Broad Street Riot
The Lead-up
For decades before the Broad Street Riot, tensions between the American-born Protestant "Yankees" and Irish immigrants had been high. An influx of Catholic Irish immigrants to the area put the Protestant Boston natives at risk of losing their jobs. Yankee gangs began robbing and vandalizing Irish homes and even attacking any Irishman unlucky enough to be caught walking alone.
In 1837, nearly all firefighters were volunteers and there was no police force. A City Marshall and a small crew night patrolmen similar to a modern-day neighborhood watch were used day-to-day, and various militias were on stand-by in case of more serious incidents. Only the first fire crew of volunteers to arrive at the scene were paid by the city, so each crew became immensely competitive and aggressive.
All of these factors contributed the events of June 11th, 1837.
The Fight
On a Sunday afternoon on June 11th, 1837, a brigade of volunteer firefighters from Fire Engine Company 20 returns to their station on East Street after a fire in Boston Neck. They go to a local pub on Broad St. to unwind after a tough call and over-indulge. As they leave the pub, they intercept an all-Irish funeral procession traveling down Broad Street. An intoxicated firefighter and a mourning Irishman get into an altercation, and a fight breaks out. Severely outnumbered by the nearly 100 Irishmen, the firefighters retreat to their fire station, where many reports claim the Irish began overtaking the station. One Yankee panics and rings the emergency fire bell.
The Riot
The ringing of this emergency bell prompts all other fire crews in the area to immediately rush to what they believe is a fire in order to be the first on scene to earn the pay for that call. Fire Company 9 unintentionally collides with the funeral procession in the fire crew's horse-drawn wagons as they arrive in their rush to beat other crews. Confusion rampant between both sides, an all out brawl ensues as Irish immigrants from the neighborhood and ultimately across the city arrive to participate and goad those involved.
Within minutes of the first blows, Catholic Irishmen and Protestant Yankees from across the city are involved, with nearly 1,000 directly involved in the brawl and over 9,000 more gathering to witness the spectacle. Badly beaten, hundreds of Irishmen return to their homes.
The Aftermath
As the bruised and battered Irish return to their homes, the Yankees follow and begin breaking into their homes, breaking windows and furniture, tearing rooms apart, and even continuing to attack many of the occupants. One witness reports feathers from destroyed bedding and pillows floating through the air along the street resembling snow, and accumulating many inches deep on the side of the road. Some houses are reported to be so badly damaged that the occupants are forced to move.
The Response
With no formal police department in existence yet, there is no one to break up the riot and stop the looting and vandalism. After nearly 4 hours, Mayor Samuel Eliot calls upon a militia force consisting of a cavalry company called the National Lancers and 800 members of the Irish-American Montgomery Guards infantry division to intervene with rifles and fixed bayonets. The response force eventually suppresses the crowd and sends everyone home after numerous arrests.
The Effects
Miraculously, no immediate deaths occur during this event, although many of those involved are believed to eventually die from their injuries as they cannot afford to travel to a distance hospital. Over 30 Irishmen and just 4 Yankees are arrested, 14 of the Irishmen and all 4 Yankees are indicted, and ultimately only 4 of the Irishmen are convicted - 3 of which serve a year of hard labor. All 4 Yankees are ultimately acquitted.
Within 3 months, Mayor Eliot declares that all Boston Fire Departments are to be operated by full-time and fully-paid firefighters who all must be screened and approved by the mayor and city board members. Within a year, the Boston Police Department is created with the same full-time hours, full-pay salary, and screening and approval requirements.
