Today in History:

898 Series I Volume XXVII-II Serial 44 - Gettysburg Campaign Part II

Page 898 N. C., VA., W. VA., MD., PA., ETC. Chapter XXXIX.

previously removed to a place of safety. Rioters still at work in city, Mob assembled at Thirty-second street this morning; were fired upon by the military. Quite a number killed. Object seems to be plunder, rather than any real opposition to the draft. Have just returned from headquarters of General Wool, and from information there received the force now available will be sufficient to speedily check any further disturbance.

ROBERT NUGENT,

Colonel, and A. A. P. M. G.

Colonel J. B. FRY.

NEW YORK, July 15, 1863.

SIR: Your telegram of the 14th instant, * ordering a suspension of the draft in this city and Brooklyn, was duly received, and the draft was suspended, from necessity. Owing to the state of feeling now in the city among the mob class, it may be well to suspend the draft for two or three days, until the Government is able to send a sufficient force to preserve order and enforce the law. I would suggest that when an adequate force is sent here, the draft should be resumed in one district at a time, and rigidly enforced there. When the draft is to be resumed, and there is a sufficient force in New York to carry it out, I shall apply to Major-General Wool for men, and, in the meanwhile, I trust the Government will see the necessity of instructing the major-general commanding in this department to give me all the assistance he possibly can to sustain its authority. The mob spirit must be put down by the strong arm of the military power. There is no use in trying to conciliate or reason with it. It has now assumed the character of an organized mass of plunderers, and the public generally have lost all sympathy for it; so that new is the time to crush out rebellion. This can be easily done, if the proper force is placed at our disposal. I am, colonel,

l very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ROBERT NUGENT.

Colonel Sixty-ninth N. Y., Vols., and A. A. P. M. G.

Colonel J. B. FRY,

Provost-Marshal-General.

P. S. - I inclose you an extract from the World - Copperhead - by which you will see that the mob have paid their respects to my residence.

[Inclosure.]

AFFAIRS AT YORKVILLE.

The demonstrations at Yorkville on the part of those who had turned out to resist the draft were carried to such an extent as to endanger the lives of some, and greatly agitate the minds of most of the peaceable citizens of that place. So great was the excitement on Monday evening, that yesterday many people concluded it best to

---------------

*See p. 895.

---------------


Page 898 N. C., VA., W. VA., MD., PA., ETC. Chapter XXXIX.