USA > New York > New York City > New York city and vicinity during the war of 1812-15, being a military, civic and financial local history of that period, Vol. I > Part 22
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29
This is the first time that I find the name, "Inde- pendent Veteran Corps of Artillery," applied to the veteran corps. It had changed commanders since the parade on the 4th of July previous, George W. Chapman had been made its captain, and it had probably been reorganized for more active service. There were then about seventy members in it. For a description of their uniform, see ante, p. 249.
The practice of some of them marching to the Bat- tery with drums and fifes and raising the flag at sun. rise on the anniversary is believed to have been in- troduced several years subsequent to 1820.+
One account of the celebration said :
"The brigade of artillery under Gen. Morton turned out and formed a line at the Battery at eleven
* This hotel was the place where Gen. Washington took farewell of his generals in December, 1783. It was then called "Francis's Tavern " being kept by Samuel Francis (he spelled his name Fraunces in his deed of conveyance in 1785), a West Indian mulatto of French extraction. When Washington was elected to the presidency, "Black Sam " was appointed steward to his establishment. (See Valentine's Manual for 1854 and The Century Magazine for April 1889.)
After Fraunces sold it it was called Washington Hotel up to 1813, when in consequence of Washington Hall being opened as a hotel on Broadway, corner of Reade Street, it was then the former was known by the name of the keeper, Kent.
t This corps was organized under the State law of 1808, which pro- vided " that the commander-in-chief may, in his discretion, whenever sixty or more persons, exempt by law from military duty on account of services in the late war or age, will associate together and form a company for the defence of the country, upon an emergency, in any particular place, or at any particular point of danger, in case of war, and will sign a roll pledging themselves to bear arms and take the field in any district or place in this State, when the same may be invaded or likely to be, to organize such association and commission officers by brevet therefor, and upon their giving ample and satis- factory security for the return thereof upon demand, to supply them with arms out of the public arsenal."
None of the officers were members of the State Society of Cincin , nati.
335
SKETCH OF GEN. MORTON.
o'clock and they were reviewed by Major-Gen. Ste- vens, Gen. Dearborn, Gen. Steddiford and Gen. Mor- ton, after which they marched up Broadway up Chatham Row and passed west in front of the City Hall, where they fired a Federal salute of eighteen guns and were dismissed."
One other account said :
"In the morning the military, consisting of Gen. Morton's brigade of artillery and Major Warner's squadron of cavalry, paraded on the Battery and were reviewed by Major-Gen. Dearborn and Gen. Stevens and Morton with their suite. They then formed a column, marched through several of the principal streets again to the Battery, where a feu de joie was fired by the musketry and a Federal salute of eighteen guns from the artillery, and the troops were dismissed .* The gunboats under command of
* The name most frequently mentioned in the preceding pages is that of Gen. JACOB MORTON. He was the son of John Morton, who was one of the committee of one hundred in New York city during the Revolution, and was a delegate to the sec- ond New York Provincial Congress. John Morton had eight children, of which Jacob, the oldest, married Catherine Ludlow, in 1791, daughter of Carey Ludlow of No. 9 State Street. Eliz- abeth married Hon. Josiah Quincy. Washington married Cornelia Schuyler, daughter of Gen. Schuyler. Jacob Morton was born July 8, 1761. He graduated from Princeton in 1778 and was admitted to the New York bar in 1784.
In 1797 he was in command of the third New York militia infan- try regiment. The captains were Isaac Heyer, Henry J. Wyckoff, John Elting, Nathaniel Bloodgood and John Graham. Bernard Hart was quartermaster. The lieutenants were William Hosack, Henry Sands, Henry Cruger, Jr., Peter A. Jay and Edward W. Laight. (The latter subsequently was in command of the eighty- fifth regiment during the war.) He was afterwards transferred to the sixth regiment of infantry militia. The first brigade of militia artillery organized in the State of New York was in 1804 and was composed of two regiments located in New York city and was placed under command of Gen. Jacob Morton. It was for many years known as Morton's brigade, and when other bri- gades were formed, this was known and designated as the first brigade of New York State artillerv. He continued in command
336
SKETCH OF GEN. MORTON.
Com. Lewis, which were in the harbor, were richly decorated with the colors of different nations."
On that day an elegant embroidered standard was presented by Mrs. Sibbalds to the fourth troop of
of this brigade until his promotion to major-general after the war.
We have already seen how his brigade was composed when war was declared (ante, p. 86).
