachusetts regiment of troops in that city, their passage through to Washington was opposed by the secessionists, who showered stones upon the soldiers. The troops in return fired upon the mob, and succeeded in forcing their way through the city. In the conflict, two of the Massachusetts volunteers were killed and four wounded. Seven of the citizens were killed and some half dozen wounded. A despatch dated at nine o’clock in the evening states that quiet prevailed. A large meeting of citizens was held in the evening, which, was attended by the Mayor and the Governor of the States.
Captain Jones, the commander of the United States troops at Harper’s Ferry, telegraphed to General Scott yesterday, that at ten o’clock the night previous he destroyed by fire all the arms and the armory building proper at that point. He then withdrew his command, almost in the face of from twenty five hundred to three thousand Virginia secessionists, who were marching upon the armory to seize it.
The secessionists at Richmond have seized upon the public property there. A schooner belonging to Maine was also seized, as well as the New York steamer Jamestown.
Trouble has broken out in Delaware. The citizens of Wilmington have resolved to maintain an armed neutrality during the war. How far they will be able to hold this position with their feeble forces remains to be seen.
The Seventh regiment, numbering nine hundred and ninety men, with two howitzer guns, left the city at twenty minutes before seven o’clock last evening for Washington. An immense crowd of spectators filled the streets, windows, balconies and housetops to witness their departure. The scene is graphically described and illustrated in our columns this morning. A despatch from Philadelphia states that the regiment will probably leave that city on board the steamer Keystone State for Washington, via the Potomac.
General Sandford’s orders for the departure of the Sixth, Twelfth and Seventy first regiments have been changed from this afternoon until Sunday, when they are to assemble at their armories for embarkation at nine o’clock A.M. of that day. The regiments were actively engaged at their armories last evening, preparing for immediate departure, the general expectation being that they were to depart today. At the various recruiting stations and depots the enrollment of volunteers is going on with great rapidity, and Colonel Ellsworth’s movements toward forming a Zouave corps from the Fire Department are meeting with all desirable success.
The United States steamer Pocahontas arrived at this port yesterday from Charleston bar, and sailed again late in the afternoon, supposed for Norfolk. The Pawnee has arrived at Washington.
Advices from Key West to the 8th inst. state that Major French’s command at Key West now consists of three companies of the First artillery and two companies of the First infantry. The former garrison Fort Taylor and the latter the Key West barracks. Hon. John P. Baldwin has been appointed Collector of that port by the Southern confederacy; John Boyle has been made Inspector of Customs; John L. Tatum, District Attorney, and F. J. Moreno, Marshal. The former gentleman has been qualified, and will at once enter upon the duties of his office.
In the Republican Central Committee, which met last evening, resolutions were introduced censuring Governor Morgan for not being more prompt in answer to President Lincoln’s call for volunteers. The committee contemplate the idea of forming themselves into a recruiting company, and there by atoning in a measure for the inactivity and supineness of the State authorities. Our report of the proceedings could not be inserted, in consequence of the crowded state of our columns.
The Collector of this port has been instructed to advise all parties with regard to the course to be pursued to recover fines imposed on vessels from the South arriving without proper clearances. The Department will not entertain applications, unless under the remitting act of March 3, 1797. The schooner Harry Maybee, from Mobile, was fined yesterday.