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 8
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106
SERVICES REQUIRED OF
this State, he will by virtue of this order consider himself fully authorized to call out immediately the whole of the said brigade for the purpose of repell- ing such invasion.
" Gen. Stevens is also required to devise and announce beforehand a plan for assembling the artillery detachment, and also the whole brigade, most expeditiously upon a sudden emergency, to fix the respective places of rendezvous for the detach- ments, and their line of march to their respective places of destination, so as not to retard each other. Much reliance is placed by the commander-in-chief in the intelligence, experience and patriotism of Major-Gen. Stevens, and upon his devotedness to render important services to his country in the present trying crisis. His Excellency confidently
Cornwallis in October, 1781. He rode on horseback at the head of the artillery of the American army on their entrance into New York city on November 25th, 1783, after the evacuation by the British. He continued in the service until the army was disbanded in 1783. He entered into commercial business in Providence, R. I., and re- mained there until he removed to New York city in 1787, and be- came a leading merchant there. He was in business in New York city at the time of Washington's first inauguration, but did not take part in the military parade because the artillery was not represented on that occasion. He was one of the founders of the Tammany Society in 1789. In March, 1798, as a representative of the New York Chamber of Commerce, he proceeded to Philadelphia with a petition to Congress asking for an appropriation to further fortify New York harbor. He became the agent of the war department and superintended the construction of the fortifications on Governor's Island in 1800; was member of New York Legislature in 1800 and assistant alderman in New York city in 1802; was major-general of artillery of New York State some time before the war of 1812 and continued in service until the end of the war in 1815, when he re- signed and withdrew from public service. His services in that war will be detailed in the subsequent pages of this work.
In Trumbull's famous painting. in the rotunda of the capitol at Washington, of the surrender of Burgoyne, Col. Stevens is a promi- nent figure leaning on a cannon, and in the painting of the surrender of Cornwallis at. Yorktown, by the same artist, Col. Stevens is mounted at the head of an artillery regiment. He died in 1823.
107
MAJOR-GEN. STEVENS.
hopes that the General will exert his talents, his in- fluence, and his official authority to produce a vig- orous prosecution of the war, as the most certain means of ensuring a speedy, honorable and prosper- ous consummation of it, and a consequent happy and durable peace.
"WM. PAULDING, JR., Adjt. - Gen."
On same day (June 27) Major-General Van Rens- selaer ordered Brigadier-General Giles to order Lieut .- Col. Jacob Odell's regiment of cavalry into service.
On the 28th, eighty of the recruits enlisted at Hudson, N. Y., and drilled by Major Backus and En- sign McClelland, were placed on Governor's Island for duty.
Some of the regimental commanders ordered their captains to make a new enrollment of all those within their districts and make a return of the names and places of residence of every citizen they may enroll, to the adjutant.
The following order was issued by Lieut .- Col. Van Buren :
"115TH REGT., 10TH BRIGADE,
"CITY AND COUNTY OF NEW YORK, June 29, 1812.
"Commandants of companies are hereby ordered to make a new enrollment of their respective com- panies and districts on or before the third day of July, and make a return of the name and place of residence of every citizen they may enroll, to the adjutant at his quarters, No. 68 Wall street, on or before that day. It is expected that officers will be particular in making their enrollment. The times
108
UNITED STATES ARTILLERY, ETC.
demand that every person subject to do military duty should be enrolled."
About the first of July Lieut .- Col. David Brearley, of the fifteenth United States infantry, with five hundred men came to New York and took com- mand of the troops and fortifications at the Narrows.
In the fore part of July Gen. Bloomfield assigned : Col. Jonathan Williams to take command of Castle- William on Governor's Island. On the 6th of July, 1812, Major Alexander Macomb, Jr. (afterwards major-general of the United States army), of the · corps of engineers, was appointed colonel of the third regiment of United States artillery, and on the 31st of July Col. Jonathan Williams, chief engineer, resigned his commission in the United States army in consequence of the dissatisfaction expressed by some of the artillery at his being assigned to the command of Castle Williams, and the complications arising out of the same, which threatened to deprive him of this command to which he felt himself entitled by his rank and services. Under the army regulations this brought Major Joseph G. Swift forward, and he became colonel and chief engineer, with headquar- ters at New York city.
There were only two hundred artillerymen of the United States army in the forts near New York city at the end of July, 1812. All the other artillery were from the militia of New York and New Jersey.
