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. II > Part 11
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A respectable portion of the physical force of this city is exempted from serving in the militia, except in cases of invasion. The body of firemen, consist- ing of upward of 1,000 able-bodied men ; those who have served a certain period in the artillery ; and persons above the age of 15, come principally under this description. To render this force of any use, it ought to be organized. The firemen might compose one regiment, the exempts another.
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RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED.
Although the Governor is authorized to call out the militia, at the expense of the State, yet. as no legislative appropriation has been made for this ob- ject, it would be proper that the Corporation should loan the necessary funds on this occasion.
The removal of the shipping from our harbor to some place of safety, besides being beneficial to the owners, will diminish the inducement of the enemy to attack the city, and will prevent the services of an efficient body of men from being diverted from the public defence to the conservation of the shipping.
With a view of bringing these propositions before the Common Council in a formal shape. the Com- mittee submit the following resolutions :
1. Resolved, That Alderman Mapes and Alder- man Smith be requested forthwith to call upon the President of the United States, and respectfully to solicit the attention to the objects above stated as being within the purview of his official powers.
2. Resolved, That the Committee of Defence and Comptroller be a committee to procure the necessary ground on the heights of Brooklyn, the money therefor to be advanced by this Board, for an annual rent for the purposes above expressed, in full confi- dence that the same will be refunded by the State or General Government.
3. Resolved, That his Excellency the Governor be respectfully requested to call out, for the defence of this city, under the authority given him by the militia law, a competent number of militia to oc- cupy the proposed camps, and that the Corporation will loan the necessary funds, not exceeding $300,- 000, to be reimbursed by the State.
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RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED.
4. Resolved, That his Excellency the Governor be further respectfully requested to increase, by all means in his power, the munitions of war in this part of the State, and to cause the field artillery and arms to be put in complete order.
5. Resolved, That the Committee of Defence be instructed to attend to the organization of the ex- empts as above stated ; to the removal of the ship- ping, and to procuring the voluntary labor of our fellow-citizens on the encampments above men. tioned.
6. Resolved, That the Commissioners of Forti- fications be requested to hasten the erection of works on Hal et's Point, and Mill Rock, or such other works as they may judge necessary, to pre- vent the approach of the enemy to this city by the Sound.
7. Resolved, That General Fish and Mr. Wend- over be a committee to wait upon the Governor with these resolutions.
S. Resolved, That the Finance Committee be authorized to inquire and report as to the means of raising the moneys that may be required under these resolutions.
The Committee having been directed by the Com- mon Council 'o confer with his Excellency the Governor, and Major-General Lewis, conceive it no more than an act of justice to state, that those gentlemen have evinced every disposition to promote the defence of this city, and will unquestionably afford all the aid in their power for the attainment of this important object."
The weak points where the enemy would be most
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LOCATION OF FORTS.
likely to make an attack were well known, and had been openly discussed for some time previous.
The report of Gov. Tompkins to the State Legis- lature, dated March 15th, 1813 (see portion of it, ante, Vol. I., p. 178), was carefully made as to the measures necessary. In that report Gov. Tompkins said :
" Preparatory to an estimate of the forces which may be sufficient for the harbor of New York it will be proper to mention the points, which, in ad- dition to the present fortifications, may be occupied to great advantage :
"1. A battery upon the block which has been sunk opposite the Navy Yard, on the mud bank or island found between the East River and the chan- nel of the Wallabout Bay, would be a great protec- tion to the easterly side of the city ; such a work it is probable will be erected by the Navy Department. { "2. An open excavated battery of position on the high bank of the Long Island shore, between the house of Jeremiah Johnson and Williamsburgh, would be very powerful and commanding.
"3. A similar work will be required on the west- erly side of the river, at or near Corlear's Hook.
"4. A battery of eight or ten columbiads at some proper place on the shore of the East River, between Throgg's Neck and Blackwell's Island, is necessary to guard against the approach of vessels from the Sound.
"5. Works at Hoboken and Powles Hook (Jersey City) should also be accepted.
"6. A bomb battery for five or six ten-inch mortars at or near the quarantine ground, will be essential to
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FULTON'S IRONCLAD.
prevent vessels from lying in that anchorage to repair damage or to wait for a favorable wind or tide.
" 7. Redoubts, each containing a block house, upon the high ground of Long Island, southwest of Brook- lyn. which commands Red Hook. Governor's Island and the city, and also upon the eminences in the rear of the fortifications on Staten Island will be of great importance."
