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 34
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The alacrity with which the citizens of New York when called upon, seconded the efforts of their municipal authorities, must be highly gratifying to the corporation, and will be to them a sure pledge that their constituents, should any future occasion call for similar sacrifices, will not diminish the repu- tation which they have acquired by their great and unparalleled exertion.
The committee subjoin a general statement of their expenditures and a copy of their minutes for the information of the common council, and sub-
.
551
COMMITTEE OF DEFENCE.
mit to them the report of General Swift, which is accompanied by a portfolio of drawings of the works of defence, executed in an elegant and masterly style. They cannot close their report without ex- pressing the high opinion they entertain of the talents and services of that excellent officer. The judgment displayed by him in the formation of the plan of defence, his zeal and indefatigable personal attention to the execution of it, and his frank and amiable deportment in his communications with the committee, excited their high respect and warm es- teem, gained the confidence of their fellow-citizens, and will justify the corporation in enrolling the name of Brigadier-General Joseph G. Swift among the benefactors of the City of New York.
They therefore recommend that his portrait have a place in the gallery of paintings belonging to the corporation, that he be requested to sit for that pur- pose, and that the committee be authorized to em- ploy some suitable and skillful artist on the occas- ion.
All which is respectfully submitted. (Signed)
NICHS. FISH, PETER MESIER, G. BUCKMASTER, J. MAPES, THOS. R. SMITH, GIDEON TUCKER, I. S. DOUGLASS.
In Common Council, November 6, 1815.
Approved and ordered to be published,
J. MORTON, C. C. C.
552
MILITARY ORDERS.
NOTE VIII.
SOME MILITARY ORDERS AND REGULATIONS.
(See ante, pp. 162, 183-4.) " General Orders.
"STATE OF NEW YORK HEADQUARTERS.
"NEW YORK, August 4, 1814.
"The commander in chief having received a requisition made by authority of the President to call into service of the United States immediately, a portion of the militia of this State, to consist of three thousand men, for the defence of the Atlantic frontier of this state, and conceiving that the emer- gency requires him, pursuant to the power vested in him by the militia law of this state, to call into state service, for the defence of the same frontier, one regiment in addition to the aforesaid requisition, directs, that the following corps be immediately organized and ordered into actual service. The detached brigade to the command whereof brigadier general Martin Heermance is assigned, consisting of two regiments, the first whereof is to be formed by 540 men, including company officers, to be de- tached from the 19th brigade of infantry, exclu- sive of the uniform companies of the brigade ; and 540 men, exclusive of uniform corps, from the 30th brigade of infantry ; which regiment is to be commanded by lieut. cols. Isaac Belknap, jun., and Abraham Van Wyck; and the second of which regiments is to be commanded by lieut. cols. A. Delamater and A. Wheeler, and to
553
MILITARY ORDERS.
consist of 64S men from the 20th brigade of infan- try, and of 432 from the 34th brigade of infantry, exclusive of uniform companies.
" One regiment to be commanded by lieut. co's. John G. Van Dalfsen, Daniel Warner, and a lieu- tenant-colonel, to be assigned by major-general Perlee from the 23d brigade of infantry ; which regiment will consist of three battalions, detached as follows :- from the 12th brigade of infantry 540 men ; from the 23d brigade of infantry 432 men ; and from the 37th brigade of infantry 540 men. All the beforementioned corps will rendezvous by battalions, on the 18th day of Aug. inst. at ten o'clock in the forenoon, or in corps of not less than one full company, at such place or places as the commandant of the brigade from which the battal- ion may be detached shall direct.
