Today in History:

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

Page 901 Chapter XXXIX. DRAFT RIOTS IN NEW YORK CITY, ETC.

Captain Rose is powerless. The people in the village much disaffected. He has no force which he can call upon, and I have none to send him. The enrollment records were preserved, having been removed for safety. Yesterday and to-day the mob have proceeded with utter recklessness in the destruction of private property. Workshops have been visited, and the buildings threatened to be burned unless the proprietors closed them up; and so great is the apprehension of the people, that in most cases the summons has been complied with. Several conflicts have taken place between the military and the rioters, and many persons have been killed. The means for the suppression of the rioters is good, and it is considered that there is sufficient force now here and to arrive this evening to speedily check any further serious disturbance.

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ROBERT NUGENT,

Colonel Sixty-ninth Regiment N. Y. Vols.,

and A. A. P. M. G.

Colonel J. B. FRY,

Provost-Marshal-General.

NEW YORK, July 16, 1863.

(Received 9. 45 a. m.)

SIR: Your telegram did not reach here till 4. 40 this morning. Yesterday I was sent for by the Governor and mayor, who wanted to know if I had received any account from Washington about the draft being suspended. I told them I had, but positively refused to publish it until I received proper authority from you to do so. At their earnest solicitation, and as the draft had actually been suspended from necessity, I consented to publish, over my own name, that simple fact, without giving it any official character. Your dispatch will, of course, remain unpublished. Wrote you fully by mail last night.

ROBERT NUGENT,

Colonel, and Acting Assistant Provost-Marshal-General.

Colonel J. B. FRY.

NEW YORK, July 16, 1863.

SIR: Yesterday afternoon, as I have already informed you by telegraph to-day, I was requested to call at the Saint Nicholas Hotel, to meet His Excellency Gov. Horatio Seymour and other gentlemen, who seemed, officially and otherwise, to be anxious to suppress the riot that has been raging in this city since Monday morning.

I accordingly called, and met Governor Seymour, Mayor Opdyke, Collector [Hiram] Barney, and several other gentlemen. I was asked by the Governor, in the presence of Messrs. Barney and Opdyke, if I had any instructions from Washington in relation to the suspension of the draft in New York and the other Congressional districts, to which I replied that I had received instructions as far as regards New York and Brooklyn, but that I was not at liberty to publish them without express authority from you. The Governor then, in conjunction with the mayor and Mr. Barney,


Page 901 Chapter XXXIX. DRAFT RIOTS IN NEW YORK CITY, ETC.