Robert E. Lee to Simon Cameron, May 14, 1861

A detachment of the forces of the Federal Government under my command have occupied the city of Baltimore for the purpose, among: other things, of enforcing respect and obedience to the laws, as well of the State—if requested thereto by the civil authorities—as of the United States laws, which are being violated within its limits by some malignant and traitorous men, and in order to testify the acceptance by the Federal Government of the fact that the city and all the well-intentioned portion of its inhabitants are loyal to the Union and the Constitution, and are to be so regarded and treated by all. To the end, therefore, that all misunderstanding of the purpose of the Government may be prevented, and to set at rest all unfounded, false, and seditious rumors; to relieve all apprehensions, if any are felt, by the well-disposed por- tion of the community, and to make it thoroughly understood by all traitors, their aiders and abettors, that rebellious acts must cease, I hereby, by the authority vested in me as commander of the Department of Annapolis, of which Baltimore forms a part, do now command and make known that no loyal and well-disposed citizen will be disturbed in his lawful occupation or business; that private property will not be interfered with by the men under my command, or allowed to be interfered with by others, except in so far as it may be used to aftord aid and comfort to those in rebellion against the Government, whether here or elsewhere, all of which property, munitions of war, and that fitted to aid and support the rebellion, will be seized and held subject to confiscation; and, therefore, all manufacturers of arms and munitions-of war are hereby requested to report to me forthwith, so that the lawfulness of their occupation may be known and understood, and all misconstruction of their doings be avoided. No transpor’ation from the city to the rebels of articles fitted to aid and support troops in the field will be permitted, and the fact of such transportation, after the publication of this proclamation, will be taken and received as proof of illegal intention on the part of the consignors, and will render the goods liable to seizure and confiscation.

The Government being ready to receive all such stores and supplies, arrangements will be made to contract for them immediately, and the owners and manufacturers of such articles of equipments and clothing and munitions of war and provisions are desired to keep themselves in communication with the Commissary-General, in order that their workshops may be employed for loyal purposes, and the artisans of the city resume and carry on their profitable occupations.

The acting assistant quartermaster and commissary of subsistence of the United States here stationed has been instructed to proceed and furnish at fair prices 40,000 rations for the use of the Army of the United States, and further supplies will be drawn from the city to the full extent of its capacity, if the patriotic and loyal men choose so to furnish supplies.

All assemblages, except the ordinary police, of armed bodies of men, other than those regularly organized and commissioned by the State of Maryland, and acting under the orders of the governor thereof, for drill and other purposes, are forbidden within the department.

All officers of the militia of Maryland having command within the limits of the department are requested to report through their officers forthwith to the general in command, so that he may be able to know and distinguish the regularly commissioned and loyal troops of Mary-

‘land irom armed bodies who may claim to be such.

The ordinary operations of the corporate government of the city of Baltimore and of the civil authorities will not be interfered with, but, on the contrary, will be aided by all the power at the command of the general, upon proper call being made, and all such authorities are cordially invited to co-operate with the general in command to carry out the purposes set forth in the proclamation, so that the city of Baltimore may be shown to the country to be, what she is in fa¢t, patriotic and loyal to the Union, the Constitution, and the laws.

No flag, banner, ensign, or device of the so-called Confederate States, or any of them, will be permitted to be raised or shown in this department, and the exhibition of either of them by evil-disposed persons will be deemed and taken to be evidence of a design to afiord aid and comfort to the enemies ofthe country. To make it more apparent that the Government of the United States by far more relies upon the loyalty, pa- triotism, and zeal of the good citizens of Baltimore and vicinity than upon any exhibition of force calculated to intimidate them into that obedience to the laws which the Government doubts not will be paid from inherent respect and love of order, the commanding general has brought to the city with him, of the many thousand troops in the immediate neighborhood, which might be at once concentrated here, scarcely more than an ordinary guard, and until it fails him, he will continue to rely upon that loyalty and patriotism of the citizens of Maryland which have never yet been found wanting to the Government in time of need. The general in command desires to greet and treat in this part of his department all the citizens thereof as friends and brothers, having a common purpose, a common loyalty, and a common country. Any infractions of the law. by the troops under his command, or any disorderly, unsoldierlike conduct, or any interference with private property, he desires to have immediately reported to him, and pledges himself that if any soldier so far forgets himself as to break those laws that he has sworn to defend and enforce, he shall be most rigorously punished.

The general believes that if the suggestions and requests contained in this ‘proclamation are faithfully carried ont by the co-operation of all good and Union-loving citizens, and peace and quiet and certainty of future peace and quiet are thus restored, business will resume its aceustomed channels, trade take the place of dullness and inactivity, efficient labor displace idleness, and Baltimore will be in fact, what she is entitled to be, in the front rank of the commercial cities of the nation.

Given at Baltimore the day and year herein first above written.

BENJ. F. BUTLER, Brigadier-General, Commanding Department of Annapolis. E. C. PARKER, LIieutenant-Colonel, Aide-de-Camp.

MAY 14, 1861.—Seizure of railroad train at Harper’s Ferry, W. Va. Report of Brig. Gen. B. F. Butler, Massachusetts Militia.

