The New York Draft Riots occurred from July 11 to July 13, 1863, in response to President Abraham Lincoln's Enrollment Act of Conscription to draft men to fight in the ongoing Civil War. The riots erupted after the names of the drafted men appeared in the local New York City press on July 11, shortly after the newspapers had reported the tremendous loss of life at Gettysburg. Although the draft was universal, it was possible to pay a "commutation fee" to escape service, thereby excluding the wealthier classes from the hazards of war.
In response, some 50,000 people, particularly impoverished Irish immigrants, rioted, smashing store windows and attacking people, particularly African Americans, on the street. Telegraph offices and wires were attacked to disrupt communication, indicating organized leadership.
The New York police forces proved unable to quell the riots. It was not until Federal troops were called in to fire upon the rioters that order was restored. The exact death toll is unknown, as a result of conflicting contemporary accounts. The Guinness Book of World Records cites it as the bloodiest riot in history, costing approximately 1,200 lives.
The Draft Riots were fictionally portrayed in the John Jakes novel 'On Secret Service' and the Martin Scorcese film 'Gangs of New York', among other works.