"The battalion of artillery to be composed of the companies of artillery in the counties of Rockland, . Orange, Putnam and Dutchess, will also rendezvous on the 18th day of August instant ; that part of the battalion which is in 'Dutchess and Putnam counties, at such place or places as Lieut .- Col. Nathan Myers may direct ; and that part of Orange and Rockland at such places as Lieut .- Col. Selalı Strong shall prescribe. One full company of the 2nd regiment of riflemen will rendezvous at the capitol in the city of Albany, on Thursday the 18th day of August inst., at ten o'clock in the forenoon, and should a greater number than one company of said regiment volunteer their services the whole will rendezvous on the day and at the hour before men-
554
MILITARY ORDERS.
tioned, at such place or places as Lieut .- Col. S. M. Lockwood shall direct, who will, in person, take command of them, if the number shall amount to three full companies. The commandants of such uniform corps in the counties of Delaware, Greene, Rensselaer, Albany, Schenectady and Ulster as may volunteer their services for the defence of the city of New York and its vicinity, will report to the com- mander-in-chief immediately. The light infantry and rifle companies of Rockland, Orange, Dutchess and Putnam counties, organized into a detached regiment on the 20th of July last, will rendezvous on the 18th of August inst., at the hour aforesaid, as follows :- In Westchester county, at such place as Lieut .- Col. Jonathan Varian may designate, and in the other counties at such place or places as the commandants of the respective brigades to which they belong "shall direct.
"The commandants of artillery companies will take with them to the places of rendezvous the field pieces and equipments attached to the respective companies. All the artillery, light infantry and riflemen must appear at rendezvous with complete uniform, and the light infantry, riflemen and in - fantry must appear equipped with a musket and bayonet or a rifle with a cartridge box or rifle pouch and with a knapsack, blanket and canteen, and they are advised to provide themselves with a frock and trowsers, for fatigue dress to preserve their uni- form. Members of uniform companies ordered into service in 1813, under brigadier-general Hop- kins, who shall have faithfully served and been
535
MILITARY ORDERS.
honorably discharged, during or at the end of the tour of duty of General Hopkins' brigade, and also all the members of uniform companies, who served faithfully, in person or by substitute, on Staten Island, in 1812, may be discharged by the com- mandants of the respective rendezvous at which they may assemble ; but such commandants are cautioned to be particular in the exercise of this discretion.
"The principal and not the substitute. will have the benefit of former service, and the commandants of the companies heretofore on duty are required to detach and have at the proper rendezvous, by the 18th inst., every member of the company who did not actually serve in person or by substitute in 1812 or 1813.
"Three thousand of the troops included in this order will rendezvous, under and pursuant to the act of Congress passed 28th February, 1795, and the acts supplementary and in addition thereto. The original act prescribes three months from the time of arrival at the place of rendezvous as the period of service ; and the act in addition thereto provides that the militia called into service, pursuant to the act of 28th February, 1795, may, if, in the opinion of the President of the United States the public in- terest requires it, be compelled to serve for a term not exceeding six months after their arrival at the place of rendezvous. The residue of the troops in- cluded in this order are called out under state au- thority, and will be liable to serve so long as the emergency which induced the call may exist, not
556
MILITARY ORDERS.
exceeding three months. The destination of all the troops mentioned in this order is the CITY OF NEW YORK AND ITS VICINITY.
"The discretion vested in commandants of de- tached companies to receive substitutes at the ren- dezvous requires them not to receive substitutes in the artillery, rifle corps or light infantry. unless such substitute be completely uniformed and equipped for the corps in which he is offered as a substitute, nor in the infantry, unless the substitute be amply supplied with clothing for three months' service, and equipped with a musket and bayonet, rifle, cartridge box or pouch, and with a knapsack, blanket and canteen, and the commandants of com- panies are expressly forbid receiving substitutes upon any other terms. Militia officers are again re- minded that the certificates of surgeons are not to be received as conclusive evidence of inability to serve, but that commandants are bound to inquire into the grounds of such discharge and to decide upon all the information and evidence they can obtain ; and if any commandant of regiment, bat- talion, or other militia officer be notified that cer- tificates are given by surgeons, for reward, or with- out due examination, and upon slight grounds, and shall not report such surgeons for trial and punish- ment, the officers so neglecting will be reported to the council of appointment for dismissal. All offi- cers concerned in the execution of this order are re- quired to use their utmost exertions to carry it into prompt and complete effect, and are strictly charged to represent to the commander-in-chief every other
55℃
MILITARY ORDERS.
officer under their respective commands who may be negligent, evasive, or disobedient in the discharge of his duty.
