City. This conversation took place online due to the coronavirus pandemic. The New York Historical society provided a video. Good evening everyone. Im delighted and have the opportunity to talk to my good friend and professional colleague, harold. I want to remind you that you can ask questions anytime during the program by using the q a buttons. We will get to your questions after the conversation. Lets turn our attention to some objects that help us describe the civil war. In the history museum, objects to a lot of heavy lifting and standing in for a larger historical narratives be on the characteristics that define the objects itself. Let us just talk for a moment about the book civil war and 50 objects which inspired this program. Harold, tell us about it and how did the objects help to develop the complex story of the civil war . Its extraordinary, really, because when we undertook this project eight years ago it was difficult to find the objects, although we think they tell the story its a story of art as you mentioned, art and artifacts, objects standing in for the larger story. The story about race. The story about militarization. The story about the scent soldier rights, civilian lives. It is also story about collecting and about the New York Historical society as the trove of the city from the revolutionary period today. I think it is this double straight. Absolutely. Lets start with the objects of the evening. Tonight, our topic is remarkably aligned with current events. The new york city draft rights during the civil war was considered the largest civil disturbance and the most racially charged in American History. Here are two objects witnessed in this event which took place over forties and july 1863. We have a wooden lottery and a viable. If you go to the first image of the object is a 19th century draft wheel. On july 10th, 1863, following the Union Victories in gettysburg and vicksburg, the New York Times the media and forsman avenue draft. There were 300,000 new recruits in the union army. Now struggling days leader, are the first names of the drafts drawn from wheels just like this one. Harold, tell us about this object. It is an unusual looking object. Think of it as a large hand cranked device. Look at the aperture with the lid at the top. In this wheel or the names of conscripts. The draft is implored when recruitments is not equaled state requirements. By july, new york had to begin conscription. The First Military draft American History, so it is not the most popular event in recruiting. This wheel that was used contained a number of names, and it would be by a marshal in public. Someone would open a lid, stick his arm in. The first unlucky draftys name would be called. It would go right from that office and the union army. It was not a popular object to be sure. It was a time of tremendous anxiety. This object came into the collection of New York Historical society soon after the end of the war. You say in your book that within this object were ethnic tapestry of names and occupations. It came with many draft cards with names. You could see the image of that. All handwritten just like this. I think we assume that the draft line that we were describing interrupted the calling of names. We do not know how many were removed and announced, but there were plenty in the wheel when it came to the Historical Society and valerie, as you will remember in our exhibition, we strung out the names in a closed lane fashion because it was huge. A huge cluster of names. You see this name, i am guessing it is a german american. The other one is probably a jewish shoemaker a paper box maker from east seventh street. This is a neighborhood, willingly or unwillingly about to see action in the civil war. The federal conscription act was passed by congress in march of 1863. Explain to us what it was exactly and what its flaws were. It is again from want of rerecruits and reendless these, it is a way to think at the same time that African American troops are being recruited in the border states and in new england. New york did not have a great record on that aspect. Ive African Americans for another year and a half after this. To add to the ranks through conscription, but it has a flaw as we will see, a fatal flaw. If you paid 300 dollars for a substitute, you could buy your way out of the draft. That led to before the actual draft begins, a huge amount of criticism in the democratic press, but this is a rich mans war and a poor mans fight. 300 dollars was omen from 25 to 45 were eligible for conscription. 300 dollars was the average annual wage of labor in new york. This is a big lift. In the days leading up to the first names being pulled while the Republican Newspapers in new york at the times and the tribune are saying its our patriotic duty to go through with the draft, the democratic press is saying we will never fight a n word war. The democratic price whips the opposition into a frenzy. New york is a largely democratic town. It voted more than 67 against Abraham Lincoln in 1860. We have a lot of Irish Americans in the city who are not only angry about the 300 dollar exemption, but have been told by an early form of the yellow journalism that if they go to fight for the union, that African Americans who are free will come into new york city and compete with them for their jobs on the docks and in factories by accepting lower wages. So a great deal of racial hatred is being stirred up in this population as well. It is a hot area. Its ugly. That is the foundation of what occurred on july 13th. It is literally hot. Its the summer. Talk to us about the first few days of the draft. What unfolds over the weekend and starting on monday the 13th . The stabbed, the sunday, the 12th, there is a pause. According to new york culture and tradition. And it resumes on a particularly hot day on july 13th. New yorkers can really visualize