Year: 1863

taIity of the Military.


No single incident in the New York riots better
illustrates the ferocity of the rioters than the death
of Col. OBrien, of the 11th N. Y, who was in
command of the military at the point where the
deadliest conflict between the troops and people
took place. This officer was in command of body
of infantry and two howitzers. In front of him,
on Second avenue, the streets was denSely packed
with men, women and children. He gave the order
to the cannoniers to fire, and volley of canister
was sent into the crowd, followed by a rapid fire
from the Mimic rifles of the infantry A number
of the mob fell dead in their tracks, including three
or four women, who were looking on. One woman
and the child she held in her arms were both killed
by the artillery. The Herald in its account says:


After several rounds had been fired the people
began to disperse, and the police proceeded to
another part of the city, Col. OBrien and his com.
mand, however, remained. The Colonel dlsmount.
ed from his horse and walked into drug store
Had the commander of this military force taken his
departure at this time there is little doubt that his
life would have been saved. But fatality had de.
stined him for its victim and he was doomed man.
Colonel O'Bren stayed in the drug store for some
few minutes; it is thought that he went in to get
some refreshments. The crowd were around the
door at this time There was scarcely a word
spoken, but the lowering glances of one thousand
men looked down in their vengeful spirit upon him
as he stood in the door. He then drew his sword,





on the sidewalk in the very centre of the crowd
He was Immediately surrounded, and one of the
men came behind, and, striking him heavy blow
on the back Of the head, staggered him. The crowd
then Immediately surrounded and beat him in
most shocking manner. After having been terribly
beaten his almost inanimate body was taken up in
the strong arms Of the crowd and hurried to the
first lamp-post, where it was strung up by a rope.
| After few minutes the body was taken down, he
being still alive and thrown like so much rubbish
| in the street


| The body lay in the middle of the street, within
| few yards of the corner of 34th St Nature shud-
ders at the appalling which here took place.
| The body was mutilated in such a manner that it
was utterly impossible to recognize it The head
was nearly Of gore, while the clothes were
also saturated with the crimson fluid of life. A
! crowd of some three hundred persons wounded the
PROSTATE figure. These men looked upon the ter
rbe ght with the greatest GOODNESS, and some even
smiled at the gay object Our reporter walked
! leisurely among the crowd which surrounded the
body, and in company with the rest gazed upon the
extended mass of flesh which was once the corpu-
| lent form of Col. Ii. f. O'Brien. Notwithstanding
| the fearful process which the soldier had gone
through he was yet breathing with evident strength.
| The eyes were closed, but there was a very appa-
rent twitching Of the eyelids, while the lips were
now and again convulSed as if in the most intense
agony.


hlIeI lying uT SoIue"uaI vi dI houi III tulS poSi-
ton several of the crowd took hold of the body by
the legs, and dragged 1t from side to side of the
street This operation gone through with
several times, when the crowd again left the body
| lying in its original position. Had Col. O'Brien
been man of weak constitution, he would certainly
have ceased to exist long enough before this time.
lie was, however, through life, man of great
natural strength, and this fact probably Kept him
breathing longer than would any other common
| person. The crowd remarked this, and watched
his every slightest movement with the most intense
anxiety Now and then the head would be raised
from the ground, while application of foot from
one of the crowd would dash the already Inangled
mass again to the earth. This conduct was carried
on for some time and when our reporter left the
body still lying in the street, the last spark
existence having taken flight