Pictorial history of the war for the Union, volume 2 (of 2)

by Ann S. Stephens

During the morning all the factories and shops in the neighborhood were visited, and threats made to burn each establishment to the ground unless it was closed. As a consequence, every factory for a mile around the Union Steam Works was shut up, and the streets swarmed with infuriated men.

The mob had taken possession of the latter building for the purpose of using it as a fortification from which to resist the police.

About two o’clock, a force of two hundred police, under command of Inspector Dilks, arrived on the ground. Some of the rioters, becoming alarmed at being thus caged, endeavored to escape, but were too late, for upon the moment Inspector Dilks gave the order to charge. In an instant four of the rioters were stretched upon the pavement. The men, with all the pluck of veterans, rushed into the building upon the mob, and after a desperate fight of a few moments, during which some of the policemen as well as the rioters, were injured, succeeded in conquering the crowd, causing them to leap from the windows, and rush to every other avenue of escape.

A large number of women at this moment attacked the police, cursing them in a fearful manner, and in some instances stoning them.

Having cleared the building of the rioters, the police came into the street again, each man holding a musket, and charged upon the mob, which scattered in every direction.

At this same place the mob subsequently augmented so greatly that they stormed the place and notwithstanding the resistance of the small force of police left for protection, took possession of it. Reinforcements speedily arrived, and again the building was emptied of the mob; the police then marched through the district, the military bringing up in the rear; and again the crowd rallied, following them, and sent into their ranks a shower of every sort of missile they could lay hands upon. Quick as thought Captain Franklin gave the order “’bout face,” which brought the soldiers face to face with the crowd. In an instant thereafter the order to “fire” was given, and a volley was poured into the mob. Fifteen were reported killed and wounded. A charge was made with fixed bayonets, when the mob broke and scattered like sheep. The force then returned to their rendezvous with about two hundred carbines which they had captured.

The crowd was being constantly reinforced as the day wore on. A number of gentlemen attacked one gang of the ruffians, and succeeded in capturing two of them. About five o’clock a large squad of rioters attacked a building on Twenty-ninth street, because it was alleged that “Horace Greeley lived there.” While engaged in the destruction of the house and its contents a detail of about fifty soldiers and thirty policemen appeared on the ground and marched through the street clearing it of all obstructions.

A short time afterwards, in another portion of the street a gang of rioters raised a cry against a gentleman passing by “that he was a Tribune reporter,” and instantly he was set upon by the infuriated mob, who pursued, knocked him down, and beat and kicked him about the body, face and head in such a way as to leave him nearly dead. A gentleman present interfered and succeeded in saving the young man’s life. He was taken to his residence near, and it was found on examination that he had received no mortal wound.

This same mob while in the vicinity set upon a man against whom they had conceived some fancied antipathy, and beat him to death.

The riot was now increasing in all parts of the city notwithstanding the vigorous measures adopted for quelling it. An attack was made upon the residence of Mayor Opdyke by a comparatively small body of men and a party of boys, who threw stones and brickbats at the windows. Not more than half of the rioters, however, entered the building, their object evidently being plunder. About twenty gentlemen living in the neighborhood, having anticipated the attack, assembled at a given place, and, with such weapons as were at hand, rushed upon the crowd and drove them from the door. They then entered the Mayor’s house and speedily expelled the rioters. Meantime the mob was increasing and the cry was “Burn the building!” The front steps were then occupied by the small party of gentlemen whose determined looks the crowd did not seem to relish.