A Baltimore rowdy; a rowdy in general.
1857. The city of Baltimore, from whose midst the “plug uglies” claim to hail.—Oregon Weekly Times, Aug. 1.
1857. ‘What do you mean by ‘a collection?’’ we asked. ‘Simply this: that there is a ‘Wolverine,’ there are two ‘Pukes,’ one ‘Plug-Ugly,’ and two ‘Suckers.’—Knick. Mag., l. 430 (Oct.).
1858. A distinguished ‘Plug-Ugly’ of Baltimore, and a highly talented ‘Dead Rabbit’ of New-York, are engaged on its physical columns.—Id., lii. 431 (Oct.).
1858. I understand that this same Mayor Swann received some public testimonial from these “Plug Uglies” and “Rip Raps,” “Blood Tubs,” &c.—Mr. Hatch of New York, House of Repr., Feb. 16: Cong. Globe, p. 731, App.
1860. Four short years ago Millard Fillmore, and Henry S. Foote headed the Know-Nothing crusade. The Plug-Uglies, Rip-Raps, Ranters, and other divisions of the Murrelite clan, formed the advance guard.—Richmond Enquirer, Nov. 6, p. 1/7.
1861. It [the collision in Baltimore] was a brickbat “Plug Ugly” fight—the result of animal, and not intellectual or patriotic instincts.—J. B. Jones, ‘A Rebel War Clerk’s Diary,’ i. 25 (Phila., 1866).
1863. Colonel Butler is a tall, fully developed, imposing man, devoid of the slightest resemblance to an ideal “Plug Ugly.”—Parton, ‘General Butler in New Orleans,’ p. 79.
1865. A brawny fellow, with a “plug-ugly” countenance, looked over my shoulder at the book.—A. D. Richardson, ‘The Secret Service,’ p. 108 (Hartford, Conn.).
1867. Even intellectual “plug-uglies” may be, in the slow process of years, transformed into respectable and candid thinkers.—Yale Lit. Mag., xxxii. 182.
1876. As Union soldiers are scarce in the Democratic ranks, many are recruited from the plug-uglies of Baltimore.—Providence Journal, Sept. 30 (Bartlett).
