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While we know our northern friends may not feel it, in the South, Spring is
here. So we thought we'd share a few of our gardening sites appropriate
for this time of the year. Along with gardening, there's grilling, and getting
ready to diet so that you can fit back into that bathing suit this summer!
Proclamations by the Governor and Mayor.
City districted. Appearance of the East Side of the City. A
small Squad of Soldiers chased into a Foundry by the Mob.
Fierce Fight between the Mob and Military in Twenty-ninth
Street. Soldiers driven from the Ground, leaving a dead
Sergeant behind. Captain Putnam sent to bring the Body away.
Mows down the Rioters with Canister. Storms the Houses.
Utter Rout of the Mob. Colored Orphans and Negroes taken by
Police to Blackwell's Island. Touching Scene. Coming on of
Night and a Thunderstorm. Returning Regiments. Increased
Force in the City to put down Violence. Archbishop Hughes
offers to address the Irish. Curious Account of an Interview
of a Lady with him and Governor Seymour. Strange Conduct of
the Prelate.
Only the principal disturbances of the third day were given,
and of these the accounts were very succinct. The movements
of the mobs and the conflicts with them were so similar in
character, that a detailed description of them would be a
mere repetition of what had gone before. After the police
force, and the troops under General Brown had become
organized so as to move and act together, each fight with
the rioters was almost a repetition of its predecessor.
Having adopted a plan of procedure, they seldom deviated
from it, and the story of one fight became the story of all
a short struggle and a quick victory.
It was hoped this morning that the rioters would conclude
that they could not carry out their mad designs; for the
enrolment of large bodies of citizens, and the announcement
of the speedy return of several regiments, showed that all
the force necessary to subdue them was, or soon would be, on
hand. The day before, the Governor had issued a
proclamation, declaring the city to be in a state of
insurrection; but this morning appeared a proclamation from
Mayor Opdyke, announcing that the insurrection was
practically ended. It is true he called on the citizens to
form voluntary associations, with competent leaders, to
patrol their separate districts, to protect themselves from
roaming gangs of plunderers, and so spare the exhausted
police and military. Yet he called on the citizens to resume
their usual avocations, and directed the railroad and stage
lines to resume their routes. This opinion of the Mayor was
strengthened by the positive announcement that the draft had
been suspended, and the passage of an ordinance by the City
Council, appropriating $2,500,000 towards paying $300
exemption money to the poor who might be drafted. It was
plain, if the draft was the cause of the continued riot, it
would now cease. But in spite of all this, bad news came
from Harlem, and Yorkville, and other sections. In fact, it
was evident that the Police Commissioners did not share
fully in the pleasant anticipations of the Mayor. Having
ascertained that the leaders of the mob, learning from
experience, had organized more intelligently, and designed
to act in several distinct and separate bodies in different
sections, they, with General Brown, divided the city into
four districts, in each one of which were to be stationed
strong bodies of the police and military, so that they could
act with more expedition and efficiency than if they were
sent out from the common head-quarters in Mulberry Street.
It would, beside, save the fatigue of long marches. Those
separate stations were in Harlem, Eighteenth, Twenty-ninth,
and Twenty-sixth Precincts. A good deal was also expected by
an invitation given by Archbishop Hughes, that appeared in
the morning papers, to the Irish to meet him next day in
front of his house, where, though crippled from rheumatism,
he would address them from the balcony. The Eighth Avenue
cars had been started, as well as those of the Third; and
many stores were opened. Still, on the east side of the
city, in the neighborhood of First Avenue, most of the shops
were closed.
It should be here remarked to the credit of the German
population, which were very numerous in certain localities
on this side of the city, that they had no sympathy with the
rioters; on the contrary, sent word to the Police
Commissioners not to be concerned about their locality; they
had organized, and would see that order was maintained
there. No better title to American citizenship than this
could be shown.
