44               The Maryland Constitution of 1864.            [390

met in the Front Street Theatre, Baltimore, on June 7,
1864. It adopted a platform strongly urging the prosecu-
tion of the war and endorsing the policy of the National
Administration. After nominating Lincoln and Johnson,
it adjourned on June 8.

The Convention again, on June 24, adjourned over till
July 6, as a number of the members desired time to attend
to personal affairs, especially the farmers, who had their
crops to harvest.²⁵ Work had hardly been resumed, when
the celebrated "Rebel Raid" occurred and interrupted pro-
ceedings for nearly two weeks more. This invasion of
Maryland deserves some attention, as it was of great con-
sequence to the people of the state, and caused a bitter
clash between the opposing sides in the Convention.

During the latter part of June, 1864, General Lee sent
General Jubal A. Early with a force, probably some fifteen
thousand men, to move down the Valley of Virginia and
make a demonstration against Washington, hoping thus
to relieve the pressure of General Grant's armies upon
Richmond. This force, after crossing the Potomac near
Shepherdstown and Falling Waters, occupied Hagerstown
on July 6, and its advance skirmished with Union troops as
far as Frederick. On Friday, July 8, the main body occu-
pied this town, and on the next day (July 9) met and de-
feated General Lew Wallace at Monocacy Junction. The
Union force was estimated at between seven and eight thou-
sand men, and was composed of those troops which Gen-
eral Wallace was able to collect in order to defend Balti-
more. It behaved well in the battle which lasted nearly
eight hours, but retreated in great disorder to Ellicott's
Mills. The main Confederate force turned south and occu-
pied Rockville, threatening Washington and skirmishing
within sight of that city. A small cavalry force, of which
Major Harry Gilmore was one of the commanders, was
sent to operate north and east of Baltimore. It cut the

²⁵ Proc., 225-6; Deb., i, 743.