1861 NEW YORK CIVIL WAR POLICE DIARY. Deserters, Fires in Firework Shops, Crime of Insanity, Soldier Sexual Assault, &c

An absolutely superb and one of a kind log book for June 1, 1861 to August 14th, 1861 for the New York City Police Department. 

Covering the period just months after the outbreak of the Civil War, it shows a chaotic attempt to muster troops into New York City, one of the most significant hubs of the Union Army. Desertions and military soldiers requesting persons be found and "held over" until they could be collected for service are sprinkled through the pages.  

Items covered include:

Fire broke out at a carpenter shop and liquor store; A. Rittenhouse [apparently a teacher] arrested for threatening murder; Ireland Lale arrested for Drunkenness and committed to Jail for 10 Days; Mary Brower arrested for Assault and Batter; A ten year old boy found floating in the river near the Wall Street Ferry - account of his state when found, etc.; Michael Henberry - cannot read or write - arrested for disorderly conduct; Chinese sailor arrested for vagrancy; a 12 year old homeless girl brought in; David Crawford fell through the hatchway of a three story building - hospitalized; John Drinkett arrested for assaulting Thomas Doley with a whip; a private in Company B - Lincoln Green found dead at the barracks from causes related to "intemperance;" A lost boy of 3 years old brought to the station; James Murray - A Soldier belonging to the Irish Rifles - Fell over the railing at a park and "seriously injured his groin;" Accounts of Female Irish Lodgers; rather lengthy account of a fire breaking out in an an oil and lard supply store; theft of a breaking and entering that led to the theft of 150 pounds of nutmeg; Henry Lynn, a printer, arrested for attempting to passed forged notes; Arrest of an Irishman for fighting; a three week old baby abandoned by its mother on the ferry; James O'Malley - Solder - Arrested for Desertion; James Murphy - Soldier - Also Arrested for Desertion by order of Sergeant Crane of the 36th Regiment; Account of a fight between two fire brigades in which "stones, bricks, bats, and wrenches and every thing moveable were thrown;" A soldier detained from the Tammany Regiment on order of Sergeant Martin; a Man from the Virginia Coast Guard was brought in for "safe keeping" by order of Lieut. J. H. Hyde of the Virginia Coast Guard [likely a deserter]; James Carpenter from Philadelphia was found in Broadway opposite Park Place suffering from Typhoid Fever; Miss Margaret - A Black Woman Arrested for Public Drunkenness; John Bernard arrested for Picking Pockets; Catharine Dooley forced into the Barracks by soldiers and apparently sexually assaulted by the group of "men;"  U. S. Sailor John Hall arrested on charges of Insanity; fire broke out in a firework store; etc.

People noted as "white," or more specifically Irish or German, Black, or Chinese. Also indicated are persons lack of ability to read or write and any apparent mental deficiency, etc., 

There is no identification of precinct number or name, each day's entry begins with Sunrise Roll Call, some names mentioned include: Sgt. Kelly, Sgt. Brackett, Sgt. Esterbrook, Sgt. Swayze, Capt. Hutchings; Officers: Fawcett, Murphy, Phelps, Bingham, Fay, Ryan, Brown, Simonson, Niven, etc. Street names mentioned include: Fulton, Ann, Broadway, etc.

Nearly 16 inches in height, essentially disbound, but complete in nearly 300 pages, full front to back. An exceptional item.