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 3
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On the 3d May the President issued a proclamation calling out more men, of whom forty-two thousand and thirty-four vol- unteers to serve for three years. On the 6th May Colonel George L. Schuyler was appointed in the place of Mr. Haswell,
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and commissioned permanent agent of the Committee at Wash- ington. He left for the capital the next day. On the 6th May the Committee telegraphed to Governor Morgan at Albany that they were in possession of reliable information that Washington was in immediate danger ; and on the same day, upon the inter- position of Mr. James S. Wadsworth on behalf of the Commit- tee, the Governor ordered the 20th Regiment (Ulster Guard) N. Y. S. M., Colonel George W. Pratt, to take the night train for Washington. Colonel Pratt, the commander of this regiment, was a New York merchant. Its members had been increased from four hundred to eight hundred men. They arrived in New York city from Kingston on the 28th April and had been wait- ing at the Park barracks for transportation to the Capital ; but on Sunday afternoon, the 5th of May, a special order was re- ceived from the Governor directing their return to their homes. The ground of the recall was the unwillingness at Washington to receive further militia organizations. Mr. Wadsworth had personally urged Colonel Pratt to submit the proposition to enlist for two years to his regiment, but met with a distinct refusal. In consequence he had recommended the Governer to order their return. But on the information that Washington was again in danger the Governor countermanded his order and directed their instant departure. To the request of the Commit- tee the Governor replied that every requisition of the general government, had been promptly responded to, and that he had no information as to the danger of the capture of the capital. The same day Messrs. Draper and Marshall were instructed to proceed immediately to Washington to wait upon Mr. Lincoln and the Government authorities with information as to the condition of public affairs. The gentlemen left the next morning and the Committee ordered an immediate report of the condition of the regiments in the city. The same day they received from General Scott a memorandum of the several bureaus in the city of New York and the duties of each, and a
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pressing recommendation to communicate with them in relation to all transactions relating to their particular departments. On May 6th Mr. Andrew Warner, formerly colonel of the 5th Regiment N. Y. S. M., was appointed by the Committee mili- tary inspector, and the next day Major Alexander Hamilton, Jr., was assigned to the same duty in conjunction with the first- named gentleman.
On the 6th the Committee received a request from Mr. Sew- ard to supply the Union men of Kentucky with five thousand stand of arms. The situation of the State was now determined. The Union sentiment was strongly in the ascendant, and Major Anderson had accepted the command of the Kentucky brigade. An order of the Ordnance Department being necessary to the is- sue of arms from Springfield, the Committee made arrangements with the Governor for their supply from the State arsenal at Now York, but on further consideration the Governor withdrew his consent. On the 18th the Committee again endeavored to pro- cure for Col. Anderson the five thousand stand of arms, and ordered the delivery to him of those they had purchased early in the month. Arms were also dispatched to Cincinnati.
Mr. Draper telegraphed from Washington to the Committee on May Sth that there was no difference between the views of the Committee and those of the Government and advised a continu- ance of the policy of the Committee-in other words, the rapid organization and forwarding of troops. In reply the Committee answered requesting orders from the Secretary of War and stating that there were five regiments ready to take the field. These were the 14th Regiment, Brooklyn, N. Y. S. M .; the 5th New York Volunteers (Zouaves), Colonel Duryee ; the 9th New York Volunteers (Zouaves) ; the 2d N. Y. S. M., Colonel Thompson, and the 10th New York Volunteers, Colonel McChes- ney.
