Baltimore and the Nineteenth of April, 1861: A Study of the War

Brown, George William, 1812-1890Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 3.8

Word count: 326K words
Chapters: 33

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Baltimore and the Nineteenth of April, 1861: A Study of the War by BrownAuthor: Brown, George William, 1812-1890,Language: English, Class: F106: United States local history: Atlantic coast. Middle Atlantic States, Release Date: Apr 2, 2012

Editor's review

George William Brown wrote this study of the April 19, 1861 events in Baltimore as a participant, and its weight lies not in length but in perspective. As both a local official and a party to the events, he gives an on-the-ground account of the political atmosphere, militia movements, and municipal response before and after the riots, while inevitably revealing his own stance. It is worth noting how he selects material and defends himself and his group; this in itself is an entry point for understanding the complex position of border states in the early Civil War. The book is not suited to being read as a general history; it is better used alongside early Civil War political history and Maryland local history. For readers concerned with the tension between federal and state power and with how the war unfolded concretely in a single city, it is a valuable case study.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers studying early Civil War politics and the situation of border states
History enthusiasts interested in Baltimore local history and municipal response
History students needing participant accounts as source material for comparison
Readers concerned with the tension between federal and state power

Not a good fit for

Readers wanting a comprehensive Civil War history or detailed military campaigns
Readers expecting a neutral, objective narrative without partisan leaning
General readers with little interest in nineteenth-century American political context

Reading tips

First learn the basic background of the April 1861 Baltimore riots, then read the author's account with greater clarity.
Mark the author's identity and stance as you read, distinguishing factual statements from defensive ones.
Read alongside contemporary newspapers or other participant records to test the emphasis of the narrative.
After finishing, outline the timeline of events and check the causal connections in the author's account.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

What event does this book discuss?

It mainly recounts the riots that took place in Baltimore on April 19, 1861, and related developments—namely the clash between federal troops passing through Baltimore and local crowds in the early days of the Civil War. The author uses this as the core for his study and recollection of the early war situation.

Does the author's narrative carry an obvious stance?

Yes. The author was both a participant and a local official, and his judgments about the municipal response and the responsibilities of the parties carry personal and group positions. Readers should treat this as a feature of the source, cross-check it with other materials, and not take it as settled fact.

Can I understand it without a background in American history?

You can read it, but you should first acquire basic background on the outbreak of the Civil War, the status of border states, and federal troop routes; otherwise names of people, institutions, and prior events may confuse you. It is advisable to read a brief background introduction before the main text.

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About the author

Brown, George William, 1812-1890 Author · American · 1812–1890

George William Brown (Brown, George William, 1812–1890) was an American clergyman and writer. Public information about his life and education is limited, and the library holds only one of his works, Baltimore and the Nineteenth of April, 1861: A Study of the War. The book centers on the events in Baltimore on April 19, 1861, and belongs to the local history and war studies of the American Civil War period, showing the author's interest in Baltimore's local history and the early clashes of the war, as well as an approach grounded in the examination of historical sources. He also wrote works on Baltimore history and religious subjects, indicating that his writing covered both local history and religious themes. Given the limited surviving information, his specific experiences and the influence of his works cannot yet be described in detail.