When did the New York City draft riots take place?
The New York City draft riots took place from the 13th to the 16th of July, 1863, four days after the second drawing of draft numbers under the Enrollment Act.
Questions about New York City draft riots
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How many people were killed in the New York City draft riots?
The official death toll was 119 or 120, according to historian James M. McPherson, though other estimates reach as high as 1,200. At least 2,000 people were injured by the most reliable accounts.
Who attacked the Colored Orphan Asylum during the New York City draft riots?
A mob of several thousand people, including women and children, attacked the Colored Orphan Asylum at 43rd Street and Fifth Avenue on Monday the 13th of July, 1863. Police secured the building long enough for the approximately 230 children inside to escape through the back door before the building burned to the ground.
Why did the New York City draft riots turn into a race riot?
Irish American rioters, who resented being drafted while wealthier men could pay for substitutes and Black men were exempt as non-citizens, directed violence against Black New Yorkers. Economic competition at the docks since the 1850s and fears that freed slaves would migrate north and take low-wage jobs intensified anti-Black hostility.
What happened to New York's Black population after the 1863 draft riots?
Hundreds of Black residents left Manhattan permanently, with many moving to Brooklyn or New Jersey. By 1865, the Black population had fallen below 10,000, the lowest since 1820.
What was the role of the Union League Club after the New York City draft riots?
The Union League Club, together with the Committee of Merchants for the Relief of Colored People, raised nearly $40,000 for approximately 2,500 riot victims. In December 1863, the club also recruited more than 2,000 Black soldiers, and a crowd of 100,000 watched their parade through the city to the Hudson River docks in March 1864.