£\ Hil J&tik -/'.. %%f >*<¦, ;''.C W*f'i A 'Y^LH«¥IMH¥IEI^Sinr¥o J 9 06 Sn'* iy JiB.iTsIl.-Tr. IT Ci.lonel Seventh Regiment 'r? E i.'. - 1M2.7 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH EEG-IMENT OF NEW YORK 1806-1889 BY COLONEL EMMONS CLARK Volume First. NEW YORK PUBLISHED BY THE SEVENTH REGIMENT 1890 Copyright, 1890, By EMMONS CLAEK. i TO THE OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED, WITH THE HOPE AND BELIEF THAT FROM THE RECORD OF THE GALLANT SERVICES OF THE REGIMENT TO THE CITY, THE STATE, AND THE NATION, OF ITS PATRIOTISM AND ITS LOYALTY- TO LAW AND ORDER, AND OF ITS UNIFORM SUCCESS AND BRILLIANT PROSPERITY, USEFUL LESSONS MAY BE LEARNED BY THOSE WHO SHALL HEREAFTER BE INTRUSTED WITH ITS GOOD NAME, ITS FAME, AND ITS FORTUNES. A KNOWLEDGE OF THE FAITHFUL AND DEVOTED SERVICE IN ITS RANKS OF MANY OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF DISTINGUISHED ABILITY AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS MAY ALSO INSPIRE THE YOUNG MEN OF NEW YORK IN THE FUTURE TO IMITATE THEIR EXAMPLE AND FOLLOW IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS. THAT THE SEVENTH REGIMENT MAY CONTINUE ITS CAREER OF HONOR AND USEFULNESS UNTIL THE END OF TIME IS THE EARNEST WISH AND ARDENT HOPE OF THE AUTHOR. PEEFACE. The collection of the material for this book has occupied many of the leisure hours, during the past thirty years, of one who is very fond of the subject, and it has, therefore, been a labor of love and a pastime rather than a task. When it was commenced, nearly all the founders of the Seventh Regiment and the officers who were promi nent in its early history were living, and the author was honored by their acquaintance and friendship. From personal interviews, which are a pleasant memory, and by free access to their military papers, accurate and reliable information was obtained in respect to the men and the events of a period in the history of the Regiment now far distant. To Colonel William Kumbel, who was adjutant of the Eleventh Regiment, New York State Artillery, during the War of 1812, the author was greatly indebted for information, verbal and documentary, in respect to the Second Battalion of that regiment, composed of the first four companies of the present Seventh Regiment from the date of their organization in 1806 to 1824. He was also under similar obligations to Colonels Wetmore and Stevens and to Sergeant Asher Taylor for the facts connected with the organization of the Regiment in 1824-'26 and its early history ; and to Colonels Smith, Vermilye, Bremner, and Duryee, and to Captains Shumway, Holt, Cumings, and Loutrel, for the same valuable assistance in con nection with the eventful period extending from 1830 to 1857. All these distinguished officers, except Bremner and Duryee, have yielded to the inexorable demands of Time and have passed away ; and, but for these volumes, the information obtainable only from them would sooner or later be forever lost. From 1857 to 1889 the author has been an active member of the Seventh Regiment (for thirty years as an officer, and for twenty- five years as its commandant), and all the men and events of that period are almost as familiar to him as the persons and affairs of his own household. vi PREFACE. To write contemporaneous history, and especially to attempt bio graphical notices of officers of the Seventh Regiment now living or well known to the present generation, would seem to be a hazardous undertaking. If it has been satisfactorily accomplished in this book, it is because the author during his long service in the Regiment has always appreciated and valued the services of those who have con tributed to its welfare and prosperity, and because at the end of his military career he harbors no animosities or prejudices, and has no friends that he would unduly exalt in these pages, and no enemies that he would depreciate here or elsewhere. It is confidently believed that in no instance are the merits and services of any officer of the Seventh Regiment magnified or exagger ated in this book ; but it is more than feared that many have not received the extended and favorable notice fairly earned and richly deserved. Were full justice done to all who have loyally served the Seventh Regiment during the present century, many volumes would be required, and the work would not be complete until the self-sacri ficing, faithful, and earnest labors of many subaltern officers, non commissioned officers, and privates, now unknown to fame, were emblazoned upon its pages. Loyalty and devotion have ever char acterized the members of the Seventh Regiment, irrespective of rank or grade ; upon that firm foundation if was organized and has securely rested ; and, though the long, faithful, and devoted services of the men who have carried the musket in its ranks can not be fully and properly recorded or noticed in these pages, they are gratefully appre ciated and remembered by every officer of the Regiment who is worthy of command or leadership. Acknowledgments are due to the New York Historical Society and to the New York Society Library for free access to their books and papers during the preparation of these volumes; to Messrs. D. Appleton and Company for their valuable supervision of the publica tion in all its details, and for the use of numerous cuts and vignettes ; and to Mr. Charles T. Dillingham for the loan of several plates to illustrate the book. E. C. New York, December, 1889. CONTENTS. INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. PAGE The Militia of New. York City. 1609-1805 1 Voyage of Hendrick Hudson, 1 ; the Dutch Burgher Corps, 2 ; the militia under the Dutch governors, 3 ; Governor Peter Stuyvesant, 4 ; surrender of New- Amsterdam, 5 ; the first militia law, 6 ; the second Dutch administration, 7 ; surrender to the English, 7 ; the English governors and the militia, 8 ; accession , of William and Mary, 9 ; Captain Jacob Leisler, 10 ; the militia law of 1891, 10 ; the New York regiment of militia, 13 ; the militia in the French and Indian wars, 13 ; the militia under Lord Bellamont, 14 ; the militia under Lord Corn- bury, 15 ; the militia under Governor Hunter, 16 ; the militia under Governor Burnett, 17 ; parades of the militia, 18 ; the negro plot, 19 ; the militia under Governor Clinton, 21 ; the French and Indian War, 22 ; the soldiers' riot, 22 ; the Sons of Liberty, 23; the militia under Governor Tryon, 24; the militia in 1775, 25 ; last parade of the English militia, 26 ; the American Eevolution, 27 ; militia laws of 1778-'86, 28 ; the regiment of artillery, 29 ; celebration of July 4th, 30 ; celebration of November 25th, 31 ; the doctors' mob, 32 ; inauguration of Washington, 33; the French Eevolution, 33; the militia, 1790-'98, 34; con test for promotion, 35 ; Colonel Sebastian Bauman, 36 ; the regiment of artillery in 1798, 37 ; insurrection at the State's prison, 38 ; funeral of Washington, 38 ; funeral of Hamilton, 39 ; the brigade of artillery, 39 ; the artillery, 1800-1805, 40 ; funeral of General John Lamb, 41 ; the new City Hall, 41 ; Fourth of July celebrations, 42 ; the artillerymen of 1805, 43. CHAPTER I. 1806-1811 ..... 44 The right of search, 44; New York aroused, 45; new artillery companies organized, 46 ; the first four companies of the Seventh Eegiment, 46 ; election of officers, 47 ; official recognition, 48 ; the first parade, 49 ; the Third Eegiment of Artillery, 50 ; court-martial of Lieutenant-Colonel Sitcher, 50 ; the Chesapeake and Leopard, 51 ; the New York quota, 52 ; the new companies volunteer, 52 ; number of officers and men, 53 ; preparations for war, 54 ; the Third Artillery reorganized, 55 ; the Wallabout martyrs, 56 ; the militia in 1809-'10, 57 ; the Third Artillery in 1810, 58 ; parades in 1811, 59. CHAPTER II. ¦ 1812-1815 60 Artillery regiments renumbered, 60; war with England, 61; the Eleventh Eegiment volunteers, 62 ; artillery practice, 63 ; the Eleventh Eegiment in active viii CONTENTS. PAGE service, 63; departure for Bedlow's and Ellis's Islands, 64; garrison-life at the islands, 65; complimentary orders, 66; military affairs in 1813, 67; funeral of Captain Lawrence, 68; the Eleventh Eegiment in 1813, 68; the Harsen duel, 69; Majors Morgan, Fleming, and Forbes, 70 ; Captains Anderaise and Talcott, 71 ; New York alarmed, 72 ; work upon the fortifications, 72 ; " The Patriotic Diggers," 73 ; the Eleventh Eegiment in the trenches, 74; mustered into United States service, 75 ; the North Battery, 76 ; New York safe, 78 ; the Eleventh Eegiment mustered out, 79 ; celebration of peace, 80 ; Colonel Cornelius Harsen, 81 ; Captains Bradhurst and Eockwell, 82 ; General Ebenezer Stevens, 83 ; the artillery uniform of 1815, 84. CHAPTER III. 1816-1824 85 Parades in 1816, 85 ; the Eleventh Eegiment in 1816, 86 ; General Peter Curtenius, 87 ; the Eleventh Eegiment in 1817-18, 88 ; Colonel Thomas E. Mer- cein, 89 ; the Eleventh Eegiment in 1819, 90 ; parades of the year, 91 ; Lieu tenant-Colonel William Kumbel, 92 ; the Eleventh Eegiment in 1820, 93 ; mili tary tactics, 94; the Eleventh Eegiment in 1821, 95 ; Dooley's Long Boom, 95 ; the military of the State, 96 ; the new State Constitution, 97 ; the veterans of 1812, 98 ; parades in 1823, 99 ; General Horatio Gates Stevens, 100 ; General James Benedict, 100 ; the proposed new regiment, 101 ; execution of John John son, 101 ; military criticism in 1824, 102. CHAPTER IV. 1824 103 The new battalion, 103 ; the reception of Lafayette, 104 ; the name " National Guard," 105 ; origin of the gray uniform, 105 ; the uniform described, 106 ; first Board of Officers, 107 ; the companies numbered, 107 ; names of officers, 108 ; the Shakespeare Tavern, 108 ; the coat-of-arms, 109 ; organization of new companies 110 ; the first parade, 110 ; annual inspection, 111 ; Fifth Company, 111 ; Sixth Company, 111 ; the fathers of the Seventh Eegiment, 112 ; Major John D. Wil son, 113; Captain William B. Curtis, 113; Captain Oliver M. Lownds, 114; Sergeant Asher Taylor, 114. CHAPTER V. 1825 National Guards transferred, 116; the Second Eegiment, N. Y. S. A., 116; the first National Guard ball, 117 ; Major Irad Hawley, 118 ; July 4, 1825, 119 • departure of Lafayette, 120 ; target excursion, 120 ; editors as marksmen, 121 ; minutes of Board of Officers, 122 ; the National Guards an independent battalion] 123; the first order, 123; first election of field-officers, 124; battalion orders, 124; resignations and elections, 125; Erie Canal celebration, 126; first annual inspection, 126 ; the arsenal-yard, 127 ; execution of James Eeynolds, 127 ; regi mental headquarters, 128; the Park Theatre, 129. CHAPTER VI. 1826 _ New-Year's Day, 130; Scott's Tactics, 130; Fifth Company election, 131; Bill of Dress, 132 ; regimental music, 134 ; Eighth Company organized, 134 ; the 116 130 CONTENTS. ix PAGE Twenty-seventh Eegiment, 135 ; election of colonel, 135 ; Major Telfair, 136 ; first regimental standard, 137 ; presentation of flag, 138 ; the State flag, 139 ; the Middletown Cadets, 139 ; semi-centennial, July 4th, 140 ; great public festival, 140 ; Washington Parade-Ground, 141 ; death of Adams and Jefferson, 142 ; tar get excursions, 142 ; excursion of officers, 143 ; annual inspection, 143 ; parades and drills, 144. CHAPTER VII. 1827 146 Financial disasters, 146 ; Colonel Wetmore involved, 146 ; the Eegiment ex cited, 147 ; disobedience of orders, 148 ; court of inquiry, 148 ; Colonel Prosper M. Wetmore, 149 ; by-laws of the Board of Officers, 151 ; resignations and elec tions, 155 ; Captains Williams, White, Ingraham, and Spicer, 155 ; Captain Warner cashiered, 156 ; the new administration, 157 ; changes in uniform, 158 ; annual inspection, 158; Captain David T. Valentine, 159; Eighth Company re organized, 160. CHAPTER VIII. 1828 162 Death of De Witt Clinton, 162 ; reception of Philadelphia Grays, 163 ; Lieu tenant-Colonel Howard A. Simons, 163; resignation of Colonel Stevens, 164; election of Colonel Manning, 164 ; court-martial of Captain Holt, 165 ; Colonel John J. Manning, 166 ; election of Colonel Hart, 167 ; resignations and promo tions, 167 ; the militia and the theatre, 168. CHAPTER IX. 1829 169 The Eegiment inactive, 169 ; gray trousers proposed, 169 ; drills in citizens' dress, 170 ; famous parade, July 4th, 170 ; the Eegiment retreats, 171 ; a court of inquiry, 171 ; an indignant manifesto, 172 ; anniversary parade, 174 ; annual in spection, 174 ; regimental music, 175 ; target excursions, 176 ; the arms of the Eegiment, 176. CHAPTER X. 1830 178 Colonel Stevens re-eleeted, 178 ; new field-officers, 178 ; Colonel Levi Hart, 179 ; Major E. B. Boyd, 180 ; an encampment proposed, 180 ; knapsacks adopted, 181 ; funeral of Colonel Willett, 181 ; the French Eevolution, 182 ; annual in spection, 183 ; company excursions, 183 ; drill-rooms, 183 ; the state of the Eegiment, 184. CHAPTER XL 1831 Eegimental prosperity, 185 ; charity subscriptions, 185 ; amendments to Bill of Dress, 185 ; certificate of membership, 186 ; spring parades, 186 ; Boston City Guard, 187 ; Camp Clinton, 188 ; funeral of Monroe, 191 ; company affairs, 191 ; annual inspection, 192 ; history of Camp Clinton, 193 ; regimental statistics, 193. 185 CONTENTS. CHAPTER XII. page 1832 194 Congratulatory order, 194; petition to Legislature, 194; municipal collations, 195; centennial of Washington's birthday, 195; Washington's marquee, 196; the Lafayette medal, 197 ; letter of J. Fenimore Cooper, 198 ; letter of Lafayette, 199 ; gray trousers, 200 ; fatigue jacket and cap, 200 ; Camp Putnam, 201 ; Asi atic cholera, 203 ; annual inspection, 204 ; Adjutant William P. Millard, 204 ; company items, 205 ; Captain John H. Brower, 206. CHAPTER XIII. 1833 207 The Postley difficulty, 207 ; court of inquiry, 208 ; Governor Marey's decision, 209 ; the Sixth Company withdraws, 209 ; reception of General Jackson, 209 ; regimental parades, 210 ; annual inspection, 211 ; new Sixth Company, 211 ; company excursions, 212; company drill-rooms, 212. CHAPTER XIV. 1834 213 The new Sixth Company, 213 ; the election riot, 213 ; the capture of the arse nal, 214; prompt action of the Eegiment, 215 ; its services appreciated, 216 ; Gen eral Arcularius's report, 216 ; funeral of Lafayette, 217 ; Camp Hamilton, 218 ; tent-life in Hamilton Square, 219 ; the abolition riot, 220 ; encounter with the mob, 222 ; the Eegiment honored, 223 ; alarm-signals, 224 ; proposed changes in uniform, 225; Colonel Linus W. Stevens, 226; musket-racks or "armories," 227 ; regimental music, 228. CHAPTER XV. 1835 229 Election of field-officers, 229 ; changes in uniform, 229 ; Bill of Dress, 230 ; new stand of colors, 232 ; eoat-of-arms, 233 ; presentation by Governor Marcy, . 234; the Order of Merit, 234; preparations for "trial of skill," 235; first drill for Order of Merit, 236 ; members of the order, 237 ; badge of the order, 237 ; first meeting of the Order, 238 ; target excursions, 238 ; Captain Philetus H. Holt, 239 ; Scott's Tactics revised, 240 ; the great fire of 1JS35, 241 ; services of the Eegiment, 241 ; gallantry of Colonel Smith, 242. CHAPTER XVI. 1836 243 The stevedore riot, 243 ; opinions of the press, 244 ; exemption from jury duty, 244; changes in uniform, 245 ; preparations for " trial of skill," 245 ; the trial of skill, 246 ; Eighth Company victorious, 247 ; the Seventh Company inconsolable, 247 : Captain John Telfair Cairns, 248 ; exit Order of Merit, 249 ; parades of the year, 249 ; General Jacob Morton, 250 ; company parades, 251 ; Captain Samuel D. Denison, 252 ; new headquarters, 253. 1837 CONTENTS. ^ CHAPTER XVII. 254 The flour riot, 254 ; great money panic, 255 ; Colonel Morgan L. Smith, 256 ; Major Edward Eoome, 257 ; parades and drills, 257 ; application to the city for drill-rooms, 258; petition of Second • Company, 259; gray fatigue-jacket, 259; company excursions, 260 ; New York Brass Band, 260. CHAPTER XVIII. 