Swamp Angels
Encyclopedia
The Swamp Angels were a New York
waterfront street gang during the mid nineteenth century.
One of the most successful waterfront gangs of the period, the Swamp Angels dominated the dockyards of New York Harbor
from the 1850s into the post-Civil War
era. Their headquarters, a rookery on Cherry Street called Gotham Court, gave them access to the sewers under Cherry Street
, and using these the gang was able raid the East River
dockyards and sell off its valuable cargo within hours, before the theft was discovered the following morning. With the gang's success, police began posting snipers to guard the waterfront. However, when this did not slow the gang's activity the police were forced to send police into the sewers, which resulted in regular battles between the police and gang members. Eventually regular police patrols of the sewers forced the gang to halt its use of the sewers although the gang continued to hijacking cargo ships as they were being delivered onto the wharfs. The Swamp Angels were less visible after about 1860 but continued to operate on the waterfront, according to one source, until eventually they merged with the rival waterfront gangs into the White Hand Gang
at the end of the century.
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
waterfront street gang during the mid nineteenth century.
One of the most successful waterfront gangs of the period, the Swamp Angels dominated the dockyards of New York Harbor
New York Harbor
New York Harbor refers to the waterways of the estuary near the mouth of the Hudson River that empty into New York Bay. It is one of the largest natural harbors in the world. Although the U.S. Board of Geographic Names does not use the term, New York Harbor has important historical, governmental,...
from the 1850s into the post-Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
era. Their headquarters, a rookery on Cherry Street called Gotham Court, gave them access to the sewers under Cherry Street
Cherry Street (Manhattan)
Cherry Street, is a one-way street in the New York City borough of Manhattan. It currently has two sections, mostly running along parks, public housing, co-op buildings, tenements, and crossing underneath the Manhattan Bridge overpass....
, and using these the gang was able raid the East River
East River
The East River is a tidal strait in New York City. It connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island from the island of Manhattan and the Bronx on the North American mainland...
dockyards and sell off its valuable cargo within hours, before the theft was discovered the following morning. With the gang's success, police began posting snipers to guard the waterfront. However, when this did not slow the gang's activity the police were forced to send police into the sewers, which resulted in regular battles between the police and gang members. Eventually regular police patrols of the sewers forced the gang to halt its use of the sewers although the gang continued to hijacking cargo ships as they were being delivered onto the wharfs. The Swamp Angels were less visible after about 1860 but continued to operate on the waterfront, according to one source, until eventually they merged with the rival waterfront gangs into the White Hand Gang
White Hand Gang
The White Hand Gang was a collection of various Irish American gangs on the New York, Brooklyn, and Red Hook waterfronts from the early 1900s to 1925 who organized against the growing influence of Italian gangsters...
at the end of the century.