July 25th, on Sunday morning, an artillery regi- ment attended St. John's Episcopal Church in a body, in uniform and side arms, and fife and drums. On leaving church after the service they marched out. to the tune of "Yankee Doodle." Many of the citi- zens did not like a demonstration of this kind, and
109
FIRST VOLUNTEER REGIMENT.
freely said so. It was claimed that they opposed the war and whatever was done in that direction.
It is probable that the artillery regiment referred to, consisted of the battalions under command of Col. Robert Swartwout and Col. John Bleecker, as they were stationed at the battery off Hubert street, which was very near St. John's church.
July 27th, Maj .- General Coles was ordered by the Governor to send detached infantry of New York city and Westchester, Kings and Richmond coun- ties, to Gen. Bloomfield at New York city when asked for by requisition.
Gen. Van Zandt, of the third brigade, issued an order on the 27th of July that no officer in the brigade should be absent from the city for more than twelve hours without a furlough.
At a meeting of the officers of Col. Cornelius Har- sen's artillery regiment on July 29th, 1812, it was resolved that the regiment offer their services as a . body to the Governor under the general order of April 21, 1812. It was accepted early in August as a part of the quota of militia from New York. Itis said that this was the first regiment of volunteers in the war.
Some companies of Col. Harsen's regiment were posted on Bedloe's Island, Staten Island, and the Narrows at New Utrecht, and elsewhere in New York harbor. Capt. Barnet Anderaise, of the second company, was stationed at Bedloe's Island.
Lieut .- Col. Harsen's (the eleventh) regiment was a new one, being almost entirely recruited within the three months previous. He received his com- mission as lieutenant-colonel of the eleventh regi- ment of artillery, on the 26th of May. It was compos-
110
ARTILLERY TARGET
ed of a battalion of artillery and one of infantry. It was designated as the eleventh regiment New York State artillery, and contained about 300 men .*
Aug. 11th, 1812, General Bloomfield was relieved of his command at New York, under order of Aug. 3d, and Brigadier-General John Armstrong took command.
Aug. 12, 1812, General Armstrong, commanding at New York, requested Gov. Bloomfield, of New Jersey, to detail five hundred militia to repair to Fort Richmond, Staten Island, by the 20th of Au- gust, 1812. They were accordingly detailed from Major-Gen. Ludlow's division of New Jersey mil- itia. There were eleven companies under command of Major Isaac Andrus, and were to report to Gen. Armstrong at New York city.
On August 14th there was target practice by the artillery militia from Castle Williams and the fort at the Battery. The target was an old hulk an- chored in the bay about one thousand yards from the shore, equi-distant from Castle Williams and the fort at the Battery. The stern of the vessel was presented for the target. The firing commenced by Gen. Morton's brigade from 6, 9, 12 and 18-pounders
* The United States official Army Register does not mention this regiment or any of its officers, neither does it mention that there was any first regiment of United States volunteers from New York, but it contains the second and third regiments of United States volun- teers from New York. The eleventh regiment was in service during the entire war and the cause of omission to mention it in an official pub- lication cannot now be ascertained by the writer, but he presumes that it was always considered as a detachment from the New York mil- itia, and although mustered into the United States service, yet did not technically belong to the United States army as volunteers or otherwise. Gardner's Army Register does not mention any of the officers of this regiment nor any of the militia of any State de- tached or mustered into active service of the United States in the war of 1812.
111
PRACTICE IN THE CITY.
stationed on the Battery parade. The veteran corps of artillery commanded by Captain Delamater fired several shots from a "long nine " which raked the hull of the target repeatedly. The detachment from Gen. Morton's brigade on duty in the fort at the battery also fired several shots which passed directly through the hull. Several heavy shot from the guns in Castle Williams also hulled the target. Af- ter the firing had continued two hours the hulk was perceived to be on fire. This was caused by a few of the hot shot fired by Col. Curtenius' regiment, and which were heated in a traveling forge attached to the brigade-no hot shot were fired from the forts. After the firing had ceased a number of officers and many citizens went on board and on examination it appeared that almost every shot had done consider- able injury, as there was not a place about the ves- sel four feet square which had not been struck or perforated by the shot. The mizzenmast was nearly cut through about two feet above the deck, the fore- mast and mainmast had received several balls (ap- parently six-pounders), and the pumps and bow- sprit were much shattered.
The following is a detailed statement of the re- sult :
Guns. Took effect. Missed.
