The Annals of the Civil War Written by Leading Participants North and South
Alexander Kelly McClure, Ed.

[302] prelate had yielded on Wednesday, July 15th, to the pressure exerted upon him by issuing a brief address to the Irish, urging them to abstain from violence, he caused to be published at the same time a long letter to Horace Greeley, expressing his sympathy with the opponents of the war, and his belief that the Irish were the victims of oppression. On Thursday Archbishop Hughes issued a call for a meeting at his residence, at Madison avenue and Thirty-sixth street, on the following day, of “the men of New York who are now called in many of the papers rioters.” At the time appointed between three thousand and five thousand persons assembled there, and listened to a sensible exhortation to good conduct, at the conclusion of which they returned to their homes as peaceably as they had come together. Such an effort, if made four days earlier, would have prevented incalculable suffering and loss.

The riots were brought to an end on the evening of Thursday, July 16th, and the city immediately resumed its customary aspect, while the authorities proceeded to calculate the amount of damage that had been sustained. The exact number of rioters killed was never ascertained. It was reported, how truly I cannot say, that the remains of many — of them were secretly carried into the country for burial. Governor Seymour, in his next annual message, stated that “the number of killed and wounded is estimated by the police to be at least one thousand.” The mortality statistics for the riot week at the City Inspector's office showed an increase of four hundred and fifty over the average weekly mortality, including ninety deaths from gun-shot wounds. The increase for the month was twelve hundred. A large number of wounded persons probably died during the following week. Only three policemen were killed. The damage to property was more precisely estimated. A committee was appointed by the county supervisors to audit claims for damages, for all of which the county was responsible under law. Claims were presented to the amount of $2,500,000, of which $1,500,000 were allowed, and were paid as expeditiously as possible.

On July 17th, an unexpected order was received from the War Department relieving General Brown from the command of the city and harbor of New York, General Canby being sent from Washington to assume the position. On the following day, General Wool was superseded by Major General John A. Dix. Old age and consequent infirmity rendered the removal of General Wool from so responsible a command a matter of perfect propriety, but the citizens of New York, conscious of the debt of gratitude they owed to General Brown, were very reluctant to see him so peremptorily supplanted