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From the N. Y. Journal of Commerce, 14th.GREAT RIOT.IBi'ftistnnce to ttie DraftFearful Destruction of Life and Property.Attack on the Tribune Office.Exciting; Scenes and Incidents*tThe opposition to the draft broke out with fearful violence in the 9th Congressional District yesterday morning. Provost Marshal Jenkins had received intimations that he would be disturbed in his operations, and at an early hour in the morning 6cnt to Col. Nugent, and Superintendent Kennedy for a force of soldiers and police sufficient for his protection at his office, No. 677 Third Avenue. Owing to the early hour at which the application was made, the aid was not sent in time to prevent any disturbances which followed. About *10 o’clock a small squad of policemen arrived and stationed themselves near the building, and then Mr Jenkins concluded to take the risk of going on with the draft, although additional information left him no doubt that his office would soon be attacked. At this time there were between 200 and 300 spectators in the hall. About a quarter past 10 o’clock, at which time the wheel had made several revolutions, a shower of stones came through the window's. One hit the Provost Marshal, and a number of persons near him were also grazed, but none injured, by the missiles. The spectators immediately leftthe hall, and Mr Jenkins and those w ith him beat a retreat through the rear of the building and made their escape into g back lot. They had hardly got away in safety when the crowd, wild with excitement, rushed into the office, and commenced laying violent hands on the wheel, the records of the draft, and the furniture. The wheel was smashed to pieces, and the fragments itched out of the window. The lists, records and lank forms—which are indispensable to the successful prosecution of the draft, were torn into a millioAtoms and flung to the four winds. Nothing but the huge iron safe,which could not be broken open or carried away, escaped destruction. The rioters appeared to be in a perfect frenzy of rage, and battered awTay with clubs at the very walls of the building as if they w^ould pound them to pieces. Shortly after 10$ o'clock the building was discovered to be an fire. The torch had been applied probably under one of the stairways. The flames spread with great rapidity, and no one appeared to be on hand to put out the fire. The small squad of policemen who had been sent to the support of Provost Marshal Jenkins, had not been inside of the building, but stood at some distance from it looking on while the conflagration was raging. They were too small a body to have rendered any valuable service against the overwhelming numbers of the crowd outside. They made one effort tocheck the riotous proceedings, but were beaten back and finally took refuge in flight. Supt. Kennedy,who iust arrived, was attacked and badly hurt about the Lead. The mob, by this time, numbered about 5000 persons. They appeared to be chiefly hard working men. A large proportion of them were said to have come from the founderies in the 18th, 19th and 22d Wards, and from the 3d and 6th avenue railroads. It was evident, however, that all classes of citizens were represented in the vast mob that swarmed and seethed about the burning edifice. A more excited crowd was never seen in this city. Tliev execrated the draft, and the manner in which it was conducted, the officers who were engaged in it, and sw'ore that it should never be enforced in tins city, it was a remarkable circumstance that very few of them were armed with pistols or guns; thus showing that the demonstration was not long premeditated, but was hastily got no. Stones were the instruments of destruction mainly used,though clubs were frequently brought into play. Up to 11 o'clock no person was seriously injured except Superintendent Kennedy, and Deputy Provost Marshal Vanderpoel, who attempted to address the mob, when he was assailed with stones and Club*, and badly injured about the head. He was finally rescued by some friends and taken home. By 11.$ o’clock, the flames enveloped the whole of the*Provost Marshal s office. The upper part of the building was occupied by families,all of whom made their escape in safety with their portable property. The adjoining buildings caught fire and were in a fairway of burning down. Several of the rioters bethought themselves of cutting down the city telegraph poles on the 3d avenue, and axes soon laid three of them low. This manoeuvre was too late, however, to prevent communication with the civil and military authorities down town. At the outbreak of the troubles, word had been sent to Superintendent Kennedy, Gen. Sandford, Gen. Wool, and the naval and military authorities at Brooklyn, and measures were instantly taken to suppress the riot. AU the reserve policemen in the city were at once despatched to the spot. The Provost Marshal’s guard were started up the Bowery in a 3d avenue car, and run a gauntlet of groans, hisses, and stones at some points of the route. Gen. Wool and staff met at the office of the Police Commissioners