1THE PROTESTANTS FROM THE NORTH OF IRELAND, commonly called Orangemen, held a picnic in Elm Park on the anniversary of the battle of the Boyne, July 12, 1870.

As they marched up the Boulevard, then in course of construction, some of the airs played by their bands aroused the ire of the Catholic Irish laborers upon the street, who began to stone the procession. A small-sized riot ensued, in which shots were exchanged and three persons were killed and several wounded, some of whom died afterward. The Orangemen announced their intention of parading in 1871, and the Catholic Irish threatened to break up the celebration. The parade was prohibited by the chief of police the day before which it was to occur. Upon this becoming known, several of the public business and commercial bodies held indignation meetings and asked: "If the Irish Catholics are permitted to parade unmolested on St. Patrick's Day, why have not the Protestant Irish an equal right to do the same thing under police protection?" Governor Hoffman was telegraphed for; and after consultation with leading citizens, revoked the police order prohibiting the parade and ordered out the militia to protect the paraders.

In view of possible disorder, all of the Orange lodges, with one exception, gave up the idea of a parade and sought various picnic grounds outside the city. Escorted by five regiments, Gideon Lodge, with less than one hundred men, started on the designated line of march for Elm Park. The streets were filled with spectators, and there was no disturbance until the procession reached Eighth Avenue between Twenty-fourth and Twenty-fifth streets; then a shot was fired as a storm of stones and missiles was hurled at the procession from the neighboring house tops. Two of the regiments fired volleys without authorization, and, as a result, fifty-four spectators were killed or mortally wounded, while many others received injuries. As is usual in such cases, among those hurt or killed were many innocent lookers-on. Three of the soldiers of the Ninth Regiment were killed, and many others received injuries from stones and brick-bats. The marks of the bullets are still discernible upon some of the houses in Eighth Avenue. These two affairs of 1870 and 1871 are known in the history of the city as the "Orange Riots."

Near Riot at Tompkins Square 1877

In the early part of 1877, a class known as Communists had been fermenting for some time, and to add to their numbers it was decided to hold a monster meeting. The day set apart for this demonstration was July 25, and the place Tompkins Square. Brooklyn's hot headed element crossed the ferries in throngs, as it had often done before, knowing that Brooklyn wasn't a healthy place in which to walk on anybody. Crowds flocked into town from the suburbs, and it is said that in the neighborhood of 100,000 people were present in and about the square when the meeting was organized. The crowd meant mischief and as a precaution against interference a request had been sent to Police Headquarters that the force be kept from the place.

 A request for a parade had been denied and this made the crowd more demonstrative than ever. In order to anticipate any disturbance that might occur, the whole reserve police force was present at the meeting and the Seventh, Twelfth, Twenty-second and Seventy-first regiments were fully equipped and armed with breech loaders and stationed at their respective armories ready to aid the police in quelling disturbances that might arise. Citizens were sworn in as special detectives and everybody expected that the streets would flow with blood ere nightfall. The would be rioters of course heard of the preparations that had been made to give them a warm greeting if they attempted any funny business, and after the leaders had harangued the immense gathering, and had anathematized the Government, State and national, to their hearts' content, they kicked several small boys and went home disgusted. Several heads, the property of the more enthusiastic of the would be terrorizers, were fractured in neighboring street fights, but the mighty arm of the law had been upheld and the riot was a miniature one.