Though early in the morning, it was comparatively quiet on
the east side of the city; yet near First Avenue knots of
men could be seen here and there, engaged in loud and angry
conversation. They looked exhausted and haggard, but talked
defiant as ever, swearing terrible vengeance against the
military; for, though hidden from sight, in the miserable
tenement houses near by, lay their dead, dying, and wounded
friends by scores. Near Nineteenth Street, the scene of the
conflict the evening previous, there were stones, brick
bats, shivered awning posts, and other wrecks of the fight.
The grog shops were open, in which men with bloody noses,
and bruised and battered faces, obtained the necessary
stimulus to continue the desperate struggle. Dirty, slovenly
dressed women stood in the door ways or on the steps,
swearing and denouncing both police and military in the
coarsest language. Though the immense gatherings of the
preceding days were not witnessed, yet there was a ground
swell of passion that showed the lawless spirit was not
subdued, though overawed. But the Police Commissioners were
now prepared for whatever might occur. The Seventh Regiment
had been stationed on the west side of the city, with a wide
district to keep in order, thus enabling them to concentrate
larger forces in other directions. But, although everything
wore this favorable aspect to the authorities, it was
evident towards noon, from the steadily increasing size of
the groups observed in the morning, that they had resolved
to try again their strength with the military. The state of
things was telegraphed to police head-quarters, but the
report making the mob not formidable, only a company of
about twenty-five men were sent out. Finding the rioters
numbered about two hundred or more, and not daring to fire
their howitzer, lest, before it could be reloaded, the
former would rush forward and seize it, they concluded to
retire. The mob at once set furiously on them, and forced
them to take refuge in Jackson's foundry. The following
telegram to head-quarters announced the fact:
"1.25. From Twenty-first. The mob has charged our military,
about twenty-five in number, and driven them into Jackson's
foundry, First Avenue and Twenty-eighth Street. The mob are
armed, and every time a regular shows himself they fire. A
few good skirmishers would pick off these riflemen and
relieve the military."
This was soon succeeded by the following:
"1.54. From Twenty-first. Send military assistance
immediately to First Avenue and Twenty-eighth Street. The
mob increases, and will murder the military force."
Ans. "They are on their way up."
They soon arrived, and were at once furiously attacked by
the mob. The soldiers fired into them, but they boldly held
their ground, and were evidently bent on a desperate fight.
The former now took up their stations at the junction of the
streets, and were about to sweep them with canister, when
from some cause a delay was ordered. This increased the
boldness of the mob, and they taunted and derided the
soldiers. But in a few minutes a reinforcement of regulars
arrived on the ground and charged bayonets. The rioters fell
back, but rallying, forced the soldiers to retire in turn.
The latter, however, returned to the charge, when the mob
again gave way, but still stubbornly refused to disperse.
News of the magnitude of the struggle reached the Seventh
Regiment, and they rapidly marched to the spot. Their steady
tramp along the pavement, and well-set ranks, discouraged
the crowd, and they marched and counter-marched through the
streets without molestation.
The mob, however, dispersed only to reassemble again in
Twenty-ninth Street, and began to plunder the stores in the
vicinity, and spread devastation on every side.