BALTIMORE, May 15, 1861—1.25 a. m. I have just received the following telegram :

FREDERICK, May 14—11.10 p. m.

Danger is apprehended at the Monocacy Bridge to-night. An engine and cars were Seized at Harper’s Ferry at 2 o’clock to-day. All connections west are cut off since 8 o’clock to-night. Weare guarding the wires as far as our forces enable us. Please send us immediate relief. Answer quick as possible by telegraph.

EDWARD SHRIVER, Brigadier-General.

What instructions have I upon this point, which is not within my department? Please answer immediately. Ross Winans is now in Annapolis under arrest.

B. F. BUTLER, Brigadier-General, Commanding. Lieutenant-General Scort.

MAY 18-19, 1861.—Engagement between the United States steamer Monticello and the battery at Sewell’s Point, Va.

No. 1.—Brig. Gen. Walter Gwynn, commanding Confederate forces at Norfolk. No. 2.—Capt. Peyton H. Colquitt, commanding at Sewell’s Point.

No. 1. Reports of Brig. Gen. Walter Gwynn, commanding at Norfolk.

NorFouk, V. A., May 20, 1861.

The enemy fired on the unfinished battery at Sewell’s Point on the 18th, but did no damage. There were at that time no guns mounted or nearer than Norfolk. I sent forward three guns immediately and two of the rifled cannon. Got them in position at 5 p. m. on the 19th. Soon after the enemy opened fire, which was returned and kept up one and a half hours, when the vessel from which the guns were fired withdrew. A fuller report will be made to-morrow. Just returned from Sewell’s Point. Reports in from the pickets at all points.

No immediate attack apprehended. Troops thrown forward and in position. Confident of making defense good. I am strengthening, to some extent, my position. Want six hundred laborers, and am reenforcing the batteries, which takes off so many men that additional troops are required.

Adjutant-General Virginia Forces.

HEADQUARTERS FORCES OF Virginia AROUND NORFOLK, May 20, 1861.

Sir: I have the honor to inform you that, late in the evening of the 18th instant, I received intelligence of an attack, made by the enemy’s steamer Monticello, on the unfinished works at Sewell’s Point. This battery was not sufficiently advanced at the time to receive its armament and garrison. The Monticello carried three guns, one of which was a heavy 10-inch Dahlgren. With these she kept up a constant fire with solid shot and shell for more than an hour, when a steam-tug, from Old Point, carrying one gun, came to her aid, and the two vessels continued the cannonade until the close of the day, without any serious injury to the works. The tug then returned to Old Point, and the Monticello moored, with broadside on, with the intention, apparently, of continuing the attack, in order to demolish the works or prevent their progress. Early on the morning of the 19th I hurried on the guns and equipment, and repaired to Sewell’s Point, to expedite the works for their reception, and by 5 p. m. succeeded in getting three 32-pounders and two small rifled guns into position, while detachments of infantry and artillery, ordered from neighboring posts, occupied the battery and contiguous points. During all this time the Monticello, apparently not suspecting the operations going forward, was engaged in preparing for another effort, by calculating the range and distance .and adjusting her guns tosuit. With instructions to Captain Colquitt, of Georgia, to whom I gave the command of all the forces and guns at the post, to continue

‘. 3 BaeLyeb 1 the preparations, reserving his fire until the enemy renewed the ecannonade, I returned to Norfolk. At 5.30 o’elock the Monticello again opened fire from all her guns, and with much greater precision than on the preceding day. It was instantly returned, and with such effect that she was driven off and returned to Old Point. The engagement continued for an hour and a half without intermission on either side, and, though the enemy’s fire was well directed, one shell bursting within an embrasure and several others directly over the battery, while solid shot repeatedly passed through the embrasures and struck the crest and sides of the merlons, hurling masses of earth from the outside among the gunners, I am happy to inform you that no casualty of moment occurred to the troops, nor was material injury done to the battery. What damage or loss was sustained by the enemy I was not able to discover, but his retreat indicated that our fire had become too warm for further endurance. As early as I received information of the second attack and repulse, I ordered forward more troops, and hastened, during the night, to Sewell’s Point, to make such other dispositions as might be necessary to defend the post against any further and more formidable assaults which the enemy’s large naval and military forces at Old Point would enable him to make.

I cannot close this brief account of the engagement without expressing my admiration of the enthusiasm and bravery manifested by the troops. Where officers and men displayed so much merit it would be invidious to discriminate, and I therefore refer you to the accompanying report of Captain Colquitt for further particulars. His position, as commanding officer of the post, gave him an opportunity of displaying the qualities which adorn the soldier, and the general appreciation of his gallantry and merit by those under his command enable me to commend him most warmly to your consideration.

In conclusion, I would state that, in consequence of the want of a Virginia or Contederate flag for the occasion, the flag of Georgia, belonging to Captain Colquitt’s company, was planted on the ramparts during the engagement, and, while the hottest tire was prevailing, two members of his company, whose names I will forward you when reported to me as deserving particular notice, fearlessly passed to the outside of the battery, and deliberately removed the sand and other obstructions to the range of one of the guns while shot and shell were striking all about them. }

very respectfully, your obedient servant,