USA > New York > Comley's history of the state of New York, embracing a general review of her agricultural and mineralogical resources, her manufacturing industries, trade and commerce, together with a description of her great metropolis, from its settlement by the Dutch, in 1609 > Part 10
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During the display of fireworks, the City Hall was badly injured by a contla- gration. In 1860, the city was visited by the Japanese embassy, which was enter- tained with great splendor by the municipal authorities. . The Prince of Wales was officially received the same year with a military display and welcome, by an im- mense concourse of citizens. In the fall of this year, the secession of South Caro- lina arrested business. The winter of 1860-61 was one of unquiet and distress. The attack upon Fort Sumter, in April, 1861, aroused the spirit of the people, and was responded to by a spontaneous uprising of the loyal element, which resulted in a meeting upon Union Square, and a demonstration surpassing in magnitude and
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enthusiasm any public assemblage in this country. Its effects were instantly felt in every part of the Union. The work of organizing regiments was at once under- taken, the banks pledged enormous sums for the support of the government, and the whole city set itself to the stern repression of the Southern revolt. In 1861, the banks, which had already loaned $150,000,000 in coin to the government, suspended specie payments. On July 13th, 1863, the militia of the city having been sent to Penn- sylvania, and the United States authorities undertaking to enforce the draft, an insur- rection took place, no doubt instigated by agents of the Southern rebels, which turned almost immediately into a furious attack upon the negro population of the city. The elements of disorder and crime common to large cities were combined in this movement. For a few days there was universal consternation. The courageous action of the police, supported by the United States troops, soon restored order. During each year of the war, repeated large outdoor manifestations were made in support of the government, of which those in Union Square, July 15th, 1862, and April 11th, 1863, were the most conspicuous. In 1865, upon the news of the capture of Lee, and the overthrow of the rebellion, great preparations were undertaken for the celebration of peace ; but the assassination of the President turned the univer- sal joy into mourning. The body was brought to the city on its way to the West, and lay in state in the City Hall, where it was visited by a continuous stream of mourning citizens. On the 25th of April, the remains were escorted to the Hudson River depot, by an enormous and imposing procession, through streets densely lined with sorrowing spectators. Such a spectacle had never been seen in New York. During the war, the city furnished 116,382 troops to the government. On July 12th, 1871, the Orangemen, an association of Protestant Irishmen, undertaking to celebrate the " battle of the Boyne," were attacked by the opposite party, the Ribbon- men, a Roman Catholic association, and a riot ensued, which was only put down by the use of military force. This disgraceful occurrence ended in the loss of nu- merous lives. In 1872, the citizens combined against the public plunderers who had for years controlled the city government ; a committee of seventy was ap- pointed, and the leaders of the "Ring " brought to justice. In 1873, the business of the city was again paralyzed by a panic of unusual length and severity. Great cor- porations closed their doors, and went into bankruptcy. So universal was the want of confidence that the Stock Exchange, for the first time in its history, suspended all transactions. The effects of this panic are still evident, and the present depression of business may be rather considered as its continuation than its result ; nor can any improvement be looked for until the currency of the country be arranged on a per- manent and stable basis.
AN HISTORICAL, SUMMARY OF THE SEVERAL ATTACKS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE UPON THE CITY OF NEW YORK, AND OF THE MEASURES THAT HAVE BEEN ADOPTED FOR ITS DEFENCE FROM 1613 UNTIL 1812. By SAMUEL L. MITCHELL, M.D., LL.J).
Ist .- Capture of New York by Caplain Argal in 1613.
We have been informed that Verrazano discovered New York about the year 1524. Hudson visited it in 1609; and the Dutch sent vessels in 1610 to open trade with the natives.
In 1613, we have the first instance of invasion by an army force. Argal, the Governor of Virginia, after having destroyed the French settlements, in Acadia, attacked the Dutch at New York, on his way homeward. Hedrick Christiaensen, the Dutch governor, submitted himself and his people to the governor of Virginia, and, through him, to the king of England.
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2d .- Restoration of the Dutch authority in 1614, and continuance of it until 1664, when the English took it.
