OTD 165 YEARS AGO: William S. Harney is ousted as Federal commander in Missouri due to his suspected leniency toward secessionists. This leaves his successor, Nathaniel Lyon, with free reign to destroy secessionism in the state.
Tag: Abraham Lincoln
Ex Parte Merryman
OTD 165 YEARS AGO: Pennsylvania militia arrest a Maryland farmer in his Maryland home for suspected secessionist activity. This provokes a controversial legal dispute between the president and the U.S. chief justice and leads to ongoing violations of civil liberties during the war.
Federals Capture Alexandria
OTD 165 YEARS AGO: Federal troops invade northern Virginia and seize the strategic town of Alexandria, but a promising young officer becomes one of the war’s first casualties.
Vigorous Measures are Anticipated
165 YEARS AGO: President Abraham Lincoln calls for increased military enrollment, which results in Federal troops pouring into Washington, D.C. By mid-May, talk turns from defense to offensive operations including an invasion of the South.
Keep Your Rowdies in Baltimore
OTD 165 YEARS AGO: Maryland legislators reject secession as President Lincoln controversially suspends the writ of habeas corpus in areas surrounding the state.
Washington in Isolation
President Lincoln’s call for volunteers is enthusiastically answered but getting them to Washington is another matter. This leads to chaos in the capital, where fears of a Confederate attack heighten.