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 19
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21
They beg to be advised of the organization of any similar committees of citizens with which they may put themselves in communication.
With great respect,
Your obedient servants, HAMILTON FISH, WILLIAM M. EVARTS, Committee of EDWARDS PIERREPONT, JAMES T. BRADY, Correspondence.
.
JOHN J. CISCO,
N. B .- The Committee has rooms at No. 30 Pine Street, open all day, and at Fifth Avenue Hotel, open in the evening.
THE UNION DEFENCE COMMITTEE OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK AND OF ITS CITIZENS.
OFFICE NO. 30 PINE STREET, NEW YORK, April 25, 1861.
The permanent offices of this Committee are now established in this building, where, from and after this date, all communications must be addressed.
237
The Committee will meet daily at 12 M. Office hours are from 9 A. M. to 5 P.M.
The Executive Committee will meet daily in addition to the above, at the Fifth Avenue Hotel at 8 P.M. ·
The United States Government, the State Government, the Municipal Authorities and Citizens of New York, are in cordial and active co-operation with this Committee.
The Committee is organized as follows :
JOHN A. DIX, Chairman,
Charles H. Marshall,
SIMEON DRAPER, Vice- Chairman,
WILLIAM M. EVARTS, Secretary,
THEODORE DEHON, Treasurer,
Moses Taylor,
William E. Dodge, Greene C. Bronson, Hamilton Fish,
Richard M. Blatchford,
Edwards Pierrepont,
Alex. T. Stewart,
William F. Havemeyer,
Charles H. Russell,
Samuel Sloan, John Jacob Astor, Jr.,
James T. Brady,
John J. Cisco,
Rudolph A. Witthaus,
James S. Wadsworth,
Isaac Bell,
James Boorman,
Abiel A. Low, Prosper M. Wetmore, A. C. Richards,
The Mayor of the City of New York, The Comptroller of the City of New York, The President of the Board of Aldermen, The President of the Board of Councilmen.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE UNION DEFENCE COMMITTEE.
SIMEON DRAPER, Chairman, JOHN A. DIX, ex-officio,
THEODORE DEHON, Treas. ex-officio, CHARLES H. RUSSELL, ex-officio,
Moses H. Grinnell,
James S. Wadsworth,
A. C. Richards,
Isaac Bell,
Richard M. Blatchford, Charles H. Marshall,
Samuel Sloan, John Jacob Astor, Jr.
Prosper M. Wetmore, Secretary.
COMMITTEE OF FINANCE.
CHARLES H. RUSSELL, Chairman, A. A. Low, Theodore Dehon,
James Boorman,
Moses Taylor.
Robert II. McCurdy, Moses H. Grinnell, Royal Phelps,
238
COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE.
HAMILTON FISH, Chairman, Edwards Pierrepont,
William M. Evarts, James 'T. Brady,
John J. Cisco.
COMMITTEE ON SUBSCRIPTIONS AND COLLECTIONS.
ALEX. T. STEWART, Chairman, William F. Havemeyer, William E. Dodge, Rudolph A. Witthaus,
Robert H. McCurdy, Royal Phelps.
All appropriations will be made on written application at the office of the Committee, Room 14, No. 30 Pine Street.
Receipts and disbursements at the office of the Treasurer, Room No. S.
Published by order of the Executive Committee.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
ARRANGEMENT OF SUB-COMMITTEES
On Purchase of Arms and Ammunition .-- MR. ASTOR, MR. SLOAN, MR. RICHARDS.
On Applications for Provisions and Supplies-MR. GRINNELL, MR. MARSHALL, MR. SLOAN.
On Aid to Regiments .- MR. RICHARDS, MR. WETMORE, MR. SLOAN, HON. FERNANDO WOOD, Mayor, HON. HENRY W. GENET, President Board of Aldermen.
On Applications for Relief to Families of Soldiers .- MR. BELL, MR. MARSHALL, MR. GRINNELL, HON. MORGAN JONES, President Board of Councilmen, in connection with committees composed of the Aldermen and two citizens in each ward.
