USA > New York > History of the Ninth Regiment N.Y.S.M. -- N.G.S.N.Y. (Eighty-third N. Y. Volunteers.) 1845-1888 > Part 2
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8
THE NINTH NEW YORK. 1859
22nd Regimental District, and will at once report to Brigadier- General Charles Yates, commanding the 2nd Brigade.
III. The 23rd Regimental District will be hereafter desig- nated as the 9th Regimental District.
IV. Michael M. Van Beuren, Thomas T. Ferris, and William H. Hallick, all of the city of New York, are hereby appointed, Colonel, Lieutenant-Colonel, and Major of the 9th Regimental District, and of the troops which may be transferred thereto, or organized therein. They will be obeyed and respected accordingly.
V. Companies B, G, and K, of the 55th Regiment, 3rd Brigade, Ist Division, are hereby detached from said regi- ment, and transferred to the 9th Regimental District, same Brigade. The commandants of these companies will immedi- ately report for duty to Colonel Van Beuren, commanding the 9th District.
VI. The several companies transferred by the preceding paragraph are hereby organized as the NINTH Regiment. Colonel Van Beuren will, without delay, re-letter these com- panies, and forward to this department a return of the names of the officers and the number of non-commissioned officers and privates under their respective company letters.
VII. The Field Officers of the NINTH Regiment will, on receipt of this order, report personally to Brigadier-General William Hall, commanding the ard Brigade.
By order of the Commander-in-Chief,
FREDERICK TOWNSEND, Adjutant-General.
HEADQUARTERS, FIRST DIVISION, N. Y. S. M. New York, June 27, 1859.
GENERAL, ORDERS, } No. 4.
The foregoing General Orders, No. 18, are promulgated for the information and government of the Division.
Brigadier-General Hall will cause a report to be made to the Major-General of a register of the Officers of the NINTH Regiment, with their places of residence as soon as the organization is completed.
By order Major-General CHAS. W. SANFORD, R. C. WEIMORE. Division Inspector.
9
CITY GUARD.
1859
NINTH REGIMENT, "CITY GUARD," N. Y. S. MILITIA. New York. July 1, 1859.
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ORDERS, }
NO. I. V
The officers composing this regiment will attend a meeting on Thursday evening, 7th inst. at eight o'clock, at the Armory, No. 654 Broad way, to organize the command, and to make suitable arrangements to comply with orders of the A. G. O. No. 18, viz. : to re-letter the companies transferred to this command, and to report the number of officers, non-commissioned officers and privates, under the respective letters.
Commandants of companies will make out their returns in accordance with the above, and deliver them to me, on the night of the meeting, that they may be trans- mitted to the Adjutant-General without delay.
By order of M. M. VAN BEUREN, Colonel.
At the meeting, the companies B, G and K, late of the Fifty-fifth, were re-lettered A, C and B, respectively.
Company A, "State Guard," previous to its connection with the Fifty-fifth, had been known as Company F, Second Regiment, and under its popular commander, Captain Joseph H. Johnson, was a wide awake and active organization. Company B, " Swiss Rifles "-as its name indicates-was com- posed of natives of that oldest of republics, Switzerland, and the personnel continued mostly the same throughout the period of the waf; one of its members, Joseph A. Moesch, rising to the rank of colonel, and yielding up his life while gallantly leading the regiment at the battle of the Wilderness. The "City Guard," whose members prided themselves upon their high social standing, was organized June 14th, 1833, by Cap- tain William M. McArdle, and was then known as the " Pulaski Cadets," and later as the "City Tigers." In 1840 it was attached to the Two-hundred and Twenty-second reg- iment-or regimental district-and lettered B. In 1857 it was transferred to the Fifty-fifth as Company G, and finally found a permanent resting-place as Company C in the NINTH.
Recruiting was at once begun, with a view to increase the number of companies, as well as to fill up the old ones. Mr. John W. Davis succeeded in raising a fourth company, and on September 16th, it was mustered as Company D, Mr. Davis being commissioned Captain. On the 19th the companies
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1859
THE NINTH NEW YORK.
met and adopted the name "City Guard " for the regiment, which action was formally announced in regimental orders, No 6, series of 1859. On the 9th of October the regiment was inspected at Hamilton Square, one hundred and eighty men answering to roll-call.
Owing to the subsequent career of the writer, the following letter is of special interest :
New York, 17th November, 1859.
BRIG .- GEN. FRED. TOWNSEND,
Adjutant-General, New York State Militia.
SIR : I beg leave most respectfully to call your attention to a deficiency which exists in the organization and instruction of the militia forces of this city, and to ask your co-operation in supplying that deficiency as far as may be practicable.