From Castle Williams,
30
27
3
" Fort at the Battery,
40
36
4
" Artillery at Battery,
244
191
53
Total,
314
254
60
The next morning one of the city daily papers said of this firing :
"We congratulate our fellow citizens on the evi-
112
TARGET PRACTICE
dence they afforded that we are possessed of ade- quate means for the defence of our harbor, and that it depends with ourselves whether New York shall become at any time the victim of British rapacity."
A few days afterwards Lieut .- Col. Joseph G. Swift, then in command of the corps of engineers of the United States at New York, to further satisfy the public, and being desirous of establishing, by un- equivocal experiments, the accuracy and effect of a 32-pound shot fired across the Narrows, requested Captain Chauncey, commandant of the navy yard and flotilla in the harbor of New York, to favor him with his assistance. Captain Chauncey obligingly ordered gunboat No. 6, commanded by Lieutenant Kearney, on that duty.
In order to give the utmost authenticity to the in- tended experiments, the commandant asked Brig .- Gen. Morton, who had previously intimated his wish to have the minds of the citizens of New York satis- fied as to this important fact, to attend on the occasion, with such other gentlemen as he might think proper. Accordingly, Col. Alex. Macomb, Jr., of the engineers, went in the morning on board of No. 6, and was soon after joined by Captain Chauncey, General Morton, Colonel Cur- tenius, Major John Bleecker, and Captain Anthony Bleecker, of the brigade of artillery. The gunboat dropped down to the Narrows, and came to anchor in twelve feet of water on the edge of Hendrick's Reef, at three hundred and fifty yards distance from the Long Island shore. The direct distance across the Narrows from this place was fourteen hundred and eighty-six yards ; but as bushes and other obsta- cles rendered it difficult to place a target _to_advan-
113
AT THE NARROWS.
tage in that direction, a spot free from any obstacles was chosen on a bluff under the southernmost private signal staff on Staten Island, from the obliquity of which the distance was increased to seventeen hun- dred and fifty yards, or one mile. The target con- sisted of a small white flag, containing one yard square of bunting. The following table exhibits the result of the experiments from the reef :
Shot.
Nature.
Charge.
Dist.
Right of Target. 2 yds.
Left of
Above
Below
1
32-p'nder.
8 1bs.
1,750
5 yards)}
3
10 yds.
4
66
66
6 yds. *
2 yds.
6
66
7
+
The gunboat then warped as near as possible to the shore and within the line of wharves on Long Island ; and from this position made the following experiments. The gun, in this instance and the foregoing, was pointed and fired by Captain Chaun- cey :
Shot.
Charge.
Distance.
Right of Target. 12 yds.
Remarks.
1st.
8 lbs.
2,200
On a horizontal line
2d.
66
66
with the target. Passed through the tar- get and buried itself 4 feet in the bank.
For the purpose of ascertaining the result of the firing, Major Bleecker, Col. Macomb and Mr. Muh- lenberg, of the navy, were stationed in a barge near the shore, and examined the result of the several shots.
"HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK, Aug. 18, 1812. " On reconsideration of the services to be per-
* Struck at the foot of the pole of the target.
+ Struck the crest of the hill and passed through.
On a horizontal line with the target.
Target. Target. Target .. 3 yards.
2
66
66
5
114
MILITIA ORDERED
formed as well at the Narrows on Staten Island as at Sag Harbor on Long Island, I have thought it advisable to alter and extend the requisition which I had yesterday the honor of making, so as to in- clude an additional company of infantry, for the former, and for the latter instead of one company of horse artillery that there be ordered out of Gen. Rose's brigade, one company of artillery, one of in- fantry, and one troop of horse or horse artillery. I have the honor to be with great respect, .
"Your Excellency's most obedient and very humble servant,
".Gov. TOMPKINS." "JOHN ARMSTRONG."
August 19th, 1812, the following New York militia companies were called to rendezvous on August 27th, 1812, to proceed to the defence of New York city, destined for Staten Island, for ninety days' service and to embark on sloops by signal gun at following places:
Capt. Walker, artillery, Albany.
Wigton,
Hudson.
Stocking, 66 Catskill.
66. Nelson,
Poughkeepsie.
Butterworth " Newburgh.
66 Buckley, light infantry, Albany.
Pierson, Athens.
66 Lawson, 66 Poughkeepsie. do
66 Wilson, 66 66
66 Denniston, " 66
66 Birdsall, 66
Newburgh. do
66 Dubois, 66 66 Catskill.
They were all from the second brigade of detached militia.
115
TO NEW YORK CITY
They arrived in the city in sloops and the Gov- ernor issued the following order:
"STATE OF NEW YORK, GENERAL ORDERS.
" HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK, Aug. 31st, 1812.
: "A number of volunteer corps from the cities of Albany and Hudson, and the villages of Athens, Catskill, Poughkeepsie and Newburgh, have arrived in this city and will, together with Captain Hartell's company of light infantry, rendezvous at the Arsenal, at the corner of White and Elm streets, to-morrow morning, September the first, precisely at seven o'clock.
"From the Arsenal they will proceed to Whitehall and there embark for the State forts at Staten Island.
" As the above mentioned troops are destined to aid in the defence and protection of the harbor and city of New York, they will be escorted by the uniform troops of the city from the Arsenal to Whitehall.
"For that purpose the first brigade of artillery, the first regiment of riflemen, Major Warner's squadron of cavalry, and the uniform independent companies of the city of New York, not attached to the said brigade regiments and squadron, are directed to parade uniformed and equipped under the command of Brigadier-General Morton, to-morrow morning precisely at six o'clock.
"By order of the Commander-in-chief,
(Signed) " WILLIAM PAULDING, JUNR., " Adjutant General."
At the conclusion of the reception and review by the Governor he issued an order assigning them to
116
MILITIA ON STATEN ISLAND
Fort Richmond on Staten Island, and formed them into a regiment under the command of Lieut .- Col. Robert Swartwout, who was to report the state of the regiment to Brig .- Gen. Armstrong, who then had command at New York.
The garrison of New York militia in Fort Rich- mond on Staten Island, under the command of Lieut .- Col. Robert Swartwout, was composed of five companies of artillery and eight companies of light infantry. The fort then had 83 thirty-two- pounders mounted and all were well equipped.
The detachment of New Jersey militia in service there consisted of eleven companies under command of Major Isaac Andrus and was composed of about three hundred men.
Aug. 26, 1812, a deserter was ordered to be shot on Governor's Island. He had deserted five times and received bounty for enlisting three times. He was taken out to be shot, and blindfolded, and when the order was given, it was "one, two, three, shoulder arms !" He had been pardoned at the last moment.
"STATE OF NEW YORK, GENERAL ORDERS,
" HEADQUARTERS, ALBANY, Aug. 26, 1812.
"Pursuant to a requisition of General Armstrong, by the authority of the President of the United States, three companies of 40 men each, belonging to the thirty-third brigade of infantry of this State are to be formed and put into the service of the United States for the defence of the county of Suf- folk.
"One company of foot artillery will be stationed at Sag Harbor to protect the arsenal and to maneu-
117
AND FOR SUFFOLK COUNTY.
vre the cannon stored at the place in the event of an emergency ; one company of infantry, and another of horse artillery or cavalry will be ordered into ser- vice from the said brigade and be disposed of for the defence of Suffolk county as may be directed by Brigadier-General Rose. General Rose will also as- sign the officers of the said companies, station the said companies of infantry and horse artillery or cavalry as he may deem most useful for the protec- tion of the inhabitants of Suffolk county, and will in other respects regulate the organization and des- tination thereof. The said companies will be sub- ject to the orders of General Armstrong at the city of New York, to whom the commandants of said companies will report themselves, and from whom they will receive further instructions and orders.
"By order of the Commander-in-chief, " ROBERT MACOMB, "Lieut .- Col. and Aid-de-camp."
Aug. 31, 1812, Gen. Armstrong called on the Gov- ernor for four regiments of artillery and two regi- ments of infantry to rendezvous at the Battery on 15th of September.
On the 2d of September, 1812, the 500 New Jer- sey militia in service at Powles' Hook, by order of the Governor of New Jersey in June, were relieved by 500 other men, for a period of ninety days' ser- vice.
On September 3d, the commander-in chief ordered the two detached regiments of infantry and first brigade of artillery under Brigadier-General Morton (except the horse artillery and the companies of foot artillery in Suffolk county) to rendezvous on the 15th of September in New York city.
118
MILITIA IN SERVICE
Capt. Piercy's cavalry and Major Warner's squad- ron and Capt. Stryker's company of riflemen in Kings county are ordered into service and into Lieut. - Col. Van Buren's regiment, all to be encamped in New York city or Kings county, subject to orders of Gen. Armstrong.
The horse artillery of Gen. Morton's brigade and the foot artillery in Suffolk county, Captain Mun- son's riflemen, and Captain Seaman's riflemen were all excepted from order of September 3d above.