1838 261 The National Guard Troop, 261 ; the Centre Market Drill-Eooms, 262 ; pa rades of the year, 262; company drills and excursions, 262; Captain Charles W. Teller, 263 ; Captain Charles W. Eoome, 263 ; state of the Eegiment, 264 ; mili tary peculiarities, 264 ; the first chaplain, 265. CHAPTER XIX. 1839 266 Centre Market Drill-Eooms, 266 ; the Seventh Company reorganized, 266 ; Major N. S. Burt, 267 ; the Eegiment at Fort Hamilton, 267 ; reception of Presi dent Van Buren, 268 ; failure to parade July 4th, 269 ; military life at Fort Ham ilton, 269 ; Colonel John M. Catlin, 270 ; parades of the year, 271 ; the Heidelberg War, 272 ; regimental courts-martial, 273. CHAPTER XX. 1840 274 The new administration, 274; novel brigade measures proposed, 274; Thomp son's Hall, 275 ; the Croton-water riots, 276 ; reception of Vice-President John son, 276 ; parades and drills, 277 ; company excursions, 277 ; the Sixth Company stampede, 278 ; court-martial of Captain Conger, 279 ; supernumerary officers, 279 ; regimental courts-martial, 280. CHAPTER XXI. 1841 281 Funeral of President Harrison, 281 ; the Hancock Light Infantry, 282; drills and parades, 282 ; Captain Eobert W. Beach, 283 ; proposed transfer of Troop, 283 ; the Troop victorious, 284 ; company excursions, 284 ; proposed changes in uniform, 285. CHAPTER XXII. 1842 .... 286 The great hat contest, 286 ; the new hat, 287 ; ball at " The Bowery," 287 ; " The Apollo," 287 ; parades of the year, 287 ; the Albany Eepublican Artil lery, 288 ; Croton-water celebration, 288 ; company affairs^ 289 ; state of the Eegiment, 289 ; regimental clubs, 290. xii CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXIII. pase 1843 291 Lieutenant-Colonel Edward T. Backhouse, 291 ; Adjutant Samuel McAllis ter, 292 ; Surgeon Gurdon J. Leeds, 292 ; reception of President Tyler, 293 ; first excursion to Boston, 293; Bunker Hill Monument, 294; dinner at Faneuil Hall, 294 ; National Guard of Easton, 295 ; Bill of Dress, 295 ; a regimental armory proposed, 296 ; company drills, 297 ; nomination of officers, 297 ; Captain John Cumings, 298 ; Captain William W. Lyon, 299 ; State arms received, 300 ; com pany by-laws, 300 ; loaning uniforms, 301. CHAPTER XXIV. 1844 302 A battle for a name, 302 ; Colonel William Jones, 303 ; a fight for a drill- room, 304; Captain Duryee court-martialed, -305; parades of the year, 305; an nual inspection, 306 ; Boston City Grays, 306 ; company excursions, 306 ; Cap tain Wright F. Conger, 307 ; St. John's Hall, 308 ; Mercer House, 308 ; Broad way House, 308 ; Military Hall, 309 ; Lafayette Hall, 309 ; company " soirees," 309; officers' fatigue -uniform, 310; proposed regimental armory, 310; an excit ing presidential election, 311 ; Anti-rent war, 311. CHAPTER XXV. 1845 312 Eegimental music, 312 ; Second Company exhibition drill, 312 ; the Board of Honor, 313 ; Lieutenant-Colonel George G. Waters, 313 ; funeral of General Jackson, 313; reception of Secretary of War, 314; Camp Schuyler, 314; Captain Waugh's exploits, 316 ; the Troop indignant, 317 ; Camp Schuyler reviewed, 318 ; great fire of 1845, 319 ; Colonel Washington E. Vermilye, 319 ; annual inspection, 320 ; retreat of General Hall's brigade, 321 ; Captain Abram Denike, 322 ; Cap tain John S. Cocks, 322. CHAPTER XXVI. 1846 323 Bill of Dress amended, 323 ; first sergeants indignant, 323 ; new militia law, 323; drills and parades, 324; annual inspection, 324; eompauy excursions, 324; Captain Henry E. Mount, 325 ; prosperity, present and prospective, 325. CHAPTER XXVII. 1847 836 Military funerals, 326; the Mexican War, 326; reception of President Polk, 327 ; new militia law, 327 ; the Twenty-seventh Regiment becomes " the Sev enth," 828; the First Division, 829; parades of the year, 329; Washington Monument, 330; the "Fighting Seventh," 330 ; company affairs, 331. 1848 CONTENTS. ^y CHAPTER XXVIII. PAGE 332 Eegimental music, 332 ; funeral of John Quincy Adams, 332 ; reception of General Scott, 333; military funerals, 834; reception of New York Volunteers, 334 ; annual inspection, 335 ; Colonel Andrew A. Bremner, 336 ; the eight com panies, 337 ; Captain Cyrus H. Loutrel, 338 ; target excursions, 339. CHAPTER XXIX. 1849 340 Dingle's Band, 340 ; ho ! for California, 340 ; the Engineer Corps, 341 ; For rest and Macready, 341 ; the Astor Place Eiot, 342 ; gallantry of the Eegiment, 344 ; official reports, 348 ; complimentary orders, 349 ; hostility to the Eegiment, 349 ; the Fifth Company, 349 ; a court-martial, 350 ; July 4, 1849, 350 ; first pa rade after the riot, 351 ; first sergeants' swords, 351 : parade of the ununiformed, 352; annual inspection, 353; the Worth funeral, 353; new equipments, 354; resignations and promotions, 354 ; the state of the Eegiment, 355. CHAPTER XXX. 1850 356 An irrepressible adjutant, 356 ; Hungarian exiles, 357 ; an incompetent cap tain, 358 ; excursion to Newport, 359 ; visit to Boston, 359 ; Drum-Major Teller, 360 ; funeral of General Taylor, 361 ; General Paez, 361 ; reception of Boston Lancers, 362; Surgeon William B. Eagar, 362; Major Thomas Morton, 363; overcoats adopted, 364 ; new armory proposed, 364 ; the feu-de-joie, 365 ; finan cial, 366. CHAPTER XXXI. 1851 367 Washington's birthday, 367; parade in overcoats, 367; the Lancer's color, 368 ; collation at the Apollo, 369 ; the Fifth Company protest, 369 ; reception of President Fillmore, 370 ; Board of Privates, 370 ; funeral of Adjutant Divver, 371 ; Major Joseph A. Divver, 372 ; the Daughter of the Eegiment, 373; Louis Kossuth, 374 ; the great KosButh meeting, 374 ; the Kossuth excitement, 375 ; company items, 376. CHAPTER XXXII. 1852 377 Forrest lis. Forrest, 377 ; Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew B. Brinekerhoff, 378 the new Seventh Eegiment Band, 379; the Fifth Company indignant, 380 Camp Trumbull, 381 ; the Fifth Company excursion, 882 ; funeral of Clay, 383 funeral of Webster, 383 ; annual inspection, 384 ; financial, 384. CHAPTER XXXIII. 1853 385 New City Arsenal, 385 ; the Daughter of the Eegiment, 386 ; Captain Frederick Creighton, 386 ; new uniform hat, 387 ; reception of President Pierce, 388 ; a xiv CONTENTS. PAGE division in Fifth Company, 388 ; annual inspection, 389 ; death of Captain Tom- linson, 389 ; recruiting medals, 390. CHAPTER XXXIV. 1854 391 Eegimental armory projects, 391 ; regimental uniform, 392; uniform of musi cians, 392 ; annual inspection, 392 ; regimental assessments, 393 ; percussion mus kets, 393 ; company affairs, 393. CHAPTER XXXV. 1855 394 Tompkins Market, 394; the Seventh Eegiment petition, 394; action of the Common Council, 395 ; the regimental medal, 395 ; Lieutenant MacGregor's case, 396 ; St. Patrick's-Day, 397 ; native Americanism, 397 ; Camp Worth, 398 ; a fatal accident, 400 ; generous action of the Eegiment, 407 ; the new Drum Corps, 401 ; annual inspection, 402. CHAPTER XXXVI. 1856 403 New fatigue-caps, 403 ; Tompkins Market Armory, 403 ; the Castle lawsuit, 404 ; the Washington statue, 404 ; company anniversaries, 405 ; military scrib blers, 405 ; the Kingston Grays, 406 ; annual inspection, 407 ; First Company troubles, 407 ; the lance corporal, 408 ; Captain Lewis H. Watts, 408. CHAPTER XXX VII. 1857 409 Company designations, 409 ; National Drill-Eooms, 409 ; excursion to Boston, 410 ; the " police " riot, 410 ; Boston and Bunker Hill, 412 ; the " Dead Eabbit" riot, 413 ; the Jackson snuff-box, 414 ; an unwarrantable intrusion, 415 ; a lib eral donation, 416 ; the ship National Guard, 416 ; the Worth monument, 417 ; the charity ball, 417. CHAPTER XXXVIII. 1858 419 Hardee's Tactics, 419 ; Boston Light Infantry, 420 ; the remains of ex-Presi dent Monroe, 420 ; the voyage to Eichmond, 421 ; the Warwick Mill banquet, 422 ; a day in Eichmond, 423 ; from Eichmond to Washington, 424 ; review by the President, 425 ; visit to Mount Vernon, 426 ; death of Hamilton, 427 ; the Hall controversy, 428 ; the mutiny of the band, 428 ; Bailey, of the " Mercury," 429 ; . Montreal Field Battery of Artillery, 429 ; the Atlantic Cable celebration, 430 ; new stand of arms, 431. CHAPTER XXXIX. 1859 433 The Quarantine War, 433 ; the Wolfe testimonial, 434 ; the Hall controversy, 434 ; serenade to Colonel Duryee, 435 ; tho Mount Vernon Association, 436 ; the CONTENTS. xy PAGE Veteran Association, 437; resignation of Colonel Duryee, 437; Colonel Abram Duryee, 438 ; election of colonel, 439 ; the Eichmond Grays, 440 ; the Baltimore City Guard, 441 ; the Duryee testimonials, 442 ; a new band, 442 ; the mayoralty election, 443 ; Captain Robert E. Launitz, 444. CHAPTER XL. 1860 443 Grafulla's Seventh Eegiment Band, 445 ; excursion to Washington, 445 ; in auguration of a statue, 446 ; preparations for encampment, 448 ; Tompkins Mar ket Armory, 449 ; the Troop and the Engineers, 450 ; the Japanese embassy, 451 ; Camp Scott, 452 ; the Chicago Zouaves, 455 ; visit to West Point, 456 ; the Wash ington colors, 457 ; Tompkins Market Armory, 458 ; reception of the Prince of Wales, 460 ; Lieutenant-Colonel Edgar M. Crawford, 462 ; bayonet exerciBe, 463 ; company coats-of-arms, 464 ; state of the Eegiment, 464. CHAPTER XLI. 1861 ' 465 The Tompkins Market Armory, 465 ; Washington's birthday, 466 ; secession and rebellion, 467 ; action of the Regiment, 468 ; the fall of Fort Sumter, 469 ; the Seventh Eegiment volunteers, 470 ; orders to march, 471 ; departure of the Eegiment, 473 ; news irom Baltimore, 475 ; at Philadelphia, 476 ; a council of war, 477 ; departure for Annapolis, 478 ; General Butler in Philadelphia, 479 ; the uprising of the North, 480 ; the voyage to Annapolis, 480 ; arrival at Annap olis, 482 ; the Eighth Massachusetts, 483 ; Annapolis Harbor, 484 ; General But ler's speech, 485 ; the day at Annapolis, 487 ; a disputed command, 488 ; Colonel Lander, 489 ; a night alarm, 490 ; the advance-guard, 491 ; its adventures, 492 ; the march of the Eegiment, 493 ; bridge-building, 494; the march at night, 495 ; a dangerous mistake, 496 ; at Annapolis Junction, 497 ; arrival at Washington, 498. ILLUSTRATIONS Volume L. STEEL PORTRAITS. Colonel Prosper M. Wetmore Frontispiece " Linus W. Stevens Face page 158 Levi Hart ......... " 180 " Morgan L. Smith "256 " John M. Catlin " 270 William Jones " 304 Washington R. Vermilye " 320 " Andrew A. Bremner " 336 " Abram Duryee " 438 VIGNETTES. Governor Stuyvesant . Captain Talcott . Governor Tompkins Lieutenant-Colonel Kumbel Sergeant Taylor . Major Hawley Marquis de Lafayette . Major Telfair Captain Spicer Captain Valentine Lieutenant-Colonel Simons Colonel Manning . President Monroe . Captain Brower . President Jackson . Governor Marcy . Captain Holt . General Morton . Captain Denison . Major Roome . PAGE . 4 . 59 . 84 . 92 . 114 . 119 . 120 . 130 . 156 . 159 . 164 . 166 . 191 . 206 . 210 . 234 . 239 . 251 . 252 . 257 PAGE Captain Roome .... 263 President Van Buren . . . 268 Colonel Catlin . . . .271 Vice-President Johnson . . 277 President Harrison . . . 280 Governor Seward .... 289 Lieutenant-Colonel Backhouse . 291 Captain Cumings .... 299 Captain Conger .... 307 Governor Wright .... 317 President Polk .... 327 President Adams .... 332 General Scott .... 334 Captain Loutrel .... 338 Edwin Forrest .... 341 General Worth .... 353 Governor Pish .... 358 General Wool .... 360 President Taylor .... 361 General Paez 362 ILLUSTRATIONS. XV11 PAGE Major Morton . . . .363 President Fillmore . . .370 Major Divver . . . .372 Lieut.-Colonel Brinckerhoff . 378 Miss Divver 386 Fresident Pierce .... 388 President Buchanan . . . 425 Governor King .... 432 PAGE Governor Morgan .... 436 Captain Launitz .... 443 Lieutenant-Colonel Crawford . 462 President Lincoln. . . . 467 Major Anderson .... 469 Fitz-James O'Brien . . . 474 General Butler .... 479 General Lander .... 489 WOODCUTS, ETC. New York in the Dutch Period 1 POWDER-HORN AND CANTEEN . 273 The Stadt-Huys . 7 . 285 Fort George, 1740 . 19 Uniform Hat, 1842-53 . . 290 Flint-Lock Gun 43 Uniform, Seventh Regiment, 1835- The North Battery, 1814 . 76 1853 .... Face 296 Artillery Soldier, 1806-'14 . 83 Bunker Hill Monument . 301 Artillery Soldier, 1815-24 . 102 Camp Schuyler Face 314 Shakespeare Tavern . 108 American Flag, 1777 . 331 Coat of Arms, 1824 109 Astor Place Riot . Face 346 Asher Taylor's Album . 115 Old Mill at Newport . . 366 Park Theatre, 1825 129 American Flag, 1795-1818 . 376 Seventh Regiment Soldier, 1825 132 Camp Trumbull Face 382 Seventh Regiment Standards New City Arsenal . 385 139 Uniform Hat, 1853 . . 387 American Rifleman, 1776 145 Camp Worth . Face 398 Matchlock Gun 168 Faneuil Hall. . 408 French Soldiers, 1780 . 177 Worth Monument . . 418 Tomb of Lafayette 184 Mount Vernon . 426 Certificate of Membership, 1831 186 Tomb of Washington . 427 189 Executive Mansion . 447 Lafayette Medal . 197 Smithsonian Institution . 448 Camp Putnam . . Face 202 Tompkins Market Armory . 459 Camp Hamilton 218 March of the Seventh, 1861. Face 474 Coat of Arms, 1835 233 Frigate Constitution . . 483 Badge of " Order of Merit " 237 Annapolis Naval Academy . 485 Minute-Man, 1775 . 253 Opening the Road to Was HING- American Infantrymen, 1812-'34 265 ton .... Face 494 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. INTEODUCTOEY CHAPTER THE MILITIA OF NEW YOKK OITY. 1609-1805. tr^the month of September, 1609, Captain Hendrick Hudson, commanding the yacht Half Moon, passed the island of Manhattan, and proceeded on a voyage of discovery up the river which now bears his name. As the famous Dutch mariner returned from his unsuccessful search for a direct passage to China and the East Indies, and slowly drifted past the high land now known as Washington Heights, he was saluted with a shower of arrows from a hostile band of Indians — a warn ing to all future traders and colonists in this part of the New "World that to secure peace they must always be pre pared for war. And from that day to this the organization and preparation necessary for the successful defense and protection of life and property have been not the least important among the cares and duties of the inhabitants of Manhattan Island. Not upon the few regular and professional soldiers stationed in its fortifications, but upon its armed and organized militia — its citizen soldiery — New York has mainly depended, both in days colonial and since the Eevolution, for its safety from foreign and domestic foes. New York in the Dutch period. 