davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-07-20

PEELED all the laborers at the shops and mills
to cease work and join them. Then the cry
was raised, Down with the rich men-the
$500 exempts!" and while one part of the
mob fell on every well dressed man whom
curiosity had drawn to the scene, the other
attacked the elegant houses on Lexington
avenue and in that vicinity. First fine
mansion at Forty seventh street and Licking
ton avenue was quilted" and burned. Then
the Bulls Head hotel shared the same fate
By this time the professional thieves and
plunderers We're out and managed to turn the
mob toward Broadway, breaking in and
robbing as they went. For one or two
blocks this continued The splintering
crash of broken doors and the jingle of shat
tered plate glass delighted tho drunken mis-
creants, while above the roar Of the mob
could now and then be heard the shrill
screams of frightened women and children
The mob now took a panic and rushed
back eastward to First avenue. And here
MIR. Andrews, of Virginia" as he announced
himself, first appeared upon the scene. He
harangued the mob in opposition to the war
and the wealthy, the soldiers and the negroes,
and urged systematic organization and ac-
tion. But the original cause of the trouble
was now ignored, and new element had tho
lead. Up from all the dirty cellars ana down
from all the dark garrets, out OF all the low
resorts, brothels, "kennels and dives"
came the night providers and habitual Grim
inals; and with them as the active spirits the
terrible mass roared up First avenue. Every
well dressed man they met was robbed and
every negro beaten, the saloons and liquor
stores were patronized without price, while
doors and windows We're broken. And SO the
mob went on growing till night.
In the meantime the mysterious "Mr. An
dIews' got the lead again and directed the
mob fury against tho negroes and The
Tribune Office. And soon after occurred
the most atrocious incidents of the
list Every negro in sight was chased,
beaten and sometimes killed. A col
ored boy 10 years old was beaten TO in
feasibility A negro man was hanged and
his legs slashed with knives while he was
struggling in the agonies of death. Still an
other was hanged and his clothes set on fire
as he was dying. The thin varnish of Ameri-
can civilization was quickly scraped off,
and the innate wolf or hyena showed in look
and act Just before night occurred the at
tack on the colored orphan asylum, a spa
cious and beautiful building at the corner Of
Fifth avenue and Forty sixth street, in which
some 200 colored orphans were cared for by
an association of ladies. Giving the inmates
barely time to escape, the rioters destroyed
or carried off all the furniture, injuring
several of their own party in their haste. A
little girl was killed by heavy chair,
thrown from an upper window. The build
ing was then fired and burned.
BY sort of unanimous instinct the rioters
then began to move down toward The Trib7
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-07-20

chest troubles caused by the stamping In
the meantime the escaped officials had
reached the Park barracks, and small COM
pany of men from the Invalid corps who
were there We're hurried to the scene. Their
captain ordered them to fire blank car
tridges. The mob heard the order, jeered,
rushed on the ''old cripples," as the invalid
veterans were called, wrenched the guns
from their hands and good naturally dis
missed them with nothing worse than few
kicks and cuffs. But small squad resisted !;
of these one was beaten to death, another
thrown down a declivity and killed, and sew
eral Others badly hurt A small detachment
of police next arrived and fought magnifi-
Gently, inficti.g fearful wounds on the riot
ers, but were finally defeated.
Down TO this time the riot had been purely
local; but the victorious mob now moved
northward and eastward among the shops
and warehouses; they drank freely at all the
saloons paying nothing of course, and COM
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-07-20

treat to Little Rock. He had led to Helena
over 5000 men, OF these, 500 remained be-
hind on the field, dead wounded, dying and
prisoners. Prentiss, in his report, mentioned
that he buried 400 dead.
Prentiss' garrison was not strong enough
to follow in pursuit of Holmes, and the Con
federates returned quietly to Little Rock.
Gen. Prentiss lost go men. In the battle of
Helena the Confederate cavalry was under
command of Gen. Walker on the extreme
left Marmaduke expected support from
Walkers cavalry, but did not receive it. The
attack at that point was feeble
1t was, in fact, Admiral Porter hims II
who notified Gen. Prentiss of the approach of
Holmes and his attacking force, Admiral
Porter had received the information from
Confederate deserters in the latter part of
June. He forthwith dispatched gunboats up
the river from Vicksburg to Helena, with tle
information to Gen. PrentSs to look cut or
the approach of Con ederate army. H.
miral Porter also sent gunhoGtS to other
points which it was thought might also be
attacked. Lieut.. Commander PricAe,t, In
command of the Tyler, was instructed under
no circumstances to leave HelrAa.
1t was after Price had captu.ed Battery c
that Prichett's gunboat came to tho rescue
in the nick of time. After capturing that
point the Consederates poured down upon
the town through the ravines between the
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-07-20

