The Great Riots of New York, 1712 to 1873Headley, Joel Tyler
History
The Great Riots of New York, 1712 to 1873
Headley, Joel Tyler
Draft Riot, New York, N.Y., 1863; New York (N.Y.) -- History; Riots -- New York (State) -- New York
At last came the crash of a window, as a stone went through it. Another
and another followed, when suddenly a reinforcing crowd came rushing
down Chatham Street. This was the signal for a general assault, and,
with shouts, the rabble poured into the lower part of the building, and
began to destroy everything within reach. Captain Warlow, of the First
Precinct, No. 29 Broad Street, who, with his command, was in the gallant
fight in Broadway, after some subsequent fighting and marching, had at
length reached his head-quarters in Broad Street, where a despatch
met him, to proceed at once to the _Tribune_ building. He immediately
started off on the double-quick. On reaching the upper end of Nassau
Street, he came to a halt, and gave the club signal on the pavement,
to form column. Captain Thorne, of the City Hall, in the meantime,
had joined his force to him, with the gallant Sergeant Devoursney.
Everything being ready, the order to "Charge" was given, and the entire
force, perhaps a hundred and fifty strong, fell in one solid mass on the
mob, knocking men over right and left, and laying heads open at every
blow. The panic-stricken crowd fled up Chatham Street, across the Park,
and down Spruce and Frankfort Streets, punished terribly at every step.
The space around the building being cleared, a portion of the police
rushed inside, where the work of destruction was going on. The sight
of the blue-coats in their midst, with their uplifted clubs, took the
rioters by surprise, and they rushed frantically for the doors and
windows, and escaped the best way they could. In the meantime, those
who had taken refuge in the Park found themselves in the lion's jaws.
Carpenter had hardly rested from his march up Fifth Avenue to Mayor
Opdyke's house, when he, too, received orders to hasten to the
protection of the _Tribune_ building. Taking one hundred of his own men,
and one hundred under Inspector Folk, of Brooklyn, who had been early
ordered over, and been doing good service in the city, he marched down
Broadway, and was just entering the Park, when the frightened crowd came
rushing pell-mell across it. Immediately forming "company front," he
swept the Park like a storm, clearing everything before him. Order being
restored, Folk returned with his force to Brooklyn, where things began
to wear a threatening aspect, and Carpenter took up his station at City
Hall for the night.
This ended the heavy fighting of the day, though minor disturbances
occurred at various points during the evening. Negroes had been hunted
down all day, as though they were so many wild beasts, and one, after
dark, was caught, and after being severely beaten and hanged to a tree,
left suspended there till Acton sent a force to take the body down. Many
had sought refuge in police-stations and elsewhere, and all were filled
with terror.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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