New York Draft Riots
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The New York Draft Riots in (New York City, July 13 - July 16, 1863) were violent protests against Abraham Lincoln's Enrollment Act of Conscription plan to draft men to fight in the ongoing American Civil War. Several regiments of militia and volunteer troops were sent from Pennsylvania and Maryland to control the city. The rioters numbered in the thousands, and were predominantly Irish. Smaller scale riots erupted in other cities about the same time.
Background
More troops were needed to fight in the Civil War. Congress passed a conscription act (March 3, 1863), authorizing the President to recruit the army whenever necessary by a draft from all male citizens between the ages of 20 and 45 years. Copperheads were dismayed by the news. Their main objection was to national service of any kind, but in terms of rhetoric they attacked the provision allowing men drafted to pay a $300.00 "commutation fee" to procure exemption from service, thereby excluding the wealthier classes from the hazards of war. In actuality, the draft was designed to spur voluntary enlistment; very few men were drafted into service-- of the 700,000 enrolled only 10,000 went into service nationwide. Large numbers of recent Irish immigrants who had taken citizenship papers in order to vote suddenly discovered they had to fight for their new country. Of the 184 rioters whose place of birth could be identified, 117 were born in Ireland, 40 in the United States and 27 in other European countries. According to Cook (1974), slightly more than 100 people died in the riots.The first drawing was held, without opposition, on Saturday, July 11, 1863. The draft was renewed at 10 A. M. on Monday, but the assistant provost marshal's office was soon attacked, and burned by a furious mob. The rioters initially targeted draft offices and police stations, but soon began to attack black people. The rioters everywhere pursued the blacks and brutally assaulted, tortured, and killed many that fell into their hands. The office of the leading Republican newspaper, the New York Tribune was singled out for destruction.
Police action and intervention by Federal troops
The New York police forces proved unable to quell the riots. The police were badly outnumbered and had to focus on minimizing losses and rescuing those whom they could. Control of the city was not re-established until the hasty arrival of federal troops, including the 152nd New York Volunteers, the 26th Michigan Volunteers, the 27th Indiana Volunteers and 7th Regiment New York State Militia from Frederick, Maryland after a forced march. In addition the governor sent in 74th and 65th regiments of the New York state militia (which had not been in federal service).By the 15th the mob still controlled scattered portions of the city, but by the morning of the sixteenth there were nearly 4,000 Federal troops in the city and the riot subsided.
Death toll and damage
The exact death toll is unknown, but at least 100 people were killed and at least 300 more injured; property damage was about $1.5 million.On August 19, the draft was resumed. It was completed within 10 days without further resistance.
References
- Official Records, volume xxvii, part ii (Washington, 1889)
- David M. Barnes. The Draft Riots in New York, July, 1863: The Metropolitan Police, Their Services During Riot (1863) [online edition]
- Iver Bernstein. The New York City Draft Riots: Their Significance for American Society and Politics in the Age of the Civil War (1991)
- Adrian Cook. The Armies of the Streets: The New York City Draft Riots of 1863 (1874)
- James Barnet Fry, New York and the Conscription of 1863, (New York, 1885)
- James Dabney McCabe. The Life and Public Services of Horatio Seymour (1868) [online edition]
- Nicolay, John. and John Hay, Lincoln, volume vii, (1890)
- Barnet Schecter, The Devil's Own Work: The Civil War Draft Riots and the Fight to Reconstruct America (2005)
Fictional portrayals
The Draft Riots are fictionally portrayed in the John Jakes novel On Secret Service, the Kevin Baker novel Paradise Alley, and the Martin Scorsese film Gangs of New York.See also
External links
- [The New York City Draft Riots of 1863]
- [New York Draft Riots]
- First Edition Harper's News Report on the [New York Draft Riots]
- [Draft Riots] 1863 New York City Draft Riots
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