On Application for Transport of Troops and Provisions. - MR. MARSHALL, MR. WADSWORTH, MR. GRINNELL.
On Funds .- MR. BLATCHFORD, MR. ASTOR, MR. BELL, HON. ROBERT T. HAWS, Comptroller.
On Naval Affairs .- MR. MARSHALL, MR. GRINNELL, MR. WADSWORTH.
MR. DRAPER, Chairman and MR. DEHON, Treasurer, members ex-oficio of each Standing Committee.
By order of Executive Committee,
S. DRAPER, Chairman.
P. M. WETMORE, Secretary.
.
239
UNION DEFENCE COMMITTEE
SATURDAY, May 4, 1861.
Those of our patriotic fellow-citizens, who are able, and who have not contributed to the Fund for the Defence of the Union and the proper equipment and comfort of the brave volunteers who enlist in support of our country's flag, are earnestly requested to send their contributions immediately to either member of the Committee on Collections and Subscriptions, viz. :
ALEX. T. STEWART,
WM. F. HAVEMEYER,
WM. E. DODGE,
R. A. WITTHAUS,
R. H. MCCURDY, ROYAL PHELPS,
Or to THEODORE DEHON, Treasurer, No. 30 Pine Street.
By order of the Committee,
ALEX. T. STEWART, Chairman.
R. H. MCCURDY, Secretary.
UNION DEFENCE COMMITTEE OF THE CITIZENS OF NEW YORK, No. 30 PINE STREET, May 18, 1861.
CONDITIONS on which regiments will be accepted for immediate service, under the authority granted to this Committee, by the President of the United States :
I. Regiments designated to be inspected on the same day, and, as nearly as practicable, at the same hour.
II. Commissioned officers of all such regiments must signify their assent to these conditions by affixing their names to the printed regnlations which accompany this notice ; and also by strict com- pliance with the following :
. 1. The service to be for three years, or for the war, at the option of the President.
2. The Roll of Commissioned and Non-Commissioned Officers to be delivered to the Inspector at this office before the hours named for inspection.
3. Company Rolls, properly authenticated, to be exhibited to the Inspector.
4. Requisitions for clothing and equipments to be sub- . mitted in detail to the Committee for their consideration.
,
240
5. A statement of camp equipage, required in conformity with Army Regulations, to be furnished to the Committee as early as practicable.
6. Return of arms in possession of the regiment, and an accu- rate statement of the number and description required to complete the armament, to be furnished the Inspector.
7. Estimate of the total amount of money required to place the regiment in condition for immediate service, regard being had in every instance to economy and efficiency, to be fur- nished for the consideration of the Committee immediately.
8. An accurate statement of all existing debts incurred in the equipment or outfit of the regiment to be furnished previ- ous to the inspection.
9. The Roll of each company to state the residence of each member for the last six months.
· S. DRAPER, Chairman Executive Committee.
P. M. WETMORE,
Secretary Executive Committee.
REPORT OF SELECT COMMITTEE ON INSPECTION OF REGIMENTS
UNION DEFENCE COMMITTEE OF THE CITIZENS OF NEW YORK,
OFFICE, NO. 30 PINE STREET, 1861.
IN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
NEW YORK, May 23, 1861.
The Committee appointed to make proper arrangements for the inspection of the ten Regiments, respectfully report :
The inspection will take place on Saturday, 23d instant, at 3 o'clock, P.M. The ground selected for the parade of the Regiments is Fourteenth Street from Tenth Avenue to the East River, in the following order, namely, right resting on Tenth Avenue :
No. 1. ANDERSON ZOUAVES on block between Tenth and Ninth Avenues.
No. 2. DEKALB REGIMENT, on block between Ninth and Eighth Avenues.
No. 3. MOZART REGIMENT, on block between Eighth and Seventh Avenues.
No. 4. TAMMANY REGIMENT, on block between Seventh and Sixth Avenues.
