New York Draft Riots
Part of American Civil War
Rioters and Federal troops clash
Date July 11-July 16, 1863 Location New York Result Riot crushed
Casualties and losses
120[1], although counts vary by sources.

The New York Draft Riots (July 11 to July 16, 1863; known at the time as Draft Week^[2]), were violent disturbances in New York City that were the culmination of discontent with new laws passed by Congress to draft men to fight in the ongoing American Civil War. The riots were the largest civil insurrection in American history apart from the American Civil War.^[3] President Abraham Lincoln sent several regiments of militia and volunteer troops to control the city. The rioters numbered in the thousands and were mainly Irish.^[4] Smaller scale riots erupted in other cities about the same time. Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1254x1189, 490 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): New York Draft Riots ... is the 192nd day of the year (193rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 197th day of the year (198th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1863 (MDCCCLXIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... This article is about the state. ... is the 192nd day of the year (193rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 197th day of the year (198th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1863 (MDCCCLXIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Teamsters, armed with pipes, riot in a clash with riot police in the Minneapolis Teamsters Strike of 1934. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... Type Bicameral Houses Senate House of Representatives President of the Senate President pro tempore Dick Cheney, (R) since January 20, 2001 Robert C. Byrd, (D) since January 4, 2007 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Members 535 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political... Conscription in the United States has been employed several times, usually during war but also during the nominal peace of the Cold War. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... For other uses, see Abraham Lincoln (disambiguation). ...

Initially intended to express anger at the draft, the protests degraded into "a virtual racial pogrom, with uncounted numbers of blacks murdered on the streets".^[5] The conditions in the city were such that Major General John E. Wool stated on July 16, "Martial law ought to be proclaimed, but I have not a sufficient force to enforce it."^[6] The military suppressed the mob using artillery and fixed bayonets, but not before numerous buildings were ransacked or destroyed, including many homes, the New York Tribune office, and an orphanage for black children. John Ellis Wool (February 20, 1784 - November 10, 1869) was one of the four general officers of the United States Army in 1861, and was the one who saw the most Civil War service. ... Battlespace Weapons Tactics Strategy Organization Logistics Lists War Portal         For other uses, see Martial law (disambiguation). ... The New York Tribune building - today the site of Pace Universitys building complex of One Pace Plaza in New York City The New York Tribune was established by Horace Greeley in 1841 and was long considered one of the leading newspapers in the United States. ...

Causes

An illustration of a building fire on Lexington Avenue during the riots.

When the Civil War started in April 1861, New Yorkers quickly rallied behind the Union cause, including a massive rally at Union Square attended by an estimated 100,000 to 250,000.^[7] When Abraham Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers to join the military and fight for the Union, 8,000 from New York City signed up within ten days.^[7] The First Battle of Bull Run in July 1861 took a heavy toll on Union forces, including those from New York City, leading to declining enthusiasm and optimism.^[7] A large contingent of Democrats in New York City, known as Copperheads, were opposed to the war and favored negotiated peace.^[8] New York Governor Horatio Seymour was elected in 1862, running on an anti-war platform.^[9] Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (779x976, 250 KB) photo of rioters attacking a building on Lexington Avenue during the New York Draft Riot of 1863. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (779x976, 250 KB) photo of rioters attacking a building on Lexington Avenue during the New York Draft Riot of 1863. ... Lexington Avenue is an avenue on the East Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City that carries southbound one-way traffic from East 131st Street to Gramercy Park at East 21st Street. ... Union Square Park (also known as Union Square) is an important and historic intersection in New York City, located where Broadway and the Bowery came together in the early 19th century. ... For other uses, see Abraham Lincoln (disambiguation). ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Irvin McDowell Joseph E. Johnston P.G.T. Beauregard Strength 35,000 32,500 Casualties 2,896 (460 killed, 1,124 wounded, 1,312 captured/missing)[1] 1,982 (387 killed, 1,582 wounded, 13 missing)[1] For other uses... The History of the Democratic Party is an account of a continuously supported political party in the United States of America. ... This article is about the Civil War faction. ... Governor Horatio Seymour Horatio Seymour (May 31, 1810 - February 12, 1886) was an American politician. ...