It cannot have escaped your notice, that the enormous increase of the calibre of heavy guns, and the propulsion of vessels of war by steam, have inaugurated and developed a new system of attack upon seaport towns, as evinced in the late European wars.
The slow and precarious method of landing troops for the purposes of such attack has been abandoned, and, as a natural consequence, infantry, cavalry and light artillery, for the defense of seaboard towns, have become of secondary importance, and the heavy sea-coast gun, must hereafter be looked to as the proper and legitimate means of defense. I, therefore, propose to commence by giving lessons to Company C, 9th Regiment, in the drill of the sea-coast gun, and in order to do this we shall require a modified casemate carriage and gun, which, with the requisite implements, I can pro- cure for about four hundred dollars. It does not seem right to put this expense upon the company, which has expressed a willingness to devote its time to this species of instruction, in addition to the usual infantry drill ; and I have, therefore, the honor to ask your intercession with the Legislature, during the ensuing winter, to induce them to make an appropriation for this specific purpose. When the trifling amount of the expense is considered, in connection with the vast interests involved, I cannot doubt that this application will meet with success.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant, M. LOVELL.
Captain Mansfield Lovell, a graduate of West Point, was certainly alive to the necessity of training the Militia in the use of artillery for sea-coast defence; and inasmuch as the NINTHI had been designated-as were nearly all the Militia infantry regiments in N. Y. City-as heavy artillery, it seemed quite proper that the members should be instructed in that arm of the service. After much delay the Captain's suggestion was approved, and the company occasionally visited Fort Hamilton, where the men were faithfully drilled by their commander, so
1859
REGISTER OF OFFICERS.
that, during the civil war, when they were arrayed against their former Captain and instructor, the members were enabled to give a good account of themselves.
On the ist of December, Company E, Captain William Atterbury, was mustered into the State service. On the evening of the 6th, the Board of Officers met and ratified the action of the Adjutant-general, in appointing the Field-officers.
The register of officers of the NINTH at the close of the year, with date of rank, was as follows :
Field and Staff.
Colonel, Michael M. Van Beuren, June 25th, 1859. Lieutenant-Colonel, Thomas T. Ferris, Major, William H. Hallick, · Adjutant, Charles B. Bostwick, . June 25th, 1859. June 25th, 1859. July 7th, 1859. July 7th, 1859. July 7th, 1859.
Quartermaster, Alexander Henriques, Surgeon, E. Willis Fisher, . Surgeon's Mate, Edward H. Andrew,
December 6th, 1859.
Engineer, Henry L. Stevens, . July 7th, 1859.
Paymaster, Henry L. King,
July 7th, 1859.
Chaplain, Stephen R. Baker, .
November Ist, 1859.
Company A (State Guard).
Captain, Joseph H. Johnson, December 10th, IS51 .. First Lieutenant, George W. Carpenter, February 17th, 1858. Second Lieutenant, Charles C. Reed, December 8th, 1859. Additional Second Lieutenant, Henry
A. Luther,
December Sth, 1859.
Company B (Swiss Rifles).
Captain, Henry L. Robert, June 10th, 1852. First Lieutenant, Louis Billon, June 11th, 1851.
Second Lieutenant, John Deppeler, December 6th, 1859-
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1860
THE NINTH NEW YORK.
Company C (City Guard).
Captain, Mansfield Lovell, July 20th, 1859.
First Lieutenant, Edward L. Stone, May 5th, 1857.
Second Lieutenant, David Banks, Jr. Additional Second Lieutenant, Charles
April 26th, 1859.
E. Prescott, ,
April 26th, 1859.
Company D.
Captain, John W. Davis,
First Lieutenant, Edmund R. Greene, Second Lieutenant, William F. Henry, September 16th, 1859. Additional Second Lieutenant, William
E. Jackson, 9 ·
September 16th, 1859. September 16th, 1859.
December 21st, 1859.
Company E.
Captain, William Atterbury, December 1st, 1859. First Lieutenant, John B. Coppinger, December Ist, 1859. Second Lieutenant, Edward P. Sanderson, December Ist, 1859. Additional Second Lieutenant, John
Meeks, Jr.
December Ist, 1859.
On January 20th, 1860, Lieutenant-Colonel Ferris resigned. February 22nd the regiment paraded in honor of the one hundred and twenty-eighth anniversary of Washington's Birth- day. The line formed on Great Jones street, right resting on Broadway, at two o'clock, P. M. It rained hard all day, and the fact of the parade being executed under such circumstances, was commented upon by the Military Gazette, of March Ist, as follows :
The occurrence of a severe storm on the 22nd ult., enables us to express views we have long held, with reference to parades of mere courtesy and display, during unfav- orable weather.