This being reported to head-quarters, a military force was
dispatched to disperse them. The rioters, however, instead
of retreating, attacked them with the greatest fury. Almost
every house was filled with them, and they lined the roofs
with muskets and pistols, from which they poured down a
deadly fire. For nearly a half an hour the fire was kept up
without cessation, and many were killed. A sergeant was
knocked down by a brick-bat, and then seized and beaten to
death. The troops finding themselves unable to dislodge the
assailants, retreated, leaving the body of the sergeant in
the street, where it lay for three hours. General Brown not
having a sufficient number of troops on hand, the mob all
this time had it their own way. It was nine o'clock before
he could dispatch Captain Putnam with a strong force to put
an end to the disgraceful scene. Arriving on the spot, the
latter addressed the crowd, saying that he had come to carry
away the dead body of the sergeant, and should do it at all
hazards. But he had hardly placed it in a wagon, when the
crowd began to assail his troops. He immediately unlimbered
his pieces, when it scattered in every direction. But the
rioters came together again at the corner of Thirty-first
Street and Second Avenue, where they were met by
reinforcements, and made a stand. They filled the houses,
and mounted to the roofs, armed with muskets and revolvers,
and as Putnam appeared, commenced a rapid fire. Placing his
pieces in position, this gallant officer swept the street
with canister, which soon cleared it. Eleven of the
ringleaders were shot down, and bodies lay thick on the
pavement. But this did not intimidate those in the windows,
or on the roofs, and they kept up a steady fire. Putnam, who
showed by his cool courage that the fighting stock from
which he came had not degenerated, now ordered his men to
turn their fire on the buildings. At each discharge, the
heavy volleys brought down many of the wretches, some
pitching headlong from the roof, and dashing out their
brains on the pavement and flagging below. But the fight was
very unequal, for the assailants would expose their bodies
as little as possible; Putnam saw that the houses must be
stormed, and gave the order to do it. The fight was now
transferred to the inside, and became close and murderous.
In the narrow halls and on the stairways, numbers were of no
avail, and the rioters fought with a desperation they had
not before exhibited. There was no way of escape, and they
seemed to prefer death to being taken prisoners, and for a
half an hour maintained the conflict in the darkened rooms
and passages with a ferocity that was appalling. At last,
however, with their numbers sadly thinned, they were forced
to yield, and took refuge in flight. Many, unable to get
away, hid under beds and in closets, but the soldiers
ferreted them out, and carried them to police head-quarters.
The arsenal had not been attacked, as Sandford seemed every
day to think it would be. Many colored people, as before
stated, took refuge in it; and about noon on this day, a
body of police arrived before it, with the children of the
Colored Orphan Asylum that had been burned on Monday, in
charge. They had since that time been scattered round in
station-houses, but were now to be escorted to Blackwell's
Island, for better security. It was an impressive spectacle
this army of children presented, as they drew up in line in
front of the arsenal to wait for those within to join them.
The block was filled with them. The frightened little
fugitives, fleeing from they scarce knew what, looked
bewildered at their novel position. It seemed impossible
that they ever could have been the objects of any one's
vengeance. With a strong body of police in front and rear,
and a detachment of soldiers on either side, they toddled
slowly down to the foot of Thirty-fifth Street, from whence
they were taken by boats to the Island.
The Sixty-fifth New York Regiment arrived from Harrisburg in
the afternoon, and just before midnight the One Hundred and
Fifty-second also reached the city, and marched up Broadway
to police head-quarters, where they were stowed away to get
some rest.
A heavy storm that set in during the evening, helped to
scatter the crowd that would otherwise have gathered on this
warm July night, but it at the same time gave a somber
aspect to the city. The crescent moon was veiled in black,
and thunderous clouds that swept heavily over the city,
deepened the gloom, and seemed portentous of greater evil.
The closing of all the stores and shop windows at nightfall,
through fear, left the streets lighted only by the
scattering lamps. This unusual stretch of blank dead walls,
emitting no ray of light, rendered the darkness made by the
overhanging storm still more impenetrable. Flashes of
lightning would reveal small groups of men bent on plunder,
in sections where the military and police were not
stationed, but no open violence was attempted. In other
directions, the bayonets of the soldiers would gleam out of
the dense shadows, as they silently held the posts assigned
them, ready to march at a moment's notice. This was the
fourth night, and the cannon planted in the streets, and the
increased military force, showed that peace was not yet
fully restored. The Seventh Regiment was quartered in
Thirty-fourth Street, part of the soldiers within a
building, and crowding every window to catch the first sign
of disturbance, and part stationed below, or marching back
and forth in the street. Other troops and policemen were
massed at head-quarters, ready to move, at the word of
command, to any point threatened by the mob.
