20:
108:
Americans had fled. This time, the mob was joined by the Panama City police who attempted to gain control of the situation but were then ordered by the acting provincial governor, Francisco de
Fabrega, to attack the station. Most of the fatalities that night occurred once the police and mob had fought their way into the building. The railroad station was destroyed, sections of railroad tracks were torn up, and telegraph lines were severed. The violence in and around the station ended around dawn.
63:, and transiting the isthmus provided faster access to the Pacific during a time crossing American mid-west and western regions was difficult and often dangerous. This led to recurrent negotiations between the governments of the Republic of New Granada, of which Panama was a part, and the U.S. The focus of these early negotiations was on rights and protections concerning the free transfer of goods and people through the isthmus. The most important treaty resulting from these negotiations was the
104:
pulled out a gun and Luna approached with a knife. One of the other passengers stepped in and paid Luna for the fruit. Immediately afterwards, Miguel
Habrahan dashed out from a gathering crowd of locals, wrested the gun from Oliver and ran into the surrounding neighborhood. Shortly afterwards, hundreds of men armed with machetes, stones, and other weapons gathered and began fighting with the Americans who fought back with their guns and other weapons.
43:. After an American took a slice of watermelon from a street vendor and refused to pay for it, a verbal altercation ensued and then quickly escalated when shots were fired. An angry mob of locals converged on the site and began fighting with the Americans. Before order could be restored, at least fifteen Americans and two Panamanians were killed. American businesses, including the railroad station, were extensively damaged or destroyed.
123:
to prepare a report for the State
Department. Corwine was a former US consul in Panama City and his brother worked for the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, which had substantial business interests in Panama. Corwine's final report blamed Miguel Habrahan who had stolen the gun from Oliver and signaled
103:
The incident started at about 6 p.m., when a group of three or four
American passengers confronted a fruit vendor, Jose Manuel Luna, near the train station. One of the passengers, possibly named Jack Oliver, took a slice of watermelon and then refused to pay for it. After a verbal exchange, Oliver
86:
Prior to the completion of the railroad, the local economy was dependent on the transport of goods and passengers via riverboats and mule trains. The railroad caused severe economic dislocation for many
Panamanians who were involved in this business. The loss of their livelihood caused resentment
143:
The United States sought reparations from New
Grenada for damages and losses suffered during the riot. The resulting Cass-Herran Treaty was ratified in 1858. New Grenada acknowledged liability for its failure to maintain peace. A commission was established to review claims and some $ 500,000 was
107:
Initial fighting was focused around the
American-owned businesses in La Cienaga. Within a few hours, the Pacific House, the Ocean Hotel, and MacAllister's store were totally destroyed. After a brief lull in the violence, a second outburst erupted against the railroad station where most of the
139:
Corwine recommended in his report "the immediate occupation of the isthmus." On
September 19, a detachment of 160 soldiers took possession of the railway station. The city was calm and three days later the troops moved back without having fired a single shot. According to the US, this brief
100:, scheduled to leave for San Francisco once passengers and goods were loaded. While waiting for the tide to rise, a number of passengers explored the surrounding area of La Cienaga, a poor neighborhood that was home to freed slaves, laborers, artisans, and new immigrants.
95:
On the afternoon of April 15, 1856, a train arrived in Panama City carrying 1,000 California-bound passengers, including a sizable minority of women and children. The low tide at the time of their arrival prevented them from immediately boarding the US steamship,
131:
was led by Lino de Pombo, the minister of foreign affairs, and
Florentino Gonzalez. Their report called the riot a spontaneous uprising triggered by Oliver and exacerbated by previous abuse from the Americans. They also pointed to the presence of American
70:
This clause, originally meant to protect against foreign control over the isthmus, was eventually interpreted to permit U.S. interventions to protect
American interests against any dangers resulting from local disturbances or the
140:
occupation was justified under Article 35 of the Mallarino-Bidlack Agreement to safeguard the neutrality and free transit of Panama. Ultimately, this proved to be just the first of several US interventions in Panama.
111:
The US consul at Panama City reported that 15 Americans had been killed and at least fifty more were wounded in the melee. In addition, two Panamanians were killed and another thirteen wounded.
19:
136:
in Panama City and recent job losses accompanying the completion of the railroad as contributing factors. They denied any premeditation or connivance with Panama officials.
55:
increased as it became the most convenient area in Central America for quick transoceanic transit. U.S. expansion westward accelerated after the
290:
417:
67:
in which the Republic of New Granada recognized that the United States could intervene to guarantee the neutrality of the isthmus.
427:
119:
In the aftermath of the riot, both countries initiated investigations to determine the causes. The United States appointed
407:
329:"The Myth of the Hangman: Ran Runnels, the Isthmus Guard, and the Suppression of Crime in MidâNineteenthâCentury Panama"
383:
402:
315:
64:
56:
128:
40:
124:
to the "native negros" to launch a premeditated attack with the connivance of Panama officials.
