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 20
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"The men required for artificers will be con- sidered as detached from the line and not as hired men exempt from duty.
"John W. Mulligan is hereby appointed aid to the Major-General and will be obeyed and respected accordingly.
" By order of Major-General Stevens.
" W. B. CROSBY, " Aid-de-Camp."
At that time (September 2, 1814), the Eleventh Regiment mustered 451 men, including all officers, privates and musicians. On 5th September the Eleventh Regiment took charge of the North Bat- tery (off Hubert street), and of a battery of light artillery stationed on Broadway, near Greenwich lane, at corner of what is now Waverley place. Guard was mounted daily at 8 o'clock A. M. through- out the city, and each company performed guard duty alternately for twenty-four hours.
General Morton's brigade orders required that the- reveille beat at sunrise, the retreat at sunset, and the tattoo at 9 o'clock P.M., guards to be relieved at S o'clock A. M.
Although the militia were in the service of the United States, still Governor Tompkins was allowed to make suggestions to them. The following is a letter from him to General Mapes :
"NEW YORK, September 8th, 1814.
"SIR :- You are requested to call into service ont
312
VIDETTES ON LONG ISLAND.
Monday or Tuesday next that part of your brigade which is on Staten Island.
" There are quarters and tents at the State Works at the Narrows, for nearly seven hundred and fifty men in addition to the force now stationed there. There also are quarters at the Quarantine, and in two public stores, which Mr. Gelston consents should be occupied for four hundred or five hun- dred men.
"I presume, therefore, General Lewis, upon appli- cation to him, will order the Staten Island Battalion to encamp in tents at the Narrows, or remove those tents to Red Bank in Princess Bay, and encamp them there or send them to the public buildings at the Quarantine ground ; and I must refer you to Major-General Lewis for the purpose. If they are to occupy the Quarantine ground, the quarter- master must have some repairs and cleaning done before their arrival.
"I am respectfully yours, etc.,
"BRIG. - GENL. J. MAPES. D. D. TOMPKINS."
On September 8th a company of Colonel War- ner's cavalry and two companies of artillery from General Stevens' division were organized and sta- tioned as a vidette express from east end of Long Island to the headquarters of the commanding general in New York city. The videttes were sta- tioned at intervals of ten miles, and the artillery were to protect them from sudden capture.
The State militia destined for the defence of New York city were constantly arriving. The last con- siderable arrivals were on September 11th, when
313
MUTINOUS CONDUCT.
twelve sloops came down North River with an aver- age of one hundred men each. Many volunteer companies from New Jersey crossed the city for the forts near Brooklyn.
On Sunday, 11th September, twelve hundred troops, New Jersey militia of General Colfax's brigade, stationed at Jersey City under command of Colonel Frelinghuysen, marched to Bergen Heights to attend open-air service by their chaplain, Rev. Steven Grover, of Caldwell, N. J.
There was much dissatisfaction among the troops that came from the interior of the State. They had not been able to equip themselves in the manner required by the orders under which they were called into service, their camp accommodations and supplies were very unsatisfactory and they were The fact hard to submit to military discipline. that a mutiny occurred on account of rations in General Haight's brigade, stationed on the Brooklyn side of the Narrows, was kept out of the newspapers of the day, but the writer is enabled from original records in his possession to give some account of it. The following order was issued :
" ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE, THIRD MILITARY DISTRICT. "NEW YORK, September 6, 1814.
"The mutinous conduct of some troops of the brigade commanded by Brigadier-General Haight, in outrageously attacking the issuing store of the contractor and destroying his provisions, is an act of mutiny of so serious a nature that General Haight will instantly take measures to ascertain the
314
MILITARY PUNISIIMENTS.
perpetrators, and if discovered to send them to Governor's Island for trial by a general court martial.
"Should this mutinous spirit, in the opinion of General Haight, require the aid of any other corps to quell it, he will apply for the necessary force to Major-General Stevens, who will furnish it from the division. The contractor will be compensated for the provisions thus destroyed by stopping from the pay of the individual or corps committing the out- rage ; if neither can be ascertained, then the deduc- tion to be made from the pay of the brigade.
"The commanding general regrets that he is obliged again to call on the several brigades to make returns of their rolls of muster and inspection, also the company lists of delinquents and deserters ; it. must be obvious that it is of the first importance. that he knows his force in order to its ultimate dis- position and that he be informed of delinquents and. offenders that they may be brought to punishment ..
