USA > New York > New York City > The Union defence committee of the city of New York. Minutes, reports, and correspondence; with an historical introduction > Part 10
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The Committee are rapidly approaching the termination of the labors they had marked out as essential to be accomplished. - The last three of the regiments accepted under the authority of the President, by the order of 15th May last, namely the De Kalb, Mozart, and Tammany, are fully equipped, and will speedily be in readiness to receive the arms provided by the Government to render them effec- tive for service. When these regiments shall be placed in the field, the Union Defence Committee will have largely assisted in adding thirty-five regiments of citizen soldiers to the army of the nation, and will thus have performed the principal portion of the duty it had undertaken as the accredited representatives of the citizens of New York.
There is, however, another and none the less important service which is to be prosecuted to its proper completion by the Union De- fence Committee : this is comprised in that branch of their duties which relates to the Relief of the Families of Soldiers. Of the large appropriation made by the city authorities a portion was set apart for this object, and relief has already been extended to many thousands of wives, children and parents of soldiers now in the field, at an expenditure of more than two hundred thousand dollars.
This onerous duty has been thus far performed under the direc- tion of a Select Committee of this body, in conjunction with delegates from the two boards of the Common Council for each Ward of the city. That the relief was greatly needed and has been gratefully re- ceived, each day's recurring crowd of applicants furnishes abundant testimony; and there can be no question that the duty has been performed with efficiency, impartiality and fidelity.
The Committee have already indicated their opinion that this action must speedily cease, the condition of the Fund made applica- ble to this purpose being nearly exhausted ; but the Committee cannot avoid expressing the belief that this work of benevolence,
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instituted by the City Government, will be regarded as a crowning merit in their patriotic action in support of the national authority.
There is another duty which the Executive Committee feel it incumbent on them to bring to the notice of the Union Defence Committee : The authorities of the State of New York and of the United States are by existing laws, under certain circumstances, bound to provide clothing, sustenance and other necessaries for militia and volunteer soldiers mustered into the public service. In many of the cases of regiments aided by the Committee, the force of the emergency did not admit of the delay necessary to obtain these essential supplies from the authorities mentioned; advances were constantly made in many instances, and supplies furnished to enable the regiments to go speedily forward. The obligation resting upon the public authorities is in no sense invalidated by this action on the part of the Committee, and it is evidently an imperative duty on them to present and urge at the proper time and place the reim- bursement of all such advances made to regiments organized or in ' process of organization.
In reference to this subject, and in conclusion of their Report, the Executive Committee submit the following resolution :
Resolved, That it is expedient to adopt proper measures to bring before the authorities of the State of New York and of the United States, at the earliest period. practicable, claims for reim- bursement of moneys expended by this Committee in the equip- ment and outfit of regiments organized under the call of the Presi- dent of the United States.
And recommend its adoption by the Union Defence Commit- tec.
Respectfully submitted by order of the Executive Committee.
Signed, S. DRAPER, Chairman Ex. Com.
P. M. WETMORE,
Secretary Er. Com.
APPENDIX TO REPORT OF JUNE 29, 1861.
Table of Regiments assisted by Union Defence Committee.
N. Y. State Militia-Fourteen Regiments, viz. :
2d Regt., Col. Tompkins, 8th Regt., Col. Lyons,
5th Schwarzwelder,
9th " Stiles,
6th Pinckney, 12th
Butterfield,
7th .“ " Lefferts,
13th
Smith,
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14th Regt., Col. Wood,
28th " Bennett,
69th Regt., Col. Corcoran, 71st
Martin,
(late Vosburgh),
55th
Le Gal,
79th " ' Col. Cameron.
N. Y. State Volunteers-Twenty-two Regiments, viz. :
1st Regt., Col. Allen,
15th Regt., Col. Murphy,
4th
Taylor,
17th
Lansing,
5th
Duryee,
20th 66 Weber,
6th
Wilson,
25th
66 Kerrigan,
7th
Bendix,
31st
Pratt,
8th
Blenker,
32d
Mathesson,
9th
Hawkins,
36th
Innis,
10th "
McChesney,
37th " . McCunn,
11th
Farnham,
38th .
Ward,
(late Ellsworth)
Garibaldi Guard, Col. d'Utassy,
Mozart Guard, Col. Riley,
De Kalb
von Gilsa,
Tammany " " Kennedy.
