USA > New York > Annual report of the Adjutant General of the State of New York, pt 1 > Part 6
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To Brigadier General THOMAS HILLHOUSE,
· Adjutant General, .Albany :
SIR-I have the honor to send with this the report of Colonel Louis Burger of the 5th regiment, made this day. It is so full and explicit, that I deem it due to that meritorious and efficient officer to submit it to your inspection entire.
The 5th, like all the regiments of the 1st division that have left the city, is now re-organizing and promises to be one of the best in the State.
On the 21st April, the 6th and 12th regiments left for Wash- ington, and performed duties similar to that of the 5th. I have directed Major Rathbun of the 6th, and Col. Ward of the 12th. who were with their regiments, while in the service of the United States to report, but have not yet received them.
The call of the President for volunteers. not including cavalry or artillery ; the 4th regiment, containing both these arms, is the only regiment in the brigade that has not done duty in the ser- vice of the general Government ; many of its members are, how- ever, now in the service as officers, non-commissioned officers and privates. The guns and harness were in the latter part of April sent with the various stores of the State towards Washington; ita gun-room appropriated as a kitchen. leaving to the regiment neither arms to drill with. or rooms to drill in. The duties performed have necessarily been limited to such as could be done dismounted, and [4.25 .- S. 30.] 8
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the instructions to those movements laid down in the last "annual course of instruction for infantry." The practice thus forced upon them has been of great benefit, and the artillery companies would not hesitate to compete in the battalion movements with most of the infantry regiments in the 1st division.
The second brigade has furnished its full quota of officers and men for the service of the general Government. Brigadier Gene- ral Yates was early detached, and the brigade deprived of its proper head, and its indefatigable and accomplished instructor, when his experience was most wanted by his command. Of its field officers, Colonel Butterfield of the 12th now commands a brigade on the Potomac; Colonel Pinckney of the 6th, and Lieu- tenant Colonel Zook of the same, each command regiments in the United States volunteers. Of the brigade staff, Brigade Major Alford, Engineer Hubbell, and Captain Allcock are likewise in the service as field officers. Surgeon Mott is engaged in the medical department of the United States. Thus leaving of the field and staff of the brigade, but two field, and two staff officers, who are not now doing, or have done duty in the service of the people in suppressing the present unnatural rebellion.
Your obedient servant,
EDWARD HINCKEN, Colonel 4th Regiment, Commanding 2d Brigade.
HEAD QUARTERS, SEVENTH BRIGADE. N. Y. S. M. NEWBURGH, November 30, 1861.
Gen. THOS. HILLHOUSE, Adj't Gen. of the State of New York:
Gen .- I have the honor to transmit to you, this, my annual report for the year 1861. In pursuance of orders issued by me in January last, the arms and equipments of the brigade were carefully inspected, and placed in the best possible condition for immediate service. During the winter, in addition to the weekly drills, extra meetings were had for military instruction by each company, and enlisting orders were extensively circulated through- out the district under my command. To the call of the General Government, for troops, in the early part of last spring, sixteen hundred and twenty-seven members of the Seventh brigade N. Y. S. M., patriotically responded. In April last, in compliance with orders to be in readiness to march to the seat of war at.
