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Baltimore Sept. 12th 1866

I was present at the Camp meeting in Shipley's Woods, when the riot began. At the time I was conducting the religious services in the altar. The people were kneeling engaged in prayer. There were at the time some 50 or 60 penitents in the altar. At about 12 o'clock, I heard firing from the right and left of the stand and heard the whizzing sound of balls. Our meeting was broken up in great confusion. I hastened from the altar and when I had gotten outside I turned and saw a tall man, dressed in linen clothing firing towards the place where the col'd people had been holding their meeting. The circle of the tents was soon filled with excited men, armed and with clubs & axes &c. As I passed towards the upper part of the ground I heard a large man, in an exciting manner, urge the people to organize and make an attack upon the negros. They were all very much excited and used abusive language towards the preachers so that I feared for my personal safety and returned to a neighboring tent. Wm F. Speake