On the 9th the Committee was informed that General Sand- ford had received orders to " keep nothing back," and authority
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had been received from both the Secretary of War and General Scott to push forward the troops. Copy of the dispatch was at once communicated to Albany, and the Kedar was placed at the disposal of the General for the conveyance of the 14th Regiment, Brooklyn, who were impatient to march. The Mayor of Brook- lyn was also urgent for their movement. But General Sandford had no orders. A telegram was accordingly sont to Governor Morgan informing him that the 14th was ready and complete, and could be on board the transport in an hour. To this the Gov- ernor answered that no regiments other than two-years men could be sent forward under the order from Washington, and that no ships should be chartered to convey troops to Washing- ton except by his own orders. The 2d N. Y. S. M. and the 14th, it will be remembered, were three-months men, whom the Gov- ernment were no longer willing to accept. On the 10th a letter was received from Messrs. Draper and Marshall with an account of their visits to the President, the several Secretaries, and to General Scott. They found some conflict of opinion among the members of the Cabinet and but little opening for the general usefulness of the Committee. They gave advice of the sailing of Commodore Stringham to the Chesapeake to take charge of the squadron. Mr. Draper returned on the 11th and reported the state of affairs at Washington. A telegram was dispatched to Colonel Schuyler, the Committee's agent at Washington, instructing him to procure an order immediately from the Presi- dent on Governor Morgan to send on the five regiments, including the 2d and 14th N. Y. S. M. The next day, Gen- eral Dis, who had visited Albany, returned to the city and re- ported that the Governor had determined not to accept any fur- ther portion of the regiments organized in the city of New York. On receipt of this information the Committee passed resolutions of protest against the decision of the State authorities not to receive the organizations raised by the Committee on behalf of the corporation and citizens of New York, and appointed a
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committee to visit Washington and urge the acceptance of these regiments. The committee consisted of Messrs. Fish, Sloan, Russell, Blatchford, Low, Richards and Astor. On the 13th a telegram was received from Colonel George L. Schuyler reporting that he had just had an interview with the President, the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of War, at the White House; that the Secretary of War said that he had given orders for all troops enlisted for the war to be forwarded from New York immediately, but that no more three-months men were wanted. He could not ascertain to whom the order had been issued. Mr. Seward recommended that all the two-years men be forwarded at once and information be given by telegraph to Governor Morgan. The committee left on the 14th ;. at Phila- delphia they took rail for Annapolis, and reached Washington in the evening. They visited the President the next day, read to him the resolutions of the committee, and explained to him that, owing to the conflicting laws of the Federal and State Governments, the New York City regiments organized and ready could not be moved forward, to their own discontent and the general dissatisfaction of the community.
Returning on the 16th by a special train, placed at their ser- vice by the Secretary of War, they reported, on the 17th, that they had accomplished their mission. They had been au- thorized to prepare and equip fourteen regiments, including such of the N. Y. S. M. as had tendered their service for three years. This report was published in the newspapers of the 1Sth. While the Committee was in session on the 18th, Mr. Russell received a private letter from Mr. Lincoln expressing a fear of delay on the part of the Governor in dispatching the regiments (" see-saw- ing," as he terms it), and urging him to "cut the knots and send them right along." Mr. Russell answered the letter and inclosed to him a copy of the telegram to the Secretary of War asking whether his order to Governor Morgan corresponded with that to the committee. It was understood that the Gov-
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ernor was about to dispatch five regiments to Washington and niue to Fortress Monroe.
The same day the committee selected for service the 2d, 9th, 14th and 79th regiments, and determined to forward the 79th and 14th to Washington. On the 1Sth ten additional regiments were selected, and the number of fourteen authorized was com- pleted. The organizations selected were No. 1, Anderson Zouaves, Colonel Riker ; No. 2, DeKalb Regiment, Colonel Von Gilsa; No. 3, Mozart Hall Regiment, Colonel Riley ; No. 4, Tam- many Regiment, Colonel Kennedy; No. 5, Garibaldi Guard, Colonel d'Utassy ; No. 6, New York Legion, Colonel Adams ; No. 7, Firemen's Zouaves, Colonel Graham ; No. 8, 11th Regiment N. Y. S. Volunteers, Colonel Maidhoff ; No. 9, Ist Scott Life Guard, Colonel Ward; No. 10, 55th N. Y. S. Militia, Colonel Legal. A condition of the acceptance of these regiments was their enrollment for service for three years, or for the war, at the option of the President.
On the 20th the 14th Regiment (Brooklyn), N. Y. S. M., which had been encamped for weeks at Washington Park, received marching orders and left in the evening by cars for Washington, via Philadelphia and Baltimore. The several companies ex- pressed their willingness to serve for the war. On the 20th the 2d Regiment, N. Y. S. M., Colonel Tompkins, which had been encamped at the Battery for three weeks, received new uni- forms from the Union Defence Committee and took the cars for Washington. They passed through Baltimore, with loaded revolvers but unloaded guns, without trouble. This regiment although a part of the N. Y. S. M., marched against the express orders of Governor Morgan.