The first regiment of detached militia infantry commanded by Col. Beekman M. Van Buren, com- posed of nine companies of infantry and Captain Piercy's cavalry, were assembled as required and or- dered on duty at Bath, L. I., for three months' service.
In response to Gen. Armstrong's call of 31st of August and the Governor's order of September 3d, the second regiment of first brigade of infantry, com- manded by Lieut .- Col. Jonas Mapes, convened at the Battery and were ordered on duty at New Utrecht and Bath, L. I., for three months, consist- ing of about 600 men and officers.
Pursuant to order of the Governor and also of Gen. Morton, the first brigade of artillery assembled on the 15th of September at the Battery, equipped for duty and were conveyed to Bedloe's and Ellis Islands, for three months' service.
We have before mentioned Major Francis Mc- Clure's regiment of riflemen. That part of it for- merly called the " Republican Greens" having ex- pressed a desire to aid in the conquest of Canada, they were excepted from the command of Lieut .- Col. Van Buren, stationed on Long Island, and on the 23d of
119
IN THE CITY.
September they embarked from New York city on board sloops to Albany as volunteers for a six months' service on the Niagara frontier. There were five companies under Captains Tate, Powers, H. Walker, Dillon, and A. Walker. Major Francis McClure was in command of the regiment .*
By the middle of September we have seen that the city and the various important points about the harbor were deemed sufficiently manned to put the inhabitants in a feeling of safety against inva- sion.
The total number of men placed into service to defend New York city and vicinity, that were con- vened in September, did not exceed a force of 3, 500 men at any time up to the end of the year. Of these 2,200 were New York State militia, about 500 were New Jersey militia, and the remainder were regulars of the United States army.
* When Major McClure arrived at the Niagara frontier some volunteer rifle companies from Albany, and others from Balti- more, Md., were added to his regiment, which was then composed of eleven companies and about 350 men. He was in command of it as Lieut .- Colonel. He was in command of a corps at the attempted conquest of Upper Canada by Gen. Alex. Smyth in November, 1812, and was at the head of his regiment at the capture of York (Toronto), in April, 1813. Was in command of his regiment in Gen. Boyd's brigade at the capture of Fort George on 27th May, 1813.
CHAPTER VII.
Blockade at the Narrows -- British Licenses to Merchant Vessels -Privateering from New York-The Gen. Armstrong- Letters of Marque Vessels-American Privateers and their Prizes in French Ports-Shipbuilders of New York-First Victory at Sea-City Council honors Capt. Hull-Other Naval Victories.
THE British squadron of war vessels on our coast in the neighborhood of New York in July, 1812, con- sisted of the Africa, sixty-four guns, Sparta, Shannon and Belvi- dera, thirty-eight guns each; Æo- lus, thirty-two guns, and, it was re- ported, the whole force of the Halifax squadron consisting of many smaller ves- sels. No attempt was made, however, to effectu- ally blockade New York city as to trading vessels any more than had been done in a manner for several years previous. Certain vessels with their cargoes to or from certain foreign ports, generally those that were in British possessions or to or from Spanish ports and the West Indies, were allowed to depart or to enter under a British license, after inspection and approval by a British war vessel, to see if the regulations directed by the British orders in council were complied with.
From the 6th of April to the 22d of August, 1812, there arrived at the port of New York from foreign places, one hundred and forty-two ships, eighty-four brigs, and forty schooners, preserved from the enemy's cruisers and privateers on the
121
PRIVATEERING.
ocean, most of them having British licenses. The embargo on American vessels prohibiting their departure continued up to July 4th, but non-inter- course with enemies of the United States was in force during the war.
The declaration of war authorized privateering against British vessels and commerce. This had been urged by the advocates of the war as a very effective means of warfare. As soon as practicable, vessels of this kind were fitted out at New York city and other ports.
These vessels were equipped at the expense and risk of private individuals and were commissioned by the government to cruise against the enemy's vessels.
In lawful captures by privateers the prize money arising from the sale of the ships and cargo accrued only to the owners, officers and crews of the priva- teer, to be distributed according to any written agreement between them, and if there was no writ- ten agreement one-half of the prize money went to the owners and the other half to the officers and crews according to rank. The cargo was to pay duty as in other cases of imports. Two per cent on the net amount of prize money was paid over to the collectors as a fund for widows and orphans of seamen and disabled seamen. A bounty of twenty dollars was paid by the United States government for each person on board an enemy's ship at the commencement of an engagement which was burnt, sunk or destroyed by any United States vessel of equal or inferior force.
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