Baltimore Plot

The Baltimore Plot were alleged conspiracies in February 1861 to assassinate President-elect Abraham Lincoln during a whistle-stop tour en route to his inauguration. Allan Pinkerton, founder of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency, played a key role in managing Lincoln's security throughout the journey. Though scholars debate whether or not the threat was real, Lincoln and his advisors clearly believed that there was a threat and took actions to ensure his safe passage through Baltimore, Maryland. [1][2][3] He ultimately arrived secretly in Washington, D.C., on February 23, 1861.

A planned train route through Bellaire, Ohio, to Wheeling, Virginia (West Virginia had yet to break off from Virginia) and eastward was subsequently rerouted up through the Pittsburgh vicinity, through Pennsylvania, into Maryland, and eventually to Washington. [4] He passed through Baltimore unnoticed, which proved controversial after newspapers revealed the seemingly cowardly decision. [5][6] The incident and its significance have since been debated by scholars.

  1. ^ "This Day in History: 1861 Abraham Lincoln arrives in Washington, D.C." History.com. February 20, 2020. Archived from the original on June 10, 2023. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  2. ^ Holtzer, Harold (April 27, 2018). "Incognito in Baltimore". HistoryNet. Archived from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  3. ^ Holtzer, Harold (February 22, 2011). "Like a Thief in the Night". New York Times. Archived from the original on May 30, 2023. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
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