Work had been commenced in June, and was in progress, for the building of a fort at Hallet's Point. on the Brooklyn side of Hell Gate. The corner- stone for it was laid on the 14th of July, and it was called Fort Stevens, in honor of Major-Gen. Ebe- nezer Stevens, of the New York State militia artil- lery. It was an open battery of twelve guns. The day selected was the anniversary of the capture of Stony Point by Gen. Wayne.
A party consisting of Mayor Clinton, Col. Wil- liams, Major Fairlie, Gen. Morton, Gen. Stevens, Gen. Swift and Dr. Swift, his father, then assem- bled at Hallet's Point, and named the position Fort Stevens. After this, Gen. Stevens gave the party a dinner at Mount Napoleon, his country seat.
On the same day an order was issued by the Gov- ernor, detailing a militia detachment from Gen. Steddiford's brigade, to guard the ironclad frigate which was being built at Brown's yard, under the direction of Robert Fulton. The guard consisted of one sergeant, one corporal and twelve privates.
The next day Gen. Swift sent Lieut. James Gads- den, his aid-de-camp, to commence a block house on Mill Rock and a tower in the rear of Hallet's Point, to cover the right of our line of defence.
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FORTS AT HARLEM
On July 16th the work on Harlem Heights was commenced at Mount Alto, on the Hudson River near 123d street. The trenches were opened by a detachment of volunteer militia, citizens from the city, under Major Van Horn. The line was from Mount Alto, extending east across Bloomingdale road, where it was a bastion called Fort Horn, and along the elevated ground to McGowan's Pass and along the ledge of rocks and the elevated ground overlooking Harlem Flats, to Hell Gate. That line was taken in preference to an advanced one, because it was short and money and men were not yet at command.
The State had already done much in the way of building fortifications and supplying them with militia, and further appropriations were made to complete them.# While other parts of the State were actually invaded, and New York City only threatened, there was no choice as to how the State should act. This left the entire responsibility of the defence of the city mainly upon the citizens, in the way of fortifications. The necessary number of militia could probably be had, but the city must pay them and supply the munitions of defence, and trust to the future action of the National and State Governments to reimburse the expense.
On the 20th of July Gov. Tompkins, as Command- er-in-chief of the New York State Militia, ordered and directed that all of the militia of the State be kept in complete order for service and ready to
* The committee of fortifications for the city and State were De Witt Clinton, Arthur Smith, Gen. Jacob Morton, Gen. Peter Curtenius, and Major James Fairlie.
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GOV. TOMPKINS.
march at a moment's warning to any part of the State attacked, or in immediate danger of being at- tacked. The following is a copy of it :
STATE OF NEW YORK. GENERAL ORDERS.
Head-Quarters, Albany, July 20th, 1814.
In compliance with a requisition made by the President, pursuant to the laws of the United States, the Commander-in-chief of the State of New York directs that 13,500 of the militia of the State of New York be detached, organized, equipped and held in readiness for actual service.
The First Brigade of artillery, the Third and Tenth Brigades of infantry, and the uniform companies of artillery, light infantry, grenadiers and riflemen of Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam and Dutchess Counties will form the first division.
The artillery of Rockland, Orange, Dutchess and Putnam will be formed into a battalion, of which Major Samuel Slee, of Poughkeepsie, will be com- mandant. The second major of the battalion will be assigned by the commandant of the tenth regi- ment of artillery. This battalion will be attached to the First Brigade of artillery.
The light infantry companies of the before-men- tioned counties will be formed into one battalion, and the rifle companies into another battalion, and those two battalions into one regiment.
The First Brigade of horse artillery, and the Fif- teenth, Twenty-second, Twenty-ninth and Thirty- third Brigades of infantry will likewise be prepared
163
ORGANIZES THIE MILITIA.
and equipped for immediate service, under the re- spective officers now commanding them.
The second and third divisions of the requisition are to be detached and organized as specified in the annexed detail.
The Commander-in-chief directs, that all the residue of the militia of the State of New York be likewise kept in complete order for service, and ready to march at a moment's warning, to any part of the State which may be attacked, or in immedi- ate danger of being attacked ; and enjoins it upon all officers to cause their corps to be immediately and thoroughly inspected, and the penalties for deficiencies of equipments to be rigidly enforced. Brigade and division inspectors are charged to be attentive to the execution of this order.