In 1614, Elkens, a new governor, came out from Amsterdam with a reinforce- ment. Ile threw off all dependence on the English and bade them defiance. He built the fort at the south-western extremity of the island, where the Custom-House and parade-grounds are now. The States-General of Holland made a grant of it under the title of New Netherland; under this possession it was long held and known.
No important occurrence took place until the reign of Charles II., King of England. In 1664, this sovereign, disregarding the rights, claims, and settlements of the Dutch, granted all New Netherland to his brother James, Duke of York and Albany. This grantee was afterward the noted James II. of England, who was declared to have abdicated the throne; who was thereafter hospitably received by Louis XIV., and whose successor was William III., the Dutch stadtholder. The patent was dated the 12th of March, pursuant to which Colonel Richard Nichols and his associates proceeded with four frigates and three hundred soldiers directly to Manhattan, for the conquest of the Dutch. On the 27th of August, in that year, the city of New Amsterdam capitulated to the English ; and on the 24th of September, Fort Orange (Albany) made a similar submission. In commemoration of the titles of their ancient lord, the former has since been called New York and the latter Albany. The same year the duke conveyed New Jersey to Berkeley, Carteret, and their associates.
3d .- Extinction of the English power and restoration of the Dutch in 1673.
In 1665, a code of laws was compiled called the Duke's laws. They were trans- mitted to England, and confirmed by the duke in 1666.
In 1667, the Treaty of Breda was ratified. By this, New Netherland was con- firmed to the English ; and as an equivalent therefor, Surinam was ceded to the Dutch. This year Nichols retired and was succeeded by Lovelace, whose most remarkable act was the purchase of Staten Island from the natives. In 1673, a Dutch war having broken out, a small squadron under the command of Benckes and Evert- sen, after having committed ravages in Virginia for the annoyance of the English commerce, came to New York for the purpose of regaining some of their lost pos- sessions. On the 13th of July, the Dutch ships moored under the fort, landing their men, and entered the garrison without giving or receiving a shot. The city and all New Netherland immediately assented to the same humble concession.
4th .- Restoration of the English authority in 1674, and the continuance of it until the abdication of King James II. in 1688.
In 1674, peace was made between England and the States-General of Holland, by the Treaty of Westminster. In the sixth article of this instrument, New Nether- land was restored to the English, and the English territories in Guiana to the Dutch. On this occasion -the Duke of York confirmed his title by a new patent, and appointed Major Andros to be his governor. To his authority the Dutch submitted as far westward as Delaware River.
In 1682, the Duke of York released to William Penn his rights west of the Del- aware, and especially his territories since called " the three lower counties on the Delaware," now the State of Delaware.
In 1683, the first legislative assembly was held under Governor Dongan, who, on his arrival, issued a proclamation to the sheriff's for choosing representatives to meet him on the 17th of December in that year.
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In 1685, the Duke of York succeeded his brother, Charles II., as King of England. He was the last male of the Stuarts who reigned, and was called James Il. of Eng- land. By this event the proprietary government was changed to a royal govern- ment. Dongan was restored to the administration of affairs in New York in 1686. New York, among the other colonies, though favored with charters of incorporation for its two principal cities, experienced the effects of that prince's arbitrary rule by being deprived of legislative assemblies, the printing-press, and by being annexed, with the Jerseys, to the jurisdiction of the four New England colonies, under Gov. Andros, as captain-general and admiral of the whole, in 1688. In the month of December of that year, James abdicated, and went to France; and his daughter, Mary, and William, Prince of Orange, succeeded him in February, 1689. At this time Jacob Leisler seized the fort at New York, took command of the gar- rison, and ruled New York by a committee of safety, until William and Mary were proclaimed there.
5th .- Proceedings relative to Fortifications at New York, from the Protestant Revolution, in 1688, to the Treaty of Utrecht, in 1713.
William was entering upon the great continental war in Europe when he died, in 1701.
The first governor he appointed for New York was Henry Sloughter, who reached his government (3 W. & M.), and called the assembly together, in April, 1691. The war into which William was plunging the nation was continued with great vigor under his successor, Queen Anne.