1
241
No. 5. GARIBALDI GUARDS, on block between Sixth and Fifth Avenues.
No. 6. ADAMS' NEW YORK LEGION, on block between Fifth and Fourth Avenues.
No. 7. SECOND FIREMEN'S ZOUAVES, on block between Fourth and Third Avenues.
No. 8. ELEVENTH REGIMENT, on block between Third and Second Avenues.
No. 9. FIRST SCOTT LIFE-GUARD, on block between Second and First Avenues.
No. 10. FIFTY-FIFTH REGIMENT, Colonel LeGal, on block be- tween First Avenue and Avenue A.
The Committee desire that the Police authorities may be re- quested to furnish proper protection on the line of parade, and that the Secretary give due notice to all parties interested.
SAMUEL SLOAN, JOHN J. AsTon, JUN., R. M. BLATCHFORD, FERNANDO WOOD.
NEW YORK, May 23, 1861.
The Report of the Select Committee was adopted and ordered to be furnished to the Commanding Officers of the several Regiments to be inspected.
Commanding Officers who are not yet supplied with the proper blanks, will send for them at the office, No. 30 Pine Street, before the time of inspection.
By order of the Executive Committee.
S. DRAPER, Chairman.
P. M. WETMORE, Secretary.
UNION DEFENCE COMMITTEE OF THE CITIZENS OF NEW YORK,
OFFICE NO. 30 PINE STREET.
In Executive Committee. - NEW YORK, May 24. 1861.
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSPECTION OF REGIMENTS.
Colonels of Regiments will report at the house of HON. MOSEs H. GRINNELL, Fourteenth Street, corner of Fifth Avenue, at half- past two o'clock P.M., on Saturday 25th instant.
.
242
The inspection will commence at three o'clock P. M. precisely, and will be conducted by members of the Union Defence Commit- tee in person, to whom official reports will be made.
The Committee will be assisted in the military details by Colonel Keyes, Lieutenant Dodge, and Doctor Crawford of the United States Army, and Brigade Major Smith of the First Brigade, New York State Militia, who will be respected accordingly.
Published by order of the Executive Committee.
SIMEON DRAPER, Chairman. PROSPER M. WETMORE, Secretary.
COMMUNICATIONS TO THE COMMON COUNCIL
CITY FUND
243-244
COMMUNICATIONS TO THE COMMON COUNCIL
CITY FUND
UNION DEFENCE COMMITTEE OF THE CITIZENS OF NEW YORK, OFFICE, NO. 30 PINE STREET, NEW YORK, May 20, 1861.
To his Honor the Mayor and Common Council of the City of New York.
GENTLEMEN : We have the honor to submit herewith Report of the Executive Committee which has this day been adopted, and ordered to be transmitted to the Common Council.
Very respectfully, your obedient servants.
S. DRAPER, Chairman.
PROSPER M. WETMORE, Secretary, pro tem.
NOTE .- This the First Report of the Executive Committee of the Union Defence Committee, under date of May 20, 1861, appears on pages 111 to 114 of the present volume.
UNION DEFENCE COMMITTEE OF THE CITIZENS OF NEW YORK, OFFICE, NO. 30 PINE STREET, NEW YORK, May 20, 1861.
To the Honorable the Mayor and Common Council of the City of New York :
We have the honor to inclose a Report of the Union Defence Committee of the City of New York, on the subject of the disburse- ments of this Committee, under the ordinance of the City Govern- ment, approved April 23, 1861.
We have the honor to be your obedient servants.
HAMILTON FISH, Chairman.
War. M. EVARTS,
. Secretary.
NOTE .- This letter and Report are printed in Document No. 18, Board of Aldermen, September 9, 1861, page 19. The Report appears on page 146 of this volume. It was made by a Special Committee of which Mr. Evarts was Chair- man. See page 78.