widely known, and it is mentioned as the sec
ond assault on Fort Wagner.
1t occurred July Is, one week after the first
attack After the failure of the first assault
Gen. Gilmore brought forward all his re-
sources by land and sea to prosecute the siege
of Charleston.
The reduction of Fort Wagner was the first
great task before him. The fleet was under
command OF Admiral John A. Dahlgren
The attack of July IS was opened by the
navy Just before noon. Gen. Gilmore had
meantime succeeded in bringing twelve of
his heaviest siege guns and eight mortars to
bear on the fort. With these he attacked
from the land side
The plan was the usual one, heavy bonn
bardment first, assault afterward. Fort
Wagner was one of the strongest defensive
works in the country, a monument of en-
cheering skill. 1t was built of immense
timbers, covered with sand bags, forming
bombproofs twenty feet thick. Both the
timber and the sand were ready at hand for
the Confederate engineers, and good use they
made of their material Fort Wagner was
so situated that its fall would involve the
loss to the Confederates Of Fort Sumter and
Sullivan's Island and consequently Charles
ton. Full well its builders knew this, and
Luty natl prepared IL
Admiral Dahlgren led the way up to the
attack, July IS, in his flagship, the Montauk.
Immediately following was the New Iron
sides with four other ships and number of
gunboats. The gunboats were in charge of
Commander Rhind.
The flood tide in the afternoon enabled the
ileet to come Within 300 yards OF the fort,
and they renewed their fire with great vigor.
Wagner replied at first but when the fleet
came near the fort guns were soon slenced
and did not fire a shot more One gun in the
fort was dismounted by the Federal fire and
another burst.
Meantime the heavy guns which, on the
Landslide, Gen. Gilmore had succeeded in
bringing within 500 yards of Wagner, were
not idle. During the afternoon and until
dusk they kept up n steady, raking fire. But
upon the limb Ind sandbag bombproofs the
hot ard she'll nale no impression worth
nentio. g. ne soldiers simply retired
within t!-eir bo.Ahnrcofs and We're safe from
harm.
Thcy wee r'7orvirS themselves for the
anal assault on th..r "o-k.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-07-20

Charleston harbor, like that of New York,
contains various small islands. During the
war these were covered with Confederate
Notifications. In and about Charleston the
Confederates had altogether 376 guns.
Not much was done toward prosecuting
the war vigorously on the coast of South
Carolina until March, 1863. Then land and
naval force, under Gen. John G.. Foster, was
sent to attack Charleston and Fort Sumter
A naval attack was made on Fort Sumter
April Z, 1868.
1t was next determined that the Union
forces should occupy Morris Island, near the
north end of which was Fort Wagner. For
this the land and naval force was put under
command of Gen. Q. A. Gilmore. He &C
cordingly took possession of Morris Island up
to within mile of Fort Wagner and Battery
Gregg, on Cummings Point. These were
very heavily fortified
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-07-20

