Major General George Cadwalader, commanding the Pennsylvania Militia, arrests John Merryman, a wealthy planter, for drilling Militiamen, and teaching constitutionalism and secession.
Postscript: Merryman petitioned Roger B. Taney, Chief Justice of the united States, who was serving circuit duty in Maryland, for a writ of Habeas Corpus, which Taney promptly issued. Cadwalader refused to obey it and ordered guards posted at Fort McHenry to refuse admission to any court marshals trying to serve the general with a citation for contempt of court.
[added 3/19/2022]
Subsequent Events:
References:
Matthew Galman, ed., The Civil War Chronicle, (New York: Crown, 2000), 70-72.
Abraham Lincoln and Maryland – Abraham Lincoln’s Classroom.mht
www.abrahamlincolnsclassroom.org/Library/newsletter.asp?ID=108&CRLI=156
Current U.s. National Debt:
