The Great Riots of New York: 1712-1873

The 'Introduction' by Thomas Rose and James Rodgers notes how the wealthy New Yorkers despised ordinary citizens (p.v). Official historians neglect these conflicts and violence in the streets (p.vii). Joel Tyler Headley's book is one of the few that record the attitudes of the ruling class to the violence of the lower classes. Headley studied to be a religious minister but poor health turned him into a popular writer of history (p.ix). His particular interest was war and conflict. Headley was a Whig and a Know-Nothing party candidate; he was against workingmen and immigrants (p.xvi). Headley assumed the lower classes caused riots rather than riots being the result of their oppression (p.xviii). This books is a facsimile of the 1873 edition. This book shows Headley's skill at writing a very readable book and explains his popularity. He was asked to write a history of the Draft Riots of 1863. He dedicated this book to "The Metropolitan Police". After these chapters there is a Bibliographical Note on "Additional Riots, 1745-1858" Bibliography of Books by Headley. The chapter number and topic follow. 2 The Nero Riots of 1712 & 1741 3 The Stamp-Act Riot of 1765 4 Doctors' Riot, 1788 5 Spring Election Riots of 1834 6 Abolition Riots of 1834 and 1835 7 Flour Riot of 1837 8 Astor-Place Riots, 1849 9 Police Riot - Dead Rabbits' Riot - Bread Riot (1857) Chapter 10 to 20 have the history of the Draft Riots of July 13-16 1863 21 Orange Riots of 1870 and 1871 The many violent riots in 19th century New York are generally omitted from the history books (like some family embarrassment). Only the Draft Riots of July 1863 get a short mention. There is no mention of the effects of bad economic times, like the Panics of 1837 and 1857. The printing of greenback dollars during the Civil War led to inflation (as it always does). Headley mentions the religious differences that caused some riots (but not those of the early 19th century). The general reader will find this an interesting book about long-concealed events. In the "Astor-Place Riots" there is no mention of any preceding events. Did some newspaper create this anger? [We know what they can do.] In Chapter 10 Headley defends the draft and the exemptions given to the rich who "carry on the business of the country" (p.140). He said the NY merchants and bankers were "warm political friends" of the southern planters and it would be wrong to ask them to fight in such a war (p.141). [Was he being sarcastic?] It was a coincidence that the Draft Riots occurred when Lee's Army invaded Pennsylvania (p.145). [But there was one Confederate plot to burn down New York in 1864.] Instantaneous telegraph communication gave tremendous power to the police command center (p.158). After the fourth day there was a storm and drenching rain that ended the riot (p.259). Headley explains how they calculated the number of dead rioters (p.270). Headley shows why the military must be subordinate to the civil authorities (p.279).