The Final Escort

The 9^th Pennsylvania Cavalry was organized August 29^th 1861 at Camp Cameron, near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

The 9^th Pennsylvania Cavalry was made up of twelve companies recruited mostly from southeast and southcentral Pennsylvania. The regiment was organized near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania at Camp Cameron on August 29^th 1861. After being trained the regiment was moved to Kentucky, where it became part of the Department of the Cumberland. In March they were ordered to Tennessee, where they tangled with Confederate John Hunt Morgan. They were reassigned to the Union Army of the Ohio, where they saw a small amount of action at the Battle of Perryville in October 1862. During the Battle of Chickamauga in 1863 they guarded the right flank of the Union army, and following the rout there, the 9^th stayed and fought with Union General George Thomas.

In April 1864 the 9^th’s enlistment was up. The men who re-enlisted took a furlough to go home and recruit. They would reform and see action that fall in Kentucky and Tennessee. When Union General William T Sherman began his march, the 9^th was included, seeing action in the Battle of Griswoldville. On April 17^th 1865 the 9^th was part of the escort for Union General Sherman when he went to meet Confederate General Joseph E Johnston at the Bennett Farm to discuss surrender. Following the ending of the war the 9^th was mustered out at Lexington, Kentucky.

Anti-Abolitionist Riots

The Boston Riot of October 28^th 1835 occurred when a pro-slavery mob went looking British abolitionist George Thomas.

There were riots in New York City and Philadelphia in 1834 led by anti-abolitionist.  In early 1835 British abolitionist George Thompson and the poet John Greenleaf Whittier were stoned in Concord, New Hampshire by pro-slavery people.   In October 1835 Thompson was invited to speak at the Female Anti-Slavery Society of Boston, Massachusetts.  Boston was where William Lloyd Garrison published “The Liberator” a popular abolitionist newspaper.

A mob of anti-abolitionist formed October 28^th 1835 and went to the Society looking for Thompson.  They found Garrison instead, tied him and dragged him by the rope through the streets.  Boston’s mayor rescued Garrison, and put him in jail for the night, for his own safety.