He and drillmaster Theron S. Copeland led a police squad during the New York Draft Riots which were dispatched against rioters attacking African-Americans.
[1] During the New York Draft Riots in 1863, he and drillmaster Theron S. Copeland led a police detachment against rioters attacking African-Americans at Washington and LeRoy Streets.
Upon his departure, Dickson was presented with a house and a small lot in Harlem by local businessmen to show their appreciation for his years of diligent service in the area.
When Inspector Thomas F. Byrnes became head of the detective squad, he was sent to the Tombs Police Court where he remained for the rest of his career.
[1] Dickson died of stomach cancer at his Stuyvesant Street home on September 12, 1880, and his funeral held at St. Ann's Roman Catholic Church.