Account of the Terrific and Fatal Riot at the New-York Astor Place Opera House on the Night of May 10th, 1849: With the Quarrels of Forrest and Macready Including All the Causes which Led to that Awful Tragedy Wherein an Infuriated Mob was Quelled by the Public Authorities and Military, with its Mournful Termination in the Sudden Death or Mutilation of more than Fifty Citizens, with Full and Authentic Particulars

In Short

This contemporary chronicle reconstructs the tragic events of May 10, 1849, when a bitter professional feud between American actor Edwin Forrest and British tragedian William Charles Macready culminated in the Astor Place Riot. The text details how partisan rivalries, national pride, and deep economic resentment transformed a dispute over theatrical decorum into a violent mob attack on the Astor Place Opera House. Driven to quell the uprising, city authorities deployed the police and National Guard, resulting in the tragic deaths and mutilation of dozens of citizens. The account stands as a stark historic record of urban unrest and social inequity.

The Story

The narrative charts the gradual escalation of animosity between Edwin Forrest and William Charles Macready, tracing how personal vanity and national prejudice primed New York City for disaster. Forrest, a self-made American star from humble origins, achieved vast popularity in patriotic dramas like Metamora and The Gladiator. Macready, a celebrated English actor devoted to Shakespeare, toured the United States to great financial success but provoked anti-British sentiment through perceived slights. Tensions flared during Forrest’s tour of Europe, where he accused Macready of sabotaging his appearances in Paris and London by conspiring with theatre managers and playwright Edward Bulwer-Lytton. The rift hardened into public enmity when Forrest openly hissed Macready’s performance of Hamlet in Edinburgh, calling his dance routine a desecration. Both actors subsequently published vindictive cards in American newspapers, hardening their respective fan bases into partisan camps.

When Macready arrived for an engagement at the Astor Place Opera House in May 1849, his presence ignited long-smothered resentment. The Opera House, an opulent venue built for high society, catered to wealthy citizens while offering only cheap, elevated seating for humbler patrons. On May 7, crowd disruption forced Macready off the stage. Though he intended to cancel his remaining performances, prominent citizens—including Washington Irving—signed a public request urging him to stay and promising public support. The announcement of his return on May 10 mobilized his detractors, who viewed the move as an arrogant display of aristocratic defiance.

On the night of May 10, Macready attempted to perform Macbeth inside the Opera House while police arrested unruly patrons in the auditorium. Outside, a crowd numbering ten to fifteen thousand gathered in Astor Place. Rioters assaulted the barricaded building with volleys of paving stones drawn from a nearby sewer excavation. Mayor C. S. Woodhull authorized military assistance, summoning the Seventh Regiment Infantry and light artillery. When the National Guard arrived, mounted troops and foot soldiers were pelted with stones and brickbats.

The confrontation turned fatal when civil authorities ordered the military to fire into the crowd. Muskets discharged multiple volleys horizontally, vertically, and directly down the streets. The gunfire cleared the thoroughfares but left more than fifty citizens dead or maimed. Macready escaped the theatre in disguise, mounted a horse, and fled to Boston before sailing to Europe. The text concludes with sworn inquest testimonies, a list of the killed and wounded, and a severe indictment of the city for allowing poverty and social inequality to breed such desperate violence.

How It Unfolds

The rivalry takes root Edwin Forrest rises from poverty to become a celebrated American star, while William Charles Macready establishes his reputation as a premier British tragedian. During European tours, Forrest accuses Macready of suborning the press and conspiring with playwrights to block his appearances in Paris and London.

The public quarrel deepens Forrest openly hisses Macready’s performance of Hamlet in Scotland, sparking a bitter feud fought through newspaper cards and threatened lawsuits. Partisans take sides, transforming a personal spat into a clash of national pride and class identity.

Disruption at the opera house Macready opens an engagement at New York’s aristocratic Astor Place Opera House, where he is driven from the stage by an unruly audience on May 7. Leading New York figures request his return, framing the dispute as a defense of law, order, and refined taste.

