Plug Uglies Riot in DC 1857

     Stop me if you have heard this before...a far right, xenophobic, white supremacy cult turned political party hired street brawlers to come to Washington, DC to overturn the results of an election.  The DC police were overwhelmed and the US military had to be called in to restore order. When it was over ten people were dead, the street brawlers escaped prosecution and an investigation into the riot was blocked by political maneuvering. 

    Right wing newspapers claimed the street brawlers were just peaceful tourists and that the government had over reacted, terrorizing and murdering peaceful tourists who were merely expressing the American rights to free expression. Moderate and left wing newspapers were outraged, calling for strict and vigorous Federal prosecution of all those involved. 

I refer, of course, to the May 1857 riots in Washington, DC.

(Oh, you thought I was talking about January 6, 2021 riots.) 

    In May 1857, an extremist political party hired a criminal gang from Baltimore, the “Plug Uglies,” to stage a riot in DC to intimidate people at the polls in a local election.  The gang took its name from the type of hat members wore, called a "plug." 

    The riots were widespread. The gang members beat people indiscriminately and looted shops. DC”s police force was overwhelmed and the local US Marine unit called in.  The US Marines suppressed the riot in short order with military precision and live fire. After order had been restored ten people were found to have died either at the hands of the gang members or having been caught in the US Marines’ crossfire.   

    The "Plug Uglies" boarded a train back to Baltimore. Along the way, gang members harassed the other passengers and amused themselves shooting at horses and cows grazing nearby as the train passed. One stop short of Baltimore, all the gang members disembarked, presumably to avoid being arrested by police and militia that might be waiting for them at the main train station. "The Plug Uglies" remained unscathed and faced neither retribution nor prosecution.  

    

    The gang had been hired by the Know-Nothing Party, a part secretive cult, part political party strong in both the North and the South espousing paranoiac fear of Catholics, Blacks, and foreigners. The Know Nothings, were named for the members’ responses when questioned about the party and its activities they replied, “I know nothing.” Though sometimes referred to as the “Nativist Party,” they had recently officially renamed their party “The American Party.”  (Note, Alabama governor George Wallace in his 1968 Presidential campaign founded a party on pretty much the same principles naming it The American Party.) 

    As happened in 2021, in the weeks following, newspapers reported and analyzed the riots according to their political orientation . Know-Nothing newspapers dismissed the accusations against the "Plug Ugly" gang, contending, as its “president” was quoted, “…a gentlemen’s group dedicated to organizing dance parties and cotillions,” and swore “Only men with ugly hearts” were refused membership.

    Know Nothings criticized the US Marines and the DC Police for provoking a peaceful group of protesters who could not possibly have been a criminal gang.  Other newspapers hailed President James Buchanan--in office only two months when the riots occurred--for his strong reaction and unhesitating use of the military.  Surely, a strong president such as Buchanan would have no trouble suppressing  Dis-Unionists on both sides of the Mason-Dixon line, the editors opined.  

    Other newspapers called for investigations and mass hangings of the gang members for undermining American values and democracy itself. 

    Like the events of January 6, 2021, it was a story journalist would say “had legs.”  It remained discussed in the newspapers for months afterwards.   

    The DC police claimed the Plug Uglies had brought a brass six pounder cannon filled to the muzzle with stones and lead shot, proof that the riot had been carefully preplanned.  Others testified it was only a small calibre swivel gun brought from the local US Navy yard by an anti-rioter teenager who was accidently killed by the US Marines’ over reaction.  

Click the Google album below for more clippings not posted here about the riot, including a full page transcript of one of the rioter's trial

Plug Ugly Goggle Album

June 7 1857  "do" stands for "ditto"

Below, a clipping from a pro Know Nothing newspaper

Below, a full account of the riots from the June 7, 1857 Washington newspaper