As the war dragged on, a military manpower shortage occurred in the Union. Congress passed the first conscription act in United States history on March 3, 1863, authorizing the President to draft citizens between the ages of 18 and 35 for a three-year term of military service.^[10] 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 either $300 or supply a substitute as a "commutation fee" to procure exemption from service.^[11] This led to the derisive term "300 dollar man". In actuality, the draft was designed to spur voluntary enlistment, and relatively few men were formally drafted into service.^[12] In this map:  Union states prohibiting slavery  Union territories  Border states on the Union side which allowed slavery  Kansas, which entered and fought with the Union as a free state after the Bleeding Kansas crisis  The Confederacy  Confederate claimed and sometimes held territories During the American Civil War, the Union... is the 62nd day of the year (63rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1863 (MDCCCLXIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... In Law, a commutation of sentence occurs when an executive head of government reduces a sentence for a criminal action. ...

In practice, however, men formed clubs whereby if one was drafted the others chipped in to pay the commutation fee. Regardless of the intent of the $300 provision—as a means of securing some much-needed funding for the war effort or sparing the sons of the rich from serving similar to draft dodging—public perception among the middle and lower classes was that the war had become "the rich man's war and the poor man's fight."^[13] Their actions were criminal offences and once they had left the country draft dodgers could not return or they would be arrested. ...

The first drawing of names happened on Saturday, July 11 without incident. Names were put on small pieces of paper, placed in a box, and then drawn one-by-one. The names put into the drawing were mainly mechanics and laborers that had been published in newspapers.^[10] Though rioting in New York didn't commence yet, riots involving opponents of conscription broke out in other cities, including Buffalo on July 6, 1863.^[14] There was speculation about similar reaction in New York City to the draft, which coincided with the efforts of Tammany Hall (the base of Democratic power in the city) to enroll Irish immigrants as citizens so they could vote in local elections. Consequently, many such immigrants suddenly discovered they had to fight for their new country. is the 192nd day of the year (193rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Nickname: Location of Buffalo in New York State Coordinates: , Country State County Erie First Settled 1789 Founded 1801 Incorporated (City) 1832 Government  - Mayor Byron Brown (D) Area  - City 52. ... is the 187th day of the year (188th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1863 (MDCCCLXIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Tammany Hall was the Democratic Party political machine that played a major role in controlling New York City politics from the 1790s to the 1960s. ...

Riots

Monday

The second drawing of numbers was held on Monday, July 13, 1863, ten days after the Union victory in the Battle of Gettysburg. At 10 a.m., a furious crowd of 500 led by the Black Joke Engine Company 33, soon attacked the assistant Ninth District Provost Marshal's Office, at Third Avenue and 47th Street, where the draft was taking place.^[15] The crowd began throwing large paving stones through windows, bursting through doors, and setting the building ablaze.^[16] Many of the rioters, being Irish labourers, were also opposed to gradualism, because they did not want to compete with emancipated slaves for occupational opportunities. ^[17] is the 194th day of the year (195th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1863 (MDCCCLXIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America Commanders George G. Meade Robert E. Lee Strength 93,921[1] 71,699[2] Casualties 23,055 (3,155 killed, 14,531 wounded, 5,369 captured/missing)[1] 23,231 (4,708 killed, 12,693 wounded, 5,830 captured/missing... Gradualism is the belief that changes occur, or ought to occur, slowly in the form of gradual steps (see also incrementalism) In politics, the concept of gradualism is used to describe the belief that change ought to be modified in small, discrete increments rather than abrubt changes such as revolutions...

