Shortly after 11 am on April 19, 1861 as the Lowell-based Sixth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment marched through Baltimore on its way to reinforce the nearly undefended Washington DC, a pro-Southern mob attacked the soldiers from Lowell. Within an hour, Luther Ladd, Addison Whitney, Sumner Needham and Charles Taylor were dead and 32 of their comrades were seriously wounded, but the rest of the regiment made it through to Washington, preempting a Confederate attack.

How was it that soldiers from Lowell were the first to be killed in action during the American Civil War? On Sunday, March 27, 2011 at 11:30 am at the Lowell National Park Visitor Center, 246 Market Street, Lowell, I will explain how these men from Lowell came to be present at this critical point in our nation’s history. Admission is free. Please join us.