The services of the first and second divisions, and of the uniform corps in the counties of Ulster, Delaware, Greene, Rensselaer, Albany, Schenectady and Dutchess which shall tender their services on this occasion, will be required at New York and its vicinity.
Volunteers for this detachment are to be accepted by commandants of regiments, brigades or divisions, and reported to the adjutant-general immediately.
The Commander-in-chief invites the uniform corps, throughout the State, to exhibit, at this time, the same military pride and patriotic order which many of them have displayed on former occasions. The crisis demands united exertions, and the Com- mander-in chief is persuaded that the promptitude, bravery and patriotism of the militia generally will be proportioned to the emergencies to which the State
164
OFFICERS ASSIGNED.
of New York may be subjected. By order of the Commander-in-chief,
: (Signed) SOL. VAN RENSSELAER, Adjutant-General.
The following officers are detailed for service ; the residue are to be assigned by commandants of di- visions, brigades and regiments.
Major-Generals -- Ebenezer Stevens, Benj. Mooers, Nathaniel King.
Inspectors-Ebenezer Irving, Jr., Moses I. Can- tine, Thomas Greenly.
Quarter-Masters-Bernard Hart, Cornelius Mar- tin, Samuel Campbell.
Judge-Advocates-Hugh Maxwell, Lemuel Jenk- ins, William Hotchkiss.
Brigadiers-Gerard Steddiford, Jacob Morton, Jonas Mapes, Martin Heermance, Samuel Haight, Daniel Wright, Oliver Collins.
Brigade-Majors-Theophilus Pierce, John Brush, Joseph Lord, Nathaniel Pitcher, Ransom Rath- bun.
Brigade Quarter-Masters-Cornelius Bogert, P. H. Schenck, William Macomb, Thomas P. Baldwin, Joshua Hathaway.
Lieutenant-Colonels-Jonathan Varian, Isaac Bel- knap, Jr., Abraham Van Wyck, Anthony Dela- mater, Anthony Wheeler, John I. Van Dalsen, Daniel Warren, Sebastian Vischer, Thomas Davis, James Green, John Prior, Hendrick Van Schaick, Pliny Adams, C. P. Bellinger, Erastus Cleveland.
Majors- William Hammond, David W. Bate, Samuel Slee, S. V. W. Varick, Clarmont Livingston,
165
HELP FROM NEW JERSEY.
adjutants ; I. Tompkins, quarter-master: Matthew Oliver, paymaster.
The Third and Tenth Brigades of infantry were made up of New York City regiments, as we have before seen. Gen. Jacob Morton was in command of First Brigade of artillery. The Fifteenth Bri- gade of infantry was from the southern part of Westchester County ; the Twenty-second from Kings and Queens Counties, the Twenty ninth from Rockland County, and the Thirty-third from Suf- folk County. These were all placed under com- mand of Major-Gen. Ebenezer Stevens, with head- quarters in New York City.
New Jersey was on hand to aid in the defence of New York harbor.
Gov. W. C. Pennington, of that State, was the first to take official notice of the call by the Presi- dent for militia from the States. The number (five thousand) requested from New Jersey was so small, and her line of defences so important, that the Gov- ernor requested that the quota should be made up of militia volunteers. His request was dated July 14th, in which he appealed to the patriotism of the people as follows :
" The Commander-in-Chief thinks it his duty to remind the militia of New Jersey that the crisis calls for a manifestation of public virtue. The events of the war in Europe have left America to again contend singly with the British Empire. The eyes of the world are upon us. Let us convince the enemy that the moment he lands on our shores he will be met by freemen in arms, able and willing to defend their country. The citizens of New Jer-
166
MILITIA FORCES.
sey were among the first in our glorious struggle for national independence and in the formation of our national government ; they will not be the last in arms to maintain what they have so heroically contributed to achieve and wisely to establish."
Governor Pennington requested that all offers of volunteers should be made within twenty days.
The official report of the Adjutant-General of New York State showed the militia force of the State in 1814 to be 95,026 officers and men. The report of New Jersey showed the militia force of that State to be about thirty-six thousand officers and men.
On the 26th of July, Aldermen Mapes and Smith, the committee appointed on the 14th of July to confer with the President of the United States re- lating to the defence of the city, made a satisfactory report, which stated that he would co-operate, so far as his power extended, in promoting the objects of the corporation ; particularly, the munitions of war, the fortified camps, and the immediate call into service of three thousand militia at the expense of the United States would be attended to, the cor- poration advancing the pay of the troops. This arrangement was immediately sanctioned by the Common Council.
