Know-Nothing Riot of 1856

The Know-Nothing Riot of 1856 occurred in Baltimore in the fall of 1856. Street tensions had escalated sharply over the preceding half-dozen years as neighborhood gangs, most of them operating out of local firehouses, became increasingly involved in party politics. Know-Nothing candidate Thomas Swann was elected Mayor of Baltimore in 1856 amidst violence and a heavily disputed ballot.

The American Party, also known as Know Nothings, had gained control of the local government in Baltimore during the October 1854 municipal election, making Samuel Hinks mayor and winning a majority in the Baltimore City Council. The party lost ground at the subsequent municipal election the following year. In 1856, both the Americans and their Democratic Party rivals girded for the coming contests.

The campaign season opened with a deadly September confrontation between American Party members and Democrats on Federal Hill. Partisans battled over the following weeks.

In October 1856 the Know Nothing Mayor Samuel Hinks was pressed by Baltimorians to order General George H. Steuart's militia in readiness to maintain order during the mayoral elections, as violence was anticipated. Mayor Hinks duly gave Steuart the order, but he soon rescinded it.

As a result, during the October municipal election, serious violence broke out on polling day, with shots exchanged by competing mobs. In the 2nd and 8th wards several citizens were killed, and many wounded. In the 6th ward artillery was used, and a pitched battle fought on Orleans St between Know Nothings and rival Democrats, raging for several hours.

Rip Raps clashed with the Democratic rowdies of the New Market Fire Company at Lexington Market. Plug Uglies fought with Democrats in the Eighth Ward, which was popularly known as "Limerick" because of its large Irish population. Five partisans died in the combat, including an American who had come up from Washington, D.C. The result of the mayoral election, in which voter fraud was widespread, was a victory for the Know Nothings by around 9,000 votes.

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