The fourth night was passing away, and still Acton clung to
his post, and refused to take even a moment's rest. His
whole nature had been keyed up to meet the grave
responsibilities that lay upon him, and through the wires he
still watched every threatened point in the city, with
sleepless vigilance. In the meantime, over a thousand
special policemen had been sworn in, and five hundred or
more citizens had volunteered their services, while the
steady arrival of returning regiments swelled the military
force into formidable proportions.
During the day, Senators Connolly and O'Brien had waited on
General Brown, and asked him to remove the military from
their ward, as their presence excited the people. The
General very bluntly refused, saying he should not permit
his troops to retire from before an armed mob. He was asked
also to order the troops to leave Jackson's foundry for the
same reason, and gave an equally emphatic refusal. There was
now to be no compromise with the rioters, no agreement
entered into. They had got beyond the character of citizens
with rights to be respected they were assassins and
murderers, to whom was submitted the simple question of
subjection to law and authority, or death.
The fighting through the day had been severe, but the
disturbance had not been so wide spread and general. Outside
of the city, there had been threatening rumors. It was
reported that there was danger of an uprising in
Westchester, where some leading Democrats had taken open
opposition to the draft, and a gun boat had gone up as far
as Tarrytown; but nothing serious occurred.
The rioters being almost exclusively Irish, it was thought
that an address from Archbishop Hughes would go far to quiet
the ringleaders, and he had therefore issued the following
call, already referred to:
To the men of New York, who are now called in many of the
papers rioters.
Men!
I am not able, owing to rheumatism in my limbs, to visit
you, but that is not a reason why you should not pay me a
visit in your whole strength. Come, then, tomorrow (Friday)
at two o'clock, to my residence, north west corner of
Madison Avenue and Thirty-sixth street. There is abundant
space for the meeting, around my house. I can address you
from the corner of the balcony. If I should not be able to
stand during its delivery, you will permit me to address you
sitting; my voice is much stronger than my limbs. I take
upon myself the responsibility of assuring you, that in
paying me this visit or in retiring from it, you shall not
be disturbed by any exhibition of municipal or military
presence. You who are Catholics, or as many of you as are,
have a right to visit your bishop without molestation.
John Hughes, Archbishop of New York.
New York, July 16, 1863.
A curious incident was related subsequently in one of the
New York papers, respecting the manner in which an interview
was brought about between him and Governor Seymour, and
which resulted in the resolution of the Archbishop to
address the rioters. The substance of the account was, that
a young widow of high culture, formerly the wife of a well
known lawyer of this city a woman living in an atmosphere of
art, and refinement, and spending her time in study, became
so excited over the violence and bloodshed that the
authorities seemed unable to suppress, and finding that the
Irish were at the bottom of the trouble, determined to
appeal to Archbishop Hughes personally, to use his high
authority and influence to bring these terrible scenes to a
close.
Acting on this determination, she set out this morning for
the Archbishop's residence, but on arriving was told that he
was at the residence of Vicar-general Starrs, in Mulberry
Street. Hastening thither, she asked for an interview. Her
request was denied, when she repeated it; and though again
refused, would not be repelled, and sent word that her
business was urgent, and that she would not detain him ten
minutes. The Archbishop finally consented to see her. As she
entered the library, her manner and bearing both said to be
remarkably impressive arrested the attention of the prelate.
Without any explanation or apology, she told him at once her
errand that it was one of mercy and charity. She had been
educated in a Roman Catholic convent herself, in which her
father was a professor, and she urged him, in the name of
God, to get on horseback, and go forth into the streets and
quell the excitement of his flock. She told him he must,
like Mark Antony, address the people; and in rescuing this
great metropolis from vandalism, would become a second
Constantine, an immortal hero. It was his duty, she boldly
declared; and though she did not profess to be a Jeanne
d'Arc or Madame Roland, but a plain woman of the present
day, she would ride fearlessly by his side, and if he were
threatened, would place her body between him and danger, and
take the blow aimed at him. The cautious and crafty prelate
was almost carried away by the impassioned and dramatic
force of this woman, but he told her it would be presumption
in him to do so; in fact, impossible, as he was so crippled
with rheumatism and gout, that he could not walk. She then
asked him to call the crowd, and address them from the
balcony of his house. He replied that he was just then busy
in writing an answer to an attack on him in the Tribune .
