The first blood of the American Civil War was shed in a Baltimore street riot
The American Civil War turned violent in the streets of Baltimore when a pro-secessionist mob attacked Union soldiers, resulting in the first fatalities of the nation's bloodiest conflict.
On April 19, 1861, just days after the fall of Fort Sumter, the first blood of the Civil War was shed not on a battlefield, but in a city riot. As the 6th Massachusetts Militia marched through Baltimore to defend Washington D.C., they were ambushed by a mob of Southern sympathizers throwing bricks and firing pistols.
There's more to this story — open the app to keep reading.
Continue Reading in App
1 more paragraphs · plus a 3-question quiz