the streets because begins on second avenue, 46 than 47th street, you a neighborhood, just before the martial office reopens, someone throws a break or cobblestone through a window of the draft office and since the draft office on fire. That is the opening round in the defiance. The mob grows. It grows. Excuse me. The protesters as it were, begin to march downtown and disrupt the draft in other places, and then this demonstration metastasize is all over manhattan. You call them a race riot, and in fact, that is what it turned into. We have an image of some of the violence that occurred. We were in these mobs and who did they target . The targeting, and this is going to sound eerily familiar, when the anger boils over and irrational decisions are sometimes made the Brooks Brothers for example stores were targeted. The homes of abolitionists and leading republicans were targeted. The mayors house was attacked. Police officers were beaten up. Newspapers were attacked. Republican papers. As you said, the ugly truth is that it turned into a hideous race riot early on. An African American child was beaten right near city hall near chambers street and broadway. Then the mob, as it grew and intensified, it began attacking prostitutes who are known to entertain black men interracial couples who lived in the Lower West Side of manhattan. Ultimately, African Americans were just dragged from carriages, chased down the streets. Similar driven off the docks and just drowned. In this infamous scene, when africanamerican was lynched, set a fire, and then dragged. It was hideous. Sexual mutilation was going on. Open blatant murder without punishment. Every time the police tried to intervene to protect new york the mob turned its riots, on the police as well. We have another image actually of the police had to Tribune Office i believe thats next up. Yes. Coming soon. Describe some details from these four days and july 17th. What happens . It was all actually an anti press ride as im once mention. The two leading pro lincoln papers are sitting just south of city hall park. Called newspaper row. Here you see a crowd being dispersed. So crowds menaced the New York Times in an in your tribune. Both newspapers arm themselves. Henry raymond fan of the times was on the roof of the building with his investor leonard drawn. That name sounds familiar, he had a a manual daughter named jenny who was destined to become the mother of winston churchill. But henry but they were on the roof of the times with a gallon gone aiming it at the protest is worth threatening. The new york tribune and armed cells with green munitions in gracefully navy are. Eventually this mob, and you see the some of the caricatures are blatantly anti irish caricatures, eventually they did crash through the downstairs of the tribune that was reserved for buying two subscriptions, and adds. Its called accounting. Room and then came down out of the car caravans and attacked the law. And disperse them. This is just one of the scenes that took place in july. As you point out, it ended, by the way he was male and female riot. Women mostly dug cobblestones out of the payments and then give it to their man to hurl through the streets. This one on down the Lower West Side, 59th street there was a lot of riding across 59th street. Central park was being built then. Ultimately, Abraham Lincoln is almost totally silent on this. The governor was sort of friendly to the riders. He called in my friends. But ultimately, lincoln authorized the deployment of this is gonna sound eerily familiar again, the deployment of federal troops who were dispatched from the gettysburg area north and trains and they ultimately fired their weapons downtown and that ended the riot. We have other images actually, one more image of fires. There are lots of burning buildings. Heres the army facing off against the riders. I think the rioters here are a little better armed than they were in the city. It gives you a sense of the chaos. We will never know the tally. They say they were 120 deaths and 8000 injuries. Thats a lot, in 1863 if and we do it is a proportional populations. I dont believe the hundred 20 figure. I dont think African Americans who were pushed off the docks were counted people whose bodies were burned were counted. I would say he was ten times as high as the official tally. Sure. What happened not 300 bounty provision in the aftermath of this these riots . The bill was corrected. It is possible to correct legislation. Before it was corrected, the democratic mayor, the new democratic mayor of new york city passed a bill in the city council to have new york city pay the 300 dollar bounty to anyone who didnt want to serve, the300 dollar exemption fee. The city ultimately bore expense to protect protesters our anti war demonstrators. It was a mess. A lot of African Americans did sign up voluntarily though to. Absolutely though African American new yorkers had to find other places to volunteer because again, new yorks didnt raise its first black troops until september 1864. Still the mess of these riots the all this stuff was turned into the raw rivers, thrown out. Its really amazing that this draft still route survive. Some of the buildings my mentor, down the structures took place. What to really look or once we look into the deeper toll of the human suffering of this disturbance, the worst urban violence in memory. The second object of the evening really does speak to this in a very poignant and emotional and tragic way. Can we see our second object . It is a rare book. Give us some background of this please harold . This is an emotional story to be sure. This bible is an original bible that was used at the socalled colored orphan asylum. Im institution for African American or friends i was a founded about ten years before the draft riots. It was considered a model for the care of children. And at play