"By order of the Commander-in-chief, "ROBERT MACOMB, Aid-de-Camp." (Ante, p. 252.) " THIRD BRIGADE OF N. Y. INFANTRY. " Brigade Orders. "NEW YORK, Sept. 1st, 1814.
" That part of this brigade in the city of New York is provisionally consolidated in two regiments as follows : The first to be commanded by Lieut. - Col. Dodge, Lieut .- Col. Sayre, Major Thorn, Major Strong.
Captains : 1 William. S. Hick, 2 William Patter- son, 3 William T. McCoun, 4 Robert M. Russel, 5 William H. Maxwell, 6 Ezra C. Woodhull, 7 Janey Fink, S John J. Sickles. 9 Edward H. Nicoll, 10 Thomas J. Delancey.
"Lieutenants : Jennings, Burdett, Macomb. Wheeler, Spicer, Dodge, Woodhull, Tylee, Duffice, James Russel, Allen, Burnett, Parsons, Dunscomb, Randall, Nicoll, Post, Jones.
"Ensigns : Banks, Phelps, Pell, Cheavens, Mc- Vicar, Townsend, Brown, Low, Irving, Smith, Holly, Dunlap, Watts, Hoffman, Walworth, Ran- kin, Gale, Varick, Prince, Stewart, Hide.
" The second Regiment commanded by Lieut. - Col. Van Hook, Lieut .- Col. Todd, Majors Gardner and Fay.
" Captains : 1 Daniel E. Tylee, 2 Solomon Seixas, 3 Joseph Gerard, + G. H. Striker, 5 Zebedee Ring,
558
MILITARY ORDERS.
Jr., 6 Abner Stevens, 7 Robert Emmett, 8 William E. Dunscomb, 9 James Striker, 10 Homer Whitte- more.
"Lieutenants : Hyatt, Mclaughlin, Ryer, Griffin, Morris, Morgan, Baker, Ross, Mclaughlin, Sprong, Christie, McGregor, Fisher, Fleming, J. Renwick.
"Ensigns : Longworth, Brower, Wheaton, Tol- man, Hewett, Ainslie, Warner (Brevets, Bool, Horn, Dixon, Gales), G. Rogers, Gales, Coddington, R. Renwick, Barnesett, Nestell, Brown, Heyer, Tardy, Striker, Benjamin, Durry, J. Sheffelin, Robineau. " The commandants of the above detached regi- ments will appoint their staff. The brigadier-gen- eral wishes it to be distinctly understood that the above consolidation is provisional, liable to be altered or reduced as occasion may require.
"By order of the Brigadier-General,
" CHAS. KING, "Capt. and aid-de-camp."
The Third Brigade of New York Infantry con- sisted of the 10th, 51st, S2d, 125th, 142d and 146th Regiments, under command of General Mapes, all from New York city excepting the last-named regi- ment, which was from Staten Island.
On 1st September, 1814, General Mapes issued the above order of consolidation of the several companies and regiments, which is referred to ante, p. 252.
This order of consoldiation excluded a large num- ber of officers from any command (ante, p. 252), be- cause the number of men in each company as con- solidated consisted of one hundred men, and there
559
MILITARY ORDERS.
were consequently not privates enough for all the officers. This caused much dissatisfaction to the officers who were not assigned to duty. The follow- ing order was issued :
" 3D BRIGADE OF DETACHED INFANTRY. " Brigade Orders. "NEW YORK, Sept. 4th, 1814.
"The Brigadier-General avails himself of the first opportunity (permitted by the pressure of official business) to express to the officers of his brigade who were not detached his sincere regret that the consolidation of the brigade as made by the order of the 1st September inst. did not permit him to give employment to the whole of them, and he begs them to accept his thanks for their past good con- duct, and his hopes that an arrangement may soon be made to give them command, in the meantime he expects that they will pay every attention to im- prove themselves in discipline.
"Commandants of regiments will communicate the above in extenso to the officers concerned.
