The National tribune., 1889-09-26
THE DRAFT RIOTS.
Who Commanded The Tribune Building During
those TrOubIulous Timesl

those Troublulous finest
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE I was very
much interested in the account OF the New
York draft riots by Comrade Hyland 9. Kirk,
4th N. Y. Art, published in q recent issue of
your paper, but opened my eyes in astonlsh-
ment when read that The Times Building
was defended with Calling guns. Midshipman
Stephen d. Adams, with detachment OF ma
rines and a howitzer, 4as stationed at the
Tribune Building"
Either Comrade Kirk has been misnformed
and is laboriug under mistake, or have been
nursing dream all these &c years. If he is In
error, and / have not been lost in dream all
these years, then | must insist that was in
command Mt the Tribune Building on that day
from about 10 a. m. until the mob was subdued
and order restored throughout the city.
/ was stationed in the city, on recruiting serV-
ice for my regiment, then Mt Fort Lyon, near
Alexandria, Va On the previous Saturday l
went TO Catskill, town situated about 10
miles up the Hudson River, to spend the Sab
bath with my family. left tho house about a
o'clock Monday, and on my way to tho boat
noticed groups of excited people On approach
ing one of these gatherings l recognized Mr..
Oliver Bourke, loyal citizen, who exclaimed,
on seeing me: Captain, you are wanted IN
New York" Having spent tho day ut home,
and heard nothing, ] asked why. He then told
me of the riot in progress aud replying that
hoped TO be in New York in the morning pre-
pared TO take hand in it, moved OH. Passing
a group of well known and exultant Copper
heads, / overheard the sneering remark from
one of the most bitter in the crowd, :" Oh, you
will have enough 10 do here in n few days,
when they attempt to enforce the draft, II you
are so fond of fighting" i replied vigorously
that when the time came, If they dared to re-
sst by force the execution of tho law. they
would find mo on hand, and prepared to give
them their ill of it.
reached New York early the next morning
and reported to the Colonel Of my regiment,
who was then in the city, and went with him
to Fort Columbus on Governors Island, for
section of a battery. We secured two brass
field pieces, 6,pounders, returning with them
to New York about 10 a. m. As we had more
officers than were needed. suggested to the
Colonel that perhaps | could be more useful
elsewhere, and he ordered me 10 report to the
Provost Marshal, on Broadway near City Hall
Park. / did so. and was requested TO go over
to the Tribune Building aud assume command,
as there was gun and hand grenades there,
aud no one who understood how TO handle tho
one or cut the fuse of the other. i passed by
the bowling mob. who were then listening TO
Gov. Seymour, who was addressing them from
the steps of the City Hall, cheering him in one
breath while IN the next yelling Down with
the draft !" swinging their hats aud shlialahs.
reached the Tribune Building entered it,
aud. passing mp TO the second floor, found in
the southwest corner Of n small room a small
gun (no howitzer), about two aud one-half inch
bore, which. OH inquiry found TO be double
shotted with canister, trained on a building
over on the opposite side of Broadway. | asked
tho man in charge who was a citizen, and no
soldier nor mariuel what his instructions were.
He replied, i" ! have no instructions" asked
him IL he proposed to fire the piece as IL was
then adjusted. lie replied, Il suppose So" /
then asked him what he supposed the result
would be. and where lie supposed his shot would
strike. lie replied, Il do not know; don't
know anything about the thing, anyway" |
told him as IL then pointed he would be likely
10 do some damage 10 the windows in the sec
ond story of n store over on Broadway, aud d.
rected him to depress tho piece rs to bring
il TO bear about on the center Of Printing
House Square, where we should want it If at
ALL lie did no know how 10 do IL. nor did he
| understand tho meaning of the term. did il
for him, and leaving orders not to fire il with
out an order from me left tho cannoneor,"
| to look after the grenadiers. | found every
| thing in readiness on the fourth floor, but in
stead Of hand grenades there were S-Deh shells
| with time fuse No one in authority no ono
| who knew how to cut them. left orders that
] would attend TO the cutting of the fuses IL
they were needed went among the musk eteers,
but saw no marines and IL Midshipman Ste.
phcn d. Adams, or any other Midshipman, or
any officer Of any grade. either OF the Marine
Corps, army or navy, besides myself. was there
failed to sec him. There was statloneag nj,
| each corner OF the Times Rniiding machine
! gun with "a barrels, mounted on tho axle.
! think, in n horizontal line. and fired by turn
| lug a crank NJ one end. The barrels were
| about the size of a musket barrel. but shorter.
| and would carry about "A ouc-ounce ball. So
much for the "Gatling" guns.
There was hose leading from tho boilers In
I.gA t..F4 al Fs EEss
aud in charge of the engineers. The hot water
and the two machine guns constituted the inn
mediate ground-loor defense. and musketry,
/ artillery and S.ineh shells frather heavy for
| hand grcuadesl the roof aud upper floors Of the
| Tribune Building. All remained quiet on tho
outside, In the vicinity, until between and 2
| a. m, when a crowd began TO gather in the
| square, coming through the Park and down
| Center street, and as IL augmented the frat
| low mutteriBgs increased TO "a volume, until,
| standing at the window, ] could distinctly hear
! the threats that the building must be destroyed
| that night. As the crowd was already pretty
! large and m0menlarily increasing, aud ita in
! tentions known, ] concluded IL was time TO
warn them. So calling 10 them | informed
| them that tho building was armed from base.
nent To roof, and that directly upon the place
where they then stood artillery was bearing.
| double shOtted with canister that should use
! IL If they made hostile move, aud that there
| would be no trifling nor time wasted with
blank cartridges; that they would be consult.
! ing their own safety by leaving there without
unnecessary delay, as should have no fooling.
They left hurriedly, scattering in every direc-
ton. That was the last demonstration on the
Tribune Building or in that part Of the city. /
remained on duty there until the mob WINS dis.
pcrsed aud order was entirely restored When
| / returned 10 Catskill the following Saturday
my COpperbead friends were as gentle as lambs,
while the loyal, patriotic citizens were iubIant.
| The hydra-headed monster had been edcctually
squeched, aud there was no more talk of armed
resistance To the draft. Ny old-time friend
Oliver Bonrke, still lives in Catskil, aud every
time j see him, or hear his name mentioned
the recollection comes back To me of the hearty
grip he gave my hand on my return. and the
joyous smile that ripped all over his Jolly coun-
tenance as he expressed his qualification at the
overwhelming defeat OF the rebel sympathizerl
| Of the North in their efforts TO embarrass the
Government in its struggle with armed rebel
| lion.-CALYIH SHARPER, Captain, Co. Il, 18th
N. Y. ii. A., Albany N. Y.
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/