rooms, and had an area and had gardens, that sleeping quarters with very big windows to provide ventilation. It had good food, had teachers and it had a population of orphans. One of them actually went on to fight in the fabled 54th massachusetts regiment, which leave glory i love the movie the same name at fort we wagner the same moment. July 1864. When African Americans died a huge in huge disproportionate numbers defending the union. This bible was used inside the asylum and i wont yet give away the story of why its charred but. Your friends alums founded by quaker women in the 18 thirties and then move to this wonderful location 1843. I was on fifth avenue and 43rd street. On the northwest corner and the biggest landmark nearby was not the New York Public Library but the big reservoir, new york Water Reservoir that stood then on the site of the library. I was a wonderful part of town and people would come and look at this Model Institution as a charitable good work that which many people were proud. We have an image of some of the children playing in the garden there. Its pretty famous image thats in the collection of the New York Historical. Its a great image. Its probably the year before the draft riots. So talk us through july 13, 1863. That was the initial afternoon of the riding. What happened at the asylum . So on july 13th, a large mob maybe 1000 of more people massed outside the orphan asylum. If we can see the next slide, youll see what happened, the building was breached, it was looted, rioters carried off the beautiful beds and mattresses not before they took enough straw out of the mattresses teases kindle. And they set the building on fire. Here is an artist rendering of this horrific scene. If you want to wear the African American children are, that is the agonizingly heartbreaking horrific story. There were 233 children and they were all trapped inside when this blaze began with rioters outside taunting the teachers to bring it kids outside so they can be killed. Thats. Thats the moment when we dont know whether it was a teacher or a little girl. There are many legends about what happened next. I like to think it was this one precious, brave little girl who said is not the bible that you always told us to follow . And a teacher picked it up, with smoke in the room, said children follow me out. If you follow the good book, you will be safe. And then they got out and they just filed outside very quietly. These children heard unbearably heard unbearably taunts as they made it outside. There were a few people who shelter these kids. Some of them just dispersed and were taken in by white families in their brown stones. Young irish kid took some of them down to a police precinct. We dont know that there were any casualties except for the near miss, a near disaster and emotional scars have this day undoubtedly left and some of them. Just a harrowing, the imagery. We have another image to that looks a little more benign than this . Shows the colic nature of the site but in the foreground obviously violence. I guess you have to imagine those are not clouds over the place, those are flames and smoke. Its not quite as vivid as dramatic, but clearly a huge news event. A great shame on the city. I should say that there were religious leaders who tried very hard to stop this from happening the way it did. Providence tense and catholics, protestant churches were targeted, leading African Americans. Iran henry arland garnets was a great black liberator lived in manhattan. His daughter, when she heard the rumblings went outside and pride his nameplate off of the door which probably saved his life. Horrific really, the editor of the tribune. His lookalike was beaten up instead of him. This is the worst. This is absolutely the low point of new york history i think. So on a lot of the times we dont learn about it in history books so does bear repeating. By the way, and i think this is a serious problem for us in memory. As weve heard and the last few days, as we speak of more confederate statues being earmarked for removal, there is no monument or plaque that a tests to the draft riots. The toll that they took on the honor, the civility and the lives of new york and new yorkers. I think that we have to have a movement to remember even unpleasant parts of our history because ultimately if they didnt make us better right away, they struck appropriate shame in the hearts of progressive. New yorkers absolutely. So just a couple more questions before we go to our cuban a portion. The children three days later are taken by boat, escorted by guards to announce house on blackwell highland which is now roosevelt island. Were all the children saved . Its not answered in the tax. Its very hard to tell. We assume there were no casualties but then again how can i say . This black lives did not matter in 1863. Even in new york. I dont have any faith in the actual counts. We think that most of the Young Children were rescued. One important thing was in fact saved. It was this bible. So we have the inscription blown up so you can see the inside of that object. Theres something almost chilling and immediate about seeing the charred images and the description inside. It is said this bible was in the asylum before the destruction of the asylum on fifth avenue by the rioters. It is charred around the edges of great value said at the beginning. Objects can testify emotionally and historically two events. I dont think there is a more powerful relic in the collection than this. The entire records all the records of the colored or foreign asylum went to the New York Historic Society which i got to read so many of the minutes of the meetings after the rock when can almost imagine that the Child Holding this bible and with this object would witness to, i find it essential to imagine that. You could hold up the bible and he would do some good. It is