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 16
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239
LOAN OBTAINED.
will be given to the subscribers to the loan, and it is presumed that this country cannot furnish better security for the payment of the debt.
"It is unnecessary for the committee to enforce the important consideration which arises out of this proposition. As patriots, we are called upon by the most sacred obligations to assist our country in the hour of danger and peril. As fathers, as hus- bands, as citizens, as Christians, we are bound to protect our wives, our children, our houses and our altars against the attack of the enemy ; and as men who do not look to higher considerations than in- terest, we will even find it expedient to advance funds when such advance may be considered as a premium for insurance against invasion.
"Subscriptions are now open at all the banks in the city for this purpose. The money will be re- ceived in four equal payments ; the first at the time of subscribing, and the remainder in three equal monthly payments. The receipts of the different cashiers will be evidence of the payment. Interest will be allowed on each installment, and when the payments are complete, bonds will be issued in due form.
" By order of the Committee of Finance,
" AUGUSTINE H. LAWRENCE, "Chairman."
The sum required was speedily subscribed and placed at the disposal of the committee. Thus they were enabled not only to supply the wants of the several departments, to cause the works of defence to go on with rapidity, to procure whatever might
240
LOAN OBTAINED.
be deemed necessary for defence, but also to provide many things for the comfort and convenience of their fellow-citizens who had left their families and domestic comforts and who were in arms for the defence of the city.
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CHAPTER XXXVI.
Militia Ordered into Service-Training on Governor's Island- Call for Implements of Defence-Militia Under General Stevens Mustered into Active Service Under Major-General Lewis-Sketch of General Stevens' Family-Sketch of Gen- eral Lewis' Family-Military Orders-Rockland County Militia-Martial Law in the City-Call for New Jersey Militia to Defend New York-Philadelphia Asks for New Jersey Militia-Secretary of War Grants the Request-Gov- ernor Pennington Orders Nineteen Companies to Powles' Hook (Jersey City), Colonel Frelinghuysen in Command There.
G
OVERNOR TOMPKINS, appreci- ating the necessity of prompt mil- itary action on the part of the State, independent of the action of the national forces, and yet to act. in conjunction with them, being at. his home in New York City, imme- diately issued the following order. on Saturday :
STATE OF NEW YORK .. GENERAL ORDERS.
HEAD QUARTERS, NEW YORK, Aug. 27th, 1814.
The detached division, consisting of the First Brig- ade of Artillery, and the Third and Tenth Brigades of Infantry, will parade by brigades on Tuesday next (August 30th), at an hour and at place of ren- dezvous to be appointed by Maj .- Gen. Ebenezer Stevens, and will then be formed into a division and.
242
ORDERS TO MILITIA.
be inspected and maneuvered by the Major-General. Every soldier is required to appear completely equipped, according to law. The inspector will be particularly careful to ascertain the quality and quantity of equipments, and will immediately re- port an inspection return to the commander-in-chief.
It is recommended to the brigadiers forthwith to consolidate and organize their respective brigades for actual service ; to assign the officers who are to take the field ; to cause notice to be given to every individual of that organization of his place of ren- dezvous, in case of sudden alarm, and of the officer whom he is to respect and obey on his arrival there. When they are thus organized and notified, it is recommended that the officers assigned to com- mand assemble at least three times a week for im- provement, and that times and places be designated for the non-commissioned officers and privates to meet for the same purpose ; and that competent and confidential persons be employed to instruct them in discipline.
The Commander-in-chief has repeatedly urged upon the militia to equip themselves with a musket, etc., as is enjoined upon them by the Constitution and laws. He trusts the emergency which threatens us cannot fail to awaken to this important duty the immediate attention of every patriotic citizen who has hitherto neglected it.
It is recommended to the associations of exempts, organized in the city of New York, to attend to im- provement in discipline as often as possible. Any of. these corps, or other associations of patriotic
243
ORDERS TO MILITIA.
citizens who may wish to parade and be inspected with the division on Tuesday will report themselves to Major-General Stevens, and he is directed to as- sign them a station and have them inspected.
The Commander-in-chief cannot omit this oppor- tunity of exhorting the militia and his fellow-citi- zens of the Northern district generally to arm them- selves and to turn their attention immediately and ardently to military instruction and discipline, and he renews the injunction upon the commandants of the militia of Rockland, Westchester, Kings, Queens, Richmond and Suffolk Counties to hold their corps equipped and in readiness to take the field at a moment's warning.
By order of the Commander-in-chief.