" By order " THOMAS CHRYSTIE, " Actg. Adj .- Gen."
Whipping or flogging, as a punishment, was not. allowed in the army or in the militia service, but it. was in use in the navy and marine service.
There were various modes of punishment as a means of enforcing discipline. Stoppage of " grog " and rations, imprisonment and manual labor were resorted to in the army.
A newspaper of the day stated that for his slov- enly appearance a militiaman was kept standing
315
EXTRA PAY FOR LABOR.
or marching all day before his comrades, with his accoutrements and uniform in reverse position, with one sleeve off to show the dirty shirt he was punished for wearing.
After the militia were mustered into service extra pay was allowed to non-commissioned officers and privates, who were drawn as artificers to work con- stantly on fortifications, bridges, barracks, roads or other public works for a term not less than ten days (Sundays excepted). They were allowed for each day's actual labor fourteen cents and one gill of spirits each in addition to their usual pay and rations. Those who were drawn for constant labor (not as artificers) received only ten cents per day and one gill of spirits. These were detailed to make tents, uniforms, etc.
CHAPTER XLI.
The Enemy Attack Baltimore-Great Excitement and Active Mili- tary Movements in New York-Means of Defence-Condition of Fortifications-Workers on the Defences-Appeal of Com- mittee of Defence-Fort Laight Built.
N the 12th of September intelli- gence was received that the enemy were approaching Baltimore in force for a vigorous attack.
Great excitement prevailed in the city of New York at that time, but it was tempered with the thought that the attack there would cause the enemy to defer any attack upon New York city until after the capture of Baltimore and Philadelphia, and New York city might be saved the slaughter that any attack would engender.
Much would depend upon the result of the inva- sion on the Champlain border. It was there that all eyes were turned and for which all hopeful hearts beat.
New York city now had the appearance of a closely besieged city. Troops were constantly marching and countermarching by night and by day. Horse- men in military array were rapidly riding to and fro, and sentinels were pacing the streets, and guard
31%
MEASURES OF DEFENCE.
outposts were scattered throughout the city, and groups of soldiers' tents were in some of the streets and on open lots in parts of the city which were in close proximity to the most thickly inhabited por- tions of Manhattan Island.
The suburbs of the city had still more warlike appearances. The Heights of Harlem from East River to Hudson River were literally lined with fortifications, occupied by swarms of soldiers. Jer- sey City Heights was a camp of New Jersey militia, and on Staten Island on the east and north sides, and near Sandy Hook, were also forts and camps.
At Rockaway Bay and at various points along the shore westward were defences and military camps up to the Narrows, and from Gowanus Creek along the Heights of Brooklyn to Wallabout Bay was a strong line of defences connecting forts and bastions.
It was from the enemy's war ships that the great- est danger was apprehended and provided against. The report of the State Commissioners of Fortifica- tions to Governor Tompkins, dated September 23, 1814. states :
" The entrance to Jamaica Bay, on the south side of Long Island, affording to the enemy a safe landing for boats of small burthen to within a few miles of the Navy Yard, it was judged prudent to fortify that passage, as well as to guard that land- ing, as to afford protection to our coasters. who fre quently take shelter in that bay from the enemy's cruisers. This according with your Excellency's sentiments, we caused a strong block house, mount-
318
FORTIFICATIONS ALONG EAST RIVER.
ing a 24-pounder in the top, to be erected on the west end of Rockaway Beach, at the entrance of that bay. This has been taken charge of by the United States and an adequate force is stationed thereat.
"The approach to our city by the Sound, even for vessels of considerable force, is well known to be practicable, and very great solicitude has been shown by all classes of the community that the pass of Hell Gate should be strongly fortified. This became a subject of early consideration with us, and finding that a partial appropriation had been made by the general government for that purpose, we felt it an imperious duty to co-operate with them in an object of great importance. A site hav- ing been selected by General Swift on Hallett's Point, upon which to erect a fort, we made a purchase of the ground necessary therefor, and a deed has been executed to the people of the State for the same. The works on this point have been pressed forward with great activity, some cannon are already mounted, and in a few days the battery will be in a complete state of defence. It has also been thought desirable to occupy an adjoining eminence, and a tower of solid masonry has been commenced and is in a state of great forwardness.