The following is the
REPORT MADE TO COMMON COUNCIL ON JULY 26TH, 1814.
"The committee report that, in pursuance of their instructions, and fully impressed with the urgency of the business committed to them, they repaired with all possible dispatch to the seat of
161
NATIONAL AID PROMISED.
government, and waited on the Executive on the 19th inst., also, by his direction, on the Secretary of War.
" Your committee had a full and attentive hear- ing, and it is but justice to remark, that their ap- plication received that prompt and early attention which the importance and magnitude of the subject required, and that every disposition was evinced on the part of the Government to comply, as far as in their power, with the wishes of this corporation.
" They beg leave to submit the following, as the result of their final interview with the Secretary of War, to whom the application was referred :
" The Government will call into immediate ser- vice three thousand militia (the number contem- plated by this Board), to be considered as part of the State's quota conditionally ordered by the Pres- ident on 22d of Jnne.
" All the requisite arms and other military stores. as well as ordnance for two fortified camps, will be furnished by the War Department, except so many muskets as can be supplied from the State arsenal. Such muskets as the general government may fur- nish will be considered as the property of the State, and be charged against their proportion allowed by the law of Congress for arming the whole body of the militia, the Governor giving a receipt for the same. The troops will also be furnished with sub- sistence and camp equipage, but their monthly pay is to be advanced by the corporation, which will again receive it from the general government.
" Proper and skillful officers (Gen. Swift and Col. Wadsworth, as your committee are informed) will
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MILITARY STORES
be directed to lay out the proposed camps, to super- intend the fortifying the same, and to provide and inspect the ordnance necessary for the purpose.
" As an impression prevailed that there existed at this port a great deficiency of military stores, your committee deem it not improper to present to the Board the annexed schedule of such as were at this depot on the 1st of April, which quantity, it is understood, has been rather increasing. By this document of the War Department it will be per- ceived that there is an ample store of everything but muskets ; of this article your committee are in- formed that there are two thousand on their way from Philadelphia, and a large stock at Springfield, which, if wanted, could in a few days be delivered here.
" With respect to the number of men in the har- bor, there is considerable difference between the returns to the War Department and those lately reported to this Board, the former stating the force at 2,600, while the report of the special com- mittee makes it only 1,600 ; the cause of this differ- ence between the two returns, it is not in the power of your committee to explain at present ..
(Signed)
" JONAS MAPES, THOS. R. SMITH."
SCHEDULE TO REPORT.
"347 pieces of iron heavy cannon, 18 pounders and upwards, including 22 columbiads, 50-pounders, and 1 100-pounder, mounted on fixed carriages and equipped for service.
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AT NEW YORK.
" 5 18-pounders on travelling carriages, defective in the wheels, new wheels having been ordered.
" 11 12- and 9-pounders on travelling carriages.
" 26 6-pounders on travelling carriages, of which seven are brass.
" 5 8-inch howitzers on travelling carriages.
" 5 10-inch mortars mounted on wooden beds.
"40 old cannon mortars, dismounted and unser- viceable."
The difference between this report and that made to the War Department is owing to this circum- stance : The first embraces the field artillery on the island of New York alone, the other includes all the field artillery on that of the different islands in the port.
At this meeting it was resolved that the injunc- tion of secrecy on the action of the Common Council be removed so far as related to the measures of de- fence, and that the said committee select from their report such parts of it as they judged discreet to be made known, and to give publicity to the same, also to give summary of the last report. It was deemed necessary to arouse popular interest. Up to this time the proceedings in the Common Council were unknown to the people, and they seemed to take little interest in them.
The great abundance of Treasury notes and paper money among the people (noticed in Chapter XXVI.) had made them extravagant and much given to amusements and personal enjoyments, taking little regard for the future. The cry of "There is an enemy at our doors !" by those in authority had been repeated so often, and nothing had come of it, that
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POPULAR APATHY.
no attention was given to it now. The city news- papers of the day called attention to the popular apathy as to the dangerous condition of the city, and the devotion of the people to amusement and pleasure to an extent never before known in the history of the city.
The Columbian said :
" If a stranger were to judge from the public ex- hibitions and diversions of the day, he would think the citizens of New York were a pretty gay and lively and tolerably careless people, considering the times."
The following is a list of amusements for the week ending July 30th :
Monday-Dwyer's Lecture on Heads. (Comic.) Tight rope and dramatic representations in the evening, at Broadway Circus Building.