245
246
PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL
In connection with the foregoing subject (the Report of the Union Defence Committee to the city anthorities), Alderman Boole presented the following Report of Committee on Ordinances mak- ing an appropriation in aid of the defence of the National Union, and authorizing the borrowing of money, and the issne of bonds for that purpose :
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON ORDINANCES
The undersigned Committee on Ordinance of the Board of Alder- men, to whom was referred the preamble and resolutions instruct- ing the Committee to report at this meeting an Ordinance to pro- vide for the moneys in aid of the defence of the National Union, have had the same under consideration, and report the following Ordinance and recommend its passage.
G. M. PLATT, - F. J. A. BOOLE, Committee on Ordinances.
MEY FREAR,
AN ORDINANCE
Making an appropriation in aid of the Defence of the Na- tional Union and authorizing the borrowing of money and the issuing of bonds for that purpose. The Mayor, Aldermen and Commonalty of the City of New York do ordain as follows :
SEC. 1. The sum of five hundred thousand dollars is hereby appro- priated for the purpose of procuring the necessary equipments, uni- forms, arms and outfit, and for the necessary maintenance while in this city, of the military force enlisted in the City of New York, which have been accepted or may be hereafter accepted by the President of the United States, and to provide for the aid and support of the families of such of the officers and men so engaged as may require the same.
SEC. 2. The money so appropriated should be paid by the Comp- troller, upon vouchers, to be approved by a Committee to be com- posed of the Mayor, the Comptroller, the President of the Board of Aldermen, the President of the Board of Councilmen, the Chair- man of the Finance Committee of the Board of Aldermen, the Chair- man of the Finance Committee of the Board of Councilmen, and the President of the " Union Defence Committee of the City of New
247
York," Hon. Hamilton Fish. The vouchers aforesaid shall be cer- tified in meeting by the Chairman of the said Committee.
SEC. 3. The Comptroller is hereby authorized to borrow from time to time, on the credit of the Corporation, such sum or sums as may be required to meet the payments authorized by the pre- ceding section and to issue bonds of the Corporation therefor, which shall be known as the " Union Defence Fund of the City of New York," and bear interest at a rate not exceeding seven per cent. per annum.
SEC. 4. The said bonds shall be signed by the Comptroller, coun- tersigned by the Mayor, and sealed with the common seal of the Corporation, attested by the clerk of the Common Council; and the principal thereof shall be redeemable within one year from the dates thereof.
SEC. 5. The parties contracting for or furnishing any articles of uniforms, equipment, or outfit provided for in this Ordinance, shall have the option to demand and receive the bonds issued in conformity with this ordinance in lieu of money, as they shall so elect, in payment of their accounts duly andited and countersigned as aforesaid when giving ten days' notice of such election to the Comptroller.
SEC. 6. In the payment of said bonds, and the interest to accrue upon the same, the faith of the Corporation of the City of New York, and also all sums which may hereafter be received from the State of New York, or the United States, for the purpose of reim- bursing the expenses incurred in pursuance of this Ordinance, are hereby solemnly pledged, and the Comptroller is hereby authorized and required to redeem and cancel the said bonds from time to time, at or before the maturity of the same.
UNION DEFENCE COMMITTEE, NEW YORK, August 21, 1861. To his Honor the Mayor and Common Council of the City of New York :
GENTLEMEN : We have the honor to submit herewith two several Reports of the Executive Committee, bearing date respectively 29th June * and 20th August,* which have this day been adopted, and
* The Second Report of the Executive Committee of the Union Defence Committee, dated June 29, with an Appendix containing a table of Regiments assisted by Union Defence Committee, appears on pages 115-121 of the present volume. The Third Report of the Executive Committee dated August 21, 1861 appears on pages 121 to 125 of the present volume. From the first of these documents there was omitted the location of the Regiments which is now supplied.
.
248
together with an abstract of Expenditures from the City Fund, ordered to be transmitted to the Common Council. The detailed Reports are open to examination at this office. We subjoin, like- wise, detailed Report and Statements of Sub-Committee on " Relief to Families of Soldiers."
Very respectfully your obedient servants.