" A small island in the middle of the stream near the rapids of Hell Gate, and known by the name of Mill Rock, presenting a very commanding situation for the defence of that pass, is occupied by the direction of General Swift, and a battery and block house are erected thereon. These also are in great
319
FORTS ON STATEN ISLAND.
forwardness and will in a short time be completed. From these different works, in connection with the hazard attending the navigation at that place, we have great reason to believe that that approach to our city is completely protected, and that an enemy who should attempt it would pay dearly for his- temerity.
"The main work at Staten Island (Fort Tompkins), being the principal object of the appropriation of the Legislature, has, of course, engaged our unre- mitted attention. It has been forwarded with all the dispatch consistent with a due regard to the durability of the work.
" We cannot close this report to your excellency without expressing to you our high satisfaction with the talents and zeal of the gentlemen (General Williams and General Swift) who have planned and conducted the works of defence, both on the part of this State and of the United States. While the positions have been selected with judgment, their plan and construction evince a science which will do honor to our country."
An extract from General Swift's letter to State Commissioners of Fortifications, dated September 24, 1814, and accompanying commissioners' report to the Governor, states :
" The practicability of an enemy passing Sandy Hook with a strong leading breeze, and of effecting a debarkation of troops at or near Princess Bay-the present assailable situation of the works at the east end of Staten Island, and the importance of this position to an enemy in facilitating an attack upon
320
FORTS ON STATEN ISLAND.
the upper harbor and city-all conspire to prove how very necessary it is to accelerate the work at Fort Tompkins."
Another official report shows that "At Fort Tonip- kins there were nine guns each to three curtains and eight to two ; six guns each to four of the towers and eight to the larger one circumscribing the magazine, making seventy-five guns of the largest caliber. The guns were so arranged that the fire of fourteen could be concentrated to any one point on every side.
" The casemates gave an asylum under bomb proof of fourteen thousand square feet, allowing ten square feet to each man. Fourteen hundred men could be thus sheltered.
"Ten magazine casemates are for provisions and are not taken into the calculation.
"Five proposed barracks will furnish accommo- dations for eight hundred men. The men in the barracks would always be ample for the whole gar- rison duty and for fighting every gun, hence Fort Tompkins may receive into its bosom all the men of the open batteries, should they be overpowered by numbers, and prevent an enemy from existing in them even long enough to spike the guns, every object in view and within cannon shot being com- pletely commanded. Add to this the possession of a never-failing well of water and it will be seen that it can stand a 'siege against ten times its force."
All of the fortifications were provided with coast carriages for the cannon there, by which means they could be moved from one place to another.
321
CARTMEN IN SERVICE.
The general orders of the Third Military Depart- ment, dated September 25th, required :
.
" The deputy quartermaster will engage six hun- dred of the cartmen of this city to be at all times prepared with their horses, and one hundred of them with their carts also, to enter the public service as carters and drivers. The terms will be as follows : An exemption from all other military duty, forty cents per day for the use of the horse with the usual allowance of forage, twenty-five cents a day for the use of a cart ; as a driver will not be re- quired for each horse, supernumerary drivers to be subject to employment as littermen or to any other service connected with the duties of the civil staff. To each twenty a conductor will be appointed, to whom the harness of the squad will be entrusted."
New York city was now defended by 570 pieces of battering cannon and mortars, besides the pieces on board the President and Alert and gunboats · and a formidable park of field artillery-in all not less than nine hundred pieces of ordnance, and it was said that 25,500 men, including exempt volun- teers, could be concentrated at any given point in and around New York city within three hours.
Detachments from General Colfax's brigade of New Jersey militia were stationed at Newark, Elizabeth, Perth Amboy and New Brunswick. Col. J. W. Frelinghuysen's command, stationed at Jersey City Heights, were inspected and put in better order.
On 19th September it was reported that the com- missary of the Third Military District issued twenty - five thousand rations daily. This did not include
322
COMMANDERS ASSIGNED.
all those in service on shipboard in the harbor and some others in the city of New York.
There were then in the military service for the defence of New York city men that represented every battle of the revolutionary war from Bunker Hill to Yorktown, excepting some of the more southern battles.
The brigades of militia were made up and organ- ized by the following order :
"STATE OF NEW YORK. "GENERAL ORDERS.
"HEAD-QUARTERS, NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 1814.