On the 4th of July, 1813, his brigade was reorganized by Gov- ernor Tompkins and comprised the following regiments and com- manders of them: second, Peter Curtenius; third, Martin Boerum (of Brooklyn); ninth, John Bleecker ; eleventh, Corne- lius Harsen.
He was made an honorary member of the New York State Society of Cincinnati in 1794, and on his death the following notice was issued on the 3d December, 1836, by said society :
"The president with deep and sincere regard announces to the members of the society, that their worthy and respected friend, Major-General Jacob Morton, died this morning of apoplexy in the 76th year of his age. His death was awfully sudden and should impress upon those who survive, the great truth, 'in the midst of life we are in death,' and induce them to be prepared- as he believes the General was-for their final account.
" General Morton, like most of the young gentlemen who were driven from this city by the war of the Revolution, and its occupation by the British, studied law with the late Judge Pat- terson, of New Jersey, was first admitted to the bar of New Jer- sey, and afterwards to that of this State, and practised law in this city for many years. He received his first commission as an officer in the militia, on or about the year 1786, and contin- ued in commission until the time of his death. He was upon duty and acted as one of the marshals of the day, at the inaug- uration of General Washington, which took place in this city on the 30th day of April, 1789. He was afterwards colonel of the sixth regiment of infantry, and was transferred with that regiment to the artillery, and upon resignation of General Eben- ezer Stevens, was appointed in 1815 to the command of the first division of the artillery of this State. He served as a brigadier- general, in the war, 1812 to 1815, under orders of the President of this Society, who in 1814 was honored by the President of the United States with the command of the military district which included the city of New York. The President of the Society deems it justly due to General Morton to state, that whether in peace or war, he and the troops under his command were always ready to defend their country, and to sustain the civil authority to put down riot or civil commotions.
"In civil life, General Morton was not less distinguished. In the year 1795 he was elected a member of the House of Assembly from this city, and in 1797, upon the recommendation of the late
337
SKETCH OF GEN. MORTON.
flying artillery commanded by Capt. Sibbalds and attached to Col. Harsen's regiment.
" All shops and business places were closed, artisans and toilers ceased their work, the streets
Governor Jay, an Act was passed concentrating all the powers of the justices of the peace in relation to civil suits, into a court of justices of the peace, to be held daily at the City Hall, and General Morton, the late John Wells, James Morris, William Johnson and Samuel Jones, were appointed the judges of it. After filling the offices of alderman, comptroller and city inspec- tor, in 1810 he was appointed the clerk of the common council of this city, which office he held for more than twenty years and until his decease.
"In private life he was the urbane and accomplished gentle- man, an affectionate husband, a kind father, hospitable to strangers, a friend of the poor and a sincere Christian, and in every way deserving the confidence and esteem of his fellow citizens, and of the members of this Society of which he was an honorary member.
"The funeral will take place from No. 9 State Street, on the 6th December, at 2 P.M., and members of this Society are re- quested to wear the usual badge of mourning for thirty days in honor of their deceased associate.
" MORGAN LEWIS, President.
" CHARLES GRAHAM, Secretary."
Gen. Morton was always enthusiastic in military matters, and he and his regiments were ready to parade on every occasion. When he became too old and feeble to mount his horse he re- viewed the troops on the battery from his balcony at his resi- dence, No. 9 State Street, and on these occasions, he always re- ceived from them the compliment of a marching salute, and he replied by a wave of his hand.
He was small in stature and had a large head. There was no waste material about him. He was erect in bearing, and digni- fied and courtly in manner. When he became old in the service he was called by the young men "The Little God of War."
The portrait gallery in the governor's room in theCity Hall contains an excellent portrait painted by Jarvis. He is repre- sented in the regalia of a member of the State Society of Cincin- nati with a view of Castle Clinton (now Castle Garden) in the background as it appeared in his day.
The famous huge punch bowl which was presented to the city by Gen. Morton, on the 4th of July, 1812, is still preserved in the governor's room in the City Hall. Out of this bowl the city fathers dipped their punch (hot or cold according to the season), during the war of 1812 and for many years after- wards. In politics he was a Federalist.
So many of Gen. Morton's relatives and descendants are still
338
GEN. MORTON'S DESCENDANTS.
decorated with patriotic emblems, alive with happy people, were given up to gaiety and mirth. To civic and military displays were added sumptuous dinners and convivial parties, while the school-boy rejoiced in a holiday ; the whole bearing witness to a people's gratitude for the deliverance which that memorable day brought them."