2 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1633 The colonists, traders, and adventurers who first arrived at Manhattan were soldiers from necessity. They built their huts in the shadow of the rude redoubt erected at the lower end of the island, and upon their own armed vigilance was often dependent the safety of their lives and property. Nor were they relieved from military duty when the first Dutch Governor, Peter Minuit, built on the triangle formed by the southern part of Manhattan Island the defensive works christened Fort Amsterdam ; or when his successor, Wouter Yan Twiller, in 1633, garrisoned the post with a hundred regular soldiers from Holland. The Dutch West India Company made it imperative upon all men able to bear arms, whether traders or inhabitants, to provide themselves with muskets, and to aid in the public defense. They were duly enrolled, and were allowed to select their own officers, subject to the approval of the Governor. This militia organization was called the Burgher Corps, and, when no immediate danger was apprehended, paraded once a year, and at a later period once in three months, for muster and the inspection of arms. The arms of the militia of New Amsterdam were neither uniform in kind or caliber, but were numbered, stamped, and registered, to prevent their sale to the Indians. Military uniforms were unknown to the citizen soldiers of this primitive period, and the Burghers appeared upon parade and upon guard, as upon all other occasions, in linsey-woolsey coats, with large brass buttons, broad-brimmed and low-crowned hats, and baggy breeches. The parade-ground for both regulars and militia was " the Green before the Fort," now the Bowling Green. When danger was imminent from the Indians, or from the English traders who prowled up and down the Atlantic coast, or from the trespass ing and adventurous Yankees, all were summoned to arms. Occa sionally a part of the militia could be induced to volunteer for a raid upon the Indians, or upon their dangerous neighbors on the Connecticut and Delaware Eivers, but as a general rule the Dutch militiamen preferred to smoke their pipes in peace, and to take up arms only when danger threatened their own homes. In the latter case the Burgher Corps was obliged to assist the garrison of the fort in the performance of sentry duty, and the " Burgher Guard or Watch " was an institution whose claims upon the services of the sturdy Dutch citizens were imperative. Sentry duty, however, was not entirely to the taste of the Dutch soldiers, regulars or 1647 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 3 militia ; for it is related that one morning at two o'clock, in the year 1634, a ship arrived in the harbor and found the whole town asleep. No sentinel appeared upon the walls of the fort; no burgher soldier challenged the new-comers, or was conscious of their arrival. A salute of three guns from the vessel at daybreak aroused and terrified both soldiers and citizens, but all heartily rejoiced that friends instead of enemies had disturbed their slum bers, and proceeded at once to drown their terrors by drinking the health of the Dutch skipper and of the cargo of new colonists. The good-natured and easy-going Director and Governor, Wou ter Yan Twiller, was succeeded in 1638 by the fiery, irritable, and capricious William Kief t. His reckless imprudence now involved the colony in wars with the Indians, and for several years there was -no peace for the Dutch militiamen. They were often mustered and sometimes drilled daily ; they toiled with the pick, spade, and axe, in strengthening the fortifications, and in building a palisade wall across the island ; they stood guard by night and by day, in sunshine and storm ; and they enlisted in the occasional expeditions against the tribes of hostile Indians in the surrounding country. That the militiamen of New Netherlands were not unlike the sol diers of other periods in the world's history is apparent from the following ordinance regulating the Burgher Guard, adopted by the Director and Council, November 19, 1643 : I. If any one on the Burgher Guard take the name of God in vain, he shall forfeit for the first offense ten stivers, for the second offense twenty stivers, and for the third time thirty stivers. II. Whosoever on the Burgher Guard speaks ill of a comrade shall forfeit thirty stivers. III. Whosoever comes fuddled or intoxicated on guard shall for such offense pay twenty stivers. Whosoever is absent from his watch, without lawful reason, shall forfeit fifty stivers. IV. After the watch is duly performed and daylight is come, and the reveille beaten, whoever discharges his gun or musket without orders of his corporal, shall pay one guilder. It was not until 1645 that peace smiled again upon New Am sterdam, and her citizen soldiers were allowed to devote their time and labor to more congenial pursuits. In 1647 a new Director and Governor, Peter Stuyvesant, the successor of Kieft, arrived at New Amsterdam. He was an old soldier and had lost a leg in the Dutch service, and, like many vet- HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1652 erans of more modern days, had a supreme contempt for militia men. Among the charges preferred by the people against the new Governor to the States-General in 1651, was that " the Burghers' arms have not been inspected every three months, nor the Burgher Companies mustered under arms, as their High Mightinesses di rected; and when the officers of the Burgher Companies, through good dis position for the public service request ed the Director to allow them to bring the corps once under arms they receive for answer from His Honor, 'When I want you for that purpose I shall send for you.' " But when, in 1652, war between England and Holland was declared, and the city of New Amster dam was threatened by a hostile fleet, Governor Stuyvesant yielded to the necessities of the hour, and ordered a muster and inspec tion of the militia, which is described by that veritable historian, Diedrich KJaickerbocker, as follows : Peter Stuyvesant, like all old soldiers who have seen service and smelt gun powder, had no great respect for militia troops ; however, he determined to give them a trial, and accordingly called for a general muster, inspection, and review. But, oh Mars and Bellona ! what a turning out was here ! Here came old Roeant Cuckaburt, with a short blunderbuss on his shoulder and a long horseman's sword trailing by his side, and Barent Dirkson, with something that looked like a copper kettle turned upside down on his head, and a couple of old horse-pistols in his belt, and Dirk Volkertson, with a long duck fowling-piece without any ramrod, and a host more, armed higgledy-piggledy with swords, hatchets, snickersees, crow bars, broomsticks, and what not ; the officers distinguished from the rest by hav ing their slouched hats cocked up with pins and surmounted with cocktail feathers. The sturdy Peter eyed this non-descript host with some such rueful aspect as a man would eye the devil, and determined to give his feather-bed soldiers a sea soning. He accordingly put them through their manual exercise over and over again ; trudged them backward and forward about the streets of New Amsterdam until their short legs ached and their fat sides sweated again, and finally encamped them in the evening on the summit of a hill without the city to give them a taste of camp-life, intending the next day to renew the toils and perils of the field. But so it came to pass that in the night there fell a great and heavy rain and melted away the army, so that in the morning when Gaffer Phoebus shed his first beams upon the camp scarce a warrior remained except Peter Stuyvesant and his trumpeter, Van Corlear. 1664 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 5 This awful desolation of a whole army would have appalled a commander of less renown, but it seemed to confirm Peter's want of confidence in the militia system, which he thenceforward used to call in joke — for he sometimes indulged in a joke — William the Testy's broken reed. He now took into his service a good ly number of burly, broad-shouldered, broad-bottomed Dutchmen, whom he paid in good silver and gold, and of whom he boasted that whether they could stand fire or not, they were at least water-proof. The indifference of the Governor to the militia of New Amster dam was fully reciprocated, for when, in 1655, he attempted to raise troops for his famous expedition against the Swedes upon the Delaware, he appealed to the Burghers in vain. The officers of the two companies of the Burgher Corps supported his warlike aspira tions, but when the drums were sent through the town to beat up recruits, few responded to the summons, and the Governor was finally obliged to appeal for aid to the Dutch settlements up the Hudson. But the time at length arrived when Governor Stuyve sant learned, as have many wiser statesmen since, that a thoroughly organized and disciplined militia is necessary to the safety of the state. In 1664 the ships and soldiers of the Duke of York ap peared before New Amsterdam arid demanded its surrender, and the stout-hearted old Governor vainly appealed to the disaffected militiamen. The Burgher Corps, now increased to three companies, was indifferent to the result, and wisely considered resistance to be useless, and on the 8th day of September the English standard was unfurled from the fort, and the city of New Amsterdam became the city of New York. The Dutch East India Company grumbled at the pacific termination of their power in America, but Governor Stuyvesant in a memorial to " The High and Mighty Lords, States- General of the United Netherlands," truly stated that "he em ployed all possible means to put himself in proper defence, but was necessitated to surrender through the unwillingness of the militia, the protests and menaces of the Burghers, the weakness of the fort, the scarcity of provisions and munitions of war, and the small num ber of soldiers." The Burgher companies of New Amsterdam, if not warlike in disposition or distinguished for military accomplishments, were always faithful to their homes, and to the defense of the lives and property of the people. Their officers were selected from among the most distinguished burghers of the city, and many of them achieved political distinction. Captain Arent Yan Hatten and Martin Kregier Q HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1673 of the Burgher Companies were the first Burgomasters of the new city ; Captain Paulus L. Yandergrist, Lieutenant Pieter WoKensen Yan Couwenhoven and Ensign Johannes Pietersen Yan Bruggh were also Burgomasters at a subsequent period, and Ensign Cornelis Steinwyck became mayor of the city under the English regime. The first English Governor, Colonel Eichard Nicolls, disarmed the people and disbanded the Burgher companies. Among the laws established by James, Duke of York, for the government of the Province of New York, and published March 1, 1665, was one relating to " Military Affairs." This law provided that every male person between sixteen and sixty years of age should furnish him self with a good gun and the necessary ammunition, and " duly at tend the Military Exercises and Service, as Trayning, Watching and Warding, when they are thereunto required by their officers," and that there be " in each town four days of Trayning and in Each Eyding a General Trayning in Each year " ; that the officers shall be chosen by election " which is to bee the plurality of voyces of the soldiers," subject to the approval of the Governor ; that the arms and ammunition be inspected every three months ; that fines for neglect of duty be imposed and collected and employed in buy ing drums, colors, and halberds, and for other necessary military purposes ; that officers may punish any soldier " for disorder or contempt by Stocks, Biding the Wooden Horse, and other military punishment " ; that persons who can not furnish the arms or am munition required by law, may pay to the commanding officer of the district their value in Corn, or may be put to work until the amount is earned ; that no person shall be compelled to bear arms " outside of the borders of this government," and no one be ex empt in wars defensive ; and that specified penalties be imposed for disobedience, desertion, sleeping on post, absence from the watch, and other military offenses. Such were the principal pro visions of the first militia law for the Province of New York ; but the law was not strictly enforced by Governor Nicolls or his suc cessor, Colonel Lovelace, nor was the organization of military com panies encouraged. The English rulers had no great confidence in the loyalty of the Dutch citizens, who were constantly irritated and enraged by tyrannous exactions. The recapture of New York by the Dutch in July, 1673, was therefore a welcome event to a large majority of its people. 1674 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. Stadt-Huys. Captain Anthony Clove, the new Dutch Governor, immediately reorganized four Burgher companies, Major Jacobus Yan de Water commanding, and placed them on active duty. Besides working upon the fortifications, they were assem bled daily for drill, and in turn mounted guard at night. The com pany detailed for the guard assem bled at the beat of the drum in front of the Stadt-Huys, at the head of Coenties Slip, for inspection one half -hour before sun-set. The guard was mounted with due ceremony at sunset, when the gate of the city was also closed. The following is an extract from the instructions of Governor Clove to Major Yan de Water on this subject : The Major shall take good care that the gate be opened in the morning at sun rise, and locked in the evening at sunset, to which end before the time fixed he shall go to the main guard and apply to the commanding officer and obtain from him an escort of at least one sergeant and six soldiers provided with their arms, wherewith he shall proceed to the Fort to procure the keys, and having opened or locked the gate, bring the keys back to the Port, and at the same time come and receive the word from the Governor ; he shall then return to the City Hall and communicate the orders received to the Sergeant of the Guard to be notified to whom they may concern. The officers of the militia commissioned by Governor Clove in 1673 were men of talent and distinction. Among the number were Nicolas Bayard, Cornells Steinwyck, Gabriel Minvielle, and Stephanus Yan Cortlandt, who under the subsequent administra tion of the English became mayors of the city. The warlike prep arations of Governor Clove proved unnecessary, for on the 9th of February, 1674, a treaty of peace was signed between England and the States-General restoring New York to the English, and on the 10th of November of the same year the fort was surrendered to Major Edmund Andros, who had been appointed Governor by the Duke of York. The militia companies organized by Governor Clove were con tinued by the new English Governor, and performed watch and 8 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1686 police duties under ordinances established by the Governor and Council, of which the following is an extract : If any one come upon the watch overcharged with drink he shall pay two guilders, but if abusive or quite drunk he shall pay four guilders. No cursing or swearing shall be allowed upon the watch nor any gaminges at dice or cards, nor any Exercise of drinkinges upon the penalty of four guilders, For a long period the duties of the watch, to which every in habitant was liable, were military or semi-military in their charac ter, and were performed under arms. It was not until December, 1700, that the Common Council authorized the mayor to ap point a " Constables' Watch," to consist of a constable and twelve able-bodied men, and imposed a fine upon any person neglecting duty upon said watch when duly warned. In November, 1734, the Common Council resolved that twelve persons, including two constables, be hired as the city watch. Colonel Thomas Dongan succeeded Governor Andros in 1683, and the Duke of York conferred upon him the following powers in respect to the militia, being substantially the same as were re ceived by all the English Governors of New York previous to the American Eevolution : And I do also impower and authorize you, wa advice of my said Councill, to settle and establish a Militia of the inhabitants, to be mustered and disciplined undr such offic™ as you shall nominate and appoint, and that they may be ready in any case of any invasion or suddaine insurrecon, to oppose the Enemy ; and in y1 case you are to leavy, arme, and employ the inhabitants ag»' such forriegne and other enemyes, represse, fight w'\ kill, and destroy them. In 1685 the Duke of York succeeded to the throne, under the title of James II, and in 1686 issued the following additional in structions : 27. And all military officers, upon misbehavior & unfaithfulness in the Execu tion of their trust, you shall suspend or discharge, as shall appear upon due Ex amination to be most agreable to Justice. 43. You shall take care that all Planters and Christian servants bee well & fitly provided with arms, and that they be listed under officers, and when & as often as you shall think fitt, mustered & trained, whereby they may be in a better readiness for ye Defence of our said Province under your Government. 44. And you are to take Especial care that neither the frequency nor unrea sonableness of remote marches, musters & Trainings bee an unnecessary Impedi ment to y» officers of y Planters. 48. In case of distress of any of our Plantations you shall, upon Application of the respective Gov" thereof to you, assist them with what aid the condition & safety of your Government can permit. 