for consultation. Gen. Sandford issued orders calling upon all the ex-officers of the 1st division in the city, who were disposed to assist in preserving the peace of the city, to meet at the 7th regiment drill rooms that evening at 8 o'clock. He also issued an order requesting .officers, non-commissioned officers and privates of the two years’ volunteer service, who were willing to perform a similar duty, to report to Col. W. H. Allen, at Central Hall, Grand street. Meanwhile the fire burned on, destroying not only the Provost Marshal’s office, but No. 679 adjoining, occupied as a lager bier saloon, and several other tenement buildings in the block. The buildings in which the Provost Marshal’s office was situated was owned by Mr Duane, and was valued at #6000. The firemen w’ere present soon after the fire broke out, but were not permitted by the crowd to work their engines. About 2 o'clock, after the mob had moved away some distance, the engines commenced throwing water and the further spread of the tire was then stayed. When the Provost Marshal's guard, numbering about 75 men, arrived on the spot, they were saluted with hoots and groans. They drew up in line on 3d avenue, between 44th and 45th streets, and were about to order arms, when the crowd pressed strongly about them, and some threw stones at them. Before an order had been given to tire, one of the soldiers discharged his gun, wounding one of the rioters. The other soldiers fired, by a common impulse, immediately after, wounding several of the mob, one or two, it is believed, mortally. Upon this the rioters attacked the soldiers with the utmost fury, grappling their muskets and wrestling for their possession. This hand to hand contest lasted about fifteen minutes, when the Provost Guard, finding themselves over-— — — —1— i — — — i ^ — ■ —r — — _ — — — — w v — ■— w iaway. The mob pursued anci chasedrelinquished their...... own _them for nearly a mile. One of the soldiers was killed in the pursuit by a crowd of about 20 men. Another was thrown headlong over some rocks at the foot of 42d street, and was left for dead. Atthis juncture, a reenforcement of police, numbering about 200, came on the ground. They, in turn, were attacked with stones and clubs. The policemen defended themselves with clubs and revolversas best they could, but were finally beaten back.One of them discharged his revolver four times into the crowd, and then took refuge in a store, the door of which was immediately barred. The rioters obtained an entance by the back door, seized the unfortunate man,and beat him in a most dreadful manner. He was supposed to be fatally injured. After the disappearance of the police from the scene of action, there was a brief suspension of hostilities. The crowd had by this time increased to nearly 20,000 strong, and were apparently at a loss what next to do with their immense numbers, especially as there seemed to be no recognized leader among them. About 1 P. M., the military preparations for resisting the riot began to take a better shape. Gen. Wool, after consultation with Gen. Sandford, Mayor Opdyke, and the Police Board, ordered a large detachment of U. S. Regulars to the 7th Avenue Arsenal, w hich it was supposed would be attacked. A small force, not large enough to make any resistance against a formi dable mob, had been stationed there for over au hour. Col. Henry Moore was directed to take command, to load the howitzers, place them in position on the street, and repel attacks with canister. The First and Third Cavalry, N. G., which had been ordered to parade at Col. Zook's funeral,w as also despatched to the protection of the arsenal. Lieut. Col. Missing and a part of his forcqreceived similar instructions. The City Arsenal,at the corner of Elm and White streets, was placed in the keeping of a detachment from the 10th reg ment volunteers. Another force w^as put into the I 7th Regiment Armory, and cannon were mounted in the streets so as to defend the appr^^fef. Later intelligence from Third Avenue states that a ! large number of the police force were seriously injured. Among them are officer John Walsh, of the 9th precinct, officer Law, of the 8th; Sergeant Elli-•on and officers Flemming and John H. McCarty of the 29th; officers Henderson, Morrison, Simonson, Holmes, Lee, McIntyre, and Lcaycraft. Cant.1 Palmer, of the 21st precinct, is missing. Sergeant Ellison was rescued from his assailants by the bravery ot a squad under command of Scrgeard9 Wade and McCredie, w ho. In turn, were repulsed after a very severe fight. Over twenty officers were badly hurt, and' several will probably die. Between 1$ and 2$ o’clock there was another pause, during which large numbers of the crowd with-drewr and came back armed, some with mnskcfr, but the larger number with pistols. The only assault made in this interval was on Mr Howard, for
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Boston Post
Boston, Massachusetts, US
Wed, Jul 15, 1863
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Boston P.
NA, USA 20 May 2022
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