water, and bodies of Confederates fell inside
the fort.
Gen. Stevenson's brigade had been posted
in the rear as a reserve, and the asSaulters
looked anxiously for it as they began to fall
wounded and dying by the parapet. The
officer of the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts
writes:
"Three officers of the Fifty-fourth still
stand together on the rampant There are
no men. WHY does not that brigade Gomez
was the desparing cry.
"A few of the Forty-eighth New York are
near us, fighting over traverse. We join
them and take part in the fray. The foe are
scarcely a musket's length from us. They
ply us with bullets and hand grenades. The
national flag of one Of the regiments is
planted on the bombproof which forms one
side of the baston About it a desperate
struggle goes on Its battered silk and tar
nished gold are trodden deep into the soil.
Beside it Col Putnam falls. At
this moment Capt. j. falls heavily against
me, and before my question:; Are You hurt,
Nedf can be answered, a crushing blow upon
the breast lays me by his side
The support that had been expected
the brigade of Gen. Stevonson-did not
arrive. 1t was waiting for Information
that IA foothod had leen gained in Wagner.
The southeast basticn of the fort was really
gained by the Union troops and held for over
an lOuT. LII lut leTIlIlt HIullllE lNul lOl-
lowed Gems. Seymour and Strong were both
wounded and carried from the field. Sole
command then devolved on Col Putnam.
He sent messenger to Gilmore imploring
the re-enforcements to hasten. Stevenson's
brigade started. But before it reached tho
works it was met with the information that
Col. Putnam, the last brigade officer had
been killed The few troops left alive were
falling back The second assault on Fort
Wagner was over.
The column of attack numbered 5000
men. Their loss was $50 more than
fourth of their whole number. The colored
regiment, the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts,
went into the fight $50 strong, and came out
with 247 of its number lying dead and
wounded below the sand bag embark lneuts
of Fort Wagner Fourteen of its twenty
officers were killed and wounded Gen.
Strong died of his wounds, and Coils. Put
nam, Shaw and Chatfeld were killed
There were 1000 Confederatcs in Fort
Wagner, and they lost in killed. wounded
and missing, Ia
Gen. Rglurc@ard was in command of the
Confederate forces at Charleston He re-
fused to parole or exchange, dead or alive,
the officers of the negro regiments who had
fallen lut'htis lands Efforts were ma !e to
obtain the body of Col. Robert G. Shaw, who
had fallen while fighting upon the parapet.
His family sought this favor without avail
10 all endeavors, even TO find his grave, the
Confederates are said to have answered that
Shaw was buried under his negroes
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-07-20

matter Of course" There were 800 names
to be drawn there, and ,236 were drawn that
day. Charles II. Carpenter did the drawing,
and the first name out was that of civilian
Jones, Fortysixth street, near Tenth ave-
nue." who was long and loudly cheered by
the crowd as the first man drafted in New
York.
The Sunday papers published the list of
the drafted, and two of them est unwisely
added some Incorporate remarks on the cru
city of dragging these poor men from their
families to serve in n war which might be
honorably closed, now that such great vic
tories had been won. That night the ennis
sares of evil were busy in all the dark holes
OK that tangled wilderness of narrow streets
and alleys which covers so large portion of
eastern New York. The clause in the con-
scription act allowing exemption on payment
of $500 was especially denounced as in the
interest of the rich. Monday at 1870 a. m.
the drawing was resumed at the same place,
with the same officials and an immense crowd
In the street. Some seventy names had been
drawn when pistol was fired in the street
and the officials rose. There was an awful
pause for perhaps twenty seconds, then a
shower Of brickbats and paving stones came
crashing through the windows, and instantly
the room was filed by bowling mob. Two
clerks seized the wheel and escaped with it
to the upper story. All the papers were torn
to bits by the mob. Some of the Of - ais
were knocked down and forced int3u he
street; the rest escaped by the back door. In
less time than it takes to tell it the whole vi
cinity was in control Of the mob. A man
poured a can of turpentine over the room
and applied a match, in ten minutes the
building was blazing to the roof.
The firemen came, but the mob would not
allow them to work till the building was de-
stroyed. Deputy Provost Marshal Wander
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-07-20

consisted OF two brigsdea One was led by
Brig. Gen. George G. Strong. 1t comprised
the Seventh Connecticut, Third New Hamp
shire, Ninth Maine, Seventy Pennsyl
vania and Forty eighth New York regi-
ments At the head Of the other was Col H.
5. Putnam, with the Seventh New Iamp-
shire, Sixth Connecticut, Sixty second Ohio
and One llundredtb New YORK. Inc colored
regiment was assigned to Strong's Brigade.
This regiment was the especial protege OF
Governor John a. Andrew, the war gov.
ernor of Massachusetts Colored troops we're
an almost untried experiment. When Gov
ernor Andrew received authority TO enlist
such regiment he determined to select for
it the best officers of the Massachusetts, vol
unteers.
Capt. Robert G. Shaw was n young
officer in the Second Massachusetts,, by
family one of the most highly connected
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-07-20

