Firing On The Crowd

This July 21, 1877 article from the Baltimore Sun gives an account of the Maryland Sixth Infantry Regiment firing into the crowd in Baltimore.

FIRING ON THE CROWD.

It was not the purpose of the officers to fire on the crowd, but after the first recoil, when Company I again moved to the door and were received with another terrific stone assault, the soldiers seemed to lose control of themselves so far as to think only of their own defense. The firing began at the door, and the officers claim that it was without orders from them. Company I, with fixed bayonets, moved on Front street toward Baltimore street and were followed at an interval of about thirty feet by Company F, who were also received with showers of missiles and responded with occasional volleys of musketry. A volley was fired along Fayette street towards the bridge, driving the crowd in that direction. These two companies marched by Front street to Baltimore street, and up Baltimore street to Gay, fighting their way at every step and doing sad execution with the Minnie balls from their rifles. By the time they had passed the corner of Baltimore and Harrison streets, one man [was] dead with a ball through the breast and three others dangerously wounded, had been carried into Laroque's drug store at that point. The two companies continued up Baltimore street toward the Camden Station. Company B Captain [unclear], by order of Colonel Peters, being the last to leave the armory, marched by way of Front street to Gay street and up Gay to Baltimore street, and thence towards the depot. This route was taken to avoid the hostile crowd. While moving out of the armory Col. Peters directed the companies from the head of the stairs, going with the less experienced officers to the door, and once saying to a youth in one of the companies, who seemed on the point of giving way to his terror, "go forward and fight like a man," pushing him on.