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twelve hours' notice, the several regiments comprising this brig- ade repaired with alacrity to their respective places of rendez- vous, and awaited with impatience, and for weeks, the signal for their departure to the scene of action. Through the liberality of patriotic citizens, uniforms, blankets, knapsacks, and such equip- ments as could not be obtained from the arsenals of the State, were furnished to the troops. Provision was made for the sup- port of the families of those who were expected to be called from home to the battle field, and a large number of those who were in the ranks of the brigade entirely discontinued their business avocations, and devoted themselves to preparations for a cam- paign in the service of their country. The alacrity and unanim- ity with which our military forces responded to the requisition of the President of the United States speedily furnished to the service a much larger number of troops than the quota required from this State, and unsuccessful efforts were made to have accepted the services of all the regiments then in readiness for the war. The determination of the General Government to receive no more than the specified quota from this State caused general dissatis- faction. The non-acceptance of the regiments of my command seemed for a time to paralyze the whole brigade, and induced the formation of a committee to visit the Commander-in-chief, and solicit his personal influence on our behalf. The reply of the authorities at Washington to the telegraphic dispatch of his Ex- cellency dispelled all expectations of an early acceptance by brigade or regiment, and resulted in the temporary transfer of companies and individual members of the brigade to organiza- tions already in the field. Of the companies thus transferred I trust it will not be deemed improper for me to make particular mention of the Parmenter riflemen, Company L., of the 19th regi- ment, N. Y. S. M. This company to the number of sixty was transferred to the 71st regiment, N. Y. S. M., and assumed the position of Company I, in that corps, and was placed under the com- mand of Capt. A. V. H. Ellis, an excellent and courageous officer, and most estimable citizen. At the battle of Bull Run, this company distinguished itself as an howitzer corps, and rendered efficient service as appears from the official reports of General Burnside and others. At this unfortunate battle. the Parmenter riflemen lost five in killed and wounded. There are now forty of this noble band at the seat of war. Other companies and indi- viduals from my command have taken an active part in the pres-
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ent war, and it is with feelings of pride that I report that nine hundred and sixteen enrolled members of my command are now in the service of the United States at the seat of war, of which number thirty-three are commissioned officers, as will more fully appear by reference to the returns of the Brigade Inspector.
In pursuance of paragraph 535, of the General Regulations for the military forces of the State of New York, the field officers and brigade staff officers of the Seventh brigade, N. Y. S. M., were called together for theoretic instruction at Peekskill, in the county of Westchester, on the second and third days of October last. The result of the meeting was highly satisfactory.
. On the first day of October last I issued the following General Orders, viz. :
STATE OF NEW YORK. HEAD QUARTERS, SEVENTH BRIGADE, N. Y, S. M., NEWBURGH, October 1, 1861. General Orders, No. 27.
The several regiments comprising the Seventh brigade of the Second division of the Militia of the State of New York, are hereby ordered to parade uniformed, armed and equipped, as the law directs, for the purpose of discipline, and for inspection and review, and for the practice of such course of instruction as may be prescribed by the Commander-in-chief, for the year 1861, as follows, viz. :
The 17th regiment at Haverstraw, in the county of Rockland, -on the 24th day of October, 1861.
The 18th regiment at Sing Sing, in the county of Westchester, on the 25th day of October, 1861.
The 19th regiment at Newburgh, in the county of Orange, on the 22d day of October, 1861.
The regimental line will form at nine o'clock, A. M.
The parade ground and place of rendezvous of each regiment will be selected by the respective commandants thereof.
Members of the brigade engaged in the active service of the United States, will be excused from attendance at the above pre- scribed parades. The number of such absentecs, and those absent from other causes, will be reported to the Brigade In- spector by the commandant of each regiment respectively. at the close of each parade.
The alacrity with which the military forces of the Empire State responded in April last, to the call of the general Govern-
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ment for troops to suppress treason and rebellion is worthy of praise ; and the non-acceptance, at that time, of the regiments composing this brigade, and the many other regiments which were then in readiness for service, in addition to the quota re- quired from this State, is a source of general regret. The dis- patch of the Commander-in-chief to the President of the United States, "that one hundred regiments could be mustered into the service easier than one could be repressed," and the fact that every regiment in the State, whether accepted or not as a corps, has furnished volunteers to the war, should be remembered with pride. The large number transferred temporarily from the regi- ments composing the seventh brigade to the regiments formning the quota accepted from this State, has necessarily reduced its numerical strength ,and should stimulate cach officer and soldier of the brigade to renewed efforts to place it in a position to speed- ily respond with full ranks to the present demands of our afflicted country.
Commandants of regiments are charged with the due promulga- tion of these orders and will make returns thereof according to law.
By order of Brigadier General, STEPHEN C. PARMENTER, Commanding 7th Brigade N. Y. S. M. S. EMMET GETTY, Brigade Inspector.
In obedience to the foregoing orders, the 18th and 19th regi- ments paraded, and were reviewed by myself and staff, and were duly inspected. As the Commander-in-chief did not prescribe any course of instruction for the year 1861, the evolutions pre- scribed for the years 1858, 1850 and 1860, were practiced by both regiments with precision and accuracy, and to the satisfac- tion of the reviewing officers, and a large number of spectators. Colonels Ryder and Brown are experienced and accomplished officers, and to their active exertions is the present prosperity and military proficiency of their respective regiments in a great measure attributable.