Sloughter, in his speech of the 17th August, 1692, mentions to the assembly, that "the fortifications are out of repair." He was succeeded by Benjamin Fletcher, who, in his speech to the legislature on the 12th September, 1693, recom- mends that "a fort be built in this city." The Earl of Bellemont took the adminis- tration (10 W. & M.) in 1698. On meeting the legislature, on the 19th of May, he uses these words: " I cannot but observe to you what a legacy my predecessor ha- left me, and what difficulties to struggle with : a few miserable naked, half- starved soldiers, not half the number the king allowed pay for; the fortifications, and even the governor's house, very much out of repair, and, in a word, the whole gov- ernment out of frame. It hath been represented to the government in England that this province hath been a noted receptacle of pirates, and the trade of it under no restrictions," etc. The governor died toward the end of 1700. Colonel Smith. senior councillor, administered the government until the arrival of John Nanfan (13 W.), in 1701. Lieutenant-Governor Nanfan, on meeting the legislature on the 22d of April, 1702 (t Anne), recommended, among other things, "that the payments of the soldiers be more certain, and fortifications put in a good posture of defence." This same year Governor Cornbury recommended, in his speech of the 20th of October, " to provide for the defence of the city and port of New York, which seemed to him to be very much exposed, and, likewise, for the defence of the frontiers," etc. This was the year the session was held at Jamaica, in Queens County, on account of the yellow fever. The great warfare concerning the succession of a grandson of Louis XIV. to the crown of Spain was carried on. England, Holland, and their allies, were leagued against France. The British Colonies in North America trem- bled lest a French navy should assail them on the oceanic side. An attack from the French was also dreaded from the Canadian frontier, and from the savages in their alliance.
Under these impressions, excited by the formidable conflicts of Marlborough
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and Villars, Governor Cornbury, in his speech of the 13th of April, 1703, employs these words: "Gentlemen, I must acquaint you that since your adjournment, I have received information that the French intend to attack this place, by sea, this summer. I think the best way to prevent their design will be to erect two batteries of guns at the Narrows, one on each side, which I believe is the only way to make this port safe."
In his speech of the 29tl of May, 1706, Governor Cornbury says: "The repeated advices our merchants here have received from their correspondents in the West Indies, of the design the French have of attempting this colony, has made me think it of absolute necessity to call you together at this time, that all proper measures may be taken for the defence of this place, which, as yet, lies very open, naked, and defenceless. There are two things, therefore, which I shall chiefly recommend to your care; one is the providing a fund for the fortifying of this city; the other is the providing a fund for the repairing of her Majesty's fort, which is extremely out of order, and for mounting the guns, most of the carriages being rotten and unserviceable. These two things are of absolute necessity, and without which, it is to be feared, this place will become a prey to a powerful enemy, who can design no less than to lay waste and destroy it, as they have done the Islands of Nevis and St. Christopher, etc. Gentlemen, I must take notice to you that the last assembly did pass an act for the raising of $1500 towards erecting batteries at the Narrows, which would have been of very great use at this time, had the money been collected, but it has not. I am sensible that some malicious, ill- minded people have reported that I had taken that money into my hands. That truth hereof may be known and I justified, I recommend to you to make strict inquiry into that tax."
The same Governor in his speech of the 27th of September, 1706, observes : " I must again recommend to you the providing a fund for repairing and maintain- ing her Majesty's fort in this city, which vet wants several things to put it in a posture to resist an enemy, if we should be attacked, which we very narrowly es- caped this summer. Whether you will not think fit to fortify the Narrows, to prevent any attempt of like nature for the future, I leave to your consideration ; but in my judgment, I look upon that to be the best way to cover this city from any attempt the French may intend to make upon us: and I choose to mention it to you at this time, the rather because Captain Reid Knap, whom the Queen has been pleased to appoint to be her engineer in these parts, is now here, and will, if you desire it, give you an account of what he thinks proper to be done to answer that end."
After all these urgent calls on the part of the executive, the legislature, which seems to have been uniformly hard to move, passed an act for raising $3000 toward defraying the expense of fortifying the city of New York, on the 21st of October, 1706.