" By order of Gen. Mapes, " CHAS. KING, " Capt. and Aid-de-camp." (See ante, p. 188.)
" STATE OF NEW JERSEY, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE. "TRENTON, August 11, 1814.
"The Commander-in-Chief, having received a requisition from Maj .- Gen. Lewis, commanding the 3d military district, for two hundred men, to en-
560
MILITARY ORDERS.
camp on the Height of Navesink, near the Tel- egraph, and the general requisition not being yet complete, Orders the following Volunteer Com- panies into service, to march on Monday morning next for that encampment, viz. :
"Captain James J. Wilson's company of Jersey Blues, of Trenton ; Captain Stephen D. Day's com- pany, of Orange ; Captain John J. Plume's Company of artillery, Newark ; Captain Moses F. Davis's rifle company, of Bloomfield; Captain William Ten Eycke's rifle company and Lieutenant James Ten Eycke's volunteers, of Monmouth.
"Deputy Quarter-Master-General Abraham Rey- nolds will attend to delivering out camp equipage and the transportation of the same, with the bag- gage of the troops, to the camp. Such men as are not furnished with arms will be furnished by Col. Reynolds, who will apply for information to Col. Thomas T. Kinney, aide-de-camp to the Com- mander-in-Chief. The senior Captain will command until field officers shall be appointed. These troops will continue in service for thirty days after arriv- ing at the place of rendezvous, or until relieved.
" By order of the Commander-in-Chief,
"JAMES J. WILSON, Adjutant-General." (See ante, pp. 189, 265.) "STATE OF NEW JERSEY. " General Orders. "HEADQUARTERS, TRENTON, N. J., "August 12, 1814.
" The Commander-in-Chief announces his accept- ance of the offers of service made by the following
561
MILITARY ORDERS.
Volunteer Corps, agreeably to his invitation of the 14th of July last, in the order in which they were received, viz. :
"Of Artillery.
" Capt. Kilburn's Artillery, of Orange.
"Capt. Golden's Artillery, of Hopewell.
"Capt. Plume's Independent Artillery, of New- ark.
" Capt, Neilson's Artillery, of New Brunswick.
"Capt. Vandycke's Horse Artillery, of New Brunswick.
" Of Infantry and Riflemen.
"Capt. Wilson's Jersey Blues, of Trenton.
"Capt. Day's Volunteers, of Orange.
"Capt. Harrison's Riflemen, of Orange.
"Capt. Donlevy's Rangers, of Belvidere.
"Capt. Lindsley's Riflemen, of Essex.
"Capt. Ten Eycke's Riflemen, of Freehold.
"Lieut. Ten Eycke's Riflemen, of Middletown- point.
"Capt. Halliday's Rangers, of Morristown.
"Capt. Mitchell's Rangers, of Paterson Landing.
1
"Capt. Fair's Light Infantry, of Hackensack.
"Capt. Garrison's Infantry, of Somerset.
"Capt. Crane's Riflemen, of Caldwell.
"Capt. Freas's Light Infantry, of Salem.
"Capt. Garrison's Light Infantry, of Salem.
"Capt. Mackay's Riflemen, of New Brunswick.
"Capt. Brees' Light Infantry, of Baskingridge.
"Capt. Scott's Light Infantry, of New Bruns- wick.
"Capt. Fell's Light Infantry, of New Hampton.
562
MILITARY ORDERS.
"Capt. Brittin's Fusileers, of Chatham.
"Capt. Carter's Riflemen, of Bottlehill.
" Capt. McKissack's Riflemen, of Somerset.
"Capt. Davis's Riflemen, of Bloomfield.
" Capt. Ball's Light Infantry, of Bloomfield.
" While accepting the patriotic offers of these Vol- unteer Companies, the Commander-in-Chief deems it his duty, in order that they may, should they be called into service, act their respective parts in a. manner honorable to themselves and useful to their country, to enjoin it upon them one and all to equip themselves for the field as speedily as possible ; to perfect themselves in discipline by frequent meet- ings and strict attention to the instructions of their officers, and to hold themselves in readiness to march at a moment's warning whenever the exigen- cies of their country may require.