All the regiments belonging to the First Division, except the 79th (Highlanders) N. Y. S. M., having been sent forward, Major-General Sandford, who had been assigned to the com- mand of all the New York forces within the District of Columbia, transferred his headquarters to the Capital The 79th were
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detained in the city until the 2d June, when they also were for- warded.
The Board of State Officers, at Albany, on the 17th May, organized the First Division of Volunteers ; the First Brigade consisted of the 1st, 2d, 3d, 5th and 9th Regiments, the Second Brigade of the 7th, Sth, 11th, and 20th. The division was placed under the command of John A. Dix, who was appointed Major- General on the Sth and assigned to the command of the volun- teer forces in and about the city of New York. His military duties requiring his entire attention, he resigned his position as President of the Union Defence Committee on the same day, and the Hon. Hamilton Fish was chosen in his place. General Dix continued as a member of the committee until he was ordered to the front.
Immediately upon the acceptance of the ton regiments already named as a part of the fourteen additional regiments selected under the authority of the President, the committee, 19th May, informed the Governor of their action and the authority on which the regiments were designated for service. Before the letter was drafted, the committee learned of the dissatisfaction of the Governor at what he considered an interference with his authority, and embodied in their communication their understanding of the wishes of the President, in the execution of which they disclaimed any intention to infringe upon the courtesy due to the chief magistrate of the State. On the 20th Mr. Cameron, the Secretary of War, telegraphed to the com- mittee that Mr. John Tucker was the only authorized agent for the transportation of troops, and that no obligations contracted for that purpose could be recognized or acknowledged if made by any one else. On the 23d the Advance Guard, 5th Regi- ment, N. Y. Volunteers, Colonel Duryee, embarked on board the transport Alabama for Fortress Monroe. On Saturday the 25th of May, a grand parade of all the regiments accepted by the committee was held for inspection under its order. Eleven
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regiments (three of the fourteen having already gone forward) appeared. The line was formed on Fourteenth Street and ex- tended from the East River to the Hudson. The march was from Union Square through Broadway to the City Hall. The troops were reviewed by the Inspection Committee of the Union Defence Committee, attended by Colonel Keyes of the Regular Army and Brigade-Major Smith of the First Brigade N. Y. S. M. It was one of the finest military displays ever witnessed in New York city. The next morning (Sunday), Messrs. Fish, Sloan and Astor visited the Governor at Albany, and on their return the next day verbally reported that he had expressed his desire to " act in perfect concert and good feeling toward the Committee."
Four of the inspected regiments-viz., the Garibaldi Guard, the DeKalb, Mozart and Tammany, were raised and organized exclusively by the Union Defence Committee, by whom all their expenses of outfit, equipment and support, until marching orders were received, were defrayed. The Garibaldi Guard moved to Washington by rail on May 28th, the Mozart regi- ment by Elizabeth and Harrisburg, July 4th ; the DeKalb regi- ment took the same route on July Sth, and the Tammany fol- lowed on the 18th of the same month.
The 9th N. Y. S. Militia, Col. Stiles, which had enlisted for the war, and whose equipment was completed by the Committee, was sent to the capital via Philadelphia, on May the 27th. The 4th N. Y. Volunteers (1st Regiment Scott Life Guard), Col. Taylor, was ordered by Gen. Dix to Fortress Monroe, and sailed on the Alabama on the 3d June. The Anderson Zouaves, Col. Riker, were dispatched via Elizabeth and Harrisburg, on the 21st of August. Adams' New York Legion, later known as the 1st Long Island or Brooklyn Phalanx, was numbered the 67th New York State Volunteers. Its two wings had been stationed at Fort Schuyler and Fort Hamilton. A junction was made at the latter post, and the regiment left the city under Col. Cross, August 22d. On the 23d the 2d Regiment .