422:
80:
60:
8:
412:
72:
302:
379:
52:
340:
355:
396:
120:
79:, the United Statesâ main concern on the isthmus was the protection of the
76:
36:
291:"The Watermelon Riot: Cultural Encounters in Panama City, April 15, 1856"
133:
32:
322:. Vol. 6 (2nd ed.). Charles Scribner's Sons. pp. 324â425.
306:
345:
328:
51:
Throughout the 19th century, the United Statesâ involvement in the
363:
The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science
376:
Path of Empire : Panama and the California Gold Rush
356:"The Treaty Relations of the United States and Colombia"
320:Encyclopedia of Latin American History and Culture
23:American press depiction of the "Watermelon Riot"
394:
87:against the railroad and Americans in general.
31:occurred on the evening of April 15, 1856, in
373:
344:
326:
144:awarded to US citizens seeking damages.
73:many civil wars that plagued New Granada
18:
295:The Hispanic American Historical Review
395:
353:
313:
288:
378:. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.
418:1856 in the Republic of New Granada
13:
14:
439:
75:. Until the construction of the
65:Mallarino-Bidlack treaty of 1846
316:"Watermelon Riot (Panama Riot)"
270:
261:
252:
243:
234:
127:The investigation on behalf of
225:
216:
207:
198:
189:
180:
171:
162:
153:
1:
428:American military occupations
282:
46:
369:: 115â126 – via JSTOR.
114:
83:that was completed in 1855.
7:
327:Humphrey, David C. (2015).
90:
10:
444:
408:Military history of Panama
314:Greib, Kenneth J. (1996).
374:McGuinness, Aims (2008).
354:Latané, John H. (1903).
147:
16:1856 riot in Panama City
41:Republic of New Granada
403:History of Panama City
35:, then the capital of
24:
333:The Latin Americanist
289:Daley, M (Feb 1990).
231:McGuinness p. 134-135
204:McGuinness p. 133-134
186:McGuinness p. 128-131
22:
61:California Gold Rush
57:MexicanâAmerican War
25:
346:10.1111/tla.12057
249:McGuinness p. 132
240:McGuinness p. 132
168:McGuinness p. 126
53:isthmus of Panama
435:
389:
370:
360:
350:
348:
323:
310:
277:
274:
268:
265:
259:
256:
250:
247:
241:
238:
232:
229:
223:
220:
214:
211:
205:
202:
196:
193:
187:
184:
178:
175:
169:
166:
160:
157:
98:John L. Stephens
443:
442:
438:
437:
436:
434:
433:
432:
393:
392:
386:
358:
285:
280:
275:
271:
266:
262:
257:
253:
248:
244:
239:
235:
230:
226:
221:
217:
212:
208:
203:
199:
194:
190:
185:
181:
176:
172:
167:
163:
158:
154:
150:
117:
93:
49:
29:Watermelon Riot
17:
12:
11:
5:
441:
431:
430:
425:
420:
415:
410:
405:
391:
390:
384:
371:
351:
324:
311:
284:
281:
279:
278:
269:
260:
251:
242:
233:
224:
215:
206:
197:
188:
179:
170:
161:
151:
149:
146:
116:
113:
92:
89:
81:Panama Railway
48:
45:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
440:
429:
426:
424:
421:
419:
416:
414:
411:
409:
406:
404:
401:
400:
398:
387:
385:9780801445217
381:
377:
372:
368:
364:
357:
352:
347:
342:
338:
334:
330:
325:
321:
317:
312:
308:
304:
301:(1): 85â108.
300:
296:
292:
287:
286:
273:
264:
255:
246:
237:
228:
222:Humphrey 2015
219:
210:
201:
192:
183:
174:
165:
156:
152:
145:
141:
137:
135:
130:
129:Nueva Granada
125:
122:
112:
109:
105:
101:
99:
88:
84:
82:
78:
74:
68:
66:
62:
58:
54:
44:
42:
38:
34:
30:
21:
375:
366:
362:
336:
332:
319:
298:
294:
272:
263:
254:
245:
236:
227:
218:
209:
200:
191:
182:
173:
164:
155:
142:
138:
126:
121:Amos Corwine
118:
110:
106:
102:
97:
94:
85:
77:Panama Canal
69:
50:
37:Panama State
28:
26:
423:Watermelons
339:(4): 3â24.
276:Latane 1903
134:filibusters
33:Panama City
413:1856 riots
397:Categories
283:References
267:Greib 1996
258:Greib 1996
213:Daley 1990
195:Daley 1990
177:Daley 1990
159:Daley 1990
47:Background
115:Aftermath
91:The Riot
59:and the
307:2516368
39:in the
382:
305:
359:(PDF)
303:JSTOR
148:Notes
380:ISBN
27:The
341:doi
399::
367:22
365:.
361:.
337:59
335:.
331:.
318:.
299:70
297:.
293:.
388:.
349:.
343::
309:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