State of New York Troops in the Field.
Volunteers
38 Regiments.
Committee
4
Militia.
14 66
Total
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THIRD REPORT OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Report of the Executive Committee
UNION DEFENCE COMMITTEE OF THE CITIZENS OF NEW YORK,
NEW YORK, Aug. 21, 1861.
AT A MEETING held this day, the following report was received, adopted and ordered to be transmitted to the Common Council.
The Executive Committee, referring to their previous reports to the Union Defence Committee under date severally of the 20th May and 29th June, now submit a detailed Report of Expenditures in connection with the Fund created by the City Government from the proceeds of one million dollars of Corporation Bonds, viz .:
First. Abstract of Expenditures in Aid to Regiments of State Militia.
Second. Detailed account of Expenditures in aid of Regiments of Volunteers.
.
122
Third. Abstract of expenditures in aid of organizations not com- pleted.
Fourth. Statement of the appropriation made for purchase of arms, etc., and to the Fund for relief of families of soldiers.
These statements comprise all the drafts made on the City Fund up to the 31st July, amounting in the aggregate to the following :
Aid to twenty-six regiments of volunteers. $349,846.23
Aid to ten regiments of militia. 157,336.97
Aid to incomplete organizations, etc. 24,947.77
Purchase of arms, ammunition, baggage-
wagons and ambulances 226,589.27
$758,720.24
Appropriation to relief of families.
230,000
Total amount of drafts.
$983,720.24
Leaving a balance in the hands of the Comp- troller on 31st of July of. $11,279.76
The thirty-six regiments, above referred to, do not include the 7th, 13th, 14th and 28th regiments of militia, all of which were aided to a moderate extent from the private fund of the citizens of New York.
Some explanation may be necessary to a right understanding of the items contained in the table of expenditures.
It will be observed that in regard to four of the regiments, the appropriations to each far exceed those in all other cases.
The following are the figures :
Mozart Regiment $67,099.83
Garibaldi Guard. . $47,517.56
From the private fund 6,336.00 53,853.56 Tammany Regiment (Jackson Guard). 47,146.65
De Kalb Regiment.
43,891.50
Total
$211,991.54
Average cost.
$52,997.88
These were the only regiments of which the entire cost was de- frayed by the Union Defence Committee. Every article of clothing
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and equipment for these regiments was furnished by the Committee, together with rations for almost a thousand men each for an average period of two months.
In every other case save these, the regiments assisted by the Committee received aid from private sources or from the authorities of the State of New York. In the latter class of volunteers are embraced eighteen regiments of the State quota; and in the former, ten regiments of the State Militia, each of which was organized and in part equipped when called into service.
A detailed statement of expenditures from the Citizens' Fund is in course of preparation, and will be submitted to the Union De- fence Committee whenever an order to that effect shall be made. The results in regard to this fund vary constantly, and the items of expenditure, when embraced in a detailed report will increase somewhat the amounts appropriated to several of the regiments which first occupied the attention of the Committee.
The total number of regiments and incomplete organizations assisted by the Committee is as follows :
New York State Militia Regiments. 14
New York State Volunteer Regiments 18
New York City Volunteer Regiments 8
Incomplete organizations. 10
Total 50 Regiments.
Of this number forty regiments of militia and volunteers have been received into the service of the United States, and many of them have shared in the labors and perils of the recent campaigns in Virginia and elsewhere.
It is, perhaps, not too much to say, in reference to these troops, that most of them have acquitted themselves, in the preparatory duties of the camp, and upon the field of battle, in a manner creditable to the City, the State, and themselves.
It is the purpose of the Executive Committee, at a fitting time, to submit a more full detail of the character, conduct, and services of the several regiments which entered the Army of the United States under the auspices of this Committee, together with state- ments of their respective losses in battle, whether by death, wounds, or capture, their condition and location in the service. The Com- mittee cannot realize that every duty has been performed by simply placing citizen soldiers in the field for active service during
.
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war ; they feel that a responsibility rests upon the City and State to keep watch over the welfare of those who have volunteered for the public defence, and to extend to them all needful care and pro- tection.
