New York's democrats were divided into two camps, those who supported Mayor Fernando Wood, and those who opposed him. The Bowery gangs were one of the latter while the Dead Rabbits were proponents of Wood. Thus the Bowery boys threw their support in league with state republicans who proposed legislation that would strip Wood of certain powers and place them in the hands of Albany. One of these proposals was to disband the Municipal Police Department, in which Wood's supporters had a controlling interest, and replace it with a state-run Metropolitan Police Department. Wood refused to disband his Municipal Department, and so for the first half of 1857, the two rival departments battled it out on the streets of the city until the courts ordered the Municipals to disband that July. On July 4th a bloody fight occurred with the Metroplitan Police and the Bowery gangs against the Municipal Police, Mulberry Street Boys, Roche Guard, and Dead Rabbits in Bayard Street.
DEAD RABBITS' FIGHT WITH THE BOWERY BOYS
New York July 4 1857. Written at Hoboken, by Saugerties Bard.
They had a dreadful fight, upon last Saturday night,
The papers gave the news accordin ; Guns, pistols, clubs and sticks, hot water and old bricks, Which drove them on the other side of Jordan.
CHORUS.Then pull off the coat and roll up the sleeve, For Bayard is a hard street to travel; So pull off the coat and roll up the sleeve, The Bloody Sixth is a hard ward to travel I believe.
Like wild dogs they did fight, this Fourth of July night, Of course they laid their plans accordin ; Some were wounded and some killed, and lots of blood spill'd, In the fight on the other side of Jordan
Then pull off the coat, &c.The new Police did join the Bowery boys in line, With orders strict and right accordin ; Bullets, clubs and bricks did fly, and many groan and die, Hard road to travel over Jordan.
Then pull off the coat, &c.When the new police did interfere, this made the Rabbits sneer, And very much enraged them accordin ; With bricks they did go in, determined for to win, And drive them on the other side of Jordan.
Then take off the coat, &c.At last the battle closed, yet few that night reposed, For frightful were their dreams accordin; For the devil on two sticks was a marching on the bricks, All night on the other side of Jordan.
Then pull off the coat, &c.Upon the following day they had another fray, The Black Birds and Dead Rabbits accordin ; The soldiers were call'd out, to quell the mighty riot And drove them on the other side of Jordan.
Then pull off the coat, &c.