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background information: The cause of the draft was the heavy losses suffered by the union at the battle of Shiloh. President Lincoln decided on a draft and passed it into law in August, 1862. It was only in full effect a month later. This draft called for a quota of able bodied men be presented by each union state and subtracted from the numbers of volunteers. Each should be fit, appropriate age to have had volunteered, and selected by a lottery system. Over six wards and specific area drafts were created from the drat of 1862. There were a few excusable from this draft. Most were from the groups from Winfield and Davenport Twp. Exemptions usually consisted of conditions of the person. If they were under or over aged, foreigners, physically incapable,were firemen, and a few others. Only a small percent of each group were exempt. Despite the drafting the union was still attempting to encourage volunteers.The reaction from the union citizens was far from positive. Seen as humiliating some of those selected didn't even show when called. The union feared a great loss of moral had occurred given the number of what appeared to be confederate victories.What was done to guilt those selected into showing up to the enlisting a list of all names were published. The opposition to this action was almost as widespread as the act itself. There was another thing that upset many. The wealthy had a way of avoiding the drafting. By paying a fine of around $300 or by sending a replacement. Therefore putting the burden on the poor immigrants and those with less resources. Riots resulted from all the dissatisfaction from the people. The most notable of such were the draft riots in New York. The draft of 1862 didn't produce as many soldiers as hoped, however it did raise discontent and aggravation from those it affected.

Mobs mostly made up of foreign-born,Mainly irish,Workers Poured into the streets on July 13,1863. They assaulted residents and defied police. Many riots were formed mainly by the underclass Irish immigrants. These irish competed for low paying jobs because of them being aliens and not a legalized citizen. They competed with freed slaves for the jobs because it was the best thing they could get around the time of the civil war. Many people in newyork,Where most of the riots happened, Were foreign-born because of the immigration. 47%, Or almost half, Of the people that lived in newyork were Foreign-born. The irish population throughout manhattan and brooklyn was about more then a quarter of their populations. Their were many irish gangs that most likely been involved in the northern draft riots. Some included "T he Plug Uglies, the Dead Rabbits, the Short Tails, Shirt Tails, Daybreak Boys, Swamp Angels, Slaughter Housers, and the Roach Guards, but also anti-Irish, nativist gangs like the Bowery Boys". Newyork had a violent history before the northern draft riots and the civil war. By the time the civil war happened New york riots were more traditional then just Loud outbreaks. There may have been many riots but the one in Newyork is the most well known and the most violent. It had lasted for 3 days. In the year 1862,Which was the year before the draft riots, Nearly one-tenth of the city's population had been arrested for one charge or just another charge. Before the riots the city had an estimated 70,000 to 80,000 Criminals roaming the city. About 12,500 blacks that had lived in the city had faced pervasive discrimination. The //New York Mirror, in the year of 1830,// described the area as a “loathsome den of murderers, thieves, abandoned women, ruined children, filth, drunkenness, and broils [brawls].” When the riots of newyork ended the estimated number of wounded was unknown. They estimated it to be about 2 dozen too nearly 100.

Other information: In the summer of 1863, authorities began drafting men from all over the union. The cause of which is the enrollment act, (otherwise known as the conscription act). This act was the union’s national draft. On Aug. '62 the President had called on the states for 300,000 militia men to serve nine months and ordered the governors to draft from the militia if the quota could not be filled by volunteers. There was some opposition to this act, especially in New York City. Tension began to build over the weekend of July 11 as drafts were posted about the city. The main reasoning of the violence was the way out of being enlisted. One could either have another man take their place as substitute or pay a commutation fee of $300 so as to be exempt from service, which was nearly impossible for the Irish immigrants in compaction with blacks for the lowest paying jobs and lived in the city’s slums. Those poor were already prejudicing about blacks. Many refused to work with blacks. As the weekend drafting objections continued tempers rose further among the Irish. On July 13tha city wide riot broke out.

Reliable estimates accounted 2,000 injuries. Herbert Asbury said there was about 2,000 killed and 8,000 wounded, these telling were told in the book “//Gangs of New York.// Were not considered true but more of a myth. 1-5 million dollars were the estimated cost of damages to buildings. Two protestant churches and a Colored Orphan Asylum, which were included with another 47 buildings that were burnt down. Moreover, the Enrollment Act contained several exemptions, including the payment of a "commutation fee" that allowed wealthier and more influential citizens to buy their way out of service. The Irish immigrants, who populated the slums of northern cities, were the most resentful on inequities. Competed with blacks to get the lowest-paid-jobs the Irish objected to fighting. Poor and more were prejudice against blacks. The rioting lasted for four days finally ending when tired troops hastily returned from Gettysburg and worked with authorities. The drafting proceeded again