108 



AKMY OPERATIONS. 



the several major-generals, brigadier-generals, and 

 colonels of regiments, throughout the Commonwealth, 

 muster, without delay, all military organizations with- 

 in their respective divisions or under their control, to- 

 gether with all persons willing to join their com- 

 mands, and proceed forthwith to the city of Washing- 

 ton or such other points as may be indicated by future 

 orders. 



By order A. G. CURTIN, Governor and Commander- 

 in-Chief. 



(Signed) A. L. RUSSELL, Adjt.-Gen. 



The Governor of Massachusetts issued the 

 following proclamation : 



Men of Massachusetts /The wily and barbarous 

 horde of traitors to the people, to the Government, to 

 our country, and to liberty, menace again the national 

 capital. They have attacked and routed Maj.-Gen. 

 Banks, are advancing on Harper's Ferry, and are 

 marching on Washington. The President calls on 

 Massachusetts to rise once more for its rescue an3 

 defence. 



The whole active militia will be summoned by a 

 general order, issued from the office of the Adjutant- 

 General, to report on Boston Common to-morrow ; 

 they will march to relieve and avenge their brethren 

 and friends, and to oppose with fierce zeal and cou- 

 rageous patriotism the progress of the foe. 



May God encourage their hearts and strengthen 

 their arms, and may He inspire the Government and 

 all the people ! 



Given at Headquarters, Boston, 11 o'clock, this 

 (Sunday) evening, May 25, 1862. 



JOHN A. ANDREW. 



Over three thousand men responded on 

 Monday. 



The Governor of Rhode Island issued the 

 following order : 



PROVIDENCE, May 25, 1862. 



Citizens of the State capable of bearing arms will at 

 once report themselves to the nearest military organ- 

 izations. 



The commandants of the chartered and volunteer 

 military companies will at once organize their com- 

 panies, and the men so reporting into companies of 

 eighty-three men rank and file, and report to these 

 headquarters, when they will be armed, equipped, and 

 moved under the direction of the Commander-in-Chief 

 to Washington, to protect the national capital from 

 the advance of the rebels who are now rapidly ap- 

 proaching. 



Gen. Robbins is directed to organize and command 

 the first regiment, and will order his brigade under 

 arms and form it into a regiment. 



The second regiment will be under command of 

 Capt. Bliss, of the United States Army. 



The Providence Marine Corps of artillery will be 

 placed under the command of Lieut.-Col. E. C. Gallup 

 as captain, and he is directed to organize the same. 



Col. Shaw is ordered to assemble the National 

 Guard for organization. 



Rhode Island troops will move through Baltimore, 

 and if their progress is impeded by the rebel mob of 

 that city, they will mete out to it the punishment 

 which it has long merited. Our regiments will move 

 to Washington to defend the capital in common with 

 thousands of our patriotic countrymen, who will rush 

 to arms to ward off the danger which is imminent. 



WM. SPRAGUE. 



AUG. HOPPIN, Assistant Adjutant-General. 



The Governor of Ohio issued the following 

 proclamation : 



CoLtTMBtrs, O., May 26. 



To tfie Gallant Men of Ohio : I have the astounding 

 intelligence that the seat of our beloved Government 

 is threatened with invasion, and am called upon by 

 the Secretary of War for troops to repel and over- 

 whelm the ruthless invaders. 



Rally, then, men of Ohio, and respond to this call, 

 as becomes those who appreciate our glorious Gov- 

 ernment. Three classes of troops will be accepted : 



First. For three years, or during the war. 



Second. For a term of three months. 



Third. For guard duty within the limits of the State. 



All are requested to report for duty at Camp Chase, 

 where the organization will take place. 



The number wanted from each county has been in- 

 dicated by special despatches to the several Military 

 Committees. 



Everything is valueless to us if our Government is 

 overthrown. 



Lay aside, then, your ordinary duties, and help to 

 bear afloat the glorious flag unfurled by our fathers. 

 DAVID TOD, Governor. 



At the same time the Secretary of War at 

 Washington, caused the following order to he 

 issued : 



WASHINGTON, May 25, 1862. 



Ordered. By virtue of the authority vested by an 

 act of Congress, the President takes military posses- 

 sion of all the railroads in the United States, from and 

 after this date, uutil further orders, and directs that 

 the respective railroad companies, their officers and 

 servants, shall hold themselves in readiness for the 

 transportation of troops and munitions of war, as may 

 be ordered by the military authorities, to the exclusion 

 of all other business. 



By order of the Secretary of War. 



M. C. MEIGS, Quartermaster-General. 



When the alarm thus indicated in the head- 

 quarters of Government had disseminated itself 

 throughout the military and social ramifica- 

 tions of society, the excitement was almost 

 tumultuous. In Baltimore, crowds pursued 

 persons suspected of sympathy with the cause 

 of the South, until all such disappeared from 

 the streets. The display of flags was demand- 

 ed from public buildings. Almost half a mil- 

 lion of men offered themselves for the defence 

 of Washington within twenty-four hours after 

 the issue of the proclamations. 



Meanwhile Gen. Jackson, having seen Gen. 

 Banks safely escaping to the ford of the Poto- 

 mac, turned away from further pursuit to carry 

 out the other details of his plan, little conceiv- 

 ing of the panic his movements had occasioned 

 in the departments at Washington and the 

 offices of the Governors of States. In fact a 

 captured despatch from Gen. Johnston to Gen. 

 Jackson shdVs that the chief object of Gen. 

 Jackson's movement was to prevent reenforce- 

 ments to Gen. McClellan. The effect of this 

 causeless panic on the part of the authorities at 

 Washington was extremely disastrous to the 

 Federal cause ; fully as much so as the ground- 

 less fears for the safety of the capital, which 

 determined the detention of Gen. McDowell's 

 corps from the army of the Potomac in the be- 

 ginning of the month of April. The War De- 

 partment manifestly did not realize the self- 

 evident fact, that Washington being strongly 

 fortified, its surest defence consisted in the 

 presence of a large army threatening Rich- 

 mond from the peninsula. 



On the 28th Gen. Jackson advanced upon 

 Harper's Ferry from Charlestown, driving in be- 

 fore him a Federal reconnoitring force consisting 

 of the lllth Pennsylvania infantry, Col. Schlan- 



