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The riot in New York presented singular elements and phases.
There were evidences of an organization in confusion, wildly led by perplexed leaders.
When on Monday, the 13th of July, the Draft commenced in a building on the corner of Third Avenue and Forty-sixth Street, the spectators within were quiet and orderly, when suddenly a large crowd (who had destroyed the telegraph wires leading out of the city) assembled in the street near, a pistol was fired, missiles were hurled at the doors and windows of the building wherein the Draft was going on, the rioters rushed in, the clerks were driven out, and the papers were torn up; a can of spirits of turpentine was poured over the floor, and very soon that building and adjoining ones were in flames.
The firemen were not allowed to extinguish them, and the policemen who came were overpowered, and their Superintendent (Mr. Kennedy) was severely beaten by the mob. So began the tumult in which thousands of disorderly persons, chiefly natives of Ireland, and strangers,1 were active participants, and who, for full three days and nights, defied all law. Like a plague the disorder broke out simultaneously at different points, evidently having a central head somewhere.
The cry against the Draft soon ceased, when the shouts, “Down with Abolitionists!
Down with Niggers!
Hurrah for Jeff. Davis!”
were heard.
Hundreds of citizens, found in the streets or drawn out of large manufacturing establishments which were closed at the command of the mob, were compelled to fall into the ranks of the insurgents on peril of personal harm.
Arson and plunder became the business of the rioters, who were infuriated by strong drink and evil passions; and maiming and murder was their recreation.
The colored population of the city were special objects of their wrath.
These were hunted down, bruised and killed, as if they had been noxious wild beasts.
Neither age nor sex were spared.
Men, women, and children, shared a common fate at the hands of the fiends.
The Asylum for Colored Orphans, at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Forty-sixth Street, one of the noble city charities, in which about two hundred children without parents found a home, was first plundered and then laid in ashes, while the poor affrighted children, some beaten and maimed, fled in terror to whatever shelter they could find.
From Monday until Thursday the inhabitants of the great city were kept in mortal terror by the mob (which the organs of the Peace Faction spoke of as “a great uprising of the people” ), for they were plundering and destroying almost without resistance.
The Governor of the State interposed his authority as mildly as possible.2 The troops at the service of General
1 It is asserted, on what seems to be good authority, that large numbers of secessionists and rowdies had been for several days gathering in the city, at appointed places of rendezvous, chiefly from Baltimore, which, it is said, furnished about 8,000 of them.
2 Governor Seymour had been in the city on the Saturday previous, and went, that evening, to Long Branch, a watering-place on the New Jersey shore, about two hours travel from New York. The riot began on Monday morning. He returned to the city on Tuesday at noon, when the riot was at its height, and the mob were menacing the Tribune building, near the City Hall, with destruction. The rumor spread among the mob that the Governor was at the City Hall, when large crowds flocked thither. Mr. Seymour was politely introduced to them by the Deputy Sheriff, on the steps of the Hall, when, after being loudly cheered by the rioters, he addressed them as follows: “My Friends: I have come down here from the quiet of the country to see what was the difficulty — to learn what all this trouble was concerning the Draft. Let me assure you that I am your friend. [Uproarious cheering.] You have been my friends [cries of ‘Yes,’ ‘Yes,’ ‘That's so,’ ‘We are and will be again ’ ], and now I assure you, my fellow-citizens, that I am here to show you a test of my friendship. [Cheers.] I wish to inform you that I have sent my Adjutant-General to Washington, to confer with the authorities there, and to have this Draft suspended and stopped. [Vociferous cheers.] I now ask you, as good citizens, to wait for his return, and I assure you that I will do all that I can to see that there is no inequality and no wrong done any one. I wish you to take good care of all property, as good citizens, and see that every person is safe. The safe keeping of property and persons rests with you, and I charge you to disturb neither. It is your duty to maintain the good order of the city, and I know you will do it. I wish you now to separate as good citizens, and you can assemble again whenever you wish to do so. I ask you to leave all to the now, and I will see to your rights. Wait till my Adjutant returns from Washington, and you shall be satisfied.”
And then the rioters cheered loudly, and went on plundering, burning, and murdering, while waiting for the return of the Adjutant, notwithstanding the Governor issued, on the same day, a proclamation against such disorderly conduct.
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