Price and Marmaduke were in the center,
with Walker on the left and Pagan on the
right Prentiss had been looking for the at
tack for some days. All the night of July 3
he kept his troops under arms.
Marmaduke and Pagan attacked at day
light, according to the programme, Pagan
with mls'h vigor, His men carried tho
outer works in front Of Battery d on the
Union left. Then they attacked that work
fiercely. But the other batteries We're
trained upon FaSans men with u cross fire
that withered them like a deadly blast and
tho brigade fell back with loss of 400 men
Prices Missourians came into action ali
hour later than Pagan, and attacked Battery
G with all their force They carried the
outer works and even Battery itself Price
then ordered his men to cross to the right
and attack Battery in the rear.
But just in the critical moment his orders
wero not obeyed There was great confu-
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-07-20
FORT WAGNER,
The Historic Second Assault on Its
Works, July IS, 1868.

Charleston harbor in general confgura-
ton resembles that of New York The city
is on long, narrow tongue of land, between
two rvers-the Cooper on the north, the
Ashley on tho south. Vessels entering the
harbor approach between two islands-Sulli-
vans Island on the north Morris Island on
the south. The passage between these two
may very well be compared to the Narrows
at New York. On Morris Island, somewhat
southeast of the narrowest part Of the chan
mel, was Fort Wagner, Confederate defense
of Charleston, the possession of which was
especially aimed at by the Union force.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-07-20

BURNING OF CoLoRkD ORPHAN ASYLUM.
clusvely question for the courts and that
their decision would be final. Provost Mar
shall Charles f. Jenkins gave notice that the
draft would be made in this manner; The
name of each enrolled man, with his resi-
dence and color, to be written on slip Of
paper six inches long and one inch
wide, each slip to be rolled closely and a
rubber ring put around it; these to DO
placed in a cylinder hung on an axis, to be
whirled around before each drawing, nd at
the call of each number name would be
drawn by a blindfolded man. And thus the
drafting began at his office, No 677 Third
avenue, on Saturday morning in the pres
ence of about $50 persons besides the enrolling
officers, clerks and large corps Of reporters
There was great hilarity and good humor,"
say the reports-"it was looked upon as
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-07-20

The total Of lives lost could never be ascer-
tanned, but il was at least 200 The city paid
some So 900, 900 for property destroyed. There
disputed question. Governor Seymour ar
rived on Tuesday and addressed the mob
from the steps of city hall, urging them to
disperse and promising to do what he could
to have the draft brought to close. In
response to the governors appeal President
Lincoln readily agreed to have the constitu-
tionality of the CONSUMPTION act tested before
tho courts, and the federal judges all agreed
that the act was constitutional AS soon as
the official machinery could be organized the
draft was resumed in New York without the
slightest disturbance, and completed "amid
general good hamor !" say the papers of that
revived i'll the country, and from that till
the close Of the war each succeeding quota
of troops called for was more and more
easily filled j. H. BEADLE.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-07-20

hills upon the beach and advanced to the
fort along strip of land wide enough at its
narrowest for 200 men to walk abreast.
The force within the fort was underesti-
mated by the Union commander, Testimony
since obtained is to the effect that the Union
signals between the army and the fleet were
seen and read by the Confederates, who were,
therefore, prepared for every move of the
Union general. They had thrown a large
number of re endorsements into Wagner and
strengthened their defenses
The Confederates remained silent within
the fort till the advancing column charged
up to the works. Then suddenly they opened
terrific fire Of grape, canister and mus
kerry.
Strong's brigade charged first, bravely and
well. They crossed the water under the en-
bankment and endeavored to hold their
ground The second brigade, with Col. Put
nam at its head, came to their support.
There was desperate fighting at the parapev.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-07-20

Douglass we;c in the RANKS ~ il marched
through Boston on its way To the front
cheer after cheer rent tn. air from crowds
of friendly cltiz-ns
This was Nay - lSG3, and that was The
last sight Boston over had Of Ho' rt q
Shaw. July 10, he lay dead beside TIVE para
pet Of Fort Wagner, beneath u heap o. bis
own colored soldiers, and to tin, iaN uU
mortal knows exactly where he is buried.
The colored troops led the advance, occu
pied the post Of honor and of danger Cen
Strong himself was a Massachusetts man.
An officer of the Fifty-fourth writes Of Col.
Shaw:
"He walked slowly up and down the line,
clad in short jacket. His silver eagles
shone upon his shoulders, and the fair hair
which hung below his cap gave him the
seeming Of boy. His carriage was
calm and noble; pale cheek and lips con
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-07-20
BATTLE OF HELENA, ARK.
A Plucky Defense by Land and
Water.