The New York State Militia was absent, having been sent to assist Union troops in Pennsylvania, leaving the police to deal with the riots.^[16] The police superintendent, John Kennedy, came by on Monday to check on the situation. Although he was not in uniform, he was recognized by people in the mob and they attacked him. Kennedy was left nearly unconscious, having had his face bruised and cut, an injured eye, swelled lips, his hand cut with a knife, and a mass of bruises and blood all over his body.^[18] In response, police drew their clubs and revolvers, and charged the crowd, but the crowd overpowered them.^[10] The New York City Police Department forces were badly outnumbered and unable to quell the riots, however, they were able to keep the rioting out of Lower Manhattan, below Union Square.^[19] Immigrants and others in the "Bloody Sixth" Ward, around the seaport, refrained from getting involved in the Draft Riots, having experienced more than enough antebellum violence in the 1830s and 1850s.^[20] New York Guard MPs on post in New York City. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... “Truncheon” redirects here. ... For other uses, see Revolver (disambiguation). ... NYPD redirects here. ... Woolworth Building, looking south along Broadway Lower Manhattan, from the Brooklyn Bridge, 2005 Rigid airship the USS Akron over Lower Manhattan Lower Manhattan is the southernmost part of the island of Manhattan, the main island and center of business and government of the City of New York. ... Union Square Park (also known as Union Square) is an important and historic intersection in New York City, located where Broadway and the Bowery came together in the early 19th century. ... A view of the South Street Seaport in New York with the Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Williamsburg bridges. ... Antebellum is a Latin word meaning before war(ante means before and bellum is war). ...

Bull's Head Hotel, depicted in 1830, was burned in the riot

The Bull's Head hotel on 44th Street, which refused to provide alcohol, was burned. The mayor's residence on Fifth Avenue, the Eighth and Fifth District police stations, and other buildings were attacked and set on fire. Other targets included the office of the leading Republican newspaper, the New York Tribune. Fire engine companies responded, however some of the firefighters were sympathetic to the rioters, since they too had been drafted on Saturday.^[10] Later in the afternoon, authorities shot and killed a man, as a crowd attacked the Armory at Second Avenue and 21st Street.^[15] Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... The Republican Party of the United States was established in 1854 and is one of the two dominant parties today. ... The New York Tribune building - today the site of Pace Universitys building complex of One Pace Plaza in New York City The New York Tribune was established by Horace Greeley in 1841 and was long considered one of the leading newspapers in the United States. ...

African Americans became a scapegoat and the target of the rioters' anger. Many immigrants and poor viewed freed slaves as major competition for scarce jobs and African Americans as the reason why the civil war was being fought. Irish immigrants comprised a large portion of the rioters,^[16] though a large contingent of German immigrants, and other groups also participated.^[21] African Americans who fell into the mob's hands were often beaten, tortured, and/or killed, including one man that was attacked by a crowd of 400 with clubs and paving stones, then hung from a tree and set alight.^[15] The Colored Orphan Asylum on Fifth Avenue, which provided shelter for hundreds of children, was attacked by a mob. The police were able to secure the orphanage for enough time to allow orphans to escape.^[10] However, a nine-year-old girl from the orphanage, who was found hiding under a bed, was clubbed to death.^[22] The Scapegoat by William Holman Hunt, 1854. ...

Tuesday

Heavy rain fell on Monday night, helping to abate the fires and sending rioters home, but the crowd returned the next day. Commerce in the city was halted, with workers joining the crowd. Rioters went after the homes of notable Republicans, including activist Abby Hopper Gibbons, among others.^[23] GOP redirects here. ...

Governor Horatio Seymour arrived on Tuesday and spoke at City Hall, where he attempted to assuage the crowd by proclaiming the Conscription Act was unconstitutional. General John E. Wool brought approximately 800 troops in from forts in the New York Harbor and from West Point. He also ordered the militias to return to New York.^[10] Governor Horatio Seymour Horatio Seymour (May 31, 1810 - February 12, 1886) was an American politician. ... ... John Ellis Wool (February 20, 1784 - November 10, 1869) was one of the four general officers of the United States Army in 1861, and was the one who saw the most Civil War service. ... New York Harbor, a geographic term, refers collectively to the rivers, bays, and tidal estuaries near the mouth of the Hudson River in the vicinity of New York City. ... Alternate meanings: West Point (disambiguation). ...

