The Forgotten Story Of The Confederate Army Of Manhattan - And Their Plot To Set The City On Fire

In November 1864, eight Confederates attempted to burn Manhattan to demoralize the North and force the Union to negotiate peace. The plan targeted prominent areas along Broadway and other parts of New York City, aiming to create panic and widespread destruction. Rumors spread across the North and in New York City, undermining the effort and limiting the damage inflicted. The failed attack also provoked anger in the North, including among Copperheads who opposed the war and favored a peace agreement. The plot’s consequences included the final execution of Confederate soldier Robert Cobb Kennedy and a bitter dispute between Edwin and John Wilkes Booth after John Wilkes expressed support for the attack.

"In November 1864, a group of eight Confederates set fires throughout Manhattan, hoping to destroy the city - but their plot ultimately went up in smoke. Flames licking the proud hotels and theaters along Broadway. Smoke curling over the brownstones and stockyards of New York City. Panic in the North - and a new push for peace. This was the dream of the Confederate Army of Manhattan, a group of Southern operatives who attempted - and failed - to burn Manhattan in November 1864."

"Seeking revenge for Union destruction in the South, the Confederates planned to burn the most important city in the North. But their plot fizzled fast. Not only did they fail to inflict any real damage on Manhattan, but their attempted attack roused the ire of the North, even among northern "Copperheads" who opposed the war and advocated for a peace agreement."

"But the Confederate Army of Manhattan's failed plot did have an impact. It led to the final execution of a Confederate soldier during the Civil War, Robert Cobb Kennedy. And it led to a bitter row between brothers Edwin and John Wilkes Booth, after John Wilkes professed support for the attack."

"Enraged by Union attacks in the South, particularly the destruction of farms in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, the Confederate Secret Service devised a plan to move the conflict northward. The Gotham Center For New York City History reports that the Confederacy hoped to strike multiple northern cities on Election Day, Nov. 8, 1864, in hopes of demoralizing the North, and forcing the Union to negotiate for peace and end the Civil War."

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