The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-07-08
THE LAST ORANGE RIOT.
An Eyewitness Tells How the Military
Behaved.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN--Sfr: In
THE SUN of July s appears q letter on
the Orange riot Of 1871, wherein the
writer says that he did not see Colonel
Fisk with the Ninth Regiment on July
IL, 1871.
The Colonel was at the armory most
OF the night Of the 1lth. and bright and
early on the morning Of the 18th. get
ting the men ready for the duty they
were called on to do. Before the regi-
ment marched out Of the armory q
mounted policeman with his clothes (uni-
form) nearly torn off him rode up
to the Twenty-sixth street entrance and
told the guard to send for Colonel Fisk.
The Colonel went downstairs and the
policeman told him to give orders to
stop his ferryboats running from New
Jersey as they were bringing over thou
sands Of rioters on each trip.
The Colonel returned upstairs and
turned the command over to Lieutenant
Colonel Braine. Then the Colonel, In
uniform, with a light rattan cane in his
hand and cigar in his mouth went
out unattended into the seething mob
on Twenty-sixth street and went to the
opera house. Twenty-third street and
Eighth avenue gave orders to stop the
boats and returned to the armory and
resumed command.
When the regiment marched out the
Colonel was at its head and marched UP
to Thirtieth street and Eighth avenue
Then the Orangemen marched out OF
Their headquarters and the troops in coll
umn OF companies took up the line OF
march down Eighth avenue.
The rioters from housetops. windows.
stoops and sidewalks threw bricks.
the Orangemen and troops, and many .
pistol shot was fired from the mob.
The Ninth marched steadily. notwith-
standing the curses and missiles thrown
at the men, and when the left flank
company reached Twenty-sixth street
firing was taking place in the column
on the right where the Eishty-fourth
Regiment commenced firing at the
crowds on the east side of the avenue
This was taken up by successive COM
panes In columns. During this time two
companies of the Seventh Regiment were
on the west sidewalk OF Eighth avenue.
from roofs and windows on the east side
OF the avenue, but by some mlscalcuia-
ton on the part OF the Seventh boys
they fired at the mob on the east side
OF the avenue. firing through the ranks
Of tho Ninth ard killing Harry Page by
a bullet. Then the Ninth were formed
two companies at head Of column and
two in rear and three on each side of
the square In columns OF fours. and the
Orangemen marched within this square.
The rioters ran along the sidewalk
intent on shooting the Orangemen
through the files OF the Ninth. and fol-
lowed 1t UP we'll into Twenty-third
street, the police tracking and cracking
the head of each rioter that lurked on
the side of the column.
The march led to Cooper Institute,
where the Orangemen went into build
ing, Invested themselves of their regalia
and came out by another entrance, min
gled with the crowd while the troops
marched to and fro. and the riot was
over.
Colonel Fisk was rushed by the people
from the east side who tried TO get out
of the line OF fire, and was badly bruised
The men OF the Ninth were not demoral-
lied. as your correspondent wishes to
convey as his idea. nor were the officers
compelled to knock Up the rifles Of their
men. The General that ordered the men
to fire was General Impulse" and the
result put an end to Orange riots in
New York city.
CAMILLE O'RAFFERrY.
NEW YORK, July 6.