Category Archives: New York

April 8, 1863: Demonstration of laughing gas at the Cooper Institute

Posted on April 8, 2013 by Allen Gathman

Gardner Quincy Colton pioneered the use of nitrous oxide in dentistry. New York Times: LAUGHING GAS AND COMMODORE NUTT. Dr. COLTON will give an exhibition of the laughing gas this evening, at the Cooper Institute. Father REED’s celebrated Quartette are … Continue reading →

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April 3, 1863: Anti-Copperhead meeting

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Allen Gathman

The Copperheads were northern Democrats who advocated a negotiated peace with the South. The Republicans viewed them as tantamount to traitors, and held meetings opposing them, even in an election off-year like 1863. New York Times: UNION MEETING TO-NIGHT. The … Continue reading →

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February 14, 1863: Dangers of rye coffee

Posted on February 14, 2013 by Allen Gathman

The blockade of the south caused a lot of hardships, but perhaps none so keenly felt on the home front as the shortage of coffee. As we’ve seen before, a variety of substitutes were developed, most of them pretty disgusting. … Continue reading →

Posted in Coffee, New York | Leave a comment

November 27, 1862: Thanksgiving.

Posted on November 27, 2012 by Allen Gathman

Governor George Opdyke ********************** While the tradition of Thanksgiving was becoming established, its date still varied from place to place, and it was customary for officials to proclaim it publicly. Here the New York Times reproduces New York Governor Opdyke’s … Continue reading →

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November 8, 1862: South celebrates Democratic congressional gains in the North

Posted on November 8, 2012 by Allen Gathman

Democratic Governor Horatio Seymour of New York, elected 1862. The Richmond Daily Dispatch reproduced an item from an unnamed Democratic northern paper about the mid-term election results. It was a bit over the top, though New York did actually go … Continue reading →

Posted in Democrats, Elections, New York, Republican | Leave a comment

November 4, 1862: The elections in New York

Posted on November 4, 2012 by Allen Gathman

It appears that Benjamin Wood wrote a book called “Fort Lafayette, or Love and Secession.” The New York Times regards him as an opponent of the Lincoln administration. A quick look at his novel seems to support the idea — … Continue reading →

Posted in Elections, New York | Leave a comment

August 28, 1862: Draft Insurance

Posted on August 28, 2012 by Allen Gathman

The New York Times editorial decries the practice of selling draft insurance. Apparently it was possible to pay an insurer who would provide a substitute for you if you were drafted into the Union forces. The editorial argues that this … Continue reading →

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August 15, 1862: Freedom or no?

Posted on August 15, 2012 by Allen Gathman

The Richmond Daily Dispatch reprinted an editorial exchange between two New York papers. As we have seen, the desire to keep the border states from seceding had been acting as a damper on the abolitionist tendencies of northern radicals — … Continue reading →

Posted in Abolitionism, Abraham Lincoln, New York | Leave a comment

July 7, 1862: Wall street wimps

Posted on July 7, 2012 by Allen Gathman

The markets tanked in response to McClellan’s retreat from the Peninsula in the Seven Days campaign. The New York Times was disgusted with them. The Wall-street Scare We would not advise any citizen who may contemplate raising a regiment to … Continue reading →

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June 22, 1862: A panic among Brooklyn doctors

Posted on June 22, 2012 by Allen Gathman

The New York Times took some pleasure, it appears, in reporting the uproar in the Kings County Medical Society when a black doctor was proposed for membership. It appears that the Latin in the punchline may have been garbled by … Continue reading →

Posted in Medicine, New York | 2 Comments