Order restored

The situation improved on Wednesday, when assistant provost-marshal-general Robert Nugent received word from his superior officer to suspend the draft. As this news appeared in newspapers, some rioters stayed home. But, some of the militias began to return and used harsh measures against the remaining mobs.^[10]

Order began to be restored on Thursday as more federal troops returned to New York, including the 152nd New York Volunteers, the 26th Michigan Volunteers, the 27th Indiana Volunteers and the 7th Regiment New York State Militia from Frederick, Maryland, after a forced march. In addition, the governor sent in the 74th and 65th regiments of the New York state militia, which had not been in federal service, and a section of the 20th Independent Battery, New York Volunteer Artillery from Fort Schuyler in Throgs Neck. By July 16, there were several thousand Federal troops in the city.^[6] A final confrontation occurred on Thursday evening near Gramercy Park, resulting in the deaths of many rioters.^[10] The 26th Regiment Michigan Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. ... The New York Guard is the name of the state-run militia of New York State. ... Location in Maryland Coordinates: , Country State County Frederick Founded 1745 Government  - Mayor William J. Holtzinger (R)  - Board of Alderman Marcia Hall (D) Alan E. Imhoff (R) David P. Koontz (D) Donna K. Ramsburg (D) C. Paul Smith (R) Area  - Total 20. ... The 20th Independent Battery, New York Volunteer Artillery garrisioned Fort Schuyler and Fort Columbus, NY during the American Civil War and took part in quelling the New York Draft Riots. ... Fort Schuyler is a preserved 19th century fortification housing a museum in New York City. ... Throgs Neck (neighborhood) The geographic feature Throgs Neck, shown in red, in the Bronx, New York City Aerial view of the Throgs Neck Bridge spanning Throgs Neck This Map shows the income distribution in Throgs Neck. ... is the 197th day of the year (198th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Gramercy Park (sometimes misspelled as Grammercy) is a small, fenced-in private park in the Gramercy neighborhood of the New York City borough of Manhattan, accessible only to residents of certain townhouses in the area who have keys to the park. ...

Aftermath

The exact death toll during the New York Draft Riots is unknown, but according to historian James M. McPherson (2001), at least 120 civilians were killed^[24]. Estimates are that at least 2000 more injured. Total property damage was about $1 million.^[25] Historian Samuel Morison wrote that the riots were "equivalent to a Confederate victory".^[25] The city treasury later indemnified one-quarter of the amount. Fifty buildings, including two Protestant churches, burned to the ground. On August 19, the draft was resumed. It was completed within 10 days without further incident, although far fewer men were actually drafted than had been feared: of the 750,000 selected for conscription nationwide, only about 45,000 actually went into service.^[12] Look up Indemnity in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... is the 231st day of the year (232nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

While the rioting mainly involved the working class, the middle and upper-class New Yorkers had split sentiments on the draft and use of federal power or martial law to enforce the draft.^[26] Many wealthy Democratic businessmen sought to have the draft declared unconstitutional. Tammany Democrats did not seek to have the draft declared unconstitutional, but would help pay commutation fees on behalf of poor who were drafted.^[27] Battlespace Weapons Tactics Strategy Organization Logistics Lists War Portal         For other uses, see Martial law (disambiguation). ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      Further information: Politics of the United States#Organization of American political parties The Democratic... Constitutionality is the status of a law, a procedure, or an acts accordance with the laws or guidelines set forth in the applicable constitution. ... Tammany Hall was the Democratic Party political machine that played a major role in controlling New York City politics from the 1790s to the 1960s. ...