After the military were dismissed Capt. Swain's company of the third regiment of artillery marched
living among us that the following will prove interesting to many :
JACOB MORTON, born July 8th, 1761 ; died Dec. 3, 1836 ; mar- ried to Catharine Ludlow, June 25, 1791, who was born January 22, 1767, died May 11, 1849.
Their children were :-
John Ludlow Morton, born March 16, 1792 ; occupation, artist ; died August 2, 1871. Married Emily Ellison, Sept. 8, 1820.
George William Morton, born July 5, 1793; occupation, United States commissioner and clerk United States district court ; died May 7, 1865. Married Caroline Augusta Denning, October 11, 1827.
Charles Ferdinand Morton, born Oct. 30, 1794; occupation, United States army ; died April 10, 1868. Married Henrietta Ellison, March 3, 1830.
Catharine Margaretta Morton, born Oct. 22, 1798; died Jan- uary 20, 1808.
Edmund Morton, born June 1, 1800 ; occupation, gentleman farmer in Orange County, N. Y. ; married Catherine Ellison, Sept. 8, 1830 ; died Aug. 7, 1881.
Hester Sophia Morton, born Aug. 3, 1796. Married to Dr. Robert S. Bullus, June, 1832 ; died June 26, 1868. Dr. Bullus died November, 1885.
Washington Quincy Morton, born April 12, 1802. Occupa- tion, lawyer ; died Sept. 6, 1878. Never married.
Hamilton Morton, born Jan. 21, 1804. Occupation, surgeon in United States army, afterwards lawyer. Still living unmar- ried in New York city.
Henry Jackson Morton, born Sept. 5, 1807; occupation, Episcopal clergyman. Married, Sept. 1, 1831, Helen McFarland. Still living.
Four of Gen. Morton's sons graduated from Columbia college, and two others (W. Q. and Henry J.) graduated from Princeton. Three of them married three of the Ellison sisters.
For an account of the Ludlow and Ellison families see the gen- ealogical work of Robert Ludlow Fowler, entitled " Our Prede- cessors and Descendants " published in 1888.
339
MANY DINNERS.
to Hodgkinson's tavern, southwest corner of Fair (now Fulton) and Nassau Streets, and partook of a dinner. Toasts were drank.
A dinner was given by the mayor and common council at the City Hall, and a number of distin- guished guests were invited and entertained.
The Democrats of the city celebrated Evacuation Day by a subscription dinner at Tammany Hall. Walter Bowne (afterward mayor from 1828 to 1832) was president and Frederick Jenkins (of Jenkins. & Havens) was vice-president. Gen. Dearborn and suite were present. Toasts were given by Gen. Dearborn, Col. Simons, Col. S. Hawkins, Mr. Jenk- ins, Dr. Bullus, Capt. Haff, Alderman Bingham, Messrs. Pierson, Broome, John Rodman, J. L. Law- rance, William Irving, John Ferguson, P. Stagg, C. Baldwin, A. Dally, A. Stagg and Hegeman, Col. John Swartwout, Capt. Campbell, Capt. Sher- man and Dr. Cook.
The toasts were expressive of the political opin- ions and events of the day.
The Federalists had a subscription dinner at Washington Hall, where toasts were drank, etc., but they were very quiet and their toasts were not published.
It had been customary on every anniversary of Evacuation Day since Tammany Society had been organized, for the officials and members of that so- ciety to parade in the costume of the Indians, and some of them with buck tails in their hats, but on this day no parade was made, for the reasons al- ready stated about their parade in that manner on the 4th of July (ante, page 240, etc. ).
The Tammany Society satisfied themselves by
340
FESTIVITIES, SKY ROCKETS AND
celebrating the day simply by a dinner by them- selves at Tammany Hall, where toasts were drank.
The Columbian Society celebrated the day by a supper at Mr. J. Sagar's, who then kept the place cor- ner of Nassau and Spruce Streets formerly known as Martling's. Toasts were drank, and the following songs were rendered : "The Woodman," "Madison and Liberty," a national ode by R. Grant, Jr. ; "Yankee Boy," "Jefferson and Liberty," "Sheep Stealers," "Yankee Frolics," "Yankee Chronol- ogy," "John Bull has got the Gripes," by R. Grant, Jr., "Goddess of Liberty," "While Pensively I Thought on my Love."
In the evening the front of the Park Theater and the Panorama building next door exhibited brilliant emblematic transparencies.