not just a photo opportunity. Just think of a Child Holding this bible law as a beacon for people to go through smoke and flames and escape into another mob. Its unimaginable yeah. We should take a peek at the site today. If we could look at the next slide. Im sure there are members of the century club on our call and some today that soft that white brick wall in the background of this photo is the century club. This is a vacant lot. The owner has gone best to try to build a gigantic office. And its still leave a cant walk. I would love to see something attesting to this event. The orphan of silence never rebuilt here. Lewis decided that midtown manhattan was not safe. So they moved progressively and eventually to harlem. They became then he moved to riverdale and the colored orphan asylum building in riverdale ultimately became the hebrew home for the aged. It is a multi generational transformation but always devoted to care. Interesting. We are ready right now for our queue and a. The first question was paying your way out of the draft out of the revolutionary war as well was the civil war the last time that was acceptable . It was not conscription in the revolutionary war. The draft was introduced by Abraham Lincoln. Take the bad with the good. He introduced us to the military draft and federal income taxes. This was the first time. Again, the richmonds exemption was a big mistake. It was never employed again. Actually, almost as a followup to that, that the wealthy people cough during the city riots . There was not much mobility as there is now. When we did the lincoln in new york exhibition we came across accounts of wealthy people who terrorized and hid in their attics. Most of the rioters who went off to private homes were interested in property. We found it a great story of people finding engraved portraits of Abraham Lincoln and someones home and throwing them out the window and seeing them trampled in the streets. I dont think people had the mobility that they do today. Greenly on the other hand was one who did. He got out of town and went to his country home. Interesting. Why were black men not eligible for conscription . Black men were eligible for conscription the new york culture was not yet ready to organize black regiments. You dont just adjoin the union army. You have to sign up with a regiment. New yorks early civil war tradition was ethnic regiment. The irish brigade. The german american regiments. Seventh regiment. We know where the armory is today. It was at union square in those days. Now at 68 and park. That was the elite regiment of wealthy people. We had to attach yourself to her regiment. Not until the union leak club organized an African American regiment and 1864. They had to be trained on governors island. People were so petra fight of the idea of African Americans arming themselves in what was essentially a white dominated town. African americans are eligible to serve in union forces officially bearing arms, at around the same time march, 1863 when congress legislated the desire of the immense, the expression of the emancipation open services to have hurricane americans. Next question. Is it not true that new york state contributed more soldiers and suffered more casualties than any other state during the civil war north or south . Yes. 10 of the casualties came from the Union Casualties and from new york state. Harry and norms and also new york for a tine escaped the destruction the south was visited upon because of initiating the war. The riot reminded people that the war could come to backyards in northern cities. New yorks trust i always add was certainly the worst as you said in the beginning civil disturbance in the history of america safe for the civil war itself. It would draft rights and connecticut, the midwest. No one wanted to be drafted, especially with the rich mans exemption. Hours just got out of hand most violently in a most horrendous way. It was reported as well by the press. If youre going to do a riot, dont do it were all the artists and photographers are all headquartered. This is sort of in a way related to the question about the irish. The treatment of the irish by the english contributing to the irish rage. Lets talk about irish rage in the riots. Im not pretending to be an expert, but yes, hes our survivors of the famines. The oppression of the english and starting people in ireland. Many had come to new york in the new world, seeking opportunity. They were treated badly. They were treated as second class citizens. The Democratic Party very cleverly from the 18 forties on pushed them to register in the Democratic Party, and as a result many elites demonized the entire Democratic Party. All of the can arts and cliches about the irish and drinking were created during this period. Was it officially an Irish American riot . One would have to say was. But it was largely an Irish American population that was being subjected to this type of draft. The only racism was inexcusable. People were experiencing prejudice and should not have it happens culturally much too often. Next question. Were they able to raise the 300,000 soldiers that were needed . Yes. They were able to raise the troops. They raised another 400,000 the following year. The draft worked. There was also recruitment and a ceiling of soldiers that was needed. The quotas were filled by a combination of volunteering it was a war spirit especially after the proclamation to end slavery. New yorkers contributed to that fight, as did Irish American brigades. The Irish American troops fought at gettysburg heroically. We are talking we do not want to tarnish an entire group, because the courage was manifest across all ethnicities. Absolutely. I think the current climate of new york and this country is on peoples minds. One question that has merged is how did the mayor and the governor of the state respond then and does that