9
The Batallion was
then marched to the street fronting the position of the Insurgents and formed with the right resting against the enclosure of the Armory and im- mediately adjacent to the point of attack and within range of the fire of the Insurgents. Capt. Sinn’s Company formed the right, Capt Ritchie’s the centre, and Capt. Hobbs company the left of the Batallion. After it was thus formed the Volunteer Military from Baltimore which had arrived on the Maryland side of the Bridge in the same train with Col Lee and the Marines, and had remained on the Maryland shore during the night, was marched across and formed on the left of the Batallion of Frederick Vol- unteers. [ 30 ] An officer of the Marines then waited on the Insurgents, demanded their surrender and explained to them the hopelessness of resistance. Capt. Brown peremptorily refused to surrender when the assault was instantly made. A party of Marines approached the doors of the building at a run, large sledge hammers were wielded against the doors, but they failed to effect an entrance. [ 31 ] At this moment a heavy ladder was discovered within the enclosure and used by the Marines as a battering ram. At the second blow, the doors were splintered and yielded and an entrance was effected. As the doors flew open the Insurgents killed by their fire one Marine and wounded another. [ 32 ] Whilst the assault was progressing, the Insurgents had dis- charged several volleys through the doors which failed to take effect. Major Russell of the Marine Corps |
© Maryland State Archives, 2000, an Archives of Maryland publication