"The militia of the State of New York, ordered into service by general orders of the 29th August, are organized as follows : Major-General Stevens' division consists of the brigades of Generals Mor- ton, Steddiford and Mapes, with this modification of the last-mentioned brigade, that the Richmond County battalion is detached therefrom, and its place supplied by the battalion from Columbia County, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Jacob R. Van Rensselaer.
"The Richmond battalion, the battalion from Orange and Ulster, commanded by Lieutenant- Colonels Smith, Bevier and Woodward, and the detachment of Richmond Horse Artillery, are formed into a brigade, to be commanded by Briga- dier-General Swartwout. Brigadier-General John- son's brigade remains without alteration.
"In place of Major Dibblee's battalion from Rock- land, Lieutenant-Colonel Roger's battalion from
.
323
COMMANDERS ASSIGNED.
Saratoga, Major Lush's battalion from Albany, and Captain John R. Williams' company of light infantry are added to General Haight's brigade.
"The Rockland County regiment, and the bat- talions commanded by Lieutenant-Colonels Post and Carver, are to form a brigade, to the command of which Brigadier-General Peter S. Van Orden is assigned.
"The artillery, light infantry, grenadier and rifle companies of Albany (except Captain Williams' company), Rensselaer, Schenectady, Greene, Columbia, Ulster, Orange and Dutchess, which are to rendezvous by companies, pursuant to the gen- eral orders of the 29th ult., are formed into a regi- ment to be commanded by --- , which regiment, together with Colonel Farrington's regiment, from Delaware County, will form a brigade under the command of Brigadier-General Peter Curtenius. The Dutchess County battalion of Lieutenant-Col- onel Southerland is annexed to Gen. Hermance's brigade, Lieut .- Col. Warner's squadron of horse artillery and cavalry will form an independent command, and will act under the immediate orders of the commandant of the third military district.
"Major-General Stevens and the commandants of brigades are required to exhibit to the commander- in-chief returns of the organization and number of officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians and privates under their respective commands by 10 o'clock on the morning of Saturday next.
" Lieutenant-Colonel Warner, and the command- ants of sea fencible corps, not heretofore placed
.
324
COMMANDERS ASSIGNED.
under the command of Commodore Decatur, will present similar returns by the same time.
" If hereafter, either by the discharge of detach- ments or any other circumstance, a considerable diminution of the present force should take place, the commanding officer of the district is authorized from time to time to consolidate the militia in ser- vice, and discharge supernumerary officers.
" By order of the commander-in-chief."
" ROBERT MACOMB, " Aid-de-Camp."
The First Brigade of Artillery, under General Mor- ton. was composed of Second, Third, Ninth and Eleventh Regiments of New York city and Thirteenth Regiment of Kings County.
A battalion from the artillery companies from the counties of Rockland, Orange, Putnam and Dutchess, amounting to 540 men, under Col. Samuel Slee, was attached to General Morton's brigade. It had 5 lieutenants, 15 second lieutenants, 25 sergeants, 30 corporals, 5 drummers and 5 fifers.
The 3d Brigade of Infantry, under Gen. Jonas Mapes, and the 10th Brigade, under Gen. Gerard Steddiford (actually commanded by Brevet Gen. Peter Curtenius). The 22d Brigade of Infantry, under Gen. Jeremiah Johnson, was composed of the militia of Kings and Queens Counties, being the Sixty-fourth, Ninety-third, 100th and 117th Regi- ments. The Brooklyn regiment was the Sixty- fourth. It consisted of five companies of one hun- dred men each. The brigade was 1,750 strong.
The 33d Brigade of Infantry, Suffolk County,
325
COMMANDERS ASSIGNED.
* Gen. Abraham Rose ; the 29th Brigade, of Rockland County, Gen. Peter S. Van Orden ; the 15th Brigade of Infantry. under Gen. Pierre Van Cortlandt, of the southern part of Westchester County, and all the uniform companies of artillery, light infantry, grenadiers and riflemen, of Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam and Dutchess Counties, were formed into 1st Division, under command of Maj .- Gen. Ebenezer Stevens.
The battalion under command of Lieut .- Col. Jonathan Varian contained 720 privates, S captains, 16 lieutenants, 16 ensigns, 40 sergeants, 48 corporals, 8 drummers and 8 fifers.