The siege of Astor Place On May 10, thousands gather outside the Opera House as Macready attempts to play Macbeth, hurling paving stones at the windows while police make arrests inside. Mayor Woodhull requests military intervention, bringing the Seventh Regiment into a volatile, stonethrowing mob.

The fatal volley Unable to disperse the crowd with bayonets or mounted charges, the military fires multiple volleys of ball cartridges into the surrounding streets. Macready escapes in disguise while dozens of rioters and innocent bystanders fall dead or severely wounded.

The mournful aftermath A coroner's inquest investigates the deaths, confirming that casualties resulted from military gunfire ordered by civil authorities. The narrative closes by reviewing the names of the victims and reflecting on the underlying social inequities that fueled the tragic riot.

The People

• Edwin Forrest wants to defend his artistic reputation, maintain his status as America's preeminent native actor, and punish his rival for alleged slights abroad. His hostility toward Macready fuels public resentment among his working-class admirers, though he remains passive on the night of the tragedy while performing across town at the Broadway Theatre.
• William Charles Macready wants to complete his American tour successfully, perform Shakespeare without harassment, and vindicate his professional honor against Forrest's accusations. His persistence in playing at the Astor Place Opera House despite clear warnings triggers open civil conflict, forcing him to flee the city in disguise after the fatal violence.
• Major General Sandford wants to execute the Mayor's orders, restore order, and protect his troops from an aggressive crowd. He marches the Seventh Regiment into Astor Place and oversees the deployment of musketry when his men are bombarded with paving stones.
• Sidney H. Stewart wants the police force to manage public order effectively without unnecessary bloodshed. As Clerk of the Police, he observes the escalation and later expresses the view that the crisis might have been managed differently without resorting to military force.
• George W. Gedney wants only to observe the public commotion out of curiosity. A newly married Wall Street broker, he is struck dead by a bullet while standing near the Langdon mansion, leaving a grieving widow to learn of his sudden demise.

In Its Own Voice

“There are two legitimate modes of evincing approbation and disapprobation in the theatre—one expressive of approbation, by the clapping of hands, and the other by hisses to mark dissent...”

Forrest defends his right to hiss Macready's performance in a letter to the editor of the London Times.

“Having reason to apprehend a serious riot this evening, which will require more force to preserve the peace than is possessed by the police, Major General Sandford is requested to hold a sufficient military force in readiness...”

Mayor C. S. Woodhull issues the formal order summoning the military to protect the Astor Place Opera House.

“They were saying how trifling this was to some of their riots; I stayed there until the horse soldiers came, and then the infantry...”

Boatman Thomas J. Belvin describes watching the gathering crowd shortly before the military opened fire.

What It's Really About

The text examines how personal, elite feuds can ignite broader social anxieties in a divided society. Beneath the theatrical controversy between Forrest and Macready lies a tense conflict over national identity, economic inequality, and class resentment in mid-nineteenth-century New York. The luxury of the Astor Place Opera House serves as a flashpoint for working-class frustration against wealthy elites who champion an English actor over a native performer. Furthermore, the account presents a stern critique of municipal governance. It argues that a society which tolerates mass ignorance, poverty, and systemic injustice creates the very lawlessness it later suppresses with lethal military force.

Why Read It Today

This account offers a vivid, unfiltered look at a pivotal moment in American urban history. Readers interested in historical true crime, theater history, or social politics will appreciate its direct, documentary feel. The narrative balances official military reports and courtroom testimonies with poignant human details, such as the plight of innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire.

The reading experience is stark and immersive, moving from theatrical gossip to scenes of graphic urban violence. Modern readers must navigate nineteenth-century prose structures, formal courtroom transcriptions, and archaic spellings retained from the original print. Additionally, the text reflects period attitudes regarding class distinctions and national rivalries. Despite these historical markers, the book remains a striking, tragic study of how mob dynamics, municipal miscalculation, and social polarization can turn a city's streets into a battleground.