S. DRAPER, Vice-Chairman.
PROSPER M. WETMORE, Secretary, pro tem.
PRESENT LOCATION of Regiments [56] assisted by the Union Defence Committee, June 29, 1861.
Present location :
At Washington, Volunteers. 16 Regts. At or near Washington, Militia. 13
29 Regts.
At Fortress Monroe, Volunteers 10
At or near New York. 9
Viz .: 15th Regiment, Murphy.
25th
Kerrigan.
32d
Mathesson.
36th 66 Innis.
55th 66 Le Gal.
De Kalb-Garibaldi.
Tammany and Mozart.
Elsewhere in the State of New York, viz .:
At Elmira.
5 Regts.
At Albany.
2
66
At Troy.
1
-
8
Total
56 Regts.
UNION DEFENCE COMMITTEE, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, September 3, 1861.
At a meeting of the Committee held this day, ordered, That the Report and Summary Statement of Expenditures of the Stand-
-
249
ing Committee on " Relief to Families of Soldiers " be adopted and transmitted to the Common Council.
(Extract from the Minutes.)
S. DRAPER, Chairman of Executive Committee.
P. M. WETMORE,
Secretary Executive Committee.
REPORT OF SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE UNION DEFENCE COMMITTEE ON APPLICATIONS FOR RELIEF TO FAMILIES OF SOLDIERS
NEW YORK, August 31, 1861.
To the Executive Committee of the Union Defence Committee.
GENTLEMEN :
The Sub-Committee on Applications for Relief to Families of Soldiers, having discharged the important and interesting duties devolved upon them, respectfully submit a detailed account of ex- penditure of the sums appropriated for the purposes involved in their appointment, and ask leave also to present herewith a sum- mary statement of the circumstances and manner of the disburse- ment.
The distribution of relief commenced on the 7th of May last.
In anticipation of a sufficient business to justify it, the large store, No. 10 Cooper Institute, was leased as an office from the Trustees, at the rate of $500 per annum, Mr. Peter Cooper offer- ing an individual donation of $200 of the amount to the Relief Fund. While awaiting the preparation of those premises, the large room No. 20 on the main floor of the Institute was temporarily occupied, and the amount of business transacted during the first few days seemed to indicate that it, as well as the store below, would probably afford sufficient accommodation for the purpose. But ere the close of the first week's labor this illusion was dispelled; as within that time the rapid increase of the number of applicants demonstrated that neither of those localities would begin to suffice, either in size or convenience of arrangement.
The pressure of the crowd, before the tenth day, became so severe, that the procurement of larger and more convenient prem- ises was an absolute necessity, and providentially the large vacant store No. 14 Fourth Avenue presented itself. It was immediately secured and put in order, and its occupation commenced on Monday, May 20th:
250
But the demand upon the fund at our disposal, created by the sudden uprising of the people, and the rush to arms of so many thousands of our fellow-citizens at the call of their country, leaving their families at brief notice, soon caused a pressure of applicants, which even that spacious apartment was inadequate to accommo- date. While the room was filled to its utmost capacity during the greater part of the day, a crowd, chiefly of the female heads of families, occupied the pavement, waiting their turn to receive the aid so generously extended by the Corporation and citizens. A yet more ample accommodation, therefore, soon became imperative, and this was fortunately at hand in the adjoining store, No. 16, of equal size with the other, and divided from it only by a slight wooden partition, through which doors of ingress and egress were readily made.
The area of the floors thus occupied is 75 x 60 feet, and although the two apartments together have, on some occasions, been over- crowded for several successive hours, with the continual influx of applicants, yet all were seated, and the arrangements such as to avoid any loss of comfort or time, except what was incidental to the great amount of business performed.
The system adopted by your Committee for ascertaining the validity of the claims upon the fund, for security against deception and for the ready relief of the families, proved effective, though demanding of the benevolent citizens who generously consented to supervise the affairs in each Ward no little sacrifice of time and trial of patience.
