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
With the Police Department in sympathy with the rioters, it is not
difficult to see what the end would have been. We do not mean by that,
that the heads of the department would not have endeavored to do their
duty, but it would have been impossible to control the kind of element
they would inevitably have to deal with. This even the long-tried,
trusted leaders of the Democratic party acknowledged. In fact, the
police force would not have been in a condition, with ever so good a
will, to have acted with the skill and promptness it did.
The draft riots, as they are called, were supposed by some to be the
result of a deep-laid conspiracy on the part of those opposed to the
war, and that the successful issue of Lee's invasion of Pennsylvania
was to be the signal for open action. Whether this be so or not, it is
evident that the outbreak in New York City on the 13th of July, not only
from the manner of its commencement, the absence of proper organization,
and almost total absence of leadership, was not the result of a general
well-understood plot. It would seem from the facts that those who
started the movement had no idea at the outset of proceeding to the
length they did. They simply desired to break up the draft in some of
the upper districts of the city, and destroy the registers in which
certain names were enrolled.
A general provost marshal had been appointed over the whole city, which
was subdivided into various districts, in each of which was an assistant
provost marshall. Although there had been no provision for a general
assistant provost marshal or aid, yet Colonel Nugent acted in this
capacity. The drafting was to take place in the separate districts,
under the direction of the assistant provost marshals.
Although there had been some rumors of resistance to it, they received
very little credence, and no special provision was made for such an
emergency. The city was almost denuded of the military; the regiments
having been called to Pennsylvania to repel Lee's invasion; yet so
little fear was entertained, that even the police department was not
requested to make any special preparation. The Invalid Corps, as it was
called, composed of the maimed and crippled soldiers who could no longer
keep the field, were thought to be quite sufficient to preserve the
peace.
The draft commenced on Saturday in the Eleventh and Ninth Districts,
and passed off quietly; and it was thought the same order would be
maintained throughout, and if any force were necessary to repress
violence, it would be when the conscripts were required to take their
place in the ranks.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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