RIOTS IN NEW YORK, BOSTON, ETC. 



815 



Lieut. Wood, in command of 150 " regulars" 

 from Fort Lafayette, was directed to disperse a 

 crowd of perhaps 2,000 men, who had assembled 

 in the vicinity of Grand and Pitt streets. On 

 the approach of the soldiers, the lieut. called up- 

 'on the crowd to disperse. A volley of stones 

 was the reply. He then ordered his men to fire 

 above the crowd, which being done without 

 apparent effect, he directed them to fire and 

 take aim. The result was 12 dead men, sever- 

 al wounded, and a general flight. Two chil- 

 dren were among the killed. In this way the 

 mob was frequently broken up, but as it would 

 continually reorganize, it became necessary to 

 adopt some plan of absolute and general disper- 

 sion. The citizens generally prepared to defend 

 themselves and their property. The governor 

 was induced to speak from the steps of the City 

 Hall to an immense gathering of the people, 

 among whom were undoubtedly many who 

 had been engaged in the riots. The governor 

 made a few remarks, intended to allay the 

 popular excitement, and earnestly counselled 

 obedience to the laws and the constituted 

 authorities. He also read the following note 

 explanatory of what he had done about the 

 draft: 



NEW YOKK, July 13<A, 1863. 



Mr DEAR SIR : I have received your note about the 

 draft. On Saturday last I sent my adjutant-general 

 to Washington for the purpose of urging a suspension 

 of the draft, for I know that the city of New York can 

 furnish its full quota by volunteering. I have received 

 a dispatch from Gen. Sprague that the draft is sus- 

 pended. There is no doubt the conscription is post- 

 poned. I learn this from a number of sources. If I 

 get any information of a change of policy at Washing- 

 ton. I will let you know. Truly yours, 



HORATIO SEYMOUR. 



Hon. SAMUEL SLOAN, President of the Hudson River 

 Railroad Company, New York. 



The governor was listened to with great re- 

 spect, and the reading of the above letter 

 caused general satisfaction among his hearers. 



The murder of Ool. O'Brien was, perhaps, 

 the most fearful of the many incidents which 

 occurred. Commissioned to disperse a mob in 

 the Third avenue, he gallantly charged upon 

 them with an efficient detachment of troops, 

 and succeeded in breaking the front and turn- 

 ing the face of the rioters. Having sprained 

 his ankle during the excitement, he stepped 

 into a drug store in 32d street, while his com- 

 mand passed on. The store was soon sur- 

 rounded, and the proprietor fearing it would 

 be sacked begged the colonel to get away as 

 soon as possible. With a brave heart O'Brien 

 went out among the crowd alone ; and while 

 parleying with them a treacherous blow from 

 behind laid him senseless upon the pavement. 

 The crowd fell upon the prostrate form, beat- 

 ing and bruising it. For hours the bleeding 

 body was drawn up and down the street, re- 

 ceiving a brutal treatment almost unparalleled, 

 after which it was carried, with shouts and 

 groans, to his residence, where the same con- 

 duct was repeated. A priest with kindly cour- 

 tesy interfered, and read over the dead body 



the prayers of its church, after which he di- 

 rected the remains to be taken into the house. 

 Hardly was his back turned, however, when a 

 brutal fellow stamped upon the corpse, and 

 his example was followed by many others. 



Events followed each other in rapid succes- 

 sion. The Secretary of War ordered home the 

 militia regiments that were doing duty in Penn- 

 sylvania, and the rioters became, to a great ex- 

 tent, "demoralized," their leaders having been 

 killed or taken prisoners. The stages and cars 

 were withdrawn from the streets until Thurs- 

 day, when, by order of the Police Commission- 

 ers, the regular running was resumed. On 

 Thursday, Mayor Opdyke issued the following 

 proclamation : 



MAYOR'S OFFICE, NEW TOKK, July 15th, 1868. 

 To the Citizens of New York : 



I am happy to announce to yon that the riot which 

 has for two days disgraced our citv, has been in good 

 measure subjected to the control of the public authori- 

 ties. It would not have interrupted your peace for a 

 day but for the temporary absence of all our organ- 

 ized local militia. What now remains of the mob are 

 fragments prowling about for plunder; and for the 

 purpose of meeting these, and saving the military and 

 police from the exhaustion of continued movements, 

 you are invited to form voluntary associations under 

 competent leaders, to patrol and guard your various 

 districts. With these exceptions you are again re- 

 quested to resume your accustomed daily avocations. 

 This is as necessary to your persona? security as to the 

 peace of the city. 



The various lines of omnibuses, railways and tel- 

 egrams must be put in full operation immediately. 

 Adequate military protection against their further in- 

 terruption will be furnished on application to the mili- 

 tary authorities of the State. 



Fellow citizens, the laws must and shall be obeyed ; 

 public order shall not be broken with impunity. Our 

 first duty now is to restore the public peace and pre- 

 serve it unbroken, and to pursue and punish the of- 

 fenders against the majesty of the laws. 



GEORGE OPDYKE, Mayor. 



On the 16th the following notice was placard- 

 ed about the city : 



NEW YORK, July 16th, 1S6& 



To the men of New_ York, who are now called in many 

 of the papers rioters : 



Men ! I am not able, owing to the rheumatism in my 

 limbs, to visit you ; but that is not a reason why you 

 should not pay me a visit in your whole strength. 

 Come, then, to-morrow (Friday) at two o'clock, to 

 my residence, northwest corner of Madison Avenue and 

 Thirty-sixth street. I shall have a speech prepared 

 for you. 



There is abundant space for the meeting around my 

 house. I can address you from the corner of the bal- 

 cony. If I should be unable to stand during its de- 

 livery, you will permit me to address you sitting ; my 

 voice is much stronger than my limbs. I take upon 

 myself the responsibility of assuring you that, in pay- 

 ing me this visit, or in retiring from it, you shall not 

 be disturbed by any exhibition of municipal or military 

 presence. You who are Catholics, or as many of you as 

 are, have a right to visit your bishop without molesta- 

 tion. + JOHN HUGHES, 

 Archbishop of New York. 



Its authenticity was doubted by many per- 

 sons, bt inquiry proved that it was genuine. 



Before the appointed hour on the following 

 day, a crowd of between 8,000 and 5,000 per- 

 sons assembled in front of the archbishop's 

 residence, and patiently waited for his appear- 



