Lee's High Hopes for Maryland

[hawglips]

(General Robert E. Lee, Sep. 8, 1862)

TO THE PEOPLE OF MARYLAND:

It is right that you should know the purpose that has brought the Army under my command within the limits of your State, so far as that purpose concerns yourselves.

The People of the Confederate States have long watched, with the deepest sympathy, the wrongs and outrages that have been inflicted upon the Citizens of a Commonwealth, allied to the States of the South by the strongest social, political and commercial ties. They have seen with profound indignation their sister States deprived of every right, and reduced to the condition of a conquered province.

Under the pretense of supporting the constitution, but in violation of its most valuable provisions, your Citizens have been arrested and imprisoned upon no charge, and contrary to all forms of law; the faithful and manly protest against this outrage made by the venerable and illustrious Marylander to whom in better days no citizen appealed for right in vain, was treated with scorn and contempt; the government of your chief city has been usurped by armed strangers; your Legislature has been dissolved by the unlawful arrest of its members; freedom of the press and of speech has been suppressed; words have been declared offences by and arbitrary decree of the Federal Executive, and citizens ordered to be tried by a military commission for what they may dare to speak.

Believing that the people of Maryland possessed a spirit too lofty to submit to such a government, the people of the South have long wished to aid you in throwing off this foreign yoke to enable you again to enjoy the inalienable rights of freemen, and restore independence and sovereignty to your State. In obedience to this wish, our army has come among you, and is prepared to assist you with the power of its arms in regaining the rights of which you have been despoiled. This, Citizens of Maryland, is our inision, so far as you are concerned. No restraint upon our free will is intended, no intimidation, will be allowed. Within the limits of this army, at least, Marylanders shall once more enjoy their ancient freedom of thought and speech. We know no enemies among you, and will protect all of every opinion. It is for you to decide your destiny, freely and without constraint.

This army will respect your choice, whatever it may be; and while the Southern people will rejoice to welcome you to your natural position among them, they will only welcome you when you come of your own free will.”



Hal

[ole]

Hammer in another nail, Hal!

I've long believed that Lee was a bit overrated or over-deified, but I wasn't prepared to actually believe that Lee personally believed that he could persuade Maryland Deutch to throw off their yolk of oppression. Are you sure a Davis staffer didn't write that and Lee was ordered to issue it?

Well. Maybe it was worth a shot.
Ole

[hawglips]

Originally Posted by ole

Hammer in another nail, Hal!

I've long believed that Lee was a bit overrated or over-deified, but I wasn't prepared to actually believe that Lee personally believed that he could persuade Maryland Deutch to throw off their yolk of oppression. Are you sure a Davis staffer didn't write that and Lee was ordered to issue it?

Ole

Here's an example of why Lee had such high hopes:

Maryland, My Maryland

I
The despot's heel is on thy shore,
Maryland! My Maryland!
His torch is at thy temple door,
Maryland! My Maryland!
Avenge the patriotic gore
That flecked the streets of Baltimore,
And be the battle queen of yore,
Maryland! My Maryland!

II
Hark to an exiled son's appeal,
Maryland! My Maryland!
My mother State! to thee I kneel,
Maryland! My Maryland!
For life and death, for woe and weal,
Thy peerless chivalry reveal,
And gird they beauteous limbs with steel,
Maryland! My Maryland!

III
Thou wilt not cower in the dust,
Maryland! My Maryland!
Thy beaming sword shall never rust,
Maryland! My Maryland!
Remember Carroll's sacred trust,
Remember Howard's warlike thrust,-
And all thy slumberers with the just,
Maryland! My Maryland!

IV
Come! 'tis the red dawn of the day,
Maryland! My Maryland!
Come with thy panoplied array,
Maryland! My Maryland!
With Ringgold's spirit for the fray,
With Watson's blood at Monterey,
With fearless Lowe and dashing May,
Maryland! My Maryland!

V
Come! for thy shield is bright and strong,
Maryland! My Maryland!
Come! for thy dalliance does thee wrong,
Maryland! My Maryland!
Come to thine own anointed throng,
Stalking with Liberty along,
And chaunt thy dauntless slogan song,
Maryland! My Maryland!