ANTHONY LAMB, Aide-de-Camp.
General Stevens responded to the order as follows : FIRST DIVISION OF NEW YORK DETACHED MILITIA. DIVISION ORDERS.
CITY OF NEW YORK, Aug. 29th, 1814.
In conformity with the above general orders (Aug. 27th), that part of the First Division of De- tached Militia therein designated will parade on Tuesday morning, the 30th inst., precisely at 11 o'clock, on Stuyvesant Ground, near the rope- walks, completely armed and equipped, according to law.
By order of Major-General Stevens.
W. B. CROSBY, Aide-de-Camp.
244
TRAINING ON GOVERNOR'S ISLAND.
We have already seen (Ante, page 138) the num- ber of the United States forces for the defence of New York harbor. The men were recent volun- teers and had not been sufficiently trained to do the most effective service. A rigid discipline was at once entered upon.
The following is one of the garrison orders then issued :
GARRISON ORDERS.
FORT COLUMBUS, Aug. 28th, 1814.
The artillery with a company of Infantry will be drilled at the Battery (on Governor's Island), every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning, from five to one-half past six o'clock, commencing at Fort Columbus ; taking guns in course through all the batteries. Commanding officers of companies will cause their companies to be drilled with mus- kets each Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday morning during the same hours. All officers are punctually to attend company drills. Sergeant Dillahunty will drill the non-commissioned officers of artillery from one-half past nine to eleven o'clock every morning until further orders. At the sound of alarm by the bugle the troops will turn out on their company parade. The Infantry will be conducted by the senior officers to the covert way of the ditch of Fort Columbus as its proper alarm post, and the artillery will be conducted by companies to their batteries. The conductors of artillery, aided by Quarter-Master, Sergeant, and Powder Monkeys,
245
CALL FOR ARMS.
will furnish the implements and ammunition and arrange them to the pieces.
By order.
CHAS. ANTHONY, Adj. Corps Art.
It was well known that there had been from the first a great lack of arms and equipments of all kinds sufficient for the men of the First Division. Those that had arrived from the river counties for service in the defence of the city were no better provided. Governor Tompkins issued and pub- lished the following call on the inhabitants :
GENERAL ORDERS.
HEAD-QUARTERS, NEW YORK, Aug. 29th, 1814.
The Commander-in-chief having been informed that several inhabitants of this city are possessed of cannons, pistols, broad swords and other military articles which are not wanted for their own private use, and which will be of service to the public in case of invasion, requests that every inhabitant having articles of that description in his possession will report them to the Commissary of Military Stores at the State Arsenal, where such of them as be fit for use will be received and paid for.
By order of the Commander-in-chief.
ANTHONY LAMB, Aide-de-Camp.
The two following orders were also issued on the same day, and all of them published in the morning papers the day after their date :
246
CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS.
GENERAL ORDERS.
HEAD-QUARTERS, NEW YORK, Aug. 29th, 1814.
The Commander-in-chief is desirous of organizing a regular corps of troops of one or two thousand men, including officers, for three months' service, and to be continued if sanctioned by the Legislature for twelve months, or during the war. He will allow the same pay to the officers as is allowed to officers of the army, and an addition of two dollars per month to non-commissioned officers, musicians, and privates, in lieu of bounty and clothing, with such other encouragement as the Legislature may be pleased to grant. The organization of companies, regiments, and of the brigade, will be according to the United States regulation, and the uniform will be provided by the corps, plain and cheap. The Commander-in-chief will commision the officers as soon as the corps shall be enlisted.
Their services will be confined for the present to the defence of the seaboard of the State of New York, and they will be subject to the orders of the Commander-in-chief of this State, until provisions may be made otherwise.
By order. ANTHONY LAMB, Aide-de-Camp. GENERAL ORDERS.
HEAD-QUARTERS, NEW YORK, August 29th, 1814.
The Commander-in-chief will organize a battalion of Sea Fencibles, upon the plan of organization pre- scribed by the act of Congress relative to that corps,
247
MOVEMENTS OF TROOPS.
to act either by sea or land, in defence of the city and harbor of New York and its vicinity. Captains, mates, and marines generally, are invited to form such corps immediately. The officers will be com- missioned as soon as companies shall be listed.
By order of the Commander-in-chief.
ANTHONY LAMB, Aide-de. Camp.