Tuesday-Serenade in the evening from the por- tico of the Flag staff at the Battery by the Mace- donian band.
Wednesday-Dinner to Essex crew. Steamboat trip to Sandy Hook. Evening-Essex crew on exhi- bition at Broadway Circus. Fireworks at Vauxhall Garden, and dramatic entertainment, "Hearts of Oaks." Serenade at the Battery. Music and pleasure party in the steamboat Nassau from Beekman Slip.
Thursday-Evening concert at Connolly's Military Garden, Brooklyn. The Belvedere House and Garden opens with fireworks, Brooklyn, by R. Kent.
Friday-Evening dramatic representations, at Broadway Circus. Fireworks at Vauxhall Garden.
Daily-American Museum, naval panorama, Commodore Perry's Victory. Mechanical panorama,
17:
AMUSEMENTS OF THE DAY.
of Chesapeake Bay ; ditto Baltimore. Wax figures. Telescopic views of the planets, moon and stars from building at the Flag staff.
The following is an account of a steamboat ex- cursion the next week :
" The steamboat Nassau exhibited a novel and pleasing appearance on Tuesday evening. She was brilliantly illuminated and had on board a party of ladies and gentlemen, with a band of music. She left Beekman Slip at nine o'clock and proceeded slowly but majestically down the river close to the wharves into the North River, passed the Battery and went up as far as Jay Street ; then proceeded alongside the President frigate, when rockets were thrown from the boat, and three cheers given by the party, the music striking up the "President's March." The crew of the President returned the compliment by giving three cheers. The boat then passed close around the President and returned to the place where she started. The battery and the wharves were crowded with spectators, who were much pleased with the sight, and cheered as the boat passed them."
The dinner given at Tammany Hall to the sur- vivors of the crew of the Essex and the Essex Junior was by subscription.
The committee of arrangements were : Francis Cooper, Stephen Whitney, Preserved Fish, Abraham R. Lawrence, Abraham Stagg, James Warner, Elisha Tibbets, Henry W. Bool, Thomas Carberry, James Lovett, Richard Hatfield, John Haff, Je- romus Johnson.
The crew (about one hundred and twenty)
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DINNER TO THIE
marched from the Battery in procession up Broadway, attended by Commodore Decatur's (Macedonian) band of music, the marines in new uniform and the seamen who were in the engagement at Valparaiso harbor with crape on their hats in respect to their slaughtered comrades. They carried flags with the patriotic inscriptions displayed by Captain Porter in the action in Val- paraiso harbor.
It will be remembered that when Captain Porter sailed out of New York harbor on July 3rd, 1812, his motto flying at the mast-head of the Essex was " Free Trade and Sailors' Rights " (ante, Vol. I .. p. 9). When the British vessels under Commodore Hillyer laid siege to the Essex in Valparaiso harbor, some of them had flags with mottoes in answer to that of Cap- tain Porter. One of the enemy's mottoes was "God and Country, British Sailors' Best Rights-Traitors offend both." Captain Porter replied to this by the motto, "God, our Country and Liberty-Tyrants offend both."
The procession halted between the park and the City Hall, and were joined by a coach with five of their wounded companions. They were saluted by nine hearty cheers from the spectators.
The dining-room was appropriately decorated. There were one hundred and eighty-four persons at the dinner.
In the evening the crew attended the circus, and were on "exhibition there, being announced in the advertisements as "The heroes of Valparaiso."
They were the escaped prisoners that had been captured by the enemy at Valparaiso.
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CREW OF THE ESSEX.
Capt. Porter, with the remains of his crew were paroled prisoners, and arrived off the northeastern coast of Long Island on July 5th, in the Essex Junior. The enemy detained him in such a manner as made them again prisoners, and not subject to the parole. Under these circumstances, Capt. Porter attempted an escape. He, with his men, lowered a boat, manned and armed it, and put off from the Essex Junior. When he was discovered the Saturn went in pursuit of him, but he eluded the enemy. After rowing aud sailing about sixty miles, Capt. Porter succeeded, with great difficulty and hazard, in reaching the town of Babylon, L. I., where he landed on the 6th, and then in a carriage reached the Brooklyn navy yard on the 7th, and was followed by the boat with its crew on wagon wheels. He crossed the Brooklyn ferry and landed in the city at foot of Beekman Slip in the afternoon. On entering his carriage there the horses were immediately un- harnessed, and he was drawn by the citizens to his lodgings in Greenwich Street, amidst the cheering and acclamation of the spectators.
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