The Draft Riot in Portsmouth, New Hampshire
When the July 1863 draft was announced in New Hampshire, Portsmouth’s citizens sent a petition to the city’s aldermen requesting that the city pay the $300 commutation fee for all drafted townspeople. The petition was rejected, so a public meeting was organized at the Portsmouth Temple. Gov. Joseph Gilmore mobilized the 1st Massachusetts Heavy artillery all the way from Boston. They were positioned in a lot across from the State House in case there was a mob response. The public meeting at the temple proceeded without incident. Meanwhile, Gov. Gilmore and other state and federal politicians wrangled with the U.S. Secretary of War to delay the draft.[1]
On July 14th, the second day of the New York City draft riot, and the same day that the Boston draft riot occurred, Provost Marshal Capt. John Godfrey opened the draft office in Portsmouth. He announced an order for the first quota, but then read another order from the War Department which delayed the draft for one more day. Gov. Gilmore had not been notified about this delay. Instead, he had received a letter from New Hampshire’s military agent Frank Howe about the violent state of the escalating riot in New York City. Howe was working as a draft agent for the New England states and had a recruiting office in the city at the time. Gripped by fear, Gilmore promptly ordered hand grenades and had them shipped to his private residence. The draft was postponed on Wednesday of July 15th, but an angry crowd gathered in front of the provost marshal’s office. More soldiers were brought in from Fort Constitution in the harbor along with some marines from the Navy Yard. Overnight, stones were thrown and demolished the windows of the building. One soldier reflexively discharged his rifle when he was struck in the head by a rock, but no one was injured as a result. By dawn the majority of the crowd had dispersed, but some policemen were brought in to supplement the guard.[2]
On Thursday July 16th, the police and military worked to break up any group gatherings. In the late afternoon, one Irish protester refused to leave when ordered and was arrested. Others attempted to intervene, which resulted in a second man being taken into custody. A pistol was confiscated from Sampson Russell. A group led by Russell came to the police station to reacquire the pistol and their two companions. A fight ensued between the men and the police. Officer Fretson had his right wrist and forearm broken by an iron bar. The police fired upon the group, resulting in five of the rioters receiving wounds. Russell received a severe wound to the head. The military at the State House was summoned to the scene at the police station. This resulted in the dispersal of the outnumbered mob as dusk settled in. Rumors circulated that the crowd would attempt to take Fort Constitution, but no further action or violence occurred that evening.[3]
There was a limited resurgence of violence in northern New Hampshire during September and October of 1863. In Carroll County, some of the drafted men fled to Canada. In Conway, a partisan arson war occurred in which Democrats and Republicans burned each other’s properties. In Jackson, the deputy provost marshal was nearly beaten to death by an angry mob when his house was set on fire. Aside from these incidents, there were few other incidents of resistance across the state. Marvel argues that the initial backlash against the draft was due to a loss of control over their personal lives and the unprecedented exertion of federal authority in state, municipal and civic affairs.[4]
[1] William Marvel, “New Hampshire and the Draft, 1863,” (Historical New Hampshire 36, 1981), 58-65.
[2] Marvel, “New Hampshire and the Draft.” 65-66.
[3] Marvel, “New Hampshire and the Draft,” 66-58.
[4] Marvel, “New Hampshire and the Draft,” 68-72.