VI
Dear Mother! burst the tyrant's chain,
Maryland! My Maryland!
Virginia should not call in vain,
Maryland! My Maryland!
She meets her sisters on the plain-
"Sic semper!" 'tis the proud refrain
That baffles minions back again,
Maryland! My Maryland!
Arise in majesty again,
Maryland! My Maryland!

VII
I see the blush upon thy cheek,
Maryland! My Maryland!
For thou wast ever bravely meek,
Maryland! My Maryland!
But lo! there surges forth a shriek,
From hill to hill, from creek to creek-
Potomac calls to Chesapeake,
Maryland! My Maryland!

VIII
Thou wilt not yield the Vandal toll,
Maryland! My Maryland!
Thou wilt not crook to his control,
Maryland! My Maryland!
Better the fire upon thee roll, Better the blade, the shot, the bowl,
Than crucifixion of the soul,
Maryland! My Maryland!


Hal

[hawglips]

Here's another reason for Lee's high hopes:

Resolution passed by the Maryland legislature, 16 May 1861:

"Whereas the war against the Confederate States is unconstitutional and repugnant to Civilization, and will result in bloody and shameful overthrow of our institutions; and while recognizing the obligations of Maryland to the Union, we sympathize with the South in the struggle for their rights -- for the sake of humanity we are for peace and reconciliation, and solemnly protest against this war, and will take no part in it;

Resolved, that Maryland implores the President, in the name of God, to cease this unholy war, at least until Congress assembles; that Maryland desires and consents to the recognition of the independence of the Confederate States. The military occupation of Maryland is unconstitutional, and she protests against it, though the violent interference with the transit of federal troops is discountenanced, that the vindication of her rights be left to time and reason, and that a Convention, under existing circumstances, is inexpedient.”

Hal

[hawglips]

And another:

“When I looked out in the morning, I could not help being struck by an odd and not pleasant coincidence. On that same day forty-seven years before, my grandfather, Mr Francis Scott Key, then prisoner on a British ship, had witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry. When on the following morning the hostile fleet drew off, defeated, he wrote the song so long popular. . . . As I stood upon the very scene of that conflict, I could not but contrast my position with his, forty-seven years before. The flag which he had then so proudly hailed, I saw waving at the same place over the victims of as vulgar and brutal despotism as modern times have witnessed. “ (Francis Key Howard, Baltimore newspaper editor; Sep. 13, 1861, while imprisoned at Ft. McHenry for expressing views contrary to the Lincoln administration's)

[unionblue]

Hal,

And just for comparison, how did Lee make out in the recruit department after the Maryland campaign and why do you suppose those results came about?

Unionblue

[hawglips]

Neil, I know next to nothing about Lee's recruitment success in MD after his campaign.

But I do know that he had good reason for high hopes going into it.

Do you think it is significant that a Marylander killed Lincoln while reportedly shouting, "sic semper tyrannis"?

Hal

[unionblue]

Hal,

No, Hal, I don't consider it significant, I consider it tragic, to both the North and the South and to history.

I find it more significant that Maryland contributed hardly anything in the way of support for the Confederate cause and was a great disapointment to Lee and Davis.

Sincerely,
Unionblue

[hawglips]

Originally Posted by unionblue

I find it more significant that Maryland contributed hardly anything in the way of support for the Confederate cause and was a great disapointment to Lee and Davis.

Sincerely,
Unionblue

I guess most of Davis' in-state support were being held as political prisoners by the time Lee crossed over the Potomac. I hear there were thousands of them by then. Lincoln pulled just about every tried and true despotic act to make sure he didn't lose MD to the evil secesh. But don't be too hard on the Marylanders -- they were the first secesh blood that stained the bayonets of them pecksniffian blue-bellies as they tramped through the streets of Baltimore.

By the way. My gr.gr.grandfather was captured on the way to MD with Lee's troops. Too bad he didn't get to shoot a Yank or two at Sharpsburg.

Hal

[unionblue]

Hal,

Please, Lincoln could not arrest everyone in Maryland. Do you have any sources or figures (thousands of them?) or sites I could go to and check up on your theory?

As for the mobs in Baltimore who attacked Union soldiers marching from one train to another, for every action there is a reaction, is there not?

As for your gr.gr.grandfather, he might be thankful that he did not get a chance to shoot a Yank or two at Sharpsburg. They did shoot back every once in a while.

Unionblue