Soon after the commencement of their duties, the Committee saw the pressing necessity of securing an adequate supply of arms and munitions of war, then becoming very scarce and constantly rising in value, which would certainly be required for the outfit of the local organizations, and might become a resource for the Gov- ernment in any sudden emergency.
That this course was wise and judicious, the Committee have re- ceived abundant evidence in the progress of their labors. Arms have been issued from time to time to various regiments for pur- poses of drill and guard, and in several instances regiments have borne them temporarily to the seat of war, whence in most cases they have been returned to the storehouse of the Committee, and a portion of them have since been disposed of to the Quarter-master's department of the United States Army.
In connection with this subject, it may be remarked that the occasions have not been infrequent, when the Committee have had the gratification of furnishing to the Government articles of indis- pensable necessity to the public service. One of their carliest acts was to charter a steamer, by the aid of which ammunition and provisions were supplied to the garrison at Fortress Monroe, and to. the army at Annapolis, Maryland, at a most critical emergency, when communication with the Capital was interrupted. The steamer Quaker City was also chartered temporarily for service between this city and Southern ports occupied by Union forces. This vessel was fully armed and supplied with provisions by the Committee, and during the continuance of the charter performed efficient and valuable service ; under a new engagement made with the Government she is now one of the blockading force on the Southern coast.
In aiding regiments to take the field effectively, the Committee have supplied canon with ammunition, in cases where it seemed to them proper to do so, and they refer to the following instances :
To the Seventh Regiment, Militia, Colonel Lefferts, two field cannon, which, on the return of the Seventh, were transferred to the Ninth Militia, Colonel Stiles, now in the column of General Banks.
To the Fifth Regiment, Volunteers, Colonel Duryee, four field cannon, now at Baltimore, Md.
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To the Second Regiment, Militia, Colonel Tompkins, two field cannon, now in Virginia.
To the Mozart Regiment, Volunteers, Colonel Riley, two field cannon, now in Washington.
In each of the above cases a full supply of ammunition, includ- ing shot and shell, was issued.
Ammunition has also been furnished in several instances to regiments from other States in transit toward the seat of war. In a few instances separate companies have been aided with arms and equipments, but the rule to confine assistance to regiments has rarely been departed from.
One source of expenditure has been fully justified and more than repaid in the benefits conferred on sick and wounded soldiers. The first ambulances which reached the seat of war were pro- vided by the Union Defence Committee, and their use has been freely granted from time to time to numerous regiments from other States which were unprovided with this essential aid to an army in the field.
These facts are alluded to simply to show that the duties as- sumed by the Committee have covered a wide range, and have not been ineffectual in carrying out the wishes of the citizens of New York, expressed in the resolution creating the Committee, namely, "to aid the movements of the Government as the public interests may require."
Accounts are still open with the Government in several of its departments, and when the sums expended in the purchase of arms, munitions of war, wagons, etc., are reimbursed, the result will be fully stated in a subsequent Report.
The Committee cannot close this Report without an expression of their high gratification at the spirited conduct and gallant bearing shown by one of their number at the recent conflict in Virginia. Having declined the commission of Major-General tendered to him by the Executive of this State, which did not confer an active command in the field, Mr. Wadsworth volun- teered his services on the staff of the commanding general im- mediately before the battle. The bravery and efficiency of Major Wadsworth have been warmly commended and gracefully recognized by the Government in the appointment of Brigadier-General of Volunteers.
Respectfully submitted by order of the Executive Committee.
[Signed] S. DRAPER, Chairman.
P. M. WETMORE, Secretary.
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FOURTH REPORT OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
NEW YORK, April 30th, 1862.
AT A MEETING of the Executive Committee, held on the 2d in- stant, the following resolutions were unanimously adopted, namely :
1. Resolved, That the final report of expenditures from the " City Fund," with a detailed statement of the amount advanced to each regiment, be prepared for transmission by the Union Defence Committee to the Mayor and Common Council, together with copies of correspondence with the State and United States Governments, in relation to the claims for reimbursements and such other por- tions of the Committee's proceedings as are of public interest.
2. Resolved, That a detailed statement be prepared without delay of the subscriptions to the private fund, and of the expenditures therefrom, showing what class of items can be embraced in claims for reimbursement.