On the 22d of October last, it was ascertained that the com- mandant of the 17th regiment had been absent from his regimen- mental district several weeks, and that the orders for parado had been but partially served. I therefore countermanded the orders for the regimental parade of this regiment, and directed it to bo inspected by company. The result of the inspection of this regiment was very creditable.
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In May last the respective regiments of this brigade comprised the following number of troops, viz :
Seventeenth regiment
278
Eighteenth regiment 602
Nineteenth regiment. 739
1,619
Brigade officers
8
Total 1,627
Of this number the following enrolled members are in the ser- vice of the United States, at the seat of war, from each regi- ment, viz :
Seventeenth regiment.
81
Eighteenth regiment
361
Nineteenth regiment.
474
Total 916
The above statistics are obtained from the regimental and company returns of the brigade, and are perfectly reliable.
All which is respectfully submitted.
STEPHEN C. PARMENTER, Brigadier General,
Commanding 7th Brigade N. Y. S. M.
HEAD QUARTERS STH BRIGADE, 3D DIV. N. Y. S. M. SAMSONVILLE, December 15, 1861. S
Gen. THOMAS HILLHOUSE, Adj. Gen. N. Y. S. M. :
Sir .- In compliance with paragraph 527 General Regulations, the undersigned respectfully reports :
That he regrets being obliged to state that the commandants of regiments in this brigade have neglected to furnish the report contemplated by said paragraph.
In April last, the 20th regiment, commanded by Col. George W. Pratt, was ordered to proceed to the seat of war. The ranks were filled up to eight hundred men, and they were mustered into the U. S. service for three months.
At the expiration of their time, they returned home and were honorably discharged.
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In September, the regiment was ordered to reorganize for three years or during the war. In just six weeks the ranks were filled up to one thousand men. They left Kingston for the seat of war, on the 25th of October. They are now stationed in the front lines of the army of the Potomac, (on Upton's Hill) ready to aid in putting down this great and unjust rebellion at anytime the order is given to advance.
Col. Wright, commanding the 21st regiment, resigned in May . last, and Lieut. Col. Cooper was elected Colonel.
Colonel Cooper has since gone to the war as surgeon of the Ira Harris' cavalry. The regiment is now without a colonel.
I am sir, your obedient servant, H. A. SAMSON,
Brig. Gen. 8th Brigade, N. Y. S. M.
HEAD QUARTERS 10TH BRIGADE N. Y. S. M. - TROY, December 2, 1861. L
Gen. THOS. HILLHOUSE, Adjutant General :
Dear Sir-In obedience to paragraph 527, General Regulations, the undersigned has the honor to report :
That he has not received from the commandants of regiments the reports contemplated in said paragraph.
That he was present at the parade of the 24th regiment for officer drill, inspection and review.
. That he witnessed several of the evolutions in the school of the battalion, all of which were creditably executed.
Col. Crandall has been recently elected to his present position, and is a most promising officer. I was surprised at his perfect familiarity with the minute details of the different movements. I find it impossible to particularize in the conduct of the line officers and their commandants, as each was attentive and per- formed his duty with promptness. The regiment turned out, in numbers, full as well as I could expect, for the reason that Col. Carr, the brigade major, and many other prominent officers, in- cluding almost three full companies and their company officers, had enlisted in a volunteer regiment for the war.
The undersigned ordered the parades of the 20th and 30th regiments to parade by companies instead of by regiments, for the reason that those two regiments have been cut to pieces very
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much, in consequence of many of their officers and members of the several companies have enlisted for the war, of which reports will probably be made by the commanding officers to the Adju- tant General. -
The 29th regiment, as I have been informed, are entirely with- out arms and equipments.
The 30th regiment, commanded by Col. Crocker, have a few arms and equipments in their possession, but in very bad condi- tion, and but very few, if any, fit for active service. Colonel , Crocker is now re-organizing his regiment for the war.
