What do you think would have happened had Lincoln followed Sumner's advice and entered Baltimore with a large military company? Were there other alternatives that weren't considered?

There was a lot of debate about Lincoln entering Baltimore early and in disguise. Colonel "Bull Head" Sumner calls it a "damned piece of cowardice" and wants to simply supply Lincoln with a large military company for protection. What do you think would have happened had Lincoln followed Sumner's advice? Were there other alternatives that weren't considered?

I think there would have been bloodshed if Lincoln had traveled with military presence. This book made me realize how vulnerable the Union's capital was during the Civil War.

I think that the resistance in Baltimore would have outnumbered the military and Lincoln would likely have been killed. I find it remarkable, however, that someone of Lincoln's physical stature, feet dangling from the berth, had gone unnoticed. The timing appears to have been everything.

A riot, a lot of lost lives, quicker succession of all Southern states and a much faster start to the war. I think Lincoln showed amazing wisdom, patience and tolerance with all the physical challenges he endured to enter Washington DC.

There probably would have been multiple disasters, including the death of soldiers and civilians. Lincoln probably would have been captured or killed.

I think many would have lost their lives. It would be seen as Lincoln coming in ready to fight. At the least, there would have been a riot with a lot of destruction.

I agree with those who say it would have cost lives. I think the way Lincoln handled things was probably ultimately the best way. I kept thinking how incredibly difficult it must have been for Lincoln to have made some of these decisions.

Any number of things would have/could have happened. Definitely there would have been bloodshed as there was when the Union Army initially marched through Baltimore, but it would have probably been on a much larger scale because of the populace's anti-Lincoln vehemence. The risk to Lincoln would have been tremendous because the crowd would have stopped at nothing to get him and through sheer numbers probably could have. And it would have given an excuse for Kentucky and Maryland to secede as well as feeding the anti-Lincoln sentiment in states such as Indiana which contained many anti-abolitionists.

I agree with barb that Lincoln showed amazing wisdom, patience and tolerance in following the secret and hopefully peaceful transfer to Washington. He knew it could hurt his reputation and he might be accused of being weak in sneaking into the capitol but he was also wanting to cause as little disruption and violence as possible to spare others' lives. His decisions were carefully thought out even in handling the war and always unselfishly made only in thoughts for sparing lives as much as possible. His unselfishness and sacrifice to his own well being is what made him a great president, very unlike our leaders of today.

I think a lot of innocent people would have died and the war would have come sooner.

What a great decision! Not understood very well for many at the time. Maybe even Lincoln second guessed himself on that one.

I think the arrival of a large military presence with Lincoln would have incited an immediate response by the covert groups already planning the assignation. Regardless of route, alternate means of travel by horse and/or carriage would have made Lincoln a sitting duck. I think Lincoln carefully weighed the options and chose the option that would impact the lives of others the least while at the same time, protecting his own life. Sumner’s remark that this was a “damned piece of cowardice” only served to reinforce his lack of political acumen and insight.