1689 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 9 The following is an extract from the commission of Governor Thomas Dongan, issued by James II, June 10, 1686 : And we doe hereby give & grant unto you the said Thomas Dongan, by Yor- self, your Captains & Commanders by you to be authorized, full power and author ity to levy, arm, muster, command, and imploy all persons whatsoever residing within Our said Province of New York ; And as occasion shall serve them to trans- ferr from one place to another for the resisting and withstanding of all Enemys, Pirats, and Rebells both at Sea and at Land. And to transport such fforces to any of our Plantations in America as occasion shall require for the defence of the same against Invasion or Attempts of any of our Enemys. And them, if occasion shall require, to pursue and prosecute in or out of the limits of our said Province and Plantations or any of them. And to Execute Martial Law in the time of Invasion, Insurrection or Warr, and during the continuance of the same, as alsoe upon Soldiers in pay. Governor Dongan encouraged improvement in the drill and disciphne of the militia companies or train-bands, and commissioned the most able and prominent men of the city as officers. Of the number, Nicholas Bayard, Gabriel Minvielle, Abram De Peyster, John De Peyster, Nicholas De Meyer, Charles Lodowick, Francis Eambouts, Isaac De Eeimer, Jacobus Yan Courtlandt, and William Merritt became mayors of the city at various periods in its history, and Captain Jacob Leisler is the leading historical figure of the English colonial times. The number of companies having increased to six, they were organized as a regiment, and on the 8th of Octo ber, 1686, Nicholas Bayard was commissioned to be " Colonel of a Eegiment of Foot," being the first colonel of militia in the city of New York. In August, 1688, Governor Dongan was succeeded by Francis Nicholson, which event was soon followed by the news of the abdication and flight of James II, and that William and Mary had been proclaimed King and Queen of England. Upon the receipt of the news of the accession of William and Mary, the people of New York at once divided into two violent political parties. The one, insignificant in numbers, but formidable in wealth, talent, and energy, was composed of those who were in favor and in office under James II, to which party the Papists were generally attached ; the other was composed of the mass of the peo ple, the Protestant citizens. The excitement increased until the 27th of April, 1689, when the militia officers were called in council with the Governor, and it was decided that to preserve order it was necessary that one company of the city militia mount guard daily 10 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1691 at the fort. On the 31st of May a difficulty occurred between the Governor and the officers in command of the company of militia on duty in the fort, and the people assembled en masse, took pos session of the fort in the name of William and Mary, and disarmed the regular soldiers. The keys of the fort were delivered to Cap tain Lodowick, and a proclamation and address to William and Mary were issued, signed by all the captains of militia and four hundred men, congratulating the sovereigns upon their accession to the throne ; upon " the re-establishment and preservation of the true Protestant religion, liberty, and property," and " our deliver ance from Tyranny, Popery, and Slavery " ; pledging loyalty and obedience, and promising " to keep and guard ye fort against all Your Majesties Enemies whatsoever until such time as your Majes ty's Eoyall will shall be further known." The militia having re fused to obey Colonel Bayard, and their officers having declined to meet Governor Nicholson in council, the latter fled to England, and a Committee of Safety was organized, which appointed Captain Jacob Leisler, the senior militia captain, commander-in-chief, with full power to preserve the peace and suppress rebellion until the arrival of instructions from England. The important, decisive, and patriotic action of the militia of New York at this eventful period, and the remarkable career of Leisler, their brave and able leader, are favorite subjects of the American historian. As acting Governor of the province and the people's choice, Captain Leisler for nearly two years faithfully maintained the authority of the Prince of Orange, and patiently awaited the approval of his acts and the favorable recognition of his valuable services by the English sovereigns. The reward of his devotion was arrest and imprisonment by the Governor, Colonel Henry Sloughter, who arrived in New York in March, 1691 ; a hasty trial by a court comprised of his most bitter enemies ; convic tion for treason, and condemnation to immediate death. On the 17th of May, Leisler, the defender of civil and religious liberty, bravely died. On the 6th of May, 1691, the Assembly of the Province of New York passed an act entitled "An Act for settling the Militia," which is the first militia law upon the statute-books of New York. This act was published by William Bradford in 1694, in the first book ever published in the city of New York, and read as follows : 1691 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. H Whereas, the present State and Condition of the Province doth of necessity require that the Inhabitants thereof should be well armed and trained up in the Art Military as well as for the Honour and Service of their most excellent Majes ties, as the preservation of their own Lives and Fortunes, Be it Enacted and Or dained by the Governor and Council and Representatives convened in General Assembly, and it is hereby Enacted and Ordained by the Authority of the same, That no Person whatsoever from Fifteen to Sixty Years of Age remain unlisted by themselves, or Masters, Mistresses, or Imployers, under the Captains in their respective places of abode, in Foot or Horse, the space of one Kalender Moneth after their arrival or coming to reside or sojourn in any place within this Province on Penalty of Twenty Shillings, and so for every Moneth such person shall remain unenlisted. And that every Foot Soldier be provided with a well fixed Musquet or Fusee, or, if the Officer so appoint, with a good Pike, or Sword, or Lance and Pistol ; each Musqueteer six charges of Powder and one Cartouch-Box, and so shall appear where and when appointed, upon Penalty of five Shillings for want of each charge of Powder, Gun, Pike, Sword, Pistol, or Cartouch-Box, so as the whole Penalty at any one time exceed not ten Shillings. And whereas at the City of New York Guards and Watchers are every night set and appointed, Be it therefore Enacted and Ordained by the Authority afore said, That it shall and may be lawful for any person or persons listed in the Regiment of the City and County of New York (except on Extraordinary Occa sions) to put a well- Armed Man in their Room, who, if approved by the Captain of the Guard, shall excuse his or their absence. Provided always, That the Com missioned Officers and Serjants of the respective Companies be obliged in their respective Turns to mount the Guard in their proper Persons. And that no Per son shall refuse to be a Serjant, Corporal, or Drummer in the Company wherein he is listed, under the penalty of Forty Shillings. And be it further Enacted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid, That all Captains of Companies of Foot or Troops of Horse, shall within Twelve Moneths from and after the publication of this Act, provide for their Companies and Troops, Drums, and Colours, Trumpets, Trumpeters, and Banners, at the proper Charge of the respective^ Officers, Troops, and Companies under the Penalty of ten Pounds, and so for every four months such Commanders shall remain unpro vided. And that all the Collonels of the respective Regiments, or next chief Officer in their absence, shall once every Year at least issue the Warrants to their inferior Officers, commanding them To make diligent search and inquiry in their several Precincts, that all be duely Listed, Armed, and Equipped; And so return to them such defects as shall be found, to the End the same may be reformed on penalty of Twenty Pounds. And that once every three Moneths, or oftener as Occasion shall require, and command be given by the Captain-General or Com mander-in-Chief, the several companies and Troops in each Regiment shall meet at the next and most convenient places to be appointed by the respective Officers to be then and there by them mustered and exercised. The other sections of this militia law provided for the organiz ing, arming, and governing of companies of horse : that no person enlisted in a company of militia shall depart thence without dis charge ; that officers and soldiers in arms shall observe the laws and 12 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1691 articles of war established by the Captain-General, which shall be read to the soldiers every three months ; that muster-rolls shall be furnished to the Captain-General once a year ; that officers and sol diers who neglect or refuse to obey the commands of their superior officers shall be tried by a court-martial appointed by the Captain- General ; that the fines levied by court-martial and collected from any one beneath the rank of captain shall be paid to the respective captains to defray the expenses of the companies ; that in case the fines are not paid they " shall be levied by Distress and Sail of the Offenders Goods, by the Captains Warrants to the Serjant or Cor poral ; and if no Distress be found the Punishment to be by riding the Wooden Horse, or being tyed Neck and Heels, not exceeding one Hour, at the Discretion of the Officers." It was also provided that if the fines thus raised did not pay the expenses of a company, the deficiency should be levied equally upon the members ; and that persons wounded or disabled in the military service should be cared for or maintained from the public funds. The salary of trumpeters in the militia was fixed at forty shillings per annum, and of drummers at twenty shillings. The last section of the act exempted from service in the militia "all the Members of their Majestie's Council, Justices of the Peace, Sherriffs, Coroners, and all the officers of Courts, Ministers, School-Masters, Physicians, and Chirurgeons." The militia act of 1691 was not materially changed or amended by the Colonial Assembly previous to the American Eevolution, and it is remarkable that so many of its genefal provisions are re tained in the Military Code of the present day. But the operations of this law were limited in duration, and it was necessary for the Provincial Assembly to re-enact it from time to time, with such amendments and additions as the growth of the country or the exi gencies of the period demanded. So jealous of their rights and liberties were the colonists that the English governors rarely pre vailed upon the Assembly to extend the operations of the militia law for more than one year. And it sometimes occurred that the Assembly was so obstinate and incorrigible, so liberty-loving and defiant, that no militia law whatsoever was enacted, and it was sometimes asserted boldly that the English sovereigns had no claim upon the people of New York for any military service whatso ever. 1693 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 13 During the entire period of the English administration in New York the militia of the city was limited to one regiment, which was known as "the Eegiment of Mihtia of the City and County of New York." But independent companies of militia were organized from time to time, which, under the patronage of men of rank or wealth, achieved temporary distinction. In 1693 the Eegiment of New York was commanded by Colonel Abram De Peyster, and was officially reported by Governor Fletcher to consist of " Eight Companys of Foot and one Troop of Horse numbering 477 men." The advantage of active membership in the train-bands of the militia at this period, and subsequently, was relief from labor upon fortifications in time of peril from foreign foes, and after the year 1697 the organized militia was also relieved from the night-watch. In the war with the French and Indians during the century preceding the American Eevolution, the Eegiment of Mihtia of the City of New York was not actively engaged. The great distance to the scenes of conflict on the frontier, and the constant danger to the city from French men-of-war and privateers were ample reasons for retaining the regiment at home.. Moreover, the citizen soldiers of New York stoutly and justly claimed that their military duties were local ; that the English governors had no right to. order them to distant parts of the province, and that the Government should send regular soldiers or volunteers upon its expeditions, offensive or defensive. Love of adventure and offers of bounty generally enabled the English governors to raise the troops required for dis tant service. The first and last occasion that the regiment of New York city volunteered during the English colonial period for distant service was in 1693. On the 12th day of February an express ar rived from Albany with the alarming intelligence that the French and Indians were within twenty miles of Schenectady and were devastating the country. Feb. IS. The Colonel of the Militia of the City of New York was ordered by His Excellency to draw out his Regiment next morning. Feb. 13. About 8 o'clock, morning, the City Regiment being under arms, His Excellency on horseback at the head of the regiment demanded who were willing to follow him to the frontiers against the Enemy ; they. unanimously threw up their hatts crying — one and all. Upon which the Coll: was ordered to detach 150 of the fittest men to be under the command of three Captains with their subal tern officers readey at the first beat of the drum and dismisse the Regiment. Feb. 14. The detachment of the City Regiment did imbarq about 4 o'clock, 14 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1701 afternoon, in Eight sloops, with His Excellency, attended with the officers of the detachment & severall volunteers. The campaign was a bloodless one, and after ten days' absence the detachment returned to New York. Governors Sloughter and Fletcher had as far as possible offi cered the city regiment with the enemies of Leisler, but Lord Bellamont, the successor of Fletcher, warmly espoused the cause of the Leislerians. He made many changes among the officers of the regiment, and in a dispatch to the Lords of Trade, May 3, 1699, said : As an instance of the peoples aversion of their late officers, I had the City Regiment drawn out on the 4th of November last, the King's birthday ; the regi ment on that day consisted but of 200 men besides officers, and on the 13th of last February, the Anniversary of the King's being proclaimed King, I had the Regiment drawn out under the new officers, and they were then 500 men. I also had 'em out on the 11th day of April, the day of his Majesty's Coronation. The Officers I treat at my own charge, but the soldiers at the King's. I think it a usefull piece of ceremony, because it helps to affect the people to the King, and puts 'em in mind of their duty to him. The city regiment in 1700 consisted of eight companies of foot and a troop of horse, and numbered six hundred and eighty-five men. Its officers, appointed by Lord Bellamont, were men of high character in the community. Captain John De Peyster was mayor of the city in 1698, Captain David Provoost in 1699, Captain Isaac De Eeimer in 1700, and Captain Eobert Walters from 1720 to 1725. The colonel, Abram De Peyster, and lieutenant-colonel, William Merritt, had also held that high office, and nearly all the subalterns were men of wealth and influence. But so violent was party spirit at this period that,'among the charges preferred against Lord Bellamont by the anti-Leislerians May 11, 1700, was the fol lowing : " No. 27. He has displaced most of the militia officers and put in mean and indigent fellows, and most of them Dutch." Lord Bellamont died in 1701, and during the brief administra