Fictional portrayals

The Draft Riots are fictionally portrayed in the novels On Secret Service by John Jakes and Paradise Alley by Kevin Baker. The short-lived 1968 Broadway musical Maggie Flynn was set in an orphanage for black children that came under siege during the Draft Riots. In the steampunk novel The Difference Engine (1990) by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling, readers are told that the riots (during an earlier Civil War finally won by the Confederate States) end in the creation of a Manhattan commune (compare with the Paris commune) led by Karl Marx. In the Newt Gingrich novel Grant Comes East, the riots are portrayed as far more severe than they were in actuality, as this book is a sequel to his previous novel where the Confederacy won the Battle of Gettysburg. John Jakes (born on March 31, 1932) is a writer of fiction. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... For other uses of Broadway, see Broadway. ... The Black Crook (1866), considered by some historians to be the first musical[1] Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining music, songs, spoken dialogue and dance. ... Maggie Flynn is a musical with a book by Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, and George David Weiss (in collaboration with Morton DaCosta) and music and lyrics by Peretti, Creatore, and Weiss. ... For the comic book, see Steampunk (comics). ... The Difference Engine is an alternate history novel by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling. ... For other persons named William Gibson, see William Gibson (disambiguation). ... For other persons named Bruce Sterling, see Bruce Sterling (disambiguation). ... Motto Deo Vindice (Latin: Under God, Our Vindicator) Anthem (none official) God Save the South (unofficial) The Bonnie Blue Flag (unofficial) Dixie (unofficial)  States that seceded under CSA control  States and territories claimed by CSA without formal secession and/or control Capital Montgomery, Alabama (until May 29, 1861) Richmond, Virginia... A Commune is a kind of intentional community where most resources are shared and there is little or no personal property. ... Le Père Duchesne looking at the statue of Napoleon I on top of the Vendome column: Eh ben ! bougre de canaille, on va donc te foutre en bas comme ta crapule de neveu !… (Well now! buggering rascal, we will knock you the fuck off just like your crook of... Karl Heinrich Marx (May 5, 1818 – March 14, 1883) was a 19th century philosopher, political economist, and revolutionary. ... Grant Comes East is a New York Times bestseller written by Newt Gingrich and William R. Forstchen. ...

The 2002 Martin Scorsese film Gangs of New York, set in the years prior to and including the Draft Riots, attempts to depict "the birth of Manhattan and the way the different waves of immigrants have shaped [New York City's] evolution".^[28] The film includes an extended scene depicting the events. Martin Marcantonio Luciano Scorsese (IPA: AmE: ; Ita: []) (b. ... Gangs of New York is a 2002 film set in the middle 19th century in the Five Points district of New York City. ... In the unilineal evolution model at left, all cultures progress through set stages, while in the multilineal evolution model at right, distinctive culture histories are emphasized. ...

See also

• History of New York City (1855-1897)
• Opposition to the American Civil War
• Domestic terrorism in the United States

The history of New York City (1855-1897) started with the inauguration in 1855 of Fernando Wood as the first mayor from Tammany Hall, an institution that would dominate the city throughout this period. ... Link titleAnti-war Popular opposition to the American Civil War, which lasted from 1861 to 1865, was widespread. ... In the United States, acts of domestic terrorism are generally considered to be uncommon. ...

Notes

Teresa Bagioli Sickles confession, 1859 Harpers Weekly (A Journal of Civilization) was an American political magazine based in New York City. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 342nd day of the year (343rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

References and further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

New York Draft Riots

• Barnes, David M. (1863). The Draft Riots in New York, July, 1863: The Metropolitan Police, Their Services During Riot. Baker & Godwin. 
• Bernstein, Iver (1990). The New York City Draft Riots: Their Significance for American Society and Politics in the Age of the Civil War. Oxford University Press. 
• Cook, Adrian (1974). The Armies of the Streets: The New York City Draft Riots of 1863. 
• Fry, James Barnet (1885). New York and the Conscription of 1863. 
• McCabe, James Dabney (1868). The Life and Public Services of Horatio Seymour. Oxford University Press. 
• Nicolay, John and John Hay (1890). Lincoln, volume vii. 
• Schecter, Barnet (2005). The Devil's Own Work: The Civil War Draft Riots and the Fight to Reconstruct America. 
• United States War and Navy Departments (1889). Official Records of the American Civil War, volume xxvii, part ii. 
• Matthew Dripps, New York. Map Of New York and Vicinity (1863) [map], 1863 edition. Retrieved on 2007-07-20.
• McPherson, James M. (2001). Ordeal by Fire: The Civil War and Reconstruction. 

James Barnet Fry (1827–1894) was an American soldier and prolific author of historical books. ... John Milton Hay (October 8, 1838 – July 1, 1905) was an American statesman, diplomat, author, journalist, and private secretary and assistant to Abraham Lincoln. ... The Official Records of the American Civil War or often more simply the Official Records or ORs, constitute a unique, authentic, and comprehensive collection of first-hand accounts, orders, reports, and correspondence drawn from War and Navy Department records of both Confederate and Union governments during the American Civil War. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 201st day of the year (202nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

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
• A Map of Events mentioned in this article