"In order to complete the quota of 5,000 men, officers included, required from this state, the Com- mandants of the several Brigades of Infantry and of the Cape May Regiment, will immediately cause to be detached from their respective commands the officers and privates called for in the following detail :
(Here follows the number and class of officers and men, artillery and infantry, required from each county in the State (ante, p. 265). The total num- ber of privates required were 3,245 and of officers 605 and 116 drummers and fifers. Of the officers 224 were corporals and the same number of sergeants.)
"The Commanders of Brigades, Regiments, Bat- talions and Companies are expected to use all dili-
563
MILITARY ORDERS.
gence to have the officers and men called for by the foregoing detail detached as promptly as possible (in conformity to the 4th section to the last supple- ment of the militia act). The several Brigade Majors are required with all practicable expedition to muster the men within their respective bounds (as well the Volunteers as others), and cause correct inspection returns to be made of the names, grades and corps of the officers and men thus detached to the Adjutant General's office in Trenton, from whence they will be transmitted to the commanders of the respective Brigades now organizing. Captain Jacob Butcher's and Captain Burden's Companies in the Monmouth Brigade and Captain Scull's Vol- unteers and Captain Robert Smith's Artillery Com- pany in the Gloucester Brigade will be exempt from this detail-those companies having volunteered to perform certain services under the Act of the 12th of February last, and have not been included in the aggregate of their respective Brigades.
"The officers and privates thus detailed, together with the volunteer companies in the several coun- ties, will be organized into regiments as follows :
" Those of Bergen and Essex into one regiment.
"Those of Morris and Sussex, into one regiment.
"Those of Somerset, Middlesex and Monmouth, into one regiment.
" These three regiments to compose one Brigade, to be commanded by Brigadier General Colfax.
" Those of Hunterdon and Burlington to form one Regiment.
"Those of Gloucester, Salem, Cumberland, and
.
564
THE MUSTER ROLLS.
Cape May, to form another Regiment. These two Regiments to form a Brigade, to be commanded by Brigadier General Elmer. The whole to be under the command of Major General Wm. N. Shinn.
" Brigadier Generals Elmer and Colfax will at- tend to the formation of the Regiments composing their respective Brigades, disposing the Artillery and Volunteers in the best manner to make the Regiments serviceable.
"Deputy Adjutant General Israel Day, and Dep- uty Quarter Master Generals Reynolds and Brewster, are detailed for this service.
"By order of the Commander in Chief,
" JAMES J. WILSON, 1
"Adjutant General."
NOTE IX.
THE MUSTER ROLLS OF SOLDIERS THAT SERVED IN DEFENCE OF NEW YORK CITY IN 1814.
It was intended that this volume would contain the Roster of officers in the militia that served in the defence of the city of New York in the summer of 1814. After long deliberation the writer concluded that by publishing the list of officers (there being about thirteen hundred of them) would probably prevent the further publication of the Muster Rolls, and thus the names of the privates that then served would ever remain in oblivion.
The following letter will more fully explain the writer's plan and view of the steps which should be taken in the matter :
.
565
THIE MUSTER ROLLS.
"NEW YORK December 6, 1893.
"HENRY CHAUNCEY, JR., EsQ., Secretary of New York Society of War of 1812.
"DEAR SIR :- I have received from you a copy of the resolution adopted by your society at the annual meeting on October 26, 1893, complimentary to my work (" History of New York City and Vicinity During the War of 1812"). I appreciate the atten- tion thus shown to my work. The concluding volume is now in press, and will be issued in the spring.
"Permit me to suggest to the Society that a good work for them to do is to take steps to have the muster roll of all men that served in the defence of New York city in the summer of 1314 published. This roll was lost sight of for more than half a century until I found it about eight years ago in one of the departments at Washington. It is safe and sound as time will permit. It contains the names of more than twenty-five thousand officers and men that served at that time under Major- General Morgan Lewis, in the defence of the city of New York.