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Fire Zouaves, Col. Fairman, took the same route, and the 55th N. Y. S. V. (Gardes Lafayette), which had passed to the com- mand of Col. Regis de Trobriand, left by the Camden and Amboy Railroad on the 31st of the same month. The 11th Regi- ment, N. Y. S. M., Col. Maidhoff, composed mainly of Germans, did not go to the front as an organization, although large num- bers of its members enlisted for the war. The regiment was chiefly composed of men of family. Consulted on the 22d May they agreed to enlist for six months, or longer if required. They received, however, substantial aid from the Committee. They passed the annual inspection 434 strong on the 14th of October, and acted as a reserve. On the night of the 23d of May the forward movement of the United States troops began. The advancing line, which in numbers somewhat exceeded ten thousand men, was chiefly composed of New York troops. The New York Fire Zouave Regiment embarked on steamers at the Washington Navy Yard, and the next morning attacked Alex- andria. The 5th, Sth, 28th and 69th New York regiments crossed the chain bridge from Georgetown. The 12th and 25th New York crossed the long bridge. They were followed by the ยท New York 7th. The southern line of the Potomac was occu- pied from Alexandria to Georgetown.
The satisfaction caused by the announcement of the cap- ture of Alexandria was dashed by the information which accom- panied it, of the assassination of Col. Ellsworth, of the Zouave Regiment, while descending the stairs of the Marshall House with a secession flag, which he had torn down with his own hands from a staff on the roof.
The body of this lamented officer was brought to New York, where it was taken in charge by the Common Council, and lay in the Governor's Room at the City Hall, Sunday morning, the 26th May. In the afternoon a funeral procession was formed, which escorted the remains to the Albany steamboat. The Union Defence Committee was represented among the 3
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pall-bearers by Messrs. Fish, Astor, Dehon and Wetmore. On the 1st of June the 7th Regiment N. Y. S. M., Col. Lefferts, returned from Washington. "The important service rendered by that regiment in an hour of dark and trying necessity" was acknowledged by General Scott in special general orders, on their departure from the Capital. The Committee passed ap- propriate resolutions, which were presented by Mr. Astor to the command on its arrival at the Cortlandt Street Ferry.
On June 3d the Select Committee which visited Washing- ton on the 14th May to confer with the President in regard to the forwarding of regiments from the city, was instructed to return to the seat of Government to complete the business con- fided to them. On the 8th Mr. Sloan, chairman of this com- mittee, reported the result of their interview with the President, and submitted a memorandum of suggestions in respect to the general management of the New York regiments, presented to him at his request. The same day the Committee, after in- structing the Select Committees on Outfit and Equipment of the three regiments still remaining, to report statements of expend- iture and liabilities, closed their stated meeting and adjourned to meet at the call of the chair and two members. An appro- priation of $25,000 was made to the Committee on Relief of Families. On the 12th the sum of $45,000 was voted to each of the three committee regiments, Mozart, Tammany and De Kalb, including expenditures already made, the aggregate sum to each to be exclusive of that incurred for arms and rations.
On the 19th it was resolved to sell such arms and ammuni- tion as remained on hand. The Mayor and Common Council were notified on the 21st June that the fund placed at the dis- posal of the Committee by the city ordinance was nearly ex- hausted, and that disbursements must shortly be discontinued until the fund be reimbursed by the National or State Govern- ment for the supplies and equipment of the troops in the field.
The Committee held occasional meetings during the summer
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and autumn, which were mainly occupied with the settlement of their outstanding business.
On the 25th July Major-General Wool, who, chafing at his inaction at Troy, was making an effort to secure a transfer to a point nearer the scene of action, appeared before the Commit- tee and presented a written statement of his action in concert with the Union Defence Committee, in the public exigency which threatened the Capital in April. General Wool read his statement, and it was unanimously approved by the Committee.
On the 21st August the Executive Committee adopted and sent in a detailed report of expenditures in connection with the city fund of $1,000,000. On the 14th September the rooms at 30 Pine Street, occupied by the several committees, were given up, an office only being retained for the completion of the out- standing business. Notwithstanding the apparent intention of the Committee to close up their trust, public necessities compelled a continuance of their active labors throughout the year.
On the 25th September a further sum of $100,000 was appropriated in aid to regiments. On the 29th the Committee was informed by the comptroller of the receipt of $66,793.25 from the Treasury Department in reimbursement of arms, etc., furnished by the Committee to the U. S. Government. On the 15th November the Committee resolved that no further appropriations in aid to regiments be made. On the 16th November, $1,000 was appropriated in aid of the sufferers at Cape Hatteras and Hat- teras Inlet-loyal inhabitants on the coast of North Carolina.