tion of Lieutenant-Colonel Naufan there was another violent out break between the friends of Leisler and their opponents, which resulted in the arrest, trial, and conviction of Colonel Bayard for treason and rebellion. During the excitement attending this event a company of the city regiment was constantly on duty to preserve the peace and to prevent the rescue of the distinguished prisoner. Colonel Bayard had been prominently instrumental in 1708 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 15 securing the conviction and execution of Captain Jacob Leisler in 1691, and only escaped the same fate by the timely arrival of Lord Cornbury, who had been appointed by Queen Anne Governor of the Provinces of New York and New Jersey. Lord Cornbury was a reckless and profligate adventurer, and, like many of the English governors, came to New York to repair his broken fortunes by unscrupulous exactions. He at once took the lead of the anti-Leislerian faction, displaced many of the offi cers of mihtia appointed by Lord Bellamont, and filled the vacan cies with his favorites. But it does not appear that he secured the entire support or the effective discipline of the citizen soldiers, for in a dispatch to the Lords of Trade in November, 1704, he refers to " an alarum in New Yorke occasioned by a Gentleman who, coming from Long Island, informed the Council that Ten French men-of-war were coming within Sandy Hook," and concludes his remarks in respect to the preparations made for the defense of the city as follows : " I cannot say that the mihtia of the city did their ¦duty, for very many of the Dutchmen ran away into the woods." The "Ten French men-of-war" proved to be only one French privateer. But in 1706, the danger of an attack from a French fleet was so imminent that business was almost suspended, all resi dents of the city were required to work upon the fortifications except the organized mihtia, which was drilled daily with small arms and at the batteries, performed laborious guard duty, and was held in readiness for immediate action. The danger passed away, but a greater danger threatened the English rule in America. The Assembly of the Province manifested its want of confidence in the Governor by insisting upon the control and disbursement through its own agents of all moneys raised for defensive pur poses, and from this time forward the appropriations and taxation for the support of the English government in New York was a subject of constant complaint and exasperation between the repre sentatives of the Crown and of the people, which only ended with the American Eevolution. Only second in importance was the action of the Assembly in respect to the militia. It was extremely cautious as to the provisions of the laws respecting the militia and placing it under the control of the Governor. In a dispatch to the Lords of Trade, dated July, 1708, Lord Cornbury says : " The Assembly of the Province is not very forward to pass any Act for 16 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1720 settling the Militia, and the last Act I did prevail with them to pass for that purpose was limited to one year. Besides, they are not very forward to inflict penalties on their Neighbours for not doing their (military) Duty." In conclusion, he recommended that Par liament pass an act for regulating and settling the militia in " these Parts of the World." In December, 1708, Lord Lovelace became Governor of New York and Lord Cornbury exchanged his luxuri ous quarters in the fort for a cell in the debtor's prison in Wall Street. Lord Lovelace died in 1709, and was succeeded by Eobert Hunter as Governor of the province in 1710. The Eegiment of the City of New York at this date consisted of eight companies or train-bands and was commanded by Colonel William Peartree, who had been mayor of the city from 1703 to 1707. The lieutenant- colonel was Eobert Lurting, who was mayor from 1726 to 1735, and among its officers are noticed the names of Johannis Jansen, lieutenant of the Third Company, who was mayor in 1725-26, and John Cruger, ensign of the Fifth Company, who was also mayor from 1739 to 1744. Many other officers of the mihtia in 1710 were men of wealth and distinction as merchants and trades men and of considerable political prominence. But the independ ence manifested by the Provincial Assembly under Lord Cornbury continued, and in the almost constant conflicts with the English governors for many years the militia and its duties and obligations to the Crown was a subject second only in importance to taxation for the support of the colonial government. During the admin istration of Governor Hunter, which extended until 1720, the As sembly would consent to re-enact and extend the militia law only from year to year, and for a considerable part of the time there was no law whatsoever for the regulation and government of the militia of the city. As the officers were commissioned by the Gov ernor, they were supposed to be among the most loyal and devoted of the king's subjects ; but the rank and file generally sympathized with the Assembly in its resistance to encroachments upon the rights of the people. Under these circumstances the militia could not possess the entire confidence of either party. It gradually lost its importance in the affairs of the city, its parades of ceremony and meetings for instruction became less frequent and were indif ferently attended, and during the latter part of the administration 1721 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. If of Governor Hunter the activity and spirit of the mihtia had dis appeared and the Eegiment of the City of New York barely main tained an existence. Upon the arrival of the next Governor, William Burnett, in 1720, an attempt was made to revive the mihtia, and an act was passed for that purpose. In the following year the mihtia law was re-enacted with some amendments, the most important of which is referred to in the f ollowing memorial : To His Excellency William Burnett Esqr, Cap'. Generall & Governor in Cheif of the Province's of New York and New Jerseys, & the Teretorys & Tracts of Land Depending thereon in America, & Vice Admirall of the Same &c. The Humble Representation of the Militia Officers Belonging to the Regment of the City of New York, Most Humbly Sheweth, That wee in all Respects are Ready to Obey your Excellencys Commands, & to Observe & Comply with the Directions, of the Act of Generall Assembly for regulateing the Militia of this Colony, and as Good and faithfull Subjects to His Majesty King George will with our Lives & Small Fortunes, Ever maintain & Defend the Protestant Succession as it now Stands Established by Law, and as our Commissions gives us Power, to Command Men; more Knowing, in the Mili tary Discipline, & of Estates far Superior to Ours, so wee would Execute that Command with all the Mildness Possible, haveing a Due Regard to the Honour of His Majestys Commission, & the Laws of this Collony. Wee therefore Humbly Pray your Excellency, that Some Amendments may be made to the Act of Assembly, for Regulateing the Militia of this Colony (which Expires by its own Limitation in a Short Time) and that your Excellency will be pleased to admitt us to give in Our Memoriall to those that Shall be appointed to Draw the said act Wee being Humbly of Opinion, that, unless there be an altera tion in said act, Relateing to the Fines, for non appearance, & also for Disobedi ence 'twill be very Difficult, if at all Possible, for us to Keep the men under any Tolerable Subjection, all which is Most Humbly Submitted. Yor ExcellencysMost Humble & Most Obedient Servants, H. V. Der Spiegel John Van Horne Cors. Thorne John Harden Broick Phill: Schuyler Walter Thong Jos Robinson . Abrah Keteltas John Cruger Robt : Lurting Garrit Vanhorne D : Provoost In a dispatch of Governor Burnett to the Lords of Trade in 1721, the militia act of that year is referred to as follows : " This Act is particularly intended to regulate the militia of the town of New York, who used to be the most remiss of the whole province, and now by increasing the fine for non appearance at the musters 18 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1737 have immediately upon the Act appeared in Arms to near double the number as formerly." But the revival of interest in the mihtia of the city was only temporary, and during the next twenty years there was no material change or improvement. In 1737 there were eleven companies or train-bands, including independent com panies, and the official report of Lieutenant-Governor George Clarke gave the strength of the militia as follows : " Number of militia in New York City and County taken Anno, 1737, — number of officers 30. Number of private men, including Sergeants, Cor porals and Drummers, 904. Number of officers in the militia troops 5. Number of men 50. Number of officers in the Artillery Com pany (the ' Blue Artillery,' an independent company) 5. Number of men 85." In addition to the annual muster, the principal occa sions upon which the militia met and paraded were the arrival of a new Governor and the anniversary of his Majesty's birthday and accession to the throne. The following extracts from the newspapers of the period indi cate the part performed by the mihtia in the ceremonies incident to these occasions : From the Boston News Letter. RECEPTION OF GOVERNOR COSBY IN NEW YORK. August 1, 1732. At 12 o'clock His Excellency walked to the City Hall (a Com pany of Halbertiers and a Troop of Horse marching before, and the Gentlemen of His Majesty's Council, the Corporation, and a great number of Gentlemen and Merchants of the City following, the streets being lined on each side with the militia), where his commission was published, and then His Excellency returned (attended as before) to the fort. The Militia then drew up on the Parade and saluted them with three vollies. From the New York Gazette. ANNIVERSARY OF HIS MAJESTY'S ACCESSION TO THE CROWN. June 11, 1734. At 12 o'clock noon the Gentlemen of the Council, Assembly, and the City waited upon His Excellency the Governor at the Fort, where their Majesties, the Royal Family's and the Prince and Princess of Orange's Healths were drank ; under the Discharge of Cannon ; the regular Troops, in their Cloath- ing, all the while standing under Arms, who made a fine appearance. Afterwards his Excellency, attended by the Gentlemen of the Council, &c, went into the Field, and reviewed the Militia of the City drawn up there, and expressed great Satisfaction at their Order, Discipline, and Appearance, and was pleased to order 12 Barrels of Beer to be distributed among them to drink their Majesties and the Royal Healths. 1741 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 19 From the New York Weekly Post-Boy. ANNIVERSARIES OF HIS MAJESTY'S BIRTH DAY. November 5, 1744. Tuesday last being the Anniversary of his Majestys Birth Day, the same was observed here with all possible Demonstrations of Loyalty and Joy : In the forenoon the Militia were drawn up in the Broadway, from where the Artillery Company first marched in two Divisions one to Each Battery, where they were posted at the Guns, and were followed by the first Division of the Regi ment and Cadies, who regularly manned the Batteries, and discharged three vol- lies of their Small Arms ; then the second Division marched and relieved them, and having fired three vollies, as before, they were again relieved by the third. During this time His Excellency, attended by the Council and a great many of the principal Gentlemen of this City, went up to the Fort, where his Majesty's and other Loyal Healths were drank under the charge of 21 Pieces of Cannon, and Night Concluded with illuminations, &c. The year 1741 is famous in the history of New York city for the mad transactions of its people in respect to the so-called " Negro Plot." The slave-trade, which was at this period an important part of the commerce of the civihzed world, had brought to the city Fort George, New York, 17W. many negro savages, who were held as slaves, and were constant objects of suspicion. The burning of the pubhc buildings in the fort on the 22d of March was followed by several other accidental fires ; and, while the public mind was excited upon this subject, the confession of an ignorant and depraved woman to a knowledge of a plot among the negroes to burn the city and murder the whole population was sufficient to inaugurate a reign of terror. The 20 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1744 excitement culminated on the 13th of April, when the people fled in a panic from the city, leaving their dwellings to be plundered by the thieves and outcasts of the town. The regiment of mihtia was hastily turned out, and sentries were posted to guard the vari ous avenues, while the aldermen, assistant aldermen, and constables searched their respective wards for suspicious characters. Arrests were numerous, and the prisons were soon crowded with negroes and such disreputable whites as were the subjects of malicious accusation. Crimination and recrimination, excited by malice, fear, or hope of pardon or reward, speedily followed, and the courts of justice, as mad as the people, encouraged and accepted the most extravagant and worthless testimony to secure the condemnation of the accused. During the year 1741 the victims of this strange popular delusion numbered eighty-three. Eighteen negroes and four whites were hanged, eleve?i negroes were burned at the stake, and fifty were transported and sold. There is no evidence which would be accepted in any court of justice at the present day that any "Negro Plot" existed; and the disgraceful injustice of 1741 must be attributed to the moral cowardice with which human slav ery blights the oppressor as well as the oppressed. England blushes for its Popish plot of 1679, and Massachusetts would blot out the sad story of Salem witchcraft, but New York is not less humbled by that dark page in its history which records the terror and injustice of its people in 1741. Throughout that eventful year the services of the mihtia were in constant requisition. The streets were patroled at night by a large military guard, and so burden some did this duty become upon the regular militia companies or train-bands of the city that the Assembly passed an act on the 20th of June, 1741, " to oblige the people of this Town to a Military Night-Guard," and another act on the 20th of August, 1741, " for the more equal keeping military watches in the City of New York." The administration of Governor George Clinton, extending from 1743 to 1753, was a stormy one, for he was a stout defender of the prerogative of the Crown, and the Provincial Assembly was more intractable than ever. During the year 1744 there were grave apprehensions of war between France and England, and, by order of the Governor, the militia of the city was frequently exer cised under arms, and the arms and accoutrements were from time to time inspected. In December the declaration of war was offi- 1747 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 21 cially promulgated in New York, and the mihtia was paraded to participate in the ceremonies of the day. But the organized com panies did not respond to the call for troops for active service, and the quota required from New York city was raised in the usual maimer. In 1747 the Assembly refused to further pay the troops raised for the expedition against the French, and Governor Chnton was obliged to discharge them from the service. He, therefore, ordered the colonels of the militia in the several counties to hold their regiments in readiness for any emergency. The response of the Eegiment of the City of New York to the order is described by Governor Chnton in a report to the Duke of Newcastle as follows : Accordingly this day (November 9, 1747) the Militia Regiment of this City was drawn out, and when in the field, my orders were read to them by their Colonel and Captains. But every man unanimously refused to obey any order