The arms and equipments of the 24th regiment are all in a miserable condition, none of them fit for actual service. About one hundred of the arms have been used by the volunteer regi ments quartered at this place ; and used for guard duty, which have been rendered entirely useless.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
DARIUS ALLEN,
Brigadier General Commanding 10th Brigade N. Y. S. M.
HEAD QUARTERS, 15TH BRIGADE N. Y. S. M., MALONE, Dec. 1, 1861.
Brigadier General THOS. HILLHOUSE, Adjutant General :
SIR-Pursuant to General Regulations, paragraph 527, I have . the honor to report :
That the commandants of the regiments under my command have neglected to report to me as required by law and regu- lations.
That the undersigned did in General Order No. 2, issued Au- gust 19, 1861, require the 33d regiment to rendezvous, October 1st, for the purpose of drill, review and inspection ; and the 34th regiment to rendezvous on the 3d day of October, for like purpose.
That in Special Order No. 13, I required the field and brigade staff officers to meet on the 13th day of October for theoretic instruction.
That in consequence of the 33d regiment having volunteered for the war under the proclamation of the Commander-in-chief, and having been appointed to the command of a branch depot of
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volunteers at Ogdensburgh, I did in Special Order No. 16, countermand so much of General Order No. 2, and Special Order No 13, as related to the 33d regiment.
That the 34th regiment under command of Col. Charles Durkee, did in conformity with General Order No. 2, rendezvous at Moira, and were inspected by the brigade inspector.
That the brigade staff officers were ordered to report at Camp Wheeler, the head-quarters at Ogdensburgh, and did so report, where they gained much valuable experience in camp duty and instruction in tactics, theoretically and practically.
That the 33d regiment is now merely a skeleton, mostly officers and privates having gone to the seat of war.
That the 34th regiment is now being recruited for the war, also in camp at Malone, being a branch of Albany depot of volunteers, and under the command of your obedient servant,
S. C. F. THORNDIKE, Brigadier General.
To Brig. Gen. THOMAS HILLHOUSE, Adj. Gen. State of New York:
General .- In obedience to orders from the Major General com- manding the first division, pursuant to paragraph 774 of the Regulations, the undersigned made the annual inspection of the 1st and 2d brigades, the inspectors thereof being absent, and the following is his report of the same, as well as that of the 4th brigade, to which he is regularly attached.
The first regiment of cavalry under command of Major Robert Holt, had a total present at inspection, of 59, officers and pri- vates; returned as absent, 178, officers and privates, 100 of which formed a detachment in U. S. service, under command of Lt. Col. Devin ; since returned.
Owing to the crippled condition of the regiment at inspection, but few movements were attempted. Enough were made, how- ever, to show that Major Holt was more familiar with his duties than the line officers were with theirs ; as a consequence, the men were indifferently drilled, There were three captains and six lieutenants present. No return was made of arms and accoutre- ments ; their pistols and sabres were in good condition and be- long to the State.
The 2d regiment, Col. G. W. B. Tompkins commanding, was inspected at Poolesville, Maryland, on the 19th of October,
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consisted of ten infantry companies, and composed of three field, five staff, 6 non-commissioned staff officers, eight captains, seven- teen lieutenants, 810 sergeants, corporals and privates, making the total strength of the regiment 849.
The third regiment, cavalry, was inspected on the 16th of Oc- tober. It was in command of the senior captain, Budke, an offi- cer of experience and familiar with his duties, as were the offi- cers generally. The whole number present was 167, and con- sisted of 4 staff officers, 6 captains, 14 lieutenants, 25 sergeants, 13 corporals, and 105 privates. The absentees were 2 captains, 7 lieutenants, 23 sergeants and corporals, and 135 privates, 100 of which formed a detachment in service of U. S. at Washing- ton. The uniforms, arms and equipments of the regiment, were in excellent condition. One half of the sabres belong to the State. For three years this regiment has been without a major, at which the line officers present expressed much regret, and re- quested me to report it, and ask that orders directing the post to be filled be issued.
