New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-09-08
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
THE DRAFT RIOTS OF '63.
Mr. ROOsEvElT's RECENT LETTER-Hs ERRoRs AS
TO THE CAUSE or THE TROUBLE AND ACTION OF

HE DRAFT KlOIS Of %.
Mr.. ROOsEyELTs RECENT LETTER his ERRoRs AS
TO THE CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE AND ACTION or
THE AUmORrTIEs-FACTs N THE CASE.
To the Edttor Of The Tribune.
SIR: In the letter of the Hon. K. B. Roose-
vci which You published few days appears tue
following reference 70 the draft riots 1868;
We tried shufliug when the draft threatened
and only fastened - correct our mistake after three
days or anarchy and THREE nights Of terror We inca
issued county bonds. and Insisted on revision of tle
enrolment. after the mob had enforced It's demands with
the torch and the knife.
In these two sentences Mr. Roosevelt has given ex-
preston TO misunderstanding Of the cause OF the oc-
cureuces referred and the action o. tine authorities
IN dealing with them which find is very general, and
which ought TO be corrected Please permit me TO state
a few facts bearing upon this subject
l. The enrolment made during the Spring ana early
Summer OF ls62G3 in this city grossly erroneous
and led to the upon the city It's quota Of
he force OF three hundred thousand called FOR OF num-
Der OF men largely in Of its just and honest pro
portion. The principal mistake occurred this way
The city included i've Congressional DISTRICTS there
was Board 81 Enrolment for each district; IN each
District tue Board enrolled only the residents within
the Districts who OF the military and others
subject enrolmnD but it also included All adult
males who did business could he found within the
respective Districts. II a well-Sn0wn fact,
that many thousand persons, doing business in
one District resided in ano;hec, aud Others re-
siding IN adjoining Counties aud states enrolled
here. When the enrolment by districts completed.
no attempt made to compare revise the rolls or
strike of duplicate names; tine necessity and pr0prcty
OF doing which Strongly urged upon the officer m-
mcdiatey IN charge IN this city, but he perrmpt0ry
fused to do H. and sent TO Washington consolidated
roll made up by ag=regng the toong- o. the several
district rolls This involved two forms OF injustice. a.
The quota ~ the city unfairly enlarged CO. Tho
chance OF being conscrpted doubled treble fsr the
individual Who lived district, aud did busness
one or more other disricts We all YER. patriotic
In those days, but never tie who had real
desire Tor being drafted.
.. The exact facts NOT known 70 tho public. bat
there was very general fec',ng prevailing among
Of all classes aud all parties that
just.
3. For than weeks before the time fz,I for
the commencement Ot the draft t was believed bT
THE officers IL the Uuicd Sclls service that
disturbance you'd when the draft enforced.
hut these appcehens0ns shared bYthosl lmms
datey concerned ia making the drast G,n. VOL,
mauding the Department % Tie East, did believe the
draft could not be male without the aid % args mill
tay force ani applied the Secretary OF Tag FOR rein
fOrcemcur- which were refused
4 Durin- the two weeks preceding the IIth of July,
when the draft began the CITY had be,n stripped " IT.
local force of the State Militia. every effective reg
men Of which had been 10 Pennsylvania. the forts
IN tho vicinity OF the city had very small cIrrisous,
barely sufficient sor their defence.
g. -he draft bean saturday, the l1th Of July md
proceeded during that Dag without interruption ds
tIrhance Tile Police force which then in splendid
condition. kept well iu hand and READY FOR action
Their were troops in the city excepting sxyoue rank
ana aia belonging 10 what then called ihe Invalid
Corue afterwards known the Veteran Reserve -
and large number 81 oSicer5 on tGrodgh. The riot
broke out about ten ococ, the morning Of Monday
the 1871 o. july. when attack made oy rioters upon
building upied De- Capt jenkins the Provost Marshal
OF the Eighth District Thirdave snail force
Of about thirty men was dispatched the scene
OF disturbance and extngused dispersed by the
mob IN few minutes. Before 1880 O'Clock GenerylI
Wool had conference With Mayor and Police Board
and hs arranS ment- for the protection Of the
city Every that could possibly be spared from the
Forts End from the Navy Yard telegraphed for ana
sent over aud the militia and soldiers Through and
ctizcns organized FOR police and military duty
rapidly possible. Before shutdown about 600 or 700
wel-tTaineI soldiers active duty, and the mob
beu- f0u-ht a. every point where IL showed Itsct
small detaclments of troops continued 20 arrive during
the succeeding two days and were instantly par ON drty,
but a, 10 mc during the continuance Of the rotng
there more than 1900 or 1890 troops in action.
The tiot ,lppreesad hy tie local police, most adj
mirably handed hy Superintendent Kennedy, aud alter
he had been disabled by Commissioner Acton, Tao acted
as superintendent aud small number Of well-traued
soldiers very ably differed The riot suppressed
8 From hc bost Information attanabe. II & believed
that the number Of live. taken by the roters
thirty, 1uI that tho police anu the troops killed
1000 rioters.
:. After the suppression Of the riot. there rrvls
ion Of the enrolment and then there should have be-
draft but there never any faet the city under
took fnd substitutes Tor drafted men, ana many mil
uous Of dollars paid bountybrokers and bouaty
jumpers osen,.by FOR the enlistment OF soldiers really
for the enchmsu o, gamblers. thieves aud prostitutes
After these occurrences the War Department recognz
luz the necessity Of having troops here sent force 81
about 10000 to keep the peace when nobody sought
10 break H. Gen Wool rewarded for hs foresight
and energy by being removed from command and retired
from service The order this effect made while
the riot was raging July 10, 1868
make these statements 10 correct very general mis-
apprehension and ~ a slight effort towards doing u.
tee 70 the few men Who in that time Of terrible tfial
saved the city by their sk. prompness and courage
venture 10 ASSERT that there will not be found in modern
history tie record great disturbance being 20
thoroughly and effectively suppressed the draft
riot OF $50 by the NewYorl police and the small body
OF troops who acted with them most Of whom
ulars These statements made upon personal know
edge OF the facts. G.
Ne.c- York. Aug. 81, 1871
SUFFERING FROM HIGH HEELS
To the RdttOr OF The Tribune
SIR: When the Board Of Health investigate
the state and condition shop-women it will be- well 70
;,; hour f,~ ttei- suFsrings ARE self-iuniced One