In accordance with the resolutions set forth, the Executive Committee have now to submit to the consideration of the Union Defence Committee, and for transmission to his Honor the Mayor and the Common Council, should such action be deemed advisable, the following report of transactions since the last communication to the city government ; and also a brief review of the operations of the Union Defence Committee from the commencement of their official duties.
With the view to preserve an unbroken record of these opera- tions, the Executive Committee deem it proper to refer to their previous reports, bearing date respectively, the 20th of May, the 29th of June, the 21st of August, 1861 ; and also to the tables and state- ments accompanying the same, all of which were transmitted by the Union Defence Committee to the city authorities and made public.
The transactions under review have been mainly confined to the organization, outfit and equipment of volunteers from the city and State of New York, under the call of the President of the United States, and for a brief period to the duty of relieving the families of Volunteer soldiers in the field.
The funds placed at the disposal of the Union Defence Com- mittee were derived from the following sources, namely :
First. A fund created by the corporation of the city of New York, founded on an issue of city bonds, authorized by ordinance of 25th April, 1861, amounting to one million dollars, bearing interest at six per cent. per annum, and redeemable on or before the first day of May, 1862. (This period has been extended by act of the Legislature, passed session 186?, until the 1st of November, 1864.)
127
Second. Private contributions from citizens of New York, col- lected under authority granted in the first instance by the Chamber of Commerce, at a meeting held on the 19th of April, 1861, and subsequently by a mass meeting of citizens held on the 20th of the same month.
In addition to the above, a special deposit of funds, amounting to one hundred and sixty-four thousand nine hundred and seventy- one dollars and ninety-eight cents, was made with the Committee, for special purposes, by Commissioners of the United States Treas- ury. This account was closed many months since, the money having been paid over on the order of the Commissioners, to whom a balance sheet was rendered.
As the Committee had only a temporary custody of these funds, without power or discretion as to their appropriation or expendi- ture, and never mixed them with the moneys subject to their dis- posal, they deem it unnecessary to present any further statement with regard to them, beyond the simple reference to the fact that such deposit was made and has been repaid.
Under the second head-that of the subscription by private citi- zens-the receipts, expenditures and condition of the fund will form the subject of a special report, now in course of preparation, addressed to the Union Defence Committee for the information of those by whom the fund was created.
The principal items of expenditure under the first head were submitted to the Union Defence Committee, and laid before the Mayor and Common Council, in the report of the 21st of August last. The condensed table of expenditure from this fund, trans- mitted herewith, presents a recapitulation of the items above referred to, and includes also the subsequent and final appropriations from the same fund. That source of the means placed under the control of the Committee was exhausted on the 24th of October last. Since that date a sum amounting to one hundred and seven thousand and eight dollars and seventy-five cents, has been reimbursed to the fund, and the balance sheet to date stands as follows :
CITY FUND
Dr.
1861.
May 1. Union Defence Fund, in bonds, issued by
city of New York
$1,000,000 00
$1,000,000 00
:
128
EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT
Dr.
Proceeds of city bonds to Comptroller $1,000,000 00 Less appropriation for relief to families of volun-
teers 230,350 00
Balance to Union Defence Fund. $769,650 00
1862.
May 10. To balance account. $662,414 56
CITY FUND
Balance May 10th, 1862. 1861.
Cr.
June 30. Total expenditures in aid of families of volunteers. $230,350 00
October 25. Total expenditures in aid to regiments of volunteers .. . $771,245 31
Less amount received for munitions of
war transferred to New Jersey and
other parties, paid for by them . . . . 1,822 00
$769,423 31
Balance unexpended in city treasury.
226 69
$1,000,000 00
EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT
Reimbursement for sale of arms, etc., to
United States
$66,793 25
Reimbursement for sale of arms, etc., to
United States. 40,215 50
$107,008 75
Balance in city treasury
226 69
Balance of expenditure in aid of regiments ... 662,414 56
$769,650 00
Reimbursement accounts unsettled, viz .:
%
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Claims for advances in aid to regiments of volunteers.
for arms, ammunition, etc.
for outfit of steamer Quaker City against Navy Department. Cost of property on hand, consisting of arms, munitions of war, etc., etc.
With this general reference to the finances of the Union De- fence Committee, the further purpose of this report is to convey the requisite information to enable that body, in their next com- munication to the city government, to present such facts and sug- gestions as may seem to be called for by obligations of duty and a, just sense of the confidence reposed in them.