The 22nd was to be commemorated by a display of half-a-dozen of our city regi- ments, and there accordingly turned out on this, perhaps the worst day of the season, a couple of thousand of our young men ; the strength and flower of New York, stood for hours the drenching of a pitiless rain, with their feet immersed in the salted slush of our streets, no complaining, no shrinking of these proud fellows, and no one was found to counsel that this exposure was unnecessary and uncalled for, and the public
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WASHINGTON STATUE AT THE CAPITAL.
1860
will never hear how many of these sowed the seeds of disease, and brought on an early death by this march. In our opinion no portion of the volunteer forces should be allowed to make ceremonious parades in unfavorable weather.
We are well aware that no regulation of the commander-in-chief will reach this matter-it springs from a sense of honor and pride, motives we shall be the last to deprecate, but which, in this particular, lead to excess. The correction lies in public opinion, outside as well as inside of regiments, and we trust that officers and men will reflect upon the subject, and determine that hereafter, no esprit de corps shall carry them awayfrom their duty to themselves, their families and friends. Let it be once understood that the regimental and company musters of ceremony are to be postponed, whenever it is found that they cannot take place without manifest danger to the health of the men, and we shall find valuable recruits for the service, who are now restrained from joining by an unwillingness to expose themselves to the winter storms of this climate.
No one will apply our remarks to the sterner duties of the citizen soldier ; they must be performed blow it ever so hard, and we know that our men will not be wanting.
The Seventh Regiment had gone to Washington to cele- brate the day, and assist at the inauguration of the Washing- ton Statue, and when it returned on the morning of the 24th, it was met by the Twelfth Regiment, Colonel Daniel But- terfield, three hundred and twenty-five strong, the NINTH. under Colonel Van Beuren, which mustered two hundred, and about a hundred members of the Seventh, who had remained at home.
The escorting troops assembled early and marched to the City Hall Park, where they remained till eleven o'clock, then marching to the Cortlandt Street Ferry, and having properly received their comrades of the Seventh, marched at their head to where a salute was to be fired by a detachment of Company F, Fourth Artillery, Captain McMahon. After that, continu- ing on to the Armory of the Seventh.
On May 28th, the Third Brigade-in which was the NINTH --- Brigadier-General William Hall, commanding, proceeded to East New York for instruction in drill.
The abuse of power in appointing chaplains and surgeons in the Militia regiments, where the incumbent was of neither the theological or medical profession, became so notorious that the Military Gasette of June Ist, 1860, printed the follow- ing :
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1860
THE NINTH NEW YORK.
In regard to the professional experience of some of the surgeons of the New York Militia Forces, we have, by way of illustration, compared the list of officers of the First Division Medical Staff, as given in the Adjutant-General's Register (Report of 1860, pp. 81-83), with the City Directory, with the following result :
SURGEONS .- Ist Regiment, F. F. Resch, " Segars ;" 2nd Regiment, John C. Devin, " Hosiery ;" 4th Regiment, Henry E. Davies, "Lawyer;" 5th Regiment, George Dieffenback, " Butcher;" 11th Regiment, Elrick Parmly, " Dentist ;" 23nd Regiment, Wm. Seligman, "Clothing ;" 55th Regiment, Ernest Cazet, " Merchant ;" 69th Regi- ment, Jos. B .- Tully, " Lawyer."
CHAPLAINS .- (Adjutant General's Report, p. 87) Ist Regiment, A .Toedtleberg, "Grocer ;" 2nd Regiment, Rich. Goodwin, "Tailor ;" 4th Regiment, Ed. R. Bell, " No Occupation ;" 5th Regiment, Chas. C. Eddy, "Broker;" 6th Regiment, Chas. H. Phillips, " Drugs ;" 73d Regiment, Geo. M. Wheaton, "Glass."
An order was afterwards issued requiring that all chaplains should be clergymen, and surgeons graduates of medical schools.
June 16th, the regiment paraded with the first division in honor of the arrival of the Japanese Embassy. The troops mustered on the Battery at two o'clock, P. M., and at three the distinguished visitors were in their carriages and the line in motion. The division had been detailed as the guard of honor. The Military Gasette said of the NINTH on this occasion :
The NINTH regiment is of quite a different genus from the old NINTH. A small, elegantly dressed personage ; with a high, erect, head, and very proud tread. Decid- edly the most beautiful artillery uniform in the country ; cloth of the first quality; and all the trimmings of the richest material, and arranged with most exquisite taste.