On the 25th November, upon the written information of Mr. William E. Dodge, just returned from Washington, a select Committee was appointed to visit the camps of the New York regiments in the field, to inquire into their condition and wants, especially those organized under its auspices. A copy of Mr. Dodge's letter was forwarded to Governor Morgan. On the 30th December the Committee presented a silver vase and gold medal to Mr. Orison Blunt " as an expression of the sense enter-
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tained by them of the valuable services rendered " by him to the Committee. These services were gratuitously given in matters relating to military, arms and ammunition.
At a meeting held on the 30th January, Judge Pierrepont introduced the subject of public affairs, and a general discussion ensued, which was continued the next evening, the same being made the special order. The discussion was again resumed on February 3d, when it was determined to summon a meeting of the General Committee for Monday, February the 10th.
At this meeting the Union Defence Committee upon a divi- sion adopted a resolution urging "the immediate passage of the bill authorizing the issue of one hundred and fifty millions of dollars in Treasury notes to be made a legal tender, as abso- lutely essential to the financial success of the United States." A resolution was passed appointing a committee of five to con- sider the propriety of calling together a limited number of wise and patriotic citizens from different sections of the country for the purpose of proposing measures for strengthening the hands of the Government.
This resolution also was adopted on a division. This com- mittee, however, does not seem to have taken any action.
On the 17th the Union Defence Committee resolved to hold a mass meeting of citizens on the 22d of February, Washington's Birthday, to give public expression to the popular joy at the recent victories of the loyal forces which culminated in the capture of Fort Donelson. The arrangements for the meeting were made by the Committee. This meeting was held at the Cooper Institute on the evening of Saturday, February 22d. It was called to order by the Hon. Hamilton Fish, the President of the Union Defence Committee, who nominated the Hon. George Opdyke, Mayor of the City, to preside. The Vice-Presidents were then nominated by Mr. Simeon Draper, the Chairman of the Executive Committee. Washington's Farewell Address was read by Judge Pierrepont. The resolutions were read by Mr.
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Wm. M. Evarts, and speeches were made by the Hon. Henry J. Raymond and the Hon. Washington Hunt, Ex-Governor of the State, and letters read from Mr. Secretary Seward and others.
The presence of General Scott added to the enthusiasm of the assemblage. A pamphlet containing a full account of the proceedings, with the imprint of George F. Nesbitt & Co., 1862, consisting of forty-six pages, was published by the Committee. The Committee having experienced some difficulty in obtain- ing reimbursement from the War Department for ordnance purchased, a report was called for from its Secretary in January. On the 20th April, Judge Pierrepont was requested to present to the War Department the claim of the Committee for reim- bursement of ordnance to regiments of volunteers, and a com- mittee appointed to act in concert in the establishment of the case before the Department.
On the 30th April the Secretary laid before the Executive Committee the trial balance sheets of the City Fund and also of the Private Fund, and submitted a Report comprising a general survey of the action of the Union Defence Committee, with selections from its correspondence. This report was pub- lished with the imprint of Baptist & Taylor, New York, 1862.
On May 5, 1862, Mr. Orison Blunt, who also had been delegated by the Committee (November 13, 1861) to obtain payment from the War Department for the arms sold to Gen- eral John C. Fremont by the Committee, was requested to pay the same, forty thousand dollars, into the hands of the Comp- troller of the city. This day one thousand dollars was appro- priated to the Ladies' Relief Association at the Cooper Union. On the Sth May, Mr. George L. Schuyler was employed as an agent to prosecute the claims on the War Department.
On the 26th May the Committee again considered their labors as closed, and after appropriating $3,500, in aid of sick and wounded soldiers-to the several relief associations of the City Hospital, to the Park Barracks $1,000, the Ladies'
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Central Relief Association $1,000, the Soldiers' Home, Lexing- ton Avenue, $1,000, the New England Soldiers' Relief Associa- tion $500-resolved to recommend to the General Committee to pay over to the United States Sanitary Commission the balance of the Private Fund; but the Union Defence Committee, having resolved on the Sth that it was inexpedient to dissolve the or- ganization, and the importance of recruiting the regiments in the field being pressed upon the Executive Committee, the res- olution of May 26th was rescinded on July 30th, and $12,000 was appropriated for this purpose. The disbursements under the appropriation were applied to additional bounties to men enlisting in the regiments.
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