from the Crown, unless an Act of the Assembly was passed in the Province for that pur pose. ... I conclude the Militia of other Counties will take example. The Governor was deeply outraged by this disobedience of the mihtia, and his sensitiveness upon the subject is illustrated by the following deposition of Captain Paul Eichards, mayor of the city from 1735 to 1739, and which that officer was obliged to make to appease the wounded honor of his Excellency : City of New York S. S. Paul Richards being duly sworn on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God deposeth and saith as followeth : The said Paul Richards, Captain of one of the Companies belonging to the Militia Regiment of this city and County says : That when the said Regiment was out in November last, in order for Draughting, he marched at the head of his Company, towards the Common, by the Governor's Habitation, and looked towards his House, with intent to salute him if he saw him, but the deponent did not see him, nor any of his Children, at his Door or Windows; and that in so passing he did not hear any of his Men discharge a Gun near the said House, or in any other Place in their March to the Common. . . . Paul Richards. Sworn before the 20th January, 1748, Edward Holland, Mayor. The dechne of the mihtia during the administration of Gov ernor Chnton, and the independent spirit of the people and their representatives, are illustrated by the following extracts from the dispatches of the Governor to the Lords of Trade : May S3, 1749. — There has been annually a Militia Act passed for imposing of Fines in case of neglect of Duty, and it is now inculcated among the people that the King has no authority over the Militia only by the force of the Act of the 22 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1755 Assembly passed in this Province, and on that opinion both officers and private men seem to regulate their obedience. This deserves your Lordship' attention, as it strikes at an undoubted prerogative of the Crown and may be of. dangerous consequence. October 4, 1753. — Tho' the Assembly dare not deny the Kings authority over the Militia, yet an opinion is inculcated among the people that the powers of the Militia can only be put in execution by authority of the Assembly, so that no penalty can be incurred by disobedience without an Act of the Assembly for that purpose. Acts in former times were annually passed to lay penalties in certain cases till within this four years ; since which no Militia Bill has been brought in, tho' often pressed by me ; a general disobedience has since that time ensued and all appearance of a militia ceased. In 1753 the people of New York were reheved from the arbi trary and distasteful rule of Governor Clinton, and on the 10th of October his successor, Sir Danvers Osborne, "published his com mission in New York amidst the greatest acclamations of the Peo ple and the Sincerest demonstrations of joy that were ever Known on any occasion here." On the 12th of the same month Governor Osborne died by his own hand, and he was succeeded by Sir Charles Hardy in 1755. The French and Indian War absorbed the atten tion of the people and of the Government from this date until the declaration of peace, which was published in New York in Janu ary, 1763. The quota of New York city for the war was raised by voluntary enlistment, and the history of the militia at this period is without material interest. The most important service rendered by the militia of the city was the suppression of a serious riot caused by an attempt of the British soldiers, stationed in the fort, to liber ate the prisoners from the city jail, in which one of their officers, Major Sogers, was confined for debt. They forced the doors, and such prisoners as seemed indisposed to accept their liberty, they at tempted to drive out by force, and they proposed to carry off their major in triumph. The city militia was hastily summoned by the mayor, and soon quelled the riot and arrested the offenders. The First Independent Company of the Militia of the City of New York was organized during the administration of Lord Corn bury (1702-1708), and was commanded by the Lieutenant-Governor, Captain Eichard Ingoldsby. From time to time other independent companies were organized in the city, and secured temporary dis tinction, but it was not until the martial excitement incident to "King George's War" (1745), and the French and Indian War (1755-1762), that these organizations became a prominent part of 1765 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 23 the militia of the city. In 1755 there were, in addition to the Eegi ment of Mihtia, six independent companies, of which the most dis tinguished was the " Grenadiers." The grand style in which this company celebrated the king's birthday is illustrated by the follow ing extract from a newspaper of the period : November 10, 1759. — The King's Birth Day was kept with fire-works and re joicings, and the Militia Company of Grenadiers mustered at the house of Mr. John Marshall, on the North River, where they roasted an ox at their own Ex pense, and Eat and drank royally. In 1765 there was the same number of independent companies of militia in the city — the Independent Company of Grenadiers, commanded by the Eight Honorable the Earl of Stirling, two In dependent Companies of Artillery, two Independent Companies of Foot-Guards, and the Independent Company of Cadets. In several of the militia laws passed from time to time by the Assembly, the independent companies were recognized by name. In the act passed March 24, 1772, it was provided that " the Company of Cadets and Blue Artillery of the City of New York are to consist of 100 men and no more." In March, 1765, the celebrated Stamp Act was passed, and throughout the year New York was wild with excitement. The Sons of Liberty, an association for the protection of popular rights, took the lead in public resistance to this odious measure of taxation. In this memorable contest, which practically terminated in November in favor of the patriots of New York, the militia was not called upon to preserve the peace of the city ; for, although its officers were generally loyal to the Crown, a large part of the rank and file sympathized with the Sons of Liberty, and could not be relied upon to oppose the popular movement. But the new Governor of the province, Sir Henry Moore, upon his arrival in New York, at once issued an order to Colonel Oliver Delancey, commanding the regiment of mihtia of the city, and to the captains of the independent companies, of which the f ollowing is a copy : By His Excellency, Sir Henry Moore, Baronet Captain-General and Governor- in-Chief in and over the Province of New York and the Territories depending thereon in America, Chanceller and Vice- Admiral of the same : Whereas, at the Request of the Mayor and Corporation of the City of New York, I have thought fit, with the advice of His Majesty" Council, to order that for the Preservation of the Peace of the city, a Guard of the Militia, consisting of one Commissioned Officer, two Sergeants, and forty men, Rank and File, do mount 24 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1772 every Evening at 5 "clock at the City Hall, and there put themselves under the Direction of the Civil Magistrate appointed for that Evening ; to do Duty until 7 "clock the next Morning, and then to be discharged unless the said Magistrate shall order the Guard to be continued longer. The Tour of Duty to begin with the Company of Grenadiers, and having gone through the other Independent Companies according to their seniority to pass through the Regiment and after wards to be continued in like Rotation until further orders. . . . Given under my Hand at Fort George in the City of New York the Nineteenth day of December, 1765. As the Sons of Liberty had already accomplished their object in preventing the distribution and use of the stamps, and as the Stamp Act was repealed in February, 1766, no collision occurred between the militia in the performance of their duty and the patri otic people of the city in their resistance to English oppression. From this date until 1772 no militia act was passed by the As sembly, and the regiment of the city and the independent com panies maintained only a nominal existence. The Earl of Dun- more, Governor of New York in 1770, in a dispatch to the Earl of Hillsborough, dated December 6th, stated truly that " the Militia having been for several years past without Exercising, would be of little use in their present state." But Governor William Tryon, who succeeded Lord Dunmore in 1771, was a military character, and proceeded at once to reorganize the militia. He secured the passage of a militia act in May, 1772, under which was revived and reorganized the Eegiment of the City (eight companies) and a bat talion of militia (six companies), a troop of light horse, and nine independent companies. The following is a dispatch from Governor Tryon to the Earl of Dartmouth on this subject : New York, January, 1773. My Lord : The legislative body of this Colony at their last session having passed an act for establishing a Militia, commissions have been since issued by Government for forming the Militia in most of the Counties of the Province, and it is with a hope that the intelligence may be grateful to my Royal Sovereign that I presume to trouble your Lordship with the information that a revival of a Militia Law has been well received by the inhabitants and that the officers in gen eral have discovered a laudable emulation of appearing and acting up to their appointments, and that the desire of acquiring a knowledge of the art military is equally conspicuous even among those of the rank and file. Commissions for raising several military companies in this city having been given to some gentlemen of the first families and distinction on the condition that they clothed, arm, and accoutre them at their own expense, the following com panies were soon formed, viz. : two companies of Cadets, or Governor's Guards, 1775 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 25 one of Grenadiers, one of Light Infantry, one of Rangers, one of Germans, and three of Artillery, forming upwards of five hundred men. On tjje 7th of last month I reviewed them, except two companies of artillery not then in uniform, drawn up in one battalion, when they went through the Manual Exercise and Evo lutions with greater exactness and spirit than could possibly have been expected from the few opportunities 'they had of Exercising together. Their regularity, good order, and soldier-like appearance gave general satisfaction to all present, and I may venture to say it was the most brilliant militia review that was ever had within His Majesty* American dominions. These new companies when com pleted \^ill amount to near seven hundred men, all volunteers — a body that will be of more real service in case of necessity than treble the number of militia com posed of the Inhabitants Generally. I am, with the highest respect and esteem, my Lord, your Lordship's most obedient servant, Wm. Tryon. The Earl of Dartmouth did not sympathize with Tryon in his enthusiasm in respect to the mihtia of New York, and the Gov ernor was considerably chagrined that his efforts in this direction were not appreciated. The English statesman doubtless appre hended that in the mihtary instruction of the disaffected colonists, although commanded by loyal officers, there were elements of future danger, and that the armed militia of New York might at some future day be arrayed in hostility to the troops of King George. But the mihtia organizations of Governor Tryon were continued until the city passed under the control of the Sons of Liberty. On the 24th day of April, 1775, the news of the battle of Lex ington reached New York. The Sons of Liberty at once assembled and took possession of the City Hall and the Custom-House, and distributed arms from the arsenal among the citizens. Military companies were forthwith organized ; business was suspended for drills and parades ; and the people of New York, though preserv ing the semblance of loyalty, were really in a state of rebellion. Lieutenant-Governor Colden, in charge of the government during the temporary absence of Governor Tryon, thus wrote to the Earl of Dartmouth on the 7th of June, 1775 : The spirit of arming and military parade still runs high in this city. Several companies are formed who have appointed their own officers, are well armed and clothed with uniform. ... 1 have reason to believe that numbers now appear in arms in the city who have not the least intention to oppose the Government. I know one company in particular who have associated to support the Government, but for the present appear and parade as others do. 26 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1775 Meantime the regular regiment of mihtia and the independent companies were rapidly becoming demoralized. The majority of the officers commissioned by Governor Tryon were loyal to the Crown, but some remained neutral amid the stormy events of the period, while others openly espoused the cause of the Sons of Lib erty and aided them in their patriotic efforts. Of the rank and file a large majority sympathized with the opposition to Enghsh op pression. With the troops of General Wooster encamped at Har lem by order of the Congress, and with the guns of the Enghsh frigate Asia frowning upon the city from the harbor, armed neu trality could not be long maintained. On the 26th day of June the militia companies, organized under Enghsh laws and owning allegiance to English governors, made their last parade. General Washington, en route from Mount Yernon to take command of the American army at Cambridge, and Governor Tryon, who had been temporarily absent from the city, were both expected to arrive in New York on the 25th of June. The following extract from Dunlap's " History of New York " illustrates the anomalous posi tion of the people and of the militia of New York at this impor tant period : The members of the Provincial Congress were puzzled by these expected arriv als ; and to get rid of the difficulty ordered the commander of the regiment of militia that had turned out to honour the visit of General Washington, so to dispose of his troops as to be in condition to receive either the American Com mander-in-Chief or the Governor, as the one party or the other should have precedence in landing. Happily General Washington arrived some hours before the Governor, or else the Colonel must have been bowing two ways at once ; some thing like an attempt to serve God and Mammon at the same time. General Washington staid but one day in New York. He departed on the 26th, and was escorted on his way to Cambridge as far as Kingsbridge by several military com panies of the city. Tryon landed at eight o'clock in the evening of the 25th, and was received with due respect by the militia and great cordiality by Loyalists. Governor Tryon soon fled from the presence of the hostile patriots and took refuge on the British frigate Asia. With his departure the existence of the Eegiment of the City of New York and of the independent companies, as organized by the English Governor, finally terminated. Of the officers and men not a few enhsted in the four regiments of troops organized in 1775, under an act of Congress, and in the company of artillery raised by Cap tain John Lamb, the famous leader of the Sons of Liberty. Some 1783 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 27 died upon the battle-fields of the Eevolution; others languished and expired in British prisons ; and others still achieved distinction in the Continental army, and lived to enjoy the blessings of peace and of American freedom. The independent companies formed in the spring of 1775, and in whose loyalty to the Crown Lieutenant-Governor Colden as late as June 7th of that year expressed so much confidence, proved faithful to the fiber ties of their country. Among their officers were many who were distinguished for their services in the Eevo- lutionary army, conspicuously Captains John Lasher, Sebastian Bauman, and James Alner, and Lieutenants Marinus Willett and William Malcolm. As the British power passed away, these com panies were formed into a battalion under Colonel John Lasher, and by authority of the Provincial Congress performed military duty as " Minute-men " in the city of New York during the latter part of the year 1775. In January, 1776, Colonel Lasher's bat talion voted to enlist in the Continental service, and in the same year was actively engaged in the defense of New York and par ticipated with honor in the battle of Long Island. Some were taken prisoners in that engagement and in the retreat which fol lowed, and the names and services of the officers and men of Lash er's battalion who followed the American flag during the Eevolu tion are a part of the history of the country in its great struggle for independence. In the war for American independence the city of New York bore its full share of the trials and sufferings incident to that long and eventful struggle. Occupied for many months by foreign soldiery, its patriotic citizens banished from their homes, its commerce destroyed, and its churches and public places desecrated or converted into prisons for the martyrdom of the soldiers of lib erty, no part of the thirteen colonies welcomed more heartily the successful termination of the Eevolution and the restoration of peace. On the 25th day of November, 1783, New York was evac uated by the British forces. The American army was disbanded and returned to the pursuits of peace, and the citizens of New York devoted their energies to repairing their fortunes, restoring the city to its former state of prosperity, and re-establishing its trade and commerce ; but the necessary measures of protection and defense were not long overlooked, and the militia of the city soon became an object of interest. 