This regiment looked like a thorough-bred black spanish cock, with his broad, bright, red comb, glossy, dark plumage, and gallant mien, swelling much larger and grander than his weight (numbers) would seem to justify.
The NINTH is a select nucleus of a splendid regiment (which is wanted, and it is to be) of heavy artillery. It will be no doubt, one day, as large as it now's looks.
The 4th of July was celebrated by a parade of the First Division, but coming so soon after the Japanese visitors, the ranks were not as full as its friends desired. The Military Gasette said of the occasion.
* This is an American's particular natal day, and should be ushered in by the booming of cannon, and be kept up by martial display.
Let the officers and men of the Militia bear in mind that they are the same class of soldiers who were, in the revolutionary days, called upon to do their country's fighting ; and should the necessity again arise, they would be the force on which the country must depend.
15
REPUBLICAN BLUES OF SAVANNAH,
1860
On the 14th, the "Chicago Cadets," Captain Elmer E. Ellsworth (Paymaster-General, State of Illinois), afterwards the renowned Colonel of the " Fire Zouaves"-Eleventh N. Y. Vols .- arrived in New York, and were received by the Sixth Regiment. Their drill in Madison Square, before an immense audience, was a complete success; the Cadets cutting their way straight through the heart of New York, carrying the very citadel of its self-esteem by assault.
The gallant and athletic strangers found no competitors, but only admirers and friends, and were well looked after while in the city by the Sixth Regiment, Company F, of the Eighth, and Company C of the Thirteenth : members, too, of the NINTH contributing to the pleasure and comforts of the Zouaves.
The next body of visitors were the " Republican Blues," of Savannah, Ga., and of their reception the Gazette said, in its issue of the 25th :
The Republican Blues, Captain John W. Anderson, of Savannah, Ga .. upon invita- tion of the City Guard, arrived in New York about the time of the departure of the Chicago Zouaves, in consequence not creating any marked sensation ; but it was obvi- ous that the men were of the best kind, and well commanded.
The company was formed on the Ist of May, 1808, since which date it has had but four captains, including the present. They marched easily and without any pretense of comparing themselves with any other corps; as well-bred gentlemen they gained the esteem of all who looked at them.
Coming from the South, New York people had an opportunity of exhibiting their courtesy and appreciation of the brotherhood of the whole country ; and as far as the reception was public or private, this sentiment of fraternity and mutual confidence and esteem, was the prevailing idea.
At the banquet given by the Guard to the Blues, as they were about to leave, the assurance of a warm personal friendship were prominent in the speeches.
Captain Anderson, of the Blues, upon being called upon for a speech, said :
"Brethren and soldiers of the New York City Guard : The Republican Blues, through their captain, return you their warm, their true, their sincere thanks; we shall never forget your kindness. Your names shall ever be associated with ours as Brothers ; and we hope that we may have the opportunity of convincing you that we really do love you."
The health of Captain Lovell having been proposed, and at his request, Alexander Henriques replied in part. as follows :
"Gentlemen of the Blues : You have, in common with us, partaken of the crystal fount of friendship ; you have been actuated by the same motives that have actuated us in receiving you. This is no miracle ; it is the undercurrent of the national con- sanguinity, which never shall, which never can be perverted, as long as patriots exist
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THE NINTH NEW YORK.
1860
at the North and at the South ; and this same feeling of good-fellowship towards the South exists in the North-west and at the East.
Corporal Mercer, of the Blues, replied with a few remarks to a toast complimentary of his company.
Captain Lovell then introduced Ex-Lieut .- Colonel Ferris of the NINTH, who spoke a few happy sentiments of pleasure at being present.
The " Blues " were quartered at the Lafarge House while in the city ; most of the time was spent in visiting. the neigh- boring places of interest, amongst which was Throggs Neck, where they were entertained in glorious style by Mr. B. M. Whitlock ; they also visited the residence of Lieut .- Colonel Ferris, at Bloomingdale.
Before leaving, the " Blues,". ninety-six men strong, were photographed by Brady, and upon their return to Savannah, a set of resolutions were engrossed and sent to the City Guard, in compliment to the many courtesies extended to them during their visit to New York.
On the afternoon of the 25th, guests and hosts marched down Broadway. The " Blues " baggage wagon, which fol- lowed, was decorated with a number of American flags, while on top was a large white streamer, on which were the words in red letters, "City Guard." In rear of the wagon was a banner with the following inscription :
No North No East
Savannah Blues! (Cap of Liberty) No South (Clasped Hands) No West
New York, July 25, 1860.
This Savannah company, as well as the "City Guard," took prominent and antagonistic part in the Civil War, which so soon followed this interchange of brotherly fellowship.