The independent regiment of light infantry and ₹ rifle companies from the counties of Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Dutchess and Putnam contained 864 men, under command of
The 19th Brigade, Orange County, 540 men ; 30th Brigade, Dutchess County, 540 men ; to be formed in a regiment under Lieut .- Cols. Isaac Belknap, Jr., and Abraham Van Wyck. The 20th Brigade, Dutchess County, 648 men : 34th Brigade, Orange County, 432 men ; to be formed in a regiment under Lieut. - Col. A. Delamater and A. Wheeler. The 12th Brigade, Columbia County, 540 men ; 23d Brigade, Sul- livan and Ulster, 432 men ; 37th Brigade. Greene and Albany, 540 men, under Lieut .- Cols. John J. Van Dalssen and Daniel Warner ; to form three battalions, another lieutenant-colonel to be assigned said detachment.
The news of the naval victory on Lake Cham-
326
NEWS OF BATTLES.
plain was brought to New York city by the steam- boat Firefly on the 14th.
The Albany Argus extra, published on Monday, September 13th, at noon, contained a letter dated September 11th, ten o'clock, which stated the victory on Lake Champlain, and was expecting the land battle. This intelligence was brought to Pough- keepsie by Thos. Wigton on horseback in twenty- one hours from Albany, and from Poughkeepsie to New York by steamboat Firefly.
The battle was still raging at Baltimore, and the land battle at Plattsburg was going on, and at Fort Erie there was a crisis. On the afternoon of the 15th news arrived of the defeat and retreat of the enemy from Plattsburg, the repulse of General Ross at Baltimore and the strengthening of Fort Erie and the probable withdrawal of the enemy from the siege. The morning newspapers announced in a brief headline -" Victory ! North, South and West!"
The intelligence of the battle at Baltimore caused attention to be directed to the defence in case of an attack from that direction.
The following order was issued and at once put in operation.
" GENERAL ORDERS.
"NEW YORK, September 17, 1814.
"Lieutenant-Colonel Warner will establish a line of videttes from the corps of cavalry between New York and Philadelphia by stationing two videttes at intervals of ten miles ; they will be subject to the order of the commanding general, to whom the
327
STATION OF REGIMENTS.
officer to be stationed at the end of the line will report."
The forts in the city along the Hudson River side were put in a stronger defensive condition. On the 18th, by order issued on that date, the com- manding officer of the West battery and of the North battery, and of Fort Gansevoort were re- quired to report any deficiency of the following :
Each gun must be furnished with a gunner's belt and implements ; priming horse and tube box and two leastic thumb stalls, a post fire stock and lint stock, ramrod and sponge, ladle, one worm, six hand- spikes, a water turn and broom, six badge barrels to each battery, one hundred rounds of cartridges and round shot, and ten of grape to each gun.
On the 19th the following assignments of Gen- eral Morton's brigade of artillery were made :
At West Battery (Castle Clinton the Second Regiment, Major Smith's battalion, and Major Dunscomb's battalion (Governor's Guards).
At North Battery, off Hubert street, Eleventh Regiment, under Colonel Harsen and Major Dib- blee's battalion from Rockland County.
At Fort Gansevoort the Third Regiment, Major Forbes' battalion and the detachment from the Thirteenth Regiment.
The corps of Veteran Artillery were stationed at the State Arsenal on Bridge street, and were to mount a corporal guard for the protection of that place.
The men were allowed to remain at their former quarters, and a captain's guard to be mounted at
328
STATION OF REGIMENTS.
the forts and two field officers were assigned to each battery.
General Morton was directed to assign two field officers to each battery ; he assigned Major Stevens and Major Smith to the West Battery (Castle Clin- ton) ; Major Mercein and Major Dibblee to the North Battery ; Lieut. Col. Bogert and Major Forbes to Fort Gansevoort ; a detachment of eight matrosses and two gunners to each gun at the several forts and a non-commissioned officer stationed at each gun, and another non-commissioned officer to each accade of two guns. The men were to be furnished from the corps stationed at each battery according to their relative strength.
The Tenth Brigade of Infantry, under command of Brevet Brig .- Gen. Curtenius (General Steddiford being president of a court martial), were stationed at Greenwich, near Christopher street, in the vicinity of State Prison grounds.
Those men that were not residents of New York city in that brigade were encamped there.
On 19th September, Lieut .- Col. Cadwalader D. Colden was assigned to take command of the uniform companies of militia from the interior of the State that were attached to General Curtenius' brigade. It was known as the Fifth Regiment of New York State Artillery and Infantry.
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