shed any light on how they should respond now . The mayor was attacked reenlistees. Governor tilden was a democrat. And he was opposed to the draft and had spoken out pretty viciously. It was political. During the outbreak of the riots, to his credit i suppose was an act of bravery, he came in the middle of one of the demonstrations and tried to quell the riots, but he did it with an unfortunate parlay shun that came back to haunt him. He started by saying my friends, and after that all of the Republican Press across the country branded him as an appeaser it flowered him all the way to his president ial candidacy 13 years later when he won the popular vote but was robbed the electoral vote in florida, talking about history. Interesting in and of itself. And the Supreme Court decided it. Tilden both of them were on the scene. They were very much in the thick of things, both the mayor and governor. They did not see eye to eye, which is another new york tradition i suppose. Apparently so. Question. Are there any photographs of the riots and if so, are there in any of new yorks historical collections . I dont know about you but have never seen a photograph. Here is the thing we have to keep in mind. Civil war photography was booming. It is the first war to be recorded by the cameras. I have only seen one or two photographs of the entire civil war. When a battle was raging and bullets were flying and artillery was firing, it was not a good idea to put your head under a covering and peer into a glass lens. That was dangerous. All of the photography we see our portraits of camp scenes, burial scenes, and no photographer went out into this crazy seem to try to take a picture. I have been proven wrong before. If anyone out there has ever seen one, let us know. The Historical Society needs that image for the collection. Absolutely, but there is no combat photography in that period for these reasons. The confederate government have anything to do with stirring up the rioters . Abraham lincoln said after the draft riots that we have two volcanoes to deal with. I dont think it was the confederacy that encouraged it. They were doing a draft as well. They were drafting younger people and older people. If you could walk reasonably well, you would be drafted. In the confederacy. Those who opposed for the reason for the war as an irrational for the war. It was going to be used after got an amazing detail about Abraham Lincoln if i could rush it. In a couple of days before the draft. A week before the draft. While the battle of gettysburg was raging, mary lincoln was in a carriage accident outside their summer home near washington. She was thrown from the carriage when the wheel fell off. I believe it was an assassination attempt against lincoln. She hit her head on iraq. The wound became infected. Abraham lincoln was fighting waiting for news from vicksburg. She was in serious trouble. He wired hisson at harvard, come home, your mother has been in an accident, she needs you. Robert lincoln left cambridge and came down to new york city, and when he got here, all this excitement was happening. So he just stayed and watched the draft riots. By now he knows that these disturbances are taking place. Why did i not hear from you . Answer is a 20 year old young man, if he had to choose between an exciting event or taken care of his mother, he chose the exciting event. He finally left when the rights were just about over. Some things do not change, right . I know. Last question. Do we know from leaders or diaries of any soldiers who are already serving in the army who heard about the riots and if they did, why did they think . That is a terrific question. I wish i had a terrific answer. I havent really seen any diary or letter references to the disturbances around the country, but the people in the field would, i think, have been horrified by what they would proceed as a lack of patriotism and willingness to join the battle of the union and free the slaves. I wish we could have ended on a question or i couldve had some real evidence. Ok heres one more question. One with the we anticipated. Whats the depiction of was the depiction of the riots in new york actually to the ones picked it in the film gangs of new york . The answer is no. I was wildly exaggerated i have to say, Barnes Museum was attacked. I dont think the elephants and the lines and the tigers, i dont think there were that many are animals were running across me in midtown manhattan. There were no gunboats firing from shore. Thats an exaggeration. The union navy did not order ships to fire on the city that wouldve been totally crazy. There was a restraint. I was kind of a scenes behind the scenes advisor to gangs in new york. I dont have as much to do with it as i did with the lincoln movie. But i thought of course that if anybody saw my name. We wont blameyearold. For laughs i see were out of time i want to thank you for being such a terrific partner as always in these programs. Thank you val and thanks to the way we made it happen to. Absolutely. This is so enjoyable for us to revisit this wonderful book in these great. Objects youre watching American History tv. Every weekend on cspan three, explore our nations past. Cspan 3 created by americas Cable Television companies as a Public Service and brought to you today by or to television provider. Weeknights this month were featuring American History tv programs as a preview of whats available every weekend on cspan three. Friday night. A look at hiroshima nagasaki and the end of world war ii. August 9th marks 75 years since the u. S. 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Acceptance speeches from five president ial nominees. Harry truman, allied stevenson, dwight eisenhower, jon kennedy and richard nixon. Exploring the american story. Watch American History tv. This weekend on cspan three. Next, on the civil, historian harold