"Fraternal Discord " was one of the pieces at the Park Theater. The new theater on Broadway called the Commonwealth, formerly called the Broadway Circus, had a national spectacle called " American Heroes, or the Triumph of Freedom;" the concluding scene was the " Palace of Neptune."
The most striking event of the occasion was the dinner of the eleventh regiment.
After the parade was over late in the afternoon, the officers of the eleventh regiment of artillery, commanded by Lieut .- Col. Cornelius Harsen, par- took of a sumptuous entertainment served by Messrs. Martling and Cozzens at Tammany Hall dining room. Gen. Mapes and suite (of the third brigade) and many other distinguished gentlemen were present. In the course of the evening Major-Gen. Dearborn, Major- Gen. Stevens and Gen. Morton, with their respective suites, joined the gathering. The eleventh regiment
341
CANNON'S ROAR.
band was in attendance. A cannon was stationed in the City Hall park, and by signal greeted every toast after it was pronounced, and was followed by the music of the band. There was also a brilliant display of rockets thrown from the portico of the City Hall from time to time by order of Gen. Dear- born.
The music following the regular toasts were : "Grand March," "Yankee Doodle," "President's March," "Patriotic March," "Gov. Tompkins' March," "America," "Commerce and Freedom," "Battle of Prague," "The Mariners," "Washing- ton's March," "Lexington March," "Hail Colum- bia," "Speed the Plough," "Yankee Doodle," "Com. Perry's March," "The Volunteer," "The Troop," "Fairy Dance."
Volunteer toasts were numerous, being given by all the leading military officers present, but they were unaccompanied with the roar of the cannon, the stirring music, and the flight of rockets. It was late in the evening before the festivities ceased.
The City Hall park was crowded during the even- ing and the enthusiasm displayed was immense.
The campaign of 1813 was over in the vicinity of New York and no fear was felt in the city of an at- tack by sea or land.
There was no call by the President or military commanders for a quota of detached militia for ser- vice in the third military district during the year 1813. It was left to the governors of the States of New York and of New Jersey to provide such addi- tional military forces as was outside of the regular army or volunteers in the regular service.
The troops remaining in service to defend the port
342
FORCES IN SERVICE.
of New York at the beginning of the year 1814 con- sisted of the following : Second United States vol- unteers (artillery), Col. Samuel Hawkins; Third Uni- ted States volunteers (riflemen), Lieut .- Col. Alex. Denniston ; Thirty-second United States infantry, Col. S. E. Fotterall ; Forty-first United States in- fantry, Col. Robert Bogardus ; Forty-second infan- try, Lieut .- Col. Jas. G. Forbes ; Third United States artillery, several companies, under Lieut .- Col. James House ; about 1,000 Sea Fencibles under Com. Lewis.
All the above mentioned were composed of recruits from New York, excepting a few others in the thirty-second infantry and third artillery.
There were a very large proportion of these forces on furlough, but they could be readily called into service in case of an emergency, as they were near at hand, mostly in the city and its immediate neigh- borhood. On the 8th of November some companies in Col. Hawkins' regiment were discharged, their term of enlistment having expired.
The following notice was issued near the end of the year :
"All troops on parole in the third military dis- trict will immediately report themselves to Lieut. Fink at the garrison on Staten Island, near Fort Richmond, for the purpose of receiving clothing and rations, Lieut. Fink having removed his quar- ters from Fort Gansevoort to the above said garrison on Staten Island.
"By order of Adjutant General."
The official report of the detached militia of New Jersey who were in the service of the United States during the entire year of 1813 is as follows :
343
NEW JERSEY MILITIA.
1813. Officers. Non-Com. Privates.
INFANTRY.
From April 28 to Sept. 18,
4
13
84
May 3 " Oct. 31, 7
9
91
" 24 " Sept. 30,
4
8
82
66 28 " " 18,
16
17
158
July 15 66
30, 5
15
99
CAVALRY.
" May 9 " Sept. 18,
5
8 42
ARTILLERY.
" April 28 " Sept. 18, 1
2 16
RIFLEMEN.
" May 11 " Sept. 18, 2
4 49
The number of New Jersey militia that were in service during the year 1813 were virtually all for the defence of the city and harbor of New York, but some were stationed on Delaware Bay. Many of them were not mustered into the United States service as detached militia, but were ordered out by the governor as independent militia, subject en- tirely to his orders and at such places as he deemed best to protect the sea coast of the State. These were on the Delaware and at Sandy Hook and the Highlands of Navesink and at Paulus Hook, and were not subject to the commander of the third mili- tary district, so long as they did not interfere with his forces and stations, but he was consulted about the disposition of those placed in this district.