In his speech of the 7th of April, 1709, Governor Cornbury again says: "I must in particular desire you to provide for the necessary repairs of the fortifica- tions of the province."
Governor Robert Hunter, in his speech of the first of May, 1712, remarks that these letters from the Governor of Bermuda, as well as other good advices which I have received, will convince you of the necessity I lie under of calling for one more of the independent companies from Albany for the security of this place (New York), not being very sure what parts this storm is to break.
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From all which it appears that it was the fashion a century ago to express great apprehension, to form grand objects, and to do very little.
6th .- The series of events relative to fortifying New York, from the death of Queen Anne, in 1714, to the arrival of Lord Loudoun with a fleet in 1756.
In his speech of the 5th June, 1716 (2 George I.), Governor Hunter observes, "that the vast preparations of France, etc., justify my apprehensions, and I hope will be sufficient to induce you to put yourselves in a better state of defence against the evil day to come. The strength of this fort is very little proportioned to its use, which I take to be not only the security of this province, but in a great measure that of the continent."
Afterward, Governor Burnet (10 Geo. 1.), in his speech of the 15th of May, 1724, addressed the assembly thus: "When you are informed of the ruinons con- dition of the buildings of this fort (which is the only strength of this town and harbor), you will agree with me, that an immediate and sufficient provision to repair it is the most frugal method to go about so necessary a work ; what you have formerly provided, has been fully employed by me for that service; and I will order an estimate of the extraordinary repairs now wanting, to be laid before you."
In a message to the assembly, of the 4th of November, 1725, in his speech at the opening of the session on the 6th of April, 1726, Governor Burnet urges the importance of making repairs to the fort and buildings. This he repeats in his speeches of the 27th of September, 1726, and the 13th of September, 1727.
A thorough repair of the barracks in the fort is earnestly requested by Gover- nor Crosby in his speech of the 16th of October, 1733 (6 Geo. Il.). In his speech of the 25th of April. 1734, Governor Crosby recommends to the assembly, "the safety and protection of the harbor of New York, and of the frontiers, no time being so fit to guard against our future enemies as a time of peace, the duration of the present peace being uncertain. I therefore earnestly recommend to you to make use of the present time and to give a sufficient sum for the erecting of a battery at the point of rocks by Whitehall, and of new forts at Albany and Schenectady. I will cause to be drawn such plans for these purposes as I think will best answer the end, and make an estimate of the expense."
On the 21st of November, 1736. an order of corporation of the city of New York was made out under the signature of Robert Cnrting, then mayor, giving the assembly their consent to the insertion of a clause in a bill now under commit- ment, for erecting a battery on Copsee Rocks, saving to the corporation the un- doubted right they have to the soil, to high-water mark, to low-water mark, from Whitehall to Elds corner.
In the speech of the 14th of October, 1736, Governor Crosby again urges atten- tion to the fortifications, and reiterates it in the speech of the 5th of April, 1737.
Governor Clark, in his speech of the 5th of September, 1738, recommends for- tifications and measures of defence. In his speech of the 15th of April, 17441, he addresses the legislature in these terms (14 Geo. II.): "There is great cause to apprehend a speedy rupture with France : your situation ought, therefore, to awaken you to a timely provision against that event in fortifying this town in a better manner than it is at present, by erecting batteries, in proper places, upon some of the wharves facing the harbor, others upon the side of the Hudson River, adjoining the town, and one at Red Hook, upon Long Island, to prevent the enemy land- ing upon Nutten Island." Then follows a list of ordnance and stores for New York, prepared in consequence of an order of Lords for Plantations, etc.
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Governor Clinton, in his speech of the 17th of April, 1744 (17 Geo. II.), expresses apprehensions of a French war, and calls attention to fortifying the city. The battery on Copsee Rocks appears to have been a very popular subject, and to have excited great interest at that time. In Lott's Journal of Assembly, II. 25, is a long enumeration of what Governor Clinton judged expedient to be done for the security of New York, Albany, Oswego, and Ticonderoga. On the 31st, he assured them, by a special message, that it was absolutely necessary there should be a battery of six guns at Red Hook, on Nassau Island, which would effectually prevent the enemy's lying there to bombard the city, or their landing any force or artillery on Nutten Island. In case of any such attack upon us, this battery might be easily supplied and maintained by force of the country. It would likewise be proper to raise another battery on the front of the Great Dock of this city, in order to flank the east side of Copsee Battery as the Flat Rock Battery does the westward.
