New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-06-14


Efforts and much delay could be procured in the city.
While the officers OF the Rife Guards were actually
employed in the effort to procure the necessary mum
TONS the Mayor and some OF the idcnncn reparedto
the armory of the Light Guards situated in the third
story of the City Hail. The members Of the Company
were there assembled in force and an appeal was at
once made to the Captain TO form and march out with
out delay. He also was without cartridges, pul was
told that the appearance Of his company IN full ranks
and with determined front and with bayoneis wo1d oe
sufficient The Captain thought otherwise ana de-
elined TO expose his command TO the ary oil INC o9
without cartridges. During all this time were hearu
from below the ferocious sounds of the mob the cat
ter of stones and other Missiles tle rattle OF broken
esss aud tie crssh OF breaking blinds, shutters and
doors. ,
After some delay cartridges were procured and the
muskeis were loaded, when about twenty -four men
only fell into the ranks with shouldered arms Again
the Captain protested against exposing so small aforce
10 the fury of the mob he did pot feel himself usilnei
in doing but the reply to him was that hail oil mem
would be sufficient il they brave and true men,
At the word the men marched out, with the captain
and Aldermen Brooks and Carleton and myself at their
head but some of the number fell out OF the ranks on
tie way down the stairs and through the crowd
Tie Sheriff of the County preceded in the march,
and stepping out into the crowd commanded the peo-
pie in the name and by the authority OF the State 10
dsperse assuring them they would otherwise be bred
upon. But he was answered only by jeers and savage
travis from the mob The Sheriff repeated his com.
mand several times and his voice distinctly heard
at the corner of PTebie-st.
Afier the members of the Light Guards had taken
up their position and faced to the front on Congress ST.,
the crowd several times commanded by the Mayor
also to dsperse, with the assurance that otherwise
they would be fred upon. The only reply wasgroans
and howls and showers of stones. BY these we we're
peed necessarily, and several members of the Quarts
wtre struck and some of them badly hurt, while the
missiles were falling round in every direction In their
rebound from the walls of the building. Again the
Captain protested against this exposure OF his men to
the fury Of the mob, and feared some OF them would
4 \ . ~ ..lor,v oantev IN fro n W
told that we all shared the danger alike, and after
little further delay and another command to the crowd
10 dsperse which was received all the Others had
BEEN tie order was received as all the others had
leep the order was given 10 fire Captain to IRE by
sections from the left The order was repeated by the
commander and while the arms were at present the
Captain asked if he should fret The reply was
Wait little" Ii thought that the order to tre
woud terify the mob but the shower OF missiles con-
tinued as before with every expression OF rage.
AS soon as the men recovered arms without firiug,
thew began to drop from the left two men, badly
hurt berg carried off the ground where they lay by
their comrades until not than six or eight mus
kes remained The Captain was assured, as he had
teen before in the armoy that he should supported
by the Rife Guards who were every moment expected
VI hen our members were so greatly reduced we MED
off round the east end of the City Hall, away from
the mob, and marched down Middle-st. toward the
armory of the Rife Guards. Near the foot OF Freest
we met that company marching up III doable flies,
when we fell in Oh the right and the order was given
TO quicken the step.
At This moment Capt. Roberts informed me tina, his
rfes were empty and lie had bayonets; he had not
been able TO find either balls or caps TO fit lcommu.
nicatcd this to the Captain OF the light Guards, and
cddcd that should take the Rifle Guards into his
mory and aim them with his muskets. Hitler we ac-
cordngly repaired at quick step.
On arriving at the armory an attempt was made to
throw difficulties in the way Of our taking the muskets,
but they were peremptonly demanded, ana Chpt NOD
erts of the Rifle Guards on receiving the order,
marched his men into the armory ami exchanged his
rifles Tor tie muske,s further delay now occurred
In nrocuripg ammunition A fcs cartridges were Sc.
cured which were lying on the table, and a demand
was made upon the Captain of the Light Guards for
those which the men had A few cartridges only were
recovered. Meantime the roar of the mob, with the
rotte and crash of missiles and the occasional vooys
of pistol shots from the police came up lnminSedcon-
fusion from below.
AZ This iuncue, AID. Libby came into the armory
from the street and said if anything were TO be done
not moment should be lost; that the police could not
hold out five minutes longer, but would fall sacrifice
TO tie fury of the mob. The Light Guards were then
called out to Join us and one of them fell into our
ranks with two three other citizens who came for
ward and volunteered TO take muskes, when we
marched down, sending forward warning OF our com
Ing; e., so The s,sns into M;ddlo.st and e,,orsa
the door of the Agency that street, and one of the
GUARDS struck in the forehead and badly hurt as
we entered The voice of the Infatuated mob outside
and at the door on Congress-s drowned every other
sound; nevertheessthe warned that they would
he fired ana three VOuey5 OF TOUR SHOTS
each were fred The gas then lighted 10 the store,
by which tue persons there were exposed 10 the mis-
ses of the mob, and to protect the members OF the
Rife Guards and the Police from being struck by
these they drawn out OF he building into Middle
s the door being open, and the mob Congress ct.
was warned that any person attempting to enter would
he fred upou the mob having broken open the doors
which they had been battering for more than two
hours The mob and the armed force maintained this
attitude for considerable time, occasional stone
beno hurled through the building from COngress-st.
But the greater part OF the mob withdrew soon after,
and the remainder driven out of the streets by the
bayonet. Tie firning of the Rife Guard was at five
minutes past IL o'clock, and the building attacked
as early as half-past eight.
Infor nation was brought to me by several persons
that the mob had retired with loud threats and with
the intention Of procuring arms and Of returning to
the conflict Messengers wese mmedittely dispatched
:; 5;ao~t directions with instructions to visit the
~ aJ r,;os -s the rioters and to bring instant
;rtegence of any appearance Of new gathering;
meantime hastily prepared for any rther d9ty whlen
might deyolve us. But the scouts retu'e" WIN ''e
report that all was quiet -,
Very soon after the firing from the buoding the po-
lice made arrests of persons who had been active In
the riot and attempts at forcbe rescue were made oy
the mob. One man, physically powerful, collected
SQUAD of followers and wayaid three policemen who
were taking rioter to io but the police arrested him
and dispersed his followers by exhibiting their pistols
do no not hesitate TO characterize this mob as more
determined and rocious than any other by which this
/, city was ever disgrpced -.
flearn frem undoubted sources that the mob spirit
had been gathering form and force for month before
it broke oul and that it bad been stimulated and os
tered by men Of influence whom we may be yet able TO
connect distinctly with it. The project had been
known in this city early in May, in Boston two weeks
before it's execution, and it was spoken Of in saco
North Yarmouth, Gorham and Paris on the morning
Of that dsy, az am credbly informed.
The ringreader Of the mob, who lost bis Life In IT.
was a strone and muscular man. sailor, and had left
Boston day or two before to avoid Gil arrest and
earn ON reliable authority that he was engaged in the