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1864
July 10th Sunday. Several persons were called out of church this morning exciting our curiosity and on coming out after service we were startled by the intelligence that a large body of Southern troops 40 or 50 000 in number were marching on Wash. They had thrown the city of Baltimore into a state of intense excitement by their near approach - had cut the northern central railroad & burned Hagerstown. These reports have all been confirmed but there are various conflicting opinions entertained in regard to the supposed object of the enemy whether a raid, merely for purposes of plunder or a demonstration on Wash. to call off Gen. Grants troops from the vacinity of Petersburg is still a matter of conjecture. The quartermaster's clerks have all been ordered to report themselves for service in the defence of the city.
11th. Mon. The city in a state of intense excitement. Southerners said to be at Rockville & skirmishing with our pickets. After cutting the Northern Central R.R. yesterday, they proceeded across the country cutting the telagraph wires on the Phil & Harford turnpike & burning the residence of Gov. Bradford about 5 miles from Baltimore - this was in retaliation