56 Ten Years of my Life. 



The riot commenced with an attack by the mob on a draft- 

 ing office, which was destroyed and burned. The excitement 

 spread throughout the great city, and a sudden fury seized the 

 whole low Irish population. Its only object seemed murder 

 and plunder, and the attacks were directed especially against 

 all persons connected with the draft, republican officials and 

 negroes, but also against wealthy people in general. The fury 

 increased next day ; it was indeed as if hell had been let loose 

 on the unfortunate city. The political hue of the riot disap- 

 peared ; murdering and plundering became its chief objects. 

 Not only men took part in it, women were to be seen 

 everywhere foremost, and even children ; and the ferocity of 

 the Irish surpassed anything I ever read of Wherever negroes 

 were discovered, they were hung or otherwise barbarously 

 murdered, and women stuck their knives into still palpitating 

 bodies, and made cruel fun of them, A coloured orphan 

 asylum, containing several hundreds of coloured children, was 

 burned, and children thrown into the flames. Horrid-looking 

 men patrolled the streets in troops, searching houses and 

 plundering them. 



For four long days and nights these scoundrels terrified the 

 .city. No decently-dressed persons dared to show themselves 

 ^n the streets, but locked themselves up in their houses, fear- 

 ng every moment to be visited by the rioters. Poor negroes 

 hid themselves in cellars, where they remained without food 

 for many days. The courage of the mob was increased by the 

 evident inability of the authorities to suppress the riot, and 

 also by their want of decision. Governor Seymour seemed not 

 to be well disposed towards the General Government, and dis- 

 approved of the draft. Not wishing to lose his popularity with 

 the Irish element, he acted with blameable leniency and want 

 of energy. The police and the few troops were checked and 

 restricted in the use of their arms. They, by order of their 

 superiors, had to use only blank cartridges, which of course 

 had the same pernicious eftect as experienced everywhere. 

 When the Trihu/ie office was attacked, some guns were placed 

 in position ; a few shots with canister would have been suffici- 

 ent to drive the cowards howling away ; instead of that, the 

 firing with blank cartridges encouraged them. The building 

 was, however, saved by the efforts of the police force. 



Among the better classes of Irish were some who disap- 



