alternatehistory.com

Was it possible for the 1863 New York draft Riots to have been worse? OTL they killed unknown thousands were probably the worst act of civil unrest in American history.

So could they have lasted longer and could they have been bloodier? If so what effect would the alteration have on the War and America in General?

Couple possibles ways I think they might have turned worse.

1) The Colored Orphans Asylum being occupied when the Irish Mob attacks it. If the orphans had not been evacuated its all too likely the mob would have killed them all.

2) According to my memory at one point the Rioters had seized one of the main armories of the city. Over ten thousand rifles were stored on premises. Fortunately a fire broke out soon enough while the rioters were still assembling the weapons. If the fire had not occurred the rioters would have been a lot heavier armed.

3) The Six Ward OTL mostly stayed quiet. If the Irish here had started going at it the port itself could have been at risk.
Top