There were rumors that some of the troops at Governor's Island and other places in the vicinity of New York city had been ordered for the northern frontier, near Lake Champlain. The National Ad- vocate of August 30th said : " We are authorized to say that no troops stationed at Governor's Island have proceeded, or are ordered to proceed to the north. That troops are constantly on the march from the south to join their regiments on the front- iers is a fact ; and that some may have passed through this place last week is probable, but that any of the disposable force stationed in this city and harbor have been ordered to the north is false and ground- less."
On August 29th the Montgomery Rangers, Albany Riflemen and Captain Dole's Trojan Greens ar- rived and were stationed at Fort Green. Their ele- gant uniforms and fine equipments attracted many visitors.
In Governor Tompkins' special message to the New York State Legislature in September he stated that "the success of the enemy at Washington spread a momentary panic on the seaboard." The order of 27th August for parade and inspection on
248
RENDEZVOUS ORDERED
30th was only a necessary preliminary to actual service. Without waiting for the inspection the Governor on 29th ordered a rendezvous of militia for immediate active service, as follows :
STATE OF NEW YORK. GENERAL ORDERS.
HEAD-QUARTERS, NEW YORK, Aug. 29, 1814.
The division of Major-General Stevens, detached and organized by general orders of the 20th July last, and the Twenty-second Brigade of Infantry, are ordered, pursuant to a requisition for that pur- pose, into immediate actual service, for the defence of the city and harbor of New York. General Stevens's division and the Twenty-second Brigade of Infantry will rendezvous on Friday next, the sec- ond day of September, at eight o'clock in the morn- ing, at such place or places as Major-General Stevens may assign. Upon the arrival of the troops at the places of rendezvous they will be reported to the commanding officer of the Third military dis- trict.
All corps of exempts, enlisted volunteers, corps of sea fencibles, and other associates of citizens who are disposed at this moment of danger to offer their services in the defence of the country, are earnestly requested to report themselves, and repair to the field as soon as they have formed themselves into companies.
The Twenty-ninth Brigade of Infantry will as- semble at such place as Brig.Gen. Peter S. Van Orden may appoint, on Saturday, the third of
249
FOR DEFENCE OF NEW YORK.
September next, at nine o'clock in the forenoon, where it will be consolidated into one regiment, and the field and staff assigned by the brigadier-gen- eral. The troops will then proceed immediately to New York by water or land, as General Van Orden may direct, who will also have means of transpor- tation provided immediately.
The detached regiments commanded by Lieuten- ant-Colonels Visscher and Davis will rendezvous on Monday, the fifth of September, at Albany and Troy, at ten o'clock in the forenoon, and being there consolidated into battalions by the respective brigadier-generals, will repair forthwith to New York.
Brig .- Gen. Putnam Farrington, of Delaware County, will immediately send one full regiment from his (Twenty-fifth) brigade to New York, and will organize the companies with one captain, two lieutenants, one ensign, four sergeants, six cor- porals, two musicians and ninety privates to each, and the regiment with four field officers and the usual staff.
Brig .- Gen. Jacob Odell will organize one full .company or troop of horse artillery from the first regiment of his brigade, and one full company or troop from the second regiment, and Brig .- Gen. George D. Wickham will organize and send to New York immediately two full troops of cavalry of his brigade, with one major to be selected by him. The troops of horse artillery and cavalry will form one squadron, to be commanded by Lieut .- Col. James Warner.
250
RENDEZVOUS ORDERED.
The commandant of the militia of Saratoga County will order one full battalion of militia from his brigade to repair to New York, without a mo- ment's delay. The brigadier-general will not wait for a draft or detachment, but will order a regiment en masse to be consolidated into a battalion if necessary, with one lieutenant-colonel, one major, and one adjutant for field and staff.
One full battalion will be ordered in like manner from each of the following brigades of infantry, viz .: the Twelfth, Ninth, Twentieth, Twenty-third, Thirtieth, Thirty-first, Thirty-fourth and Thirty- seventh, to be ordered out en masse and organized, and to march immediately .*
The artillery, light infantry and grenadier com- panies of the counties of Albany, Schenectady, Ulster, Sullivan, Rensselaer, Columbia, Dutchess and Delaware Counties, with so many only of their ; officers as may be in proportion to the number of men in each, will immediately assemble and repair
* The location of the brigades of infantry mentioned in this order were as follows :
Ninth, Saratoga County.
Twelfth, Columbia County.
Twentieth, Dutchess County.
Twenty-second, Kings and Queens County.
Twenty-third, Sullivan and Ulster County.
Twenty-fifth, Delaware County.
Twenty-niuth, Rockland County.
Thirtieth, Dutchess County.