In the speech of June 25th, 1745, the same governor observes, that " in order to put the province into a proper posture of defence, it is necessary that such other fortifications be erected about this city, with all possible dispatch, as may be sulli- cient to enable us to repel any force that may attack us on this quarter. For this purpose a strong battery of twenty guns, at the east end of the town, in the harbor, and some other batteries in other parts of the city, should be forthwith erected ; of which I will direct plans to be laid before you. It is worth considering whether, as matters are now circumstanced, this city may not have a considerable share of the war."
In his speech of the 24th of October, 1752, fortifications are seriously recom- mended once more. By reason of the prevalence of the small-pox in the city of New York, in 1753, the legislature met at Jamaica, on the 13th of May, and received in Governor Clinton's speech another hint upon fortifications.
In a message from Lieutenant-Governor De Lancey, of the 31st of October, 1753. more money is asked for Copsee Battery. And in his speech of 9th April, 1754, he observes, that Copsee Battery in this city is in a ruinous condition ; and I am persuaded you will think it absolutely necessary to put it into good repair. In his speech of 20th August, 1754, Governor De Lancey tells the council and assembly, that schemes have been formed to attack Albany and New York at the same time ; the former by a land force from Canada, and the latter by naval arma- ment. Let me therefore earnestly solicit you to provide in time for your security. In the speech of 28th November, he complains heavily "of the ruinous condition of the fortifications, and of the necessity of repairing them, and erecting others." In the speech of 4th February, 1755 (28 Geo. II.), the fortifications of New York are again recommended to be repaired, altered, or other works made.
In 1756, Lord Loudoun came to New York with a large fleet, and quieted all apprehensions. We find but little more on the subject of fortifications in the metro- polis, during the continuance of the Canadian war, which terminated in 1759.
7th .-- A summary of the proceedings from the arrival of the friendly British fleet, in 1756, to the extinction of the royal authority, by the meeting of the Continental Congress, on the 5th of September, 1774.
The presence of this fleet and the success of provincial and British arms on the side of Canada, Illinois, and Louisiana, rendered the people easy as to their situ- ation ; nor did Governor Hardy, whose administration terminated in 1757 (31 Geo. Il.), nor Lieutenant-Governor De Lancey, during his second administration, which lasted till 1760, nor Colden, who ruled until 1764, trouble the legislature much
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about fortification. And the like stillness on that subject seems to creep through the administration of Governor Moore and of his successors, Dunmore and Tryon, up to the time of the Revolution, which may be dated from the 5th of September. 1774, when the Continental Congress first assembled at Philadelphia.
After the dangers from the French and Indians were past, difficulties arose between the colonies and the mother country, in which New York fully partici- pated. As a civil war began, the next efforts of the colonists were to fortify, not against their old enemies, but against their late friends and fellow-subjects ; and this new posture of affairs rendered it necessary to take additional precautions for defence and security.
Sth .---- The means used to defend New York, from the commencement of the Revolutionary War, to its termination by the peace signed at Paris, in 1783.
As early as May, 1775, the Continental Congress was consulted by the city and county of New York, through their delegates, how they ought to conduct them- selves with regard to British troops expected there. Congress took the matter under consideration, and recommended, among other things, for the present, a defen- sive conduct as long as that should be consistent with their safety, but if they invade private property or commit hostilities, to repel force by force. They advised the removal of warlike stores from the city, and procuring of places of retreat for women and children, and the keeping in constant readiness a force for repelling insult and injury.
On the 26th of that month, Congress exhorted the Provincial Convention of New York to proceed the more vigorously in preparing for their defence, inas- much as it was very uncertain whether the differences could be accommodated ; and that the militia be in readiness to act at a moment's warning.
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