The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-07-17
Boston Correspondence.

suits.
BosToN, July Is, 1868.
To the Editor Of the Press
A riotous spirit spreads like widnre, when
a successful precedent is established The
lower and more excitabe population of Bos-
ton follow with willing and impetuous haste
the footsteps of their prototypes in New York.
Yesterday, just before noon, as one of the
Provost Marshalls assistants in the Fourth
District in this city was engaged in distribu-
ting notices to the drafted at the North End.
a number of persons undertook to prevent
him, and TO elude the fast increasing danger.
he stepped into store, but being followed
was compelled to leave, was set upon and
badly beaten. With police assistance he man
aged to get into house out of their reach.
The crowd had now become somewhat excited
and was rapidly augmented by people anxious
to learn the trouble, an alarm of riot having
spread. The police were promptly on the spot
in force, and with some difficulty quelled the
disturbance. The crowd which was composed
of Irish boys and some women still held to-
gether without making any serious demon
STATIONS. 1t being intimated that an attack
would be made upon the Provost MarshaIs
Office guard Of U. S. soldiers was sent
about two o'clock TO protect it, and the 18th
battery, just returned, were ordered to assem-
Bile at their armory in Cooper street, as a fur
Their precaution in case of emergency. About
o'clock one hundred men of the Third artil-
lery came up from Fort Independence, march
ed 10 the Beach street barracks and were well
coined by order-loving citizens The 44th
regiment were under arms mt Boylston Hall;
three companies came up from Fort Warren
at half past six and were assigned their posi-
tons for the night. Gen. Richard A. Pierce
was placed in command of all. The crowds
dispersed just before dusk but later, BOYS,
young men, laborers, mostly foreigners, began
to collect in Haymarket Square, and soon
made demonstrations Of an outbreak. crowd
in Cooper street began to tear up the bricks
from the sidewalk, and armed with them col
lected before the entrance of the armory and
let fly at the windows and doors. Soon the
doors were broken in, and at that moment a
cannon which had been planted directly be-
fore the door, loaded with canister, was dis
charged among the irenzied mob, killing three
instantly and wounding many more. Platoons
of troops filed out and discharged their pieces
among them. This at once cleared the street
OF the crowd, but instead of preventing fur
Their violence, it maddened them. ITO Dock
square" was the cry, and thithe- they rushed.
Arrived there, the mob, led by four or five fell
lows in shirt-sleeves, broke open a gun store
and helped themselves TO muskets, knives. and
anything they chose TO take. Luckily the pow
der was forgotten in their haste, which doubt
less saved many valuable life which was az
forwards arrayed against the rioters. The
crowd next turned their attention TO other
stores, but were met by tie police who repuls-
ed them by freely using their revolvers.
Immediately upon the attack upon the Coop
er street armory an alarm was sounded upon
the fire bells TO call out the entire police OF
the city according TO previous arrange
ments. Gen. Pierce at once ordered the Lam
GERS and Light Dragons, accompanied by
battalion of infantry to clear any streets
deemed necessary. The mayor and other civic
officers were with them and arriving at Faneuil
Hall square, the mayor endeavored to quiet
the crowd, but in vain. The dragons then
charged upon them and cleared the square,
The infantry with pieces loaded and capped
were stationed and guards posted across all
the streets.i in the vicinity. The artillery in
Cooper street harnessed the pieces and parad-
ed the streets, ready for action. The cavalry
also thoroughly traversed the streets at the
North End, dispensing the crowds, and at
eleven O'Clock nothing serious threatened The
44th regiment and the Independent Cadets
were under arms throughout the night. An
alarm Of fire was sounded, which brought the
department to Cooper street, fire having been
set to the armory. 1t was extingushed be-
fore much damage was DONE
Morning at last dawned, everything remain
ing quiet from the time above stated All is
peaceful, the riotous spirit being thoroughly
taken out of the lawless and unprncpled
class composing the late mob by the energct-
ic action Of the authorities, as will always be
the case where Boston is concerned-true to
herself and the country. The guards are still
posted and Faneuil Hall square presents a
war-like appearance-the open and hosptable
~NN'N~Hi~N " N"'hoh SitebiuS oilC cNtTl-
where. Cooper street armory doors and win
dows are completely shattered in front and
houses opposite marked with balls, some pass
ing through, but injuring no one inside. The
door posts and steps are spattered with blood
and the street strewn with bricks A guard is
still posted here to prevent the too close con-
tact of the now peaceable but curious crowd.
said In my last shat the draft was conduct
ed peaceably and without the least show of
dissatisfaction, and this outbreak was not by
any means caused by the DRAFT wholly, but
only in part Stimulated by the success of
the New York riot, men desiring to plumber
and destroy gladly fastened upon the draft as
a pretext for the execution of their nefarious
designs. But for the organized and deter
mined action of the authorities, such another
riot the one in New York would have oc-
Cured here. A severe and probably fatal
blow has been given the riotous spirit which
was so alarmngly extant, and its further
spread efectualy stopped. Had success
marked It's progress in this city, Portland
would have undoubtedly caught the contaoion
thus spreading broadcast over the land. The
supremacy Of the Tao is gIoriousiy main
tanned. ARIINaTox