On the 31st of August, Lieutenant John B Coppinger, of Company E, addressed a letter to Lord Palmerston, the Brit- ish Premier, asking whether his Company would be permitted to land in England, " armed and equipped as the U. S. law directs," on a military excursion, to exchange courtesies with the English Volunteers ; and on the 12th of October, Lord
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1860
RECEPTION OF THE PRINCE OF WALES.
Palmerston replied that Her Majesty's government, as well as the whole British nation, would feel very great pleasure at a friendly visit from any portion of the people of the United States, but that it would not be consistent with the laws of the United Kingdom, that a body of armed men, organized as a military body, and not being subjects of the British Sovereign, should land in the United Kingdom and move about therein. His Lordship added, however, that if any of the members of Company E, were to come over to England in the summer of the next year, bringing with them their rifles for the purpose of entering into competition at the annual rifle-shoot, they would be, no doubt, most heartily welcomed.
Early in October, the "State Guard " (Company A), Cap- tain Johnson, entertained at a banquet in the Apollo Rooms, the New Haven Grays. Speeches were made by Colonels Van Beuren and Le Gal, Captain Johnson, and Captain Osborn of the " Grays." The entertainment was a flattering success, and was highly enjoyed by those present. .
On the 11th, the First division-four brigades -- and the First brigade of the Second division, paraded in honor of the Prince of Wales. Line was formed at noon, on the Battery, and after waiting some time for the distinguished visitor, the troops were dismissed for refreshments, but the roar of the salute to royalty, fired from Fort Columbus, soon brought the men in line again. About two o'clock, the Revenue Cutter Harriet Lane, carrying the Prince and his suite, and a party of gentlemen who had gone down the bay to meet them, landed at Castle Garden. This venerable depot for " distin- guished foreigners " received the party, who were welcomed by the Mayor, Fernando Wood, in the name of the city. Major- General Sandford received the Prince at the "Castle " gate ; the visitors were then mounted upon gaily caparisoned horses and proceeded to review the troops.
After this the line moved to the City Hall Park, where the Prince and the Mayor made another review and were tendered a marching salute.
An immense crowd, variously estimated at from one to two
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1860
THE NINTH NEW YORK.
hundred thousand people, witnessed the pageant, and as many more were disappointed in not seeing the royal visitor, for it was dark before the column reached Canal Street. The right of it was halted at Great Jones Street, and when the troops had been placed in line on the east side of Broadway, the royal party passed, under the escort of Captain Joshua M. Varian's troop of cavalry of the Eighth regiment. The throng crowding the sidewalks and looking from every window obtained but a glimpse of the Prince, as with his white plumed chapeau in hand, he bowed his acknowledgments to the hearty greeting. The NINTHI would have appeared to better advantage had the number under arms been greater; as it was, the regiment looked well, and the companies marched with a steady step and an even front. For reasons best known to the members, the Sixty-ninth regiment refused to appear in the parade.
On the 12th of November, Company C, under command of Captain Lovell, went to Fort Hamilton for target practice with the heavy guns. The company mustered about sixty, and marched to the Wall Street ferry, where it embarked up- on the Union Ferry Company's boat Peconic, graciously fur- nished for the occasion.
The sail down the bay was enlivened by the music of Dodworth's band. A number of invited guests were in the party, among whom were General Hall, Colonels Bostwick and Burnham ; Major Lansing, Captain Sweeny, Lieutenant Johns, U. S. A., and Mr. Smith, the president of the ferry company.
Arriving at the dock, near Fort Hamilton, the company marched to the parade ground, doffed their bear-skin shakos, donned their fatigue caps, and assembled about the guns on the barbette tier. From among the older members of the company, seven gun's crews of five men each were selected, who manned the old 32 pounders. Each crew fired one round of blank cartridge, after which the pieces were shotted.
A target, ten by twenty feet in size, had been anchored in the bay, at a distance of one mile from the fort, against which the practice fire was directed. The first discharge was a direct "line shot," and the ball fell only a few feet short of the mark.
19
AT FORT HAMILTON.
1860
Each gun's crew fired in turn, and the second shot of the second round struck and unmoored the target, which, moving with the tide, or current, made it an exceedingly difficult object to hit. The firing, however, was kept up, and several shots reached the object. When the target had floated out of range, the firing ceased. The company soon after returned to the city, and while en route were treated to a collation, at which toasts were drank and complimentary speeches delivered. All voted the trip a decided success. Much military knowledge had been gained, and a delightful social occasion enjoyed. Upon arrival at the city, at four o'clock, the company paraded through Wall Street and Broadway back to the armory, and were then dismissed.
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