The duties of the Union Defence Committee were commenced at a time when all regular communication with the national capital had ceased of necessity-rail tracks and telegraph lines no longer per- formed their functions; and for many days dispatches between the departments at Washington and the officers of the Government on this station were borne by private dispatch agents of this Com- mittee.
In this critical condition of public affairs the Committee did not hesitate to adopt and endeavor to carry into effective operation every measure which seemed to be called for by a proper sense of the exigencies of the country. Their authority was derived from the proceedings of a mass meeting of citizens, which conferred the power to collect funds, and to transact "such other business in aid of the movements of the Government as the public inter- est might require."
The first steps taken by the Committee were to facilitate the equipment and outfit of regiments of volunteer militia and their dispatch to the seat of Government for the protection of the capital.
The President's call for volunteers was issued on the 15th April, 1861. The organization of the Committee was perfected on the 20th-one week from the fall of Fort Sumter. The Seventh New York Regiment, Colonel Lefferts, left the city on the 19th, on its way to Washington. On Sunday, the 21st of that month, the Sixth Regiment, Colonel Pinckney, the Twelfth, Colonel Butter- field, and the Seventy-first, Colonel Vosburgh, followed for the same destination. Before the close of the month of April, the fol- lowing regiments had also taken up; their line of march : the Eighth, Colonel Lyons; the Thirteenth, Colonel Smith, from Brooklyn ; the Fifth, Colonel Schwartzwelder ; the Sixty-ninth, Colo- nel Corcoran ; the Twenty-fifth, Colonel Bryan, from Albany ; and 9
130
the Twenty-eighth, Colonel Bennett, from Brooklyn. These regi- ments, comprising an effective force of over eight thousand men, well equipped and fully armed, were thrown into the field under brave and skillful officers, within twelve days from the date of the appeal made to the patriotism of the country for the defence of the Union. It can scarcely be deemed presumptuous to state that without the active aid of the Committee, such celerity in forwarding troops for the defence of the capital could not have been attained. A more general reference will be made in the course of this report to the extent of the assistance rendered to the numerous military organizations, which made up the vast army contributed by the State of New York to the Union cause.
Communications were speedily opened with the commanding officers of the army and navy on this station, and their advice was followed in every movement which seemed best adapted to secure prompt and efficient action.
It would be but a simple act of justice for the Committee to re- cord their sense of the valuable services rendered to them in the cordial co-operation of Commodores Breese and Stringham, of the navy, and Major-General Wool, of the army. To the former, the Committee were indebted for advice and information in regard to important measures, looking to the preservation of the national in- terests on the Atlantic coast ; and to the latter, for the benefit of his great experience and judicious counsel in the measures necessary for giving protection and subsistence to the numerous regiments of volunteer troops organized in haste, and thrown suddenly into sec- tions of the country held by armed insurgents.
A dne acknowledgment of the valuable assistance given to the Committee by General Wool, could not well be brought within the reasonable compass of a report ; but the Committee will doubtless remember that in several previous instances they have expressed to that officer their sense of his services to the country and their grate- ful appreciation of his uniform courtesy and kindness.
The Quaker City, a superior sea-going steamer, was chartered by the Committee on the 25th of April. A sufficient armament was placed on board, and provision made for all requisite supplies for a cruise on the Atlantic coast, and for the support of the public works held by the Union forces on the Chesapeake Bay. Of the importance of the effort thus made to give efficiency to the blockade of Southern ports, the following letter from Flag-officer S. H. Stringham, an efficient and able officer of the United States navy, in command on the Southern sea-coast, furnishes abundant evidence:
.
.
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U. S. S. Minnesota, HAMPTON ROADS, May 17th, 1861.
Chairman Union Defence Committee, New York City:
SIR: I have sent to New York a number of vessels taken here for violating the blockade, which has been strictly enforced, and will continue to be as far as I am able.
Knowing the great interest you take in all the efforts which are now being made to suppress the rebellion, I venture to mention the facts of the captures. As already ordered to New York, they are ships Argo and North Carolina, schooners Crenshaw and Hexall (both of these owned by Mr. Currie of Richmond, a violent seces- sionist, and with secession State clearance), and bark Octavia, also owned by same owner and with same clearance, four laden with tobacco, one in ballast.
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