Yet another fight remains to be recorded
for the battle day of July 4, 1868. This is the
engagement at Helena, Ark. On the day
named seven battles, great and small, took
place in various parts of the country, and
Vicksburg surrendered besides,
The Confederate general, L. Kirby Smith
was at that time in command of the trans
Mississippi Confederate department. In this
department Lieut. Gen. T. II. Holmes had
charge Of the district of Arkansas.
June l5 1868, Gen. Holmes, then at Little
Rock, teegraphed Kirby Smith at Shreve-
port; 81 believe we can take Helena. Please
let me do it." Gen. Smith telegraphed back:
Most certainly do it."
Maj. Gen Benjamin NJ. Prentiss was at
that time in command of the Union force at
Helena. He entered the service at the be-
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-07-20


mand of the division. Helena had been
strengthened 10y Notifications after it came
INTO the hands of the Union authorities, in
1862, The town is upon low plain, sur
rounded by ranges of hills. Upon low
ridge Immediately west of the town a strong
redouht, called Fort Curtis, had been built.
Upon the high ridges about the town four
strong batteries, named A, b, c and D. had
been planted. The town was thus well de
Tended by guns and earthworks. The out
lying defenses were in charge of Gen. Salo-
mon. Between the batteries and the river
were rifle pits.
June %, 1868, Gen. Holmes started on his
expedition against Helena He intended to
surprise the garrison and capture it and the
town. Clarendon, sixty miles east of Little
Rock was the rendezvous for the forces of
the attacking party. They were to advance
i'll four columns, under Gems. Pagan, Price,
Marmaduks and Walker. ThoConfederate
soldiers consisted chiefly of Missourans,
under their tried leaders, Marmaduke and
Sterling Price, and of Arkansas troops under
Walker, Pagan and McRae. The Confederate
governor of Arkansas himself, Harris Flana-
gan, accompanied the expedition as aide to
Gen. Holmes. In the start Gen. Holmes
force repeated the oft told story of projected
simultaneous movements that failed to be
simultaneous. Price and his Missourians
were four days late at the rendezvous, owing
to high water Holmes was obliged to wait
for them at Clarendon. Meantime Gen.
Prentiss. at Helena, had been apprised of the
Confederate design, and D all chance of a
surprise passed away.
Holmes came on to the attack, however,
in good style. He reached Helena on the
night of july g. He had orders to attack
at daylight. He stationed one of his col
umns in the neighborhood Of each of the
Union batteries, shown on the accompany
inc mnD.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-07-20
THE DRAFT RIOTS.
Five Days of Disorder in New
York in 1863.
A VERY SUDDEN OUTBREAK.

It Is Here Reviewed After Twenty-Five
Yoars-"Down with the $500 Excmpts."
Murder OF Col. O'Br1en-The Disturb
ance Quelled at Last
On Monday, July 10, 1868, without mo-
ment's warning apparently, and contrary to
the expressed opinion of all the officers of the
law, a riot began in the Twenty ward
Of New York city, which spread rapidly over
all that section west Of Broadway from Full
ton street north to Fifty-ffth and ragged for
Eve days with great fury. On Saturday, the
18th, the daily papers announced that raft
ing would that day begin in the T ~Aty-
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-07-20

sion among his men
at this time. Be
fore it cleared
n way Salomon's
Union troops had
attacked Battery &
with great vigor
and recaptured it.
For over four
hours there was
hot fighting on the
Union left. Then
Holmes abandoned
the idea of captur-
ing Helena, and
gave orders to re-
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-07-20

poel was captured
and beaten TO in
sensibility. Police
Super in t G n d e n t
John A. Kennedy
appeared in citi-
zens' clothes, was
k n o C k d down,
stamped and beat
en- to an almost
shapeless mass; he
survived, but never
recovered, dying a
fnu -Aa.o opt.- 80
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-07-20

strained alone bore
witness to his sense
Of responsibility.
Prove yourselves
men, he said to
those who were to
die with him in one
short hour, 1t was
soon to be the
proudest boast of
the survivors that
they charged with
Shaw at Wagner ~
7 h e assaulting
c olumns started
from behind sand