The 71st regiment, infantry, commanded by Col. Henry P. Martin, consists of eight companies, and had present, exclusive of a band of 24 pieces, a total of 417 officers, non-commissioned officers and privates, which was nearly in as great force as at the last annual inspection in 1860. This is undoubtedly one of the best drilled regiments in the militia service, if not the best, to which and its excellent discipline, was the Georgia regiment in- debted at the battle of Manassas, for its decimation. An officer of the 79th regiment stated to the undersigned, that while wait- ing orders to make a forward movement. he climbed to the top of a tree on the edge of a piece of woods that overlooked that part of the battle-field occupied by the 71st. He said he "never felt such a glow of pride for the city of New York and his adopted country, as when he witnessed the terrible fire of this regiment, or the coolness with which it advanced in line of battle and halting to deliver its fire." " At each discharge." he said, he could see " numbers of the opposing regiment fall, never to rise again." The arms of this regiment were truly in splendid condi- tion, forming a marked contrast to those of a regiment belonging to another brigade, and no less distinguished for the valor it dis- played at Manassas.
The 73d regiment was inspected at Staten Island on the 19th of October. It consists of five companies only, four of which
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were inspected. Three were infantry companies, and one a rifle company. The total present, exclusive of a band, was 70. The number of guns inspected was 59. They belong to the State, and were in a dirty, and generally in an unserviceable condition. This regiment has not improved in numbers or discipline since the last inspection. No battalion movements were attempted, the colonel, Ray Tompkins, giving as a reason, that he could not perform any. The infantry companies A, D and F, have one style of uniform, and the rifle company G another, which it de- clines to abandon.
The 1st, 2d, 3d, 71st and 73d regiments comprise the 1st brigade, and is commanded by Brigadier General C. B. Spicer, who with his staff, appropriately uniformed, were inspected with the 71st regiment.
The 2d brigade, Brigadier General Charles Yates, command- ing ; but under temporary command of Colonel Hincken, consists of the 4th, 5th, 6th and 12th regiments.
The 4th artillery, Colonel Hincken, had at inspection a total present of 169, this included the field and staff. Returned as absent two officers and 61 privates, making the total strength of the regiment 232. Its battery having been taken for service in the field, no return of arms or equipment was made.
The 5th regiment, under command of Lieutenant Colonel L. Burger, since elected colonel, was inspected on the 17th of Octo- ber, and had present one field, five staff, and six non-com- missioned staff officers, a detachmect of sappers and miners, 10; 22 captains and lieutenants, 49 sergeants and corporals, 14 drum- ers, and 238 privates. Total present 331. Absent one captain, seven lieutenants, 23 sergeants and corporals, 159 privates. Total 190. The united strength is 521. The arms belong to the State and were in fair condition only, of which they return possession of 372. The equipments are private property, and are considerably worn, particularly knapsacks, which will require renewal, as well as their uniforms, which were almost entirely worn out in the United States service at Washington.
The 6th regiment was not inspected.
The 12th regiment was duly inspected on the 24th of October, it having previously met for that purpose on the 18th. but owing to a misunderstanding, the inspector was not present. The 12th did not turn out as strougly as it would, had there not been a regiment forming by several of the former officers at the time,
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which prevented a number of its members from being present. As an evidence of this, I will mention that five of its nine com- panies had a total present of 45, while the whole number present was 160, consisting as follows : Field and staff 4, non-com- missioned staff 3, captains 6. lieutenants 7, sergeants and corpo- rals 35, drummers 4, privates 110. The whole number absent was 216. In the grade of privates the absentees were 60 per cent. in excess of the privates present. One company G, con- tributed 67 of its number to the volunteer regiments that have been formed since the return of the 12th, all acting in the capa- city of line and non-commissioned officers, and proving that the militia training they had previously received, with three months experience in actual service, eminently qualified them for the new positions they have assumed. The arms of this regiment belong to the State, and were not in as good condition as desir- able, except those of company I, Bvt. Col. Raynor command- ing, which were in the same excellent condition as at the last annual inspection. This company does everything well. The uniforms and equipments are in fair condition-except the knap- sacks, which were worn out in the United States service at Washington. Three hundred and sixty-five are returned as the number of muskets in the hands of the regiment. Since the in- spection, the Lieut. Col., Ward then commanding, has been elected colonel. This officer will bring the present 12th regiment to more efficiency and strength than the original 12th ever attained, and will make it one of the best regiments in the 1st division.
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