should arrive.  The total nominal strength of the United States army, officers and men, was only 17,113, of whom not two thirds could be counted upon the Union side, and even these were scattered over a vast expanse of country, playing police for Indians, and garrisoning distant posts.  Rumors of Southern schemes to attack Washington caused widespread alarm; the government had no more definite information than the people, and all alike feared that there was to be a race for the capital, and that the South, being near and prepared, would get there first.  As matter of fact, the Southern leaders had laid no military plan for this enterprise, and the danger was exaggerated.  The Northerners, however, did not know this, and made desperate haste.

The first men to arrive came from Philadelphia, 460 troops, as they were called, though they came “almost entirely without arms.”  In Massachusetts, Governor Andrew, an anti-slavery leader, enthusiastic, energetic, and of great executive ability, had been for many months preparing the militia for precisely this crisis, weeding out the holiday soldiers and thoroughly equipping his regiments for service in the field.  For this he had been merrily ridiculed by the aristocracy of Boston during the winter; but inexorable facts now declared for him and against the local aristocrats.  On April 15 he received the call from Washington, and immediately sent forth his own summons through the State.  All day on the 16th, amid a fierce northeasterly storm, the troops poured into Boston, and by six o’clock on that day three full regiments were ready to start.[135] Three days before this the governor had asked Secretary Cameron for 2000 rifled muskets from the national armory at Springfield, in the State.  The secretary refused, and the governor managed to supply his regiment with the most improved arms[136] without aid from the national government.  On the forenoon of the 17th, the Sixth Regiment started for Washington.  Steamers were ready to take it to Annapolis; but the secretary of war, with astonishing ignorance of facts easily to be known, ordered it to come through Baltimore.  Accordingly the regiment reached Baltimore on the 19th, the anniversary of the battle of Lexington.  Seven companies were transported in horse-cars from the northern to the southern station without serious hindrance; but then the tracks of the street railway were torn up, and the remaining four companies had to leave the cars and march.  A furious mob of “Plug Uglies” and Secessionists assailed them with paving-stones, brickbats, and pistol-shots.  The mayor and the marshal of the police force performed fairly their official duty, but were far from quelling the riot.  The troops, therefore, thrown on their own resources, justifiably fired upon their assailants.  The result of the conflict was that 4 soldiers were killed and 36 were wounded, and of the rioters 12 were killed, and the number of wounded could not be ascertained.  The troops reached Washington at five o’clock in the afternoon, the first armed rescuers of the capital; their presence brought a comforting sense of relief, and they were quartered in the senate chamber itself.