She assured him that such a controversy was worse than
useless that another and higher duty rested on him. She
pressed him with such importunity and enthusiasm, that he
finally consented; but as a last effort to get rid of her,
said he feared the military would interfere and attack the
mob. She assured him they would not, and hurried off to the
St. Nicholas to see Governor Seymour about it. She found the
ante room filled with officials and other personages on
important business, waiting their turn to be admitted. But
her determined, earnest manner so impressed every one with
the importance of her mission, that precedence was granted
her, and she found herself at once beside the astonished
Governor. Without any preliminaries, she told him she had
just come from the head of the church, and wanted his
excellency to visit him immediately. No business was of such
vital importance as this. The self possessed Governor coolly
replied that he should be glad to see the Archbishop, but
business was too pressing to allow him to be absent even a
half an hour from his duties. She hastened back to
Archbishop Hughes, and prevailed on him to write a note to
Governor Seymour, asking him to call and see him, as he was
unable to get out. Fortified with this, she now took a
priest with her, and providing herself with a carriage,
returned to head quarters, and absolutely forced, by her
energy and determination and persuasive manner, the Governor
to leave his business, and go to the Archbishop's. The
invitation to the Irish to meet him was the result of this
interview.
Why Archbishop Hughes took no more active part than he did
in quelling this insurrection, when there was scarcely a man
in it except members of his own flock, seems strange. It is
true he had published an address to them, urging them to
keep the peace; but it was prefaced by a long, undignified,
and angry attack on Mr. Greeley, of the Tribune , and showed
that he was in sympathy with the rioters, at least in their
condemnation of the draft. The pretence that it would be
unsafe for him to pass through the streets, is absurd; for
on three different occasions common priests had mingled with
the mob, not only with impunity, but with good effect. He
could not, therefore, have thought himself to be in any
great danger. One thing, at any rate, is evident: had an
Irish mob threatened to burn down a Roman Catholic church,
or a Roman Catholic orphan asylum, or threatened any of the
institutions or property of the Roman Church, he would have
shown no such backwardness or fear. The mob would have been
confronted with the most terrible anathemas of the church,
and those lawless bands quailed before the maledictions of
the representative of "God's vicegerent on earth." It is
unjust to suppose that he wished this plunder and robbery to
continue, or desired to see Irishmen shot down in the
streets; it must, therefore, be left to conjecture, why he
could not be moved to any interference except by outside
pressure, and then show so much lukewarmness in his manner
in fact, condemning their opponents almost as much as
themselves.
The excitement consequent on the draft, exhibited in
outbreaks in various parts of the country, and in the
vicinity of New York, was increased by the reports of
violence and fighting in the latter city. In Troy there was
a riot, and the mob, imitating the insane conduct of the
rioters in New York, proceeded to attack an African church.
But a priest, more bold or more patriotic than Archbishop
Hughes, interfered and saved it. That the latter, armed with
nothing but the crucifix, could have effected as much as the
police and military together, there can be but little doubt.
This open and decided sympathy with law and order, and
bitter anathemas against the vandals who sought the
destruction of the city, were the more demanded, as such a
large proportion of the police force were Roman Catholics,
and in their noble devotion to duty, even to shooting down
their own countrymen and men of a similar faith, deserved
this encouragement from the head of the church.
Great Riots of New York 1712 to 1873,
Including a Full and Complete Account of the
Four Days' Draft Riot of 1863