The first duty in relation to the distribution of the fund was to fix the allowance to each family and individual. To render this satisfactory to all parties, and to secure a unanimity of sentiment, a meeting of all the members of the Ward Committees (four in each) was invited to be held on the evening of May 6th, and after a full and free interchange of opinions, the following maximum allowance was determined upon : for the head of the family, three dollars a week ; for one child, one dollar a week; and for each additional child, half-a-dollar a week. These rates were continued about one month, when the advent of summer, and the abundance and mod- erate price of food, together with the unexpectedly large demand upon the fund induced a reconvocation of the Ward Committees for the submission of the question of a reduction of the maximum allowance, a second meeting was accordingly held, on the evening of the 10th of June, at which it was determined that a reduction should be made of one dollar in the allowance to the head of each
251
family. This was accordingly done, and continued till the close of the account.
In addition to this, your Committee reserved the right of authorizing extra amonnts in cases of sickness, or other extraordi- nary circumstance.
This method of measuring the amount of aid (allowing so much per capita for the family), while it seemed to be the most equitable and satisfactory that could be devised, demanded great vigilance on the part of the Ward Committees to whom was intrusted the duty of granting the " order for relief," as no little temptation was thus held out to unscrupulous people to make false representations of the numbers in family, and thus, while committing a fraud, depriv- ing the honest claimants of a portion of their right to the limited means at our disposal, and we regret to be obliged to say that several persons have been found base enough to attempt this and other kinds of deception.
The labors of the Ward Committees were begun with much zeal, and in many instances, even in some of the most populous sections, carried on to the end with faithful assiduity. It soon became apparent, however, that in some of the Wards, the duty of family visitation and examination required more time than could reason- ably be expected of the individual members of the Committees, and the appointment of visitors for this purpose was therefore author- ized, by such of the Committees as might choose to avail themselves thereof, at a rate of compensation not exceeding nine dollars a week. About one-half of the Ward Committees accepted the proposition, the others preferring to continue the labor personally, in order to economize the fund for its strictly legitimate purpose.
The value, and indeed the necessity, of personal examinations of the applicants at their domiciles, for the verifications of their statements as to the number in family, their true relationship to the soldiers, their circumstances and condition, their dependence on the soldier for support, ote., was early made apparent, and your Committee have great reason to believe that, for want of such in- vestigation, no inconsiderable amount of money has been unwilling- ly paid on improper " orders."
We can cite some instances of soldiers' certificates having been given to unworthy persons, who drew money as wives, and this even though the wives were living ; others in which relief has been claimed by two wives of the same soldier, both having marriage certificates ; others in which the soldiers bore no other relation to the claimants than boarders; others of the wife obtaining an "order "
17
252
in one Ward, and the mother and sister in another; others in which the applicants lived in other cities and states, though claiming as living in this city.
In other instances, the money was wanted for, and actually sent to relatives in Ireland. Soldiers who had deserted, or been dis- charged for incapacity, but who had received certificates of enlist- ment, continued to use them afterward ; and cases have even come to light of men having joined two regiments, receiving certificates, and drawing money on both, although rejected from both on final examination. It has been a too-frequent practice for enlisting officers to receive notoriously incompetent men, apparently for the mere purpose of showing a full quota, holding out to them the in- ducement that their families would be supported by this fund, thus burdening it improperly, and giving no notice of the recruits' final discharge, whereby they have been enabled to draw money until detected by accident.
Such were some of the plans which were adopted by unscrupu- lous persons to obtain the weekly pittances from the fund, which only a thorough investigation of each case by the disbursing officer enabled him to detect and prevent. The care thus exercised re- sulted in the saving of an amount nearly or quite sufficient to cover all the expenses attendant upon the distribution of the whole fund, including the salaries, stationery, advertising, furniture, etc., of all the ward and central offices, and six months' rent of the premises in the Fourth Avenue, which were occupied by us only two months, and are now used by the Comptroller, as the disbursing offices of two of the Senatorial districts.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.