New York Draft Riot
The New York Draft Riots of 1863 represented protests in response to President Abraham Lincoln's Enrollment Act of Conscription to draft men to fight in the ongoing Civil War.
In July of 1863, antiwar newspapers in New York City began to inflame their readers (largely working class and white) against fighting for the emancipation of blacks. One of the major complaints was the ability of wealthy individuals to buy a surrogate for $300, so that they themselves need not fight.
The first draft lottery was held on July 11, 1863. The riots, which lasted five days, began July 13, 1863 and ended on July 17. Targets of the rioters were initially government buildings, but soon spread to black property and organizations, and white sympathizers.
The riots erupted after the names of the drafted men appeared in the local New York City press on July 13, shortly after the newspapers had reported the tremendous loss of life at Gettysburg. Although the draft was universal, it was possible to pay a "commutation fee" to escape service, thereby excluding the wealthier classes from the hazards of war.
In response, some 50,000 people, particularly impoverished Irish immigrants, rioted, smashing store windows and attacking people, particularly African Americans, on the street. Telegraph offices and wires were attacked to disrupt communication, indicating organized leadership.
Targets of the rioters were initially government buildings, but soon spread to black property and organizations, and white sympathizers.
The New York police forces proved unable to quell the riots. It was not until Federal troops were called in to fire upon the rioters that order was restored. The exact death toll is unknown, as a result of conflicting contemporary accounts.
The mobs caused more than $1.5 million of damage. The number killed during the riot is estimated from two dozen to over 100. One estimate gives 119 people killed, 306 injured. The Guinness Book of World Records cites it as the bloodiest riot in history, costing approximately 1,200 lives.
The Draft Riots were fictionally portrayed in the John Jakes novel On Secret Service and the Martin Scorcese film Gangs of New York, among other works.
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Referenced By
City of New York | City of New York, New York | List of riots | New York, NY | New York, New York | New York (city) | New York City | New York City, New York | New York City, USA | Timeline of riots
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