Thirty-first, Albany.
Thirty-fourth, Orange and Ulster County.
Thirty-seventh, Greene and Albany County.
251
MUSTER INTO SERVICE.
to New York, and report themselves to the com- manding officer in the Third military district. The commandants of artillery will take with them their field pieces and equipments, and will provide trans- portation for their men upon the most economical terms.
Every officer and man embraced in this order is to provide himself with at least four days' provisions, ready cooked, and will be authorized to draw back rations, in consideration thereof, on his arrival at New York. The personal equipments of a soldier are a musket and bayonet or rifle, cartridge box and bayonet belt, knapsack, blanket, canteen and twenty-four rounds of ammunition.
The crisis has arrived when the culpable remiss- ness which has hitherto prevailed among militia officers in respect to deficiencies of equipments among their men is seriously felt ; all indulgence in this point must henceforth cease; it has always been pernicious, but now becomes criminal. Every officer and soldier therefore is enjoined strictly to comply with the requisitions of the law in this re- spect, and is assured that all delinquencies here- after will be rigidly noticed and severely pun- ished.
By order of the Commander-in-chief.
ANTHONY LAMB, Aide-de-Camp.
At the parade for review and inspection of the First Division of State militia on the 30th there were six thousand men, all residents of New York City, excepting part of the Third Regiment of
ยท
252
MUSTER INTO SERVICE.
artillery and part of the 146th Regiment of infantry from Staten Island.
The consolidation of companies and regiments were then made, and necessarily excluded upwards of forty captains, besides other officers, from com- mand, and they were therefore out of service.
At the rendezvous muster on 2d of September, the First Division of New York State militia, under command of Maj .- Gen. Ebenezer Stevens, was turned over to report to Maj .- Gen. Morgan Lewis and mustered into the service of the United States.
The following order was issued :
STATE OF NEW YORK.
GENERAL ORDERS.
HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK, Sept. 2, 1814.
The Commander-in-chief has witnessed with high satisfaction the alacrity with which the division under the command of General Stevens has entered into actual service. The equipment and soldier-like- conduct of the troops and the large number of vol- unteers that have joined the division give honor- able testimony of the military and patriotic spirit which, at this interesting crisis, animates all ranks and conditions. It is such generous zeal, such unanimity of feeling and action that constitute the real strength of a free community.
The division being now transferred to the con- mand of Major-General Lewis for a term of service, the Commander-in-chief, while he expresses the pride he feels in being able to furnish to the national. demand so fine and formidable a body of men,.
253
MILITIA IN SERVICE.
exhorts them to persevere in the punctual perform- ance of their duties as citizens and soldiers; to exert themselves to the utmost to deserve the ap- probation of their present commandant ; and never, for a moment, to forget that to their courage and good conduct are confided the safety of their fire- sides, the protection of their families, the welfare and reputation of their city, and the honor of the nation.
By order of the Commander-in-chief. WASHINGTON IRVING, * Aid-de-Camp.
From that time until discharged Major-General Stevens and the First Division of New York State militia were subject to the commander of the Third Military District of the United States.+
* The rank of this famous author was that of Colonel, which he held until the close of the war.
+ A biographical sketch of Gen. Ebenezer Stevens has already been given in Volume II. of this work, page 105. As many of his descendants are among us the following account of his family is given :
General Stevens married 1st, at Providence, Rhode Island, 11 October, 1774, Rebecca, daughter of Benjamin Hodgdon, of New Hampshire, by whom he had issue :
I .- Elizabeth, born Providence, R. I., July, 1775; died Bos- ton, Mass., June, 1777.
II .- Horatio Gates, born Stamford, Conn., 19 September, 1778, died New York, 16 June, 1873; Major-General New York State Militia; Vice-President New York State Society of the Cincinnati ; served in the war of 1812 as Lieutenant-Colonel of Second Regiment of New York Artillery ; married Eliza Lucille Rhinelander of New York, by whom he had issue :
1 .- Mary Lucille Stevens, born August; 11, 1317.
254
ORDERS TO ARTILLERY.
On the same day division orders were issued per- mitting the officers and men residing in the city to return to their respective homes subject to further orders.
The following order was issued by General Mor- ton :
FIRST BRIGADE, NEW YORK STATE ARTILLERY.
BRIGADE ORDERS.
NEW YORK, Sept. 2, 1814.