28 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1786 At the first session of the Legislature of the State of New York, held at Poughkeepsie during the Eevolutionary War, three laws were passed in respect to the mihtia. The first, passed February 21, 1778, appropriated money to pay such mihtia of the State as the Government called into the service ; the second, passed April 1st, authorized the drafting of every fifteenth man to complete and fill the five Continental battahons ; and the third was a general act, passed April 3d, entitled " An Act for regulating the Mihtia of the State of New York." By this act all males between the ages of fifteen and fifty were made liable to military duty, and were to be enrolled as under the colonial mihtia laws, the regimental districts remaining the same as before the war. In addition to the officers of the present day, the law provided for one ensign to each com pany, and captains were authorized to appoint then* non-commis sioned officers. Each company was to be divided into four squads ; squads to drill twice in each month, and companies once in two months, and regiments to parade twice a year. The fine for a foot- soldier for non-appearance was fixed at twenty shilhngs ; the fines collected to be used in arming and equipping the men. Provision was made by this law for calling out the mihtia and for making drafts for active service. One brigadier-general for the city and county of New York was authorized, and, although that city was at the time and for several years thereafter in the possession of the British troops, John Morin Scott, a famous leader of the Sons of Liberty before the war, was commissioned on the 25th of June, 1778, as brigadier-general for New York city. The general mihtia law, passed April 3, 1778, was limited to two years, and was re- enacted in 1780 and in 1782, without material amendments. Although military companies and associations were formed in New York soon after its evacuation by the British, it was not until 1786 that the militia of the city was effectually organized. The militia acts of 1778, 1780, and 1782, were adapted to the wants of the State in a period of war, and on the 4th day of April, 1786, an act was passed for the establishment of the mihtia on a peace basis. This law contained many of the provisions of former acts in respect to the enrollment of the militia, courts-martial, fines, etc., etc. All persons between the ages of sixteen and forty-five were made liable to military duty, and were required to furnish themselves with arms and to parade at stated periods for instruction in their respective 1786 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 29 company, regimental, and brigade districts. It provided that to each regiment of infantry should be attached two light-infantry flank companies, composed of volunteers, to be uniformed at their own expense, and that to each brigade of infantry should be at tached a company of artillery. The artillery companies were also to be composed of volunteers, uniformed at their own expense, " the color and fashion to be determined by the General com manding the Brigade " ; each company to consist of a captain, one captain-heutenant, three heutenants, six sergeants, six corporals, six gunners, six bombardiers, one drummer, one fifer, and thirty-two matrosses. The mihtia was required to meet four times annually " for training," twice by company, once by regiment, and once by brigade, the Adjutant-General of the State to attend the brigade musters. This law authorized the organization of a regiment of artillery in the city of New York, to consist of not more than four companies, to be armed and accoutred in the same manner as the brigade companies of artillery, to be called out not less than six times in each year. Under the act of April 4, 1786, the mihtia of New York city was rapidly organized, and on the 4th day of October William Mal colm, a distinguished officer of the Eevolutionary War, was com missioned a brigadier-general by Governor George Chnton, and placed in command of all the militia of the city, with John Miles Hughes as brigade inspector. Isaac Stoutenburg was at the same time commissioned lieutenant-colonel, to command the First Eegi ment of Infantry ; Morgan Lewis, lieutenant-colonel, Second Eegi ment ; Aaron Burr, lieutenant-colonel, Third Eegiment ; and Eich ard Yarick, lieutenant-colonel, Fourth Eegiment of Infantry. Se bastian Bauman was commissioned lieutenant-colonel, commanding the New York City Eegiment of Artillery. Of the above-named officers and their chief subordinates, nearly all had served with dis tinction in the Eevolutionary War, and were prominent and influ ential citizens. The artillery, as organized under the act of 1786, is the parent of the militia of the city of New York as it exists at the present day ; and as the Seventh Eegiment traces its organiza tion directly to that corps, its history will be more particularly fol lowed in these introductory pages. In 1784 Colonel Sebastian Bauman, of Eevolutionary fame, or ganized the first company of artillery, which soon became a battal- 30 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1788 ion, and in 1786 was raised to a regiment. It was mainly officered by men who had seen service, and the elite of the city enhsted in its ranks. " Old Fort George " at the Battery, which was demol ished in 1789, was originahy its headquarters, and there it paraded for inspection and fired the salutes in honor of the anniversary of American independence, and on other great occasions. Previous to 1789 the drills were held sometimes at the fort and sometimes at the race-course or in the fields beyond the city, and whenever it paraded in the streets it attracted many spectators and was the sub ject of general admiration. The 13th of October, 1788, was a gala- day for the Eegiment of Artillery. In the forenoon it was in spected at the fort by the adjutant-general ; in the afternoon it was reviewed in the fields by Governor Clinton ; and in the evening it entertained its friends at the fort with music and fire-works. The 4th of July, the anniversary of American independence, was celebrated in the years following the evacuation of New York by the British, by the ringing of bells, the firing of cannon and musketry, the display of fire-works, and by dining and dancing. But, after the organization of the militia of the city in 1786, the mihtary took a prominent part in the celebration of the day, and become a notable feature of the occasion. On the 4th of July, 1789, the first anniversary of that day after the adoption of the Federal Constitution, the celebration was unusually brilliant. The " Gazette of the United States " of July 8th describes the mihtary parade as f ollows : Of the Military. The City Legion (uniformed companies) of General Malcolm's Brigade paraded at the Fort in the morning and marched from thence through Queen Street into the fields. After being reviewed by a number of gentlemen of distinction, they went through a variety of manoeuvres and firings with great promptitude and ex actness, and made a brilliant and soldierly appearance. On their return from the parade they passed the house of the President (Washington), who appeared at his door in a suit of regimentals and was saluted by the troops as they passed. His indisposition deprived the troops of the honour and satisfaction of being reviewed by him in the field. At noon a salute was fired from the Fort by Colonel Bau man. At four o'clock the officers sat down to an entertainment at Mr. Francis', Cortlandt Street, where toasts were drank, &c, &c. In addition to the above, Colonel Bauman's Eegiment of Artil lery with a band of music escorted the Society of the Cincinnati to St. Paul's Church, where an address was delivered by Alexander Hamilton. The day closed with a variety of festivities. 1788 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 31 The regular mihtary celebration of the anniversary of the evacu ation of New York by the British also dates from the organization of the mihtia of the city in 1786. The first anniversary, November 25, 1784, was not distinguished by any mihtary display beyond the firing of a salute, and is described as follows in the " New York Gazetteer and County Journal " of November 26th : In the morning the bells of the different churches rung bobs, double bobs, and bob majors. The thirteen stripes were triumphantly displayed on the greasy Flag staff at Fort George. The Tories mourned and put on sack cloth and ashes, and every Traitor was hung or burnt in effigy. Thirteen rounds were fired by a Com pany of Volunteers. An elegant Entertainment was prepared at the City Tavern, at which was invited all the officers in town and our great and good ally. Thir teen loyal and patriotic toasts were drank, and God save Great Washington rever berated from every quarter of the room accompanied with an excellent band of music." In the evening the houses of the Whigs were most beautifully illuminated. In short, every demonstration of joy was manifested which the great and glorious event could possibly inspire. . . . The " New York Packet " of November 28th describes the cele bration in 1785 as follows : Friday last being the anniversary of the evacuation of this city, an elegant Turtle was given on the occasion to a select party of ladies and gentlemen at the Coffee-House ; when the day and a number of patriotic toasts were drank, and the evening concluded with a ball for the ladies. The military celebration of the 25th of November, 1788, is de scribed as follows in the " New York Journal " of November 27th : Tuesday last being the anniversary of the evacuation of the city by the troops of Great Britain, the same day was celebrated with peculiar marks of satisfaction. In commemoration of this auspicious event, the artillery, light horse, grenadiers, and infantry of General Malcolm's brigade, under the command of Major Christie, were paraded about twelve o'clock and exhibited many beautiful and soldierly manoeuvres. The importance of an organized, armed, and disciphned militia to the city of New York was demonstrated in the spring of 1788, when occurred the famous " Doctors' Mob." The public mind had been excited for several months in respect to the desecration of the grave-yards of the city for the purpose of supplying medical stu dents with subjects for dissection, and on Sunday, April 13th, cir cumstances occurred which directed pubhc attention to the New York Hospital, located on Broadway at the head of Pearl Street. A large crowd gathered in front of the building, forced the doors, 4 32 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1788 destroyed the anatomical specimens, and was infuriated tenfold by the discovery of remains of the dead partially dissected. Several medical students who were in danger of serious violence from the mob were rescued by the mayor and conveyed to the jail for safe keeping. On the f oUowing day the mob again assembled at the hospital in large force, and the efforts of the Governor and mayor to disperse the violent assemblage were in vain. The houses and offices of physicians in the neighborhood were searched, Columbia College was invaded, and finally the mob assembled at the jail to take vengeance upon the students and physicians there locked up for safety. The mayor hastily dispatched a company of mihtia to the jail for its protection, which was assailed with stones, sticks, and dirt, but was not materially injured. A second detachment of militia consisting of only twelve men which arrived an hour later upon the scene met with a rough reception. Their arms were seized and broken to pieces, and the soldiers were glad to escape with their lives. Meantime the strong bolts and bais of the jail resisted the assaults of the mob, and all efforts to force an entrance through the windows were stubbornly and successfully baffled by its brave de fenders. As the day closed another detachment of militia was or dered to the jail to raise the siege, and was accompanied by Gov ernor Clinton, Mayor Duane, and Baron Steuben. They were re ceived with a shower of stones and brickbats, by which some of the soldiers were knocked down and were considerably injured, and Baron Steuben was prostrated by a blow upon the head and serious ly wounded. The Governor gave the order to fire, and a point- blank volley sent the mob reeling from the street, and the riot was over. But the excitement continued ; many physicians and medical students fled for safety from the city ; and detachments of infantry and artillery were under arms and on guard at the jail for several days after the summary dispersion of the " Doctors' Mob." The number killed was reported to be five, and seven or eight were wounded. The first grand procession in New York after the Eevolution was on the 23d day of July, 1788, in honor of the adoption of the Federal Constitution. The procession formed " in the fields " above the city, and consisted of ten grand divisions, of which the uni formed mihtia of the city was the first. Every trade and profession was represented by a large delegation in the dress and with the im- 1789 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 33 plements and insignia of their business pursuits, and it was esti mated that over five thousand men paraded on this occasion. The route of the procession was through Broadway, Great Dock Street, Hanover Square, Pearl, Chatham and Division Streets, and thence across to the grounds surrounding the country-seat of Nicholas Bay ard, now the junction of Broadway and Grand Street. There a grand pavilion had been erected, and plates had been laid for six thousand people. At the conclusion of the entertainment the pro cession reformed and marched down Broadway and was dismissed at Bowling Green. New York having been selected as the seat of the General Gov ernment, great preparations were made for the reception of the President and Yice-President. On the 21st of April, 1789, the Yice-President, John Adams, arrived and was received with mih tary