The first division of New Jersey militia, consisting of East Jersey, was under command of Gen. Wil- liam Colfex, and was comprised in the third United States military district with New York city.
344
GEN. MORTON'S BRIGADE.
The second division of New Jersey comprised West Jersey, and was under command of Gen. Ebenezer Elmer, of the Cumberland brigade, and was comprised in the fourth United States military district with Philadelphia.
The enlistment and volunteers had drawn heavily from the uniformed militia in the vicinity of New York. Many of their officers had received commis- sions in the regular service. Never as full as could be required by law, this depletion of city regiments was now felt more than ever. Although their arms were stacked, they were still watching and ready for any emergency that might require their services in the defence of their own and their neighbors' prop- erty and homes against an invader.
Gen. Morton's brigade of artillery was not as full as could be wished, but they were all well disciplined and drilled in heavy artillery as well as for field ser- vice. Much reliance was placed upon them in case of an attack by way of Long Island Sound. The forces in service were mainly at Sandy Hook and the Narrows; few were at the forts in the harbor and in the city. Com. Lewis' flotilla of gunboats was in the harbor ready to proceed into Long Island Sound or down to Sandy Hook.
CHAPTER XVIII.
National Financial Condition-Issue of Treasury Notes-Taken by New York Banks-Names of City Subscribers to National Loans-National Direct Taxes-City Revenne and Taxation -National Internal Revenue in the City-State Taxation- The Financial Outlook.
HEN the question of peace or war arises in a nation, financial condi- tions are usually chief and foremost to be considered, and they more often decide the question of an ag- gressive war than do any other con- siderations.
The financial condition of this country had long been the greatest difficulty that the war party had to contend with. The most popu- lar argument against the war was the cost of it, and at a time, too, when the foreign commerce and prosperity of the country had been depleted by em- bargos and restrictive laws for many years, as well as by the action of foreign nations toward the mer- chant marine that sailed under the American flag, and that sought commerce to and from the ports of the United States.
In addition to this the old United States Bank, with its ten million dollars capital, ceased to exist on the 4th of March, 1811. It had a branch in New York city and did a large business there. The sud- den withdrawal of so much capital from the busi- ness of the country caused great financial distress,
346
NATIONAL FINANCES.
particularly among New York merchants. The at- tempts by State legislation to create new banks had been done in such manner as not to inspire much confidence in them, and many or nearly all the banks in New York State and in the various parts of the country had not yet had time to have paid in all the capital which the laws allowed them or required that they should have.
Our national financial affairs had been rapidly growing worse as the expenses of the war increased. The people knew little of the real financial condi- tion, but felt more keenly than any time before the higher prices and burdens of increased taxes, and the prospect of still greater financial burdens if the war was continued.
The first loan, out of which the main expenses of the war had been borne, was authorized before war had been declared. This was the loan of eleven millions authorized by act of March 14, 1812. It was United States six per cent stock, as it was then called, and was taken at par. A portion of the stock was payable one year after the date of issue.
Soon after war was declared further loans were sought by means of United States treasury notes.
The first act authorizing the issuing of treasury notes became a law June 30, 1812. It was for $5,000,000-none were to be for less than $100. They were all issued before the end of the year 1813, and were to be redeemed during the year 1814. They were payable one year after date and bore five and two-fifths per cent interest per annum.
The amount of monies obtained by loans and treasury notes in New York city during the year
347
LOANS IN NEW YORK CITY.
ending December 1, 1812, was $3,333,000 out of a total of $13,100,200 in the United States. It was all taken at par.
Of this the Manhattan Company of New York city took $600,000 of the six per cent stock and one mil- lion United States treasury notes and the Mechanics' Bank took $600,000 of the six per cent stock and $600,000 in treasury notes. The amount of stock taken by individuals in New York was only $473,000.
There were about three millions in treasury notes issued during the year 1812, and became due in 1813.
On the 8th of February, 1813, Congress passed an act authorizing the borrowing of sixteen millions of dollars. For this loan the public were invited by advertisement to send in proposals to the United States treasury department until March 31st. Under this only $3,956,400 were offered to be taken. Of this $2,400,000 came from merchants in New York city, chiefly by the exertions of Jacob Barker.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.