Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-07-22
THE NEW YORK RIOT.
General Shaier's RepOrt-He Praises the
Militia, and Claims that they did
net Fire too SOoa.

NEW YORK, July 21.-Major Gen.
eral Shaler, who commanded all the
troops the day of the riot July 12th),
has made his official report. He
states that the number on duty was
1892, rank and file. After detailing
the positions of regiments during the
day, and repeating the circumstances
of the riot, which differ little from
previous reports, the General sums up
by praising the militia for the prompt
itude with which they turned out, the
numbers that appeared in the ranks OF
some regiments being an increase Of
fifty per cent. over the usual parade.
He continues: Their conduct during
the tWenty-fOur hours successive SER
vice was in the highest degree COM
mendable. A very small portion Of
the public press, and few persons
with biased and prejudiced minds,
endeavored to create the impression
that some regiments acted hastily in
the firing in Eighth avenue; but by
careful perusal of the official reports
of ell the principal commanding Off
GERS engaged, and the testimony of
citizens residing in the neighbor-
hood, as to all the circumstances
attending the melee, / have failed to
discover sufficient cause for the state
ments made. The testimony is abun.
dant to show that long before the
troops retaliated, firearms were dis
charged and missiles of all kinds
thrown at them from the sidewalks,
windows and housetOps, and 1t was
not until an officer OF the Eighty
fourth regiment had been struck down
by missile thrown from hOusetOp,
one of the men shot in the head, and
another received a flesh wound and
men Of the Ninth had .been killed
outright and a number wounded, and
three of the Sixth wounded, that
fire was opened or the mob. 1t is
the opinion Of. most experienced
officers of the police force and military
present that the troops did not fire
any too soon, but that in a very few
moments it would have been difficult,
if not impossible, to overpoWer the
mob, and that the lives lost at
Eighth avenue and TWenty-fOurth
street saved the sacrifice of q much
greater number at some other poiat.
The extremely delicate service of
General Varian, commanding the es-
cOrt to the procession, was performed
in highly creditable manner and to
my satisfaction. The regimental
commanders of escort acted with cool
ness and discretion. The officers and
the men under them discharged their
duty under circumstances calculated
to excite and aggravate the most
troops, and are entitled
therefor to the commendatiOn OF their
superior officers.
Orders were issued from time to
time, which were Obeyed by all the
commands on duty, with an alacrity
rarely witnessed. The report con-
cludes by commencing the police for
their gallant conduct. 1t says:
Their alaerity, courage and dash
in attacking the mob, as
well as patience and cOolneSs in
bearing, with its abuse and assaults, is
cheerfully testified to by all officers of
the National Guard, who witnessed
their movements, and they are de-
clared entitled not only to the respect
Of their superior, but to the confidence
Of the public at large.
General Varian, in his report which
accompanies this, states that he gave
the troops specific orders to fire, If
fred upQQ.