" The publication of this roll will make two oc- tavo volumes of about four hundred pages each. The expense of copying the roll and the publication should be paid by the State of New York, as more than half of those on the roll did not belong to New York city, and 2,500 belonged to the New Jersey Militia. My concluding volume shows where each regiment and command were in service in 1814, and
566
NEW YORK MUSTER ROLLS.
by this roll it can readily be ascertained where each person was in the service.
" I have endeavored to do my work in such man- ner as to render it of permanent value (rather than popular), feeling confident that it will, as time goes on, take the place it deserves among local histories.
"Please express my thanks to the Society,* and oblige, Yours sincerely,
" 58 CEDAR STREET.
R. S. GUERNSEY."
MEN FROM NEW YORK STATE IN THE WAR 1812-15.
Militia.
CLASS.
NO.
NON-COM.
MEN.
OFFICERS.
OFFICERS.
Cavalry,
214
379
1,822
Artillery,
444
927
4,884
Riflemen,
82
204
918
Sea Fencibles,
66
158
1,065
Infantry,
4,663
8,400
49,011
Totals,
5,469
10,068
57,700
Volunteers.
Cavalry,
7
17
84
Artillery,
110
299
2,170
Riflemen,
18
45
351
Infantry,
67
149
775
Totals,
202
510
3,380
* The Society of the War of 1812 was instituted January 3, 1826, by some officers of the Armies and Navies of the United States in the war of 1812, and was consolidated January 8, 1848, with the Veteran Corps of Artillery in the State of New York, instituted on Novem- ber 25, 1790, by officers and soldiers of the war of the Revolution and who served in the defence of New York city in 1812 and 1814. All
56%
NEW JERSEY MUSTER ROLLS.
TOTAL NUMBER IN SERVICE IN WAR 1812-15 FROM NEW YORK STATE.
Officers .
5,710
Non-Commissioned Officers 10,682
Men
61,495
Total. 77,887
The shortest period of service was one day, long- est twenty-nine months.
N. B .- The above does not include those in the United States Navy or in the service as privateers.
MEN FROM NEW JERSEY IN WAR OF 1812-15.
Militia.
CLASS.
OFFICERS.
NO. NON-COM. OFFICERS.
MEN.
Cavalry,
11
20
103
Artillery,
16
36
157
Riflemen,
34
68
349
Infantry,
334
684
4,199
None mustered as volunteers, only as companies, under order dated August 12, 1814.
NEW JERSEY MILITIA STATIONED AT PAULUS HOOK AND SANDY HOOK IN WAR OF 1812-15.
(See ante, p. 266.)
Brig .- Gen. William Colfax, commanding brigade. Capt. James C. Van Dyke, commanding company of artillery.
these were incorporated under the laws of New York as a military institution on January 8, 1892, by the surviving original veteran members. One of the objects of the incorporated society is to "collect and preserve the manuscript rolls, records and other docu- ments relating to that war." This was the first society of that war that was formed in the United States.
568
NEW JERSEY MUSTER ROLLS.
Capt. James J. Wilson, commanding company of artillery.
Capt. Joseph W. Scott, light infantry.
Lieut .- Col. John Seward, 14 companies.
Col. John W. Frelinghuysen, 23 companies.
Col. John Dodd, 13 companies.
Lieut .- Col. Joseph Jackson, 6 companies.
Lieut .- Col. James Abrahams, 6 companies.
Maj. Isaac Andrus, 11 companies.
NEW JERSEY MILITIA IN 1814 (from August 13th to December 10th).
CLASS.
NO. OFFICERS.
NON-COM. OFFICERS.
MEN.
Infantry,
250
520
3,027
Riflemen,
32
64
300
Artillery,
15
34
141
Cavalry,
7
12
61
.
Totals,
304
630
3,529
The longest period of service during that time was three months and twenty-six days ; the shortest was one month and four days.
TOTAL NUMBER IN SERVICE IN THE WAR.
The total number of soldiers in service in the war was 481,622, which does not include marine service or privateers. The United States pension rolls show 527,65+ entitled to pension, being 46,032 more than those in the land service.
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