River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1917-07-19
FOUGHT THE DRAFT
The Scene In New York City Dur
ing the Riots of 1863.
A BRIEF REIGN or TERROR.

CONSUMPTION Ragged through the
Streets, and More Than Thousand
Persons Were Killed or Wounded.
During the draft riots in the war
days of 1863 New York city was in the
grip of a reign of terror and blood
shed for nearly a week. Consumption
was begun on the morning of Tuesday
July 13, in a four story brick building
at Third avenue and Forty-siXth street.
under the supervision of Provost Mar
shall jenkins Assistance and protec-
ton had been promised, but no one
came to help him and his little force
Drafting commenced at o'clock, and
a big crowd stood outside A stone
was hurled through a window at 1870
o'clock, and soon many more were bat
tering against the walls. Terrorized,
the police and draft officers fed to the
street. where many of them were
roughly handled.
The rioters rushed into the draft
Office and threw the enrolment books
out of the windows to the crowd,
which tore the records to shreds. The
draft wheel, chairs and tables were
smashed, piled in the middle of the
room, and a match was applied. This
building was one of the many burned,
the aggregate loss by incendiary fires
being estimated at 100000.
For negroes in the city it was day
Of doom, the mob looking upon them
as one of the chief causes of the draft.
Many of them were killed and wound
ed, some being shot, others beaten to
death and still others hanged to trees
and lampposts. The Colored Orphan
asylum was burned Near Fulton mar
ket boys killed three negroes and left
their bodies on the pier near Fulton
ferry entrance.
So suddenly did the shock come that
the police and limited force Of militia
in town could not resist it. There was
a hurried conference between Major
General Wool, Ex-Governor Morgan.
General Anthem and Brigadier General
Harvey Brown; but, owing to the alb
sence Of Governor Horatio Seymour,
whose opinion was wanted, martial
law was not declared. Brigadier Gen
eral Brown, however, took command Of
the troops in the city and summoned
from nearby points all available sol
diers. Mayor George Opdyke issued
an anti-riot proclamation.
During the afternoon a mob swept
along Fifth avenue, destroying proper
ty. They were ready to burn Mayor
Opdyke's home, but Judge Barnard
saved it by telling the crowd the only
way to resist the draft was by bring
ing it before the court. He promised
he would issue writ Of habeaS corpus
for any drafted man for whom appli-
cation should be made. In all the
mobs were many Infatuated women,
whose actions were often worse than
those of the men.
Horace Greeley. who was particu-
lar object Of aversion to the rioters,
started, as usual. from his home in
Nineteenth street to go on Fourth
avenue car to the Tribune Office.
Friends told him of his danger, and he
spent the day In Windust's restaurant,
at Park row and Ann street, and went
home at night in closed carriage
while mobs were demanding his blood.
Governor Seymour issued procla-
nation the next day calling on all citi-
zens to stand by the constituted au-
thorities and assist In maintaining
order. Rioting, however, continued
throughout the day and night, the po-
lice. soldiers and mobs having many
fatal enc unters.
On the third day the riot1ng cOntin-
ued, and many OF the mob and the
city's defenders were killed or wound
ed. The federal authorities postponed
the draft, but trouble did not cease at
once, as many OF the rioters thought
the action was a governmental trick to
gain time. The fourth day brought
further disorders In New York and
Brooklyn. Archbishop Hughes ad-
dressed q crowd In front Of his home,
urging them to keep the peace. His
plea had a soothing effect
On the fifth day lighting ceased and
order was partly restored A heavy
storm also dampened the ardor Of the
tired rioters. General James B. Fry.
provost marshal general Of the United
States, issued an order that drafting
would be resumed. Brigadier General
q. b. 8. Candy assumed command Of
the Federal troops in the city. reliev-
lng~ General Brown. A roundup Of
ringieaders among the rioters followed,
and many were arrested. By July 80
order was completely restored.
More than 1000 persons were killed
or wounded during the rioting. among
them Colonel O'Brien Of the Eleventh
New York volunteers. then In the city
on recruiting duty. He ventured out
In uniform after having conspicuously
opposed the mob. He was seized,
beaten. dragged through the streets
and finally flung into bis own back
gard, where he died.-New York Sun.