Today in History:

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

Page 905 Chapter XXXIX. DRAFT RIOTS IN NEW YORK CITY, ETC.

the first intimation of danger (on Monday, 13th instant), I removed quietly and secretly one set of the enrollment sheets, Class I and II, of this district, to a place of safety.

This set had not been thoroughly compared and examined, and those persons whose names was had gathered on irregular lists had not been transferred to their proper class sheets. Work was continued from day to day upon the duplicates then on hand, and the ballots very nearly completed, when, on intimation that we would be attacked by the rioters, and these headquarters destroyed, the books and valuable papers were collected and sent to the navy-yard, under seal, and received by Captain [Richard W.] Meade, U. S. Navy, on board the receiving ship North Carolina. Yesterday, the 15th instant, the corps of enrolling officers were discharged, subject to call in such number as may be required to complete the draft, when orders to that effect are received from Washington.

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

STEPHEN B. GREGORY,

Captain, and Provost-Marshal, Third District, New York.

Colonel J. B. FRY,

Provost-Marshal-General, Washington, D. C.


Numbers 7. Reports of Captain Charles E. Jenkins, Provost-Marshal.

NEW YORK, July 13, 1863.

(Received 5 p. m.)

SIR: My headquarters are destroyed, and the draft in the ninth district of this State is temporarily suspended. My lists, &c., are, I think, preserved in the safe. I opened my headquarters this morning at 7. 15 o`clock, and soon after began to receive reports from my special officers, who are well acquainted with the district, and which satisfied me that an attempt would be made to stop the draft. They were trustworthy men, and I was obliged to believe the report.

I at once sent a request to Acting Assistant Provost-Marshal-General Nugent to detail for my support a sergeant, 2 corporals, and 25 men. I then sent for the captain of police of the precinct, and requested him to have as large a force at command as practicable. Meanwhile reports from perfectly reliable sources reached me that the firemen of the district had taken in their engines, pole foremost, and had turned out, determined to resist the draft. Some of the firemen in the Twenty-second ward had been drafted on Saturday, and the rest had refused to serve.

Colonel Nugent sent me a verbal message-he rarely sends one in writing-that if a disturbance should be made, I must suspend the draft and send for a guard. This was equivalent to directing me to take care of myself. I then asked the captain of police to give me all the force at his command, which he did, and at 10 o`clock precisely I commenced to draft. The room was full, but the occupants were comparatively orderly. The wheel was placed upon the table, the ballots were put into the wheel, I blindfolded the man who was to draw, and then began to read the names as they were drawn.

I proceeded for more than half an hour, and everything went on quietly, and I began to hope that no attack would be made. At 10. 35


Page 905 Chapter XXXIX. DRAFT RIOTS IN NEW YORK CITY, ETC.