In pursuance of division orders of this date, the troops will be dismissed and the officers and men permitted to return to their respective homes. The commanders of regiments and battalions will direct their respective companies to be drilled by com- panies at such places as shall be most convenient,
Married November 7, 1837, Albert R. Gallatin, son of Albert Gallatin. Died December 23, 1892.
2 .- John Rhinelander Stevens, member of the New York State Society of the Cincinnati; born June 21, 1823 ; married Elizabeth Millan, June 29, 1875 ; died January 3, 1889.
III .- Rebecca Hodgdon, born New Windsor, New York, 24 November, 1780; died 1 June, 1815; married to John Peter Schermerhorn, of New York.
IV .- George Alexander, born at West Point, 21 September, 1782, died at sea, -- -, 1807. He was lost on his re- turn from France on board the Gipsy, one of his father's merchant vessels, which foundered while be- ing chased by a British man of-war during the oper- ations of the "Orders in Council." Unmarried.
General Stevens married 2d, at New York, 4 May, 1784, Lu- cretia Ledyard (widow of Richardson Sands), daughter of Judge John Ledyard, of Hartford, Conn., by whom he had issue :
V .- Samuel, born New York, 14 March, 1875 ; died New York,
255
ORDERS TO ARTILLERY.
to-morrow morning, from six to eight o'clock ; in the afternoon, from four to six o'clock; and this to be continued daily until further orders. The Field officers will visit the company parades and render every assistance in their power to discipline the men.
All firing either of cannon or small arms is strictly forbidden.
The general cannot dismiss the troops without expressing his high satisfaction with their appear- ance to-day. He is pleased to find that the call for duty and for the defence of our country has in- creased the First Brigade of artillery.
By order of BRIG .- GEN. MORTON.
J. VANDERBILT, Aide-de-Camp.
25 December, 1844 ; Yale College, 1805 ; a distinguished member of the New York Bar; one of the first Com- missioners of the Croton Aqueduct Construction. Un- married.
VI .- William, born New York, 4 May, 1787; died Poughkeep- sie, 1 November, 1867. Unmarried.
VII .- Alexander Hodgdon, born New York, 4 September, 1789; died 30 March, 1869; Yale College, 1807; M.D., LL.D .; President of the New York Academy of Medicine ; of the College of Physicians and Surgeons ; of the Ameri- can Medical Association ; of the Medical Society of the State of New York ; ; Professor of Principles and Prac- tice of Surgery, University of State of New York, New York. Married 1st, Mary Jane Bayard, of New Jersey ; 2d, Catherine Morris, of Pelham, Westchester Co., N. Y .; 3d, Phobe Coles Lloyd, of Long Island.
VIII .- Byam Kerby, born New York, 20 April, 1792 ; died As- toria, 15 February, 1870; Yale College, 1811; mer- chant of the house of Ebenezer Stevens' Sons. Mar-
256
ALACRITY OF THE MILITIA.
The country regiments were very prompt in responding to this call for the defence of New York York City and harbor. Within nine hours after the orders of August 29th left New York they were delivered to Brigadier-General Van Orden in Rock- land County by a route of sixty-six miles at four o'clock in the morning. Within six hours more the commandants of regiments received their orders, and every captain in the brigade, two excepted, were notified to turn out their companies. On
Saturday, September 3d, the whole paraded at Greenbush (Orangetown), where the brigade was consolidated into a single regiment, when the troops. marched four miles to Slote's landing, embarked on board the transports in small boats, which de- tained them till night, and arrived at New York
ried Frances Gallatin, of New York, daughter of Albert Gallatin.
IX .- John Austin, born New York, 22 January, 1795; died New York, 19 October, 1874 ; Yale College, 1813; mer- chant of the house of Ebenezer Stevens' Sons ; Presi- dent of the Merchants' Exchange; of the Bank of Commerce in New York, from 1839 to 1866; of the Associated Banks of New York, Philadelphia, and Bos- ton in 1862, and Chairman of the Treasury Note Com- mittee, which managed the one hundred and fifty mil- lion loan to the Government of the United States dur- ing the civil war. Married Abby Weld, of Brunswick, Me., formerly of Boston, Mass.
X .- Henry Hewgill, born New York, 28 February, 1797 ; died Poughkeepsie, 6 October, 1869. Merchant. Married Catherine Clarkson Crosby, of New York.
XI -Mary Lucretia Lucy Ann, born New York, 16 April, 1798. Married to Frederick William Rhinelander, of New York, Died Newport, 26 August, 1877.
257
ARRIVAL IN NEW YORK.
by two o'clock on Sunday morning, September 4th.
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