honors. On the 23d of April Washington, escorted from New Jersey by a grand flotilla, landed at Murray's Wharf. The Brigade Company of Artillery, Captain John Yan Dyck, organized in 1787, and attached to the New York Brigade as a separate company, fired the salute upon the arrival of the President, the Common Council of the city having on the previous day voted sixteen pounds to pro vide gunpowder for that purpose. The President was escorted through Queen Street to the residence of Governor Chnton in Pearl Street, and was welcomed by the people with great enthu siasm. The military portion of the procession consisted of Captain Stokes's dragoons, Captain Yan Dyke's artillery, the German Guards of Captain Scriba, a detachment of infantry under Captains Steddiford and Swartout, and the artillery of Colonel Bauman. Colonel Morgan Lewis was marshal of the day, assisted by Majors Morton and Yan Home. The same troops paraded on the 30th of April at the inauguration of Washington as the first President of the United States. They were drawn up in line in Wall Street facing Federal Hall during the inauguration ceremonies, and were a prominent and noticeable feature of that interesting occasion. They heartily joined in the loud acclamations which f ollowed at the close of the ceremony, when Chancellor Livingston, who adminis tered the oath of office, proclaimed, " Long hve George Washing ton, President of the United States ! " The French Eevolution was followed by war between England and France, and during the years 1793 to 1795 the United States 34 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1794 was in imminent danger of being involved in the struggle. The people of New York were divided into two violent parties upon the subject, the one claiming that the country should afford aid and comfort to repubhcan France in grateful recognition of her material assistance during the Eevolution, while the other favored a strict neutrality between the belligerents. The battle which occurred in 1793 between a British and a French man-of-war near Sandy Hook, the intrigues of French representatives and agents, and the violent demonstrations of the opposing factions, constantly threatened the peace of the city. In June, 1794, upon a requisition of the Presi dent and by order of the Governor of the State, officers and men to the number of six hundred and fifteen were detached from the Brigade of Mihtia of the City of New York, and were ordered to be armed and equipped according to law and " to be held in readi ness to march at a moment's warning." The active services of this detachment were not required, and in the following year a treaty was concluded with England by Hon. John Jay, pledging the United States to perfect neutrality. The French party in New York received the news of this peaceful arrangement with a variety of riotous demonstrations, but the treaty was promptly ratified by the General Government. No material change occurred in the organization of the mihtia of New York city between the years 1790 and 1798. Major-Gen- eral Lewis Morris commanded the division, which included all the militia in the Southern District of the State of New York and south of Columbia County. The Brigade of the City and County of New York during that period consisted of five infantry regiments and a brigade company of artillery organized in 1787, and permanently attached to the brigade. The Eegiment of Artillery, though nomi nally attached to the brigade, was regarded as an independent organization and a superior corps in the service. As such it at tracted to its ranks the leading young men of the city, and mem bership in the artillery and in the few uniformed companies of infantry was accepted by the same class of men as now fill the ranks of the Seventh and other leading regiments of the National Guard. The honor of escorting the Society of the Cincinnati was invariably given to the Eegiment of Artillery, and on all great occasions this regiment held the post of honor. It devoted more time to drill and mihtary exercises than the uniformed companies 1795 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 35 of the infantry regiments, sometimes drilling with field-pieces and sometimes with small-arms, and was regarded by the press and by the people as the mihtary organization to be rehed upon in case of future danger. Besides its drills at the Battery and in the fields beyond the city, it always performed a prominent part in the cele bration of July 4th and November 25th, and at the annual inspec tion and review of the military of the city by the Governor or by the Adjutant-General of the State. At the conclusion of all im portant parades, especially upon holidays, it was the custom of the officers of the Eegiment of Artillery to dine together at some favorite tavern, and sometimes the several companies celebrated the occasion in the same manner. The yellow fever prevailed in New York to an alarming extent in 1791 and the following years, and among the victims was Gen eral William Malcolm, commanding the brigade of militia. Colo nel James Alner, who had succeeded to the command of the Fourth Infantry Eegiment, was commissioned in 1793 as brigadier- general, and commanded the Brigade of the City and County of New York until April, 1795, when he resigned. At that time Lieutenant-Colonel Bauman, commanding the Eegiment of Artil lery, was the senior officer, and in December, 1795, the officers of that regiment memorialized the Governor and Council of Appoint ment for his promotion. The application was unsuccessful, and on the 22d of March, 1796, Lieutenant-Colonel James Miles Hughes, commanding the Fifth Eegiment of Infantry, was appointed briga dier-general. The reasons given by the Council of Appointment for ignoring the claims of Colonel Bauman were, that " the militia law does not contemplate such an organization of the Artillery Corps as would authorize the Council to advance Lieutenant-Colonel Bauman to the rank of Brigadier-General " ; and that, " as the Eegiment of Artillery of the City and County of New York is totally independent of all other corps of the militia, promotions cannot take place from one to the other." The officers of the Eegiment of Artillery vigorously appealed to Governor John Jay for a reversal of this decision, but were unsuccessful; and on the 22d of April, 1797, they resigned in a body, and on the 15th of May Lieutenant-Colonel Bauman also forwarded his resignation. In their explanatory statement of May 10th the officers said : " It will be seen that the officers of the Eegiment of Artillery are 36 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1795 excluded from the privilege of rising beyond the grade of the Lieutenant-Colonel, while all the other officers of the State are entitled to it, and that the Commandant of the Artillery is con tinually exposed to be rendered subordinate to those who were once his inferiors in rank." Among the resigning officers are the names of many who subsequently became distinguished in the military and civil affairs of the city, as Majors Peter Curtenius and De Witt Chnton ; Captains John Swartout, John C. Ludlow, and Libbeus Loomis ; Lieutenants Anthony Lamb, James Manning, and others. No action was taken by the Council of Appointment on these resignations until April 12, 1798. The resignation of Lieutenant-Colonel Bauman was accepted, but the Council dechned to accept the resignation of the other officers. On the same day Ebenezer Stevens, a distinguished officer of the Eevolution, was appointed lieutenant-colonel of the Eegiment of Artillery. In 1798 Matthew Clarkson was appointed major-general of the divis ion, vice Morris, deceased. Captain Sebastian Bauman was captain of an independent com pany of mihtia of New York city called the " German Fusileers " before the war. He early espoused the patriot cause, and was a captain in the artillery regiment of General Henry Knox, and afterward major and lieutenant-colonel of the artillery regiment of Colonel John Lamb, the distinguished leader of the Sons of Liberty. He served with great distinction throughout the Eevolu tion, was major of artillery at West Point when Arnold attempted to surrender that important post to the British, and was with Washington at the surrender of Yorktown. He was a distinguished citizen of New York after the war, was postmaster of the city for thirteen years from 1790, and died October 19, 1808. On the 6th of April, 1795, an act was passed by the Legislature of the State entitled " An Act for the Encouragement of Artillery men in the City of New York," by wliich officers and members of the artillery were exempted from duty on grand and petit juries while serving in that corps, and were entitled to exemption from taxation upon their assessed property to the amount of two hundred dollars, which amount was increased in 1801 to five hundred dol lars. The term of service was fixed at nine years, after which there should be no hability to military duty except in case of invasion or insurrection. An act passed August 27, 1798, authorized the addi- 1797 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 37 tion of four companies to the Eegiment of Artillery of New York City, making two battalions of four companies each, and authoriz ing the appointment of the lieutenant-colonel of the regiment a brigadier-general by brevet. The term of service was reduced to four years, but not less than twelve drills and parades annually were required. The four additional companies were forthwith organized, and in April, 1799, were attached to the regiment, and at the same time Colonel Ebenezer Stevens was appointed brevet brigadier- general. The position and standing of the Eegiment of Artillery in New York, and the advantages of membership at this period, are referred to in Greenleaf 's " New York Journal " of August 4, 1798, as follows : Thursday afternoon the Regiment of Artillery of the City and County, under the command of Major Curtenius, were out on parade. Their martial appearance seemed to inspire the spectators with enthusiasm, and no doubt can be entertained but the regiment will soon be filled. Great encouragement has already been given by the State to induce the citizens to join this respectable corps — respectable be cause composed of men who are attached to the true interests of their country, and whose experience and judgement teach them the rules of decorum and pro priety. It is expected that additional encouragement will be offered by our Legis lature. When we consider the importance of artillery in a city like ours, and the indispensable necessity there is for them, how can any man evince his patriotism in a more sincere manner than by joining a regiment like the present? Too much praise cannot be given to the officers, non-commissioned officers, and matrosses for their soldier-like behaviour. They went through, with military exactness, the various evolutions of the standing and marching salute, manual exercise, firing by platoons from right to left, passed a defile in front by platoons under a brisk fire, passed the defile in retreat by platoons under a continual discharge of small arms, &c. After finishing their manoeuvres they were discharged, and retired to their respective homes without firing through the streets, and disturbing, in an indecent and boyish manner, their fellow-citizens. The duties of the Eegiment of Artillery and of the uniformed companies of the Brigade of Infantry at this period were not con fined to drills and parade. On the 17th of August, 1797, John Young was executed for the murder of Deputy-Sheriff Berwick. Young was an English musician employed at " the theatre," and had murdered the sheriff's officer in the park in attempting to escape from arrest for debt. There had been no execution in New York for murder for many years, and the excitement and indigna tion of the people were so general that a breach of the peace was apprehended. Governor Chnton, therefore, ordered out the uni formed militia of the city, to whom the articles of war were read, 38 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1799 after which they escorted the sheriff and the culprit from the jail to the place of execution, " in the fields beyond the New York Hos pital," corner of Broadway and Lispenard Street. A square was formed by the military around the gallows, and the execution was witnessed by ten thousand people. On the 13th of June, 1799, a desperate attempt was made by the convicts to escape from the State-prison, located at the foot of Christopher Street. They seized the keepers and such of the pris oners as were not disposed to join in the revolt ; but before they could force the gates they were attacked by the guard, and after several were wounded the desperadoes were compelled to surrender. The " Gazette " says : " The companies of the First Battalion of Artillery were forming for review; information came that the prisoners were forcing the gates and making their escape. The companies formed instantly, marched out to the prison on the run, and were soon followed by many other uniformed companies." The insurrection had been suppressed before the arrival of the mih tary at the prison. The eighteenth century closed with the death of the most illus trious personage in its history, and on the 31st day of December, 1799, New York city paid its tribute of respect and affection to the memory of Washington. The great procession formed in Broad way, its left opposite the park, and consisted of the mihtary of the city and neighboring counties, the Masonic lodges, the Society of the Cincinnati, the trade societies, the city and state officials, etc. The route was through Beekman, Pearl, Wall, Broad, and Beaver Streets to Bowling Green, and up Broadway to St. Paul's Church. " The military marched in reverse order and with reversed arms to solemn music, while the bells tolled and minute-guns were fired at the Battery. The reverend clergy walked in full dress, with white scarfs, and twenty-four beautiful girls, in white robes, scarfs, and turbans, strewed laurels as they went along." The pall-bearers were distinguished Eevolutionary compatriots of Washington. The bier supported a funeral-urn with other appropriate emblems, and was followed by Washington's favorite charger, with heavy mourn ing decorations. At the church an oration was delivered by Hon. Gouverneur Morris, and at the conclusion of the solemn ceremonies the funeral-urn was deposited in the cemetery. As the last day of the century closed the militia of the city of New York discharged 1804 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 39 three volleys of musketry in St. Paul's churchyard in honor of the immortal Washington. Hardly second to the obsequies of Washington in grand display and in respectful sorrow was the funeral of Alexander Hamilton in 1804. The death of this distinguished orator, statesman, soldier, and patriot, in a duel with Aaron Burr, shocked the whole commu nity, and, laying aside the partisan prejudices of the period, the people assembled on the 14th day of July to honor the memory of New York's foremost citizen. The funeral arrangements were in charge of the Society of the Cincinnati, of which Hamilton had been president, and the military was commanded by Colonel Jacob Morton. The First Eegiment of Artillery held the post of honor, the First Battalion parading with muskets and the second with field- pieces, a detachment of the latter firing minute-guns while the pro cession moved. The route of the procession was through Beekman, Pearl, and Wall Streets, and so immense was the throng of people that nearly two hours were occupied in reaching Trinity Church. In the portico of the church a platform had been erected for the funeral exercises, upon which were seated the distinguished officials and the mourning friends of the deceased, including the four sons of Hamilton, the eldest fifteen and the youngest six years of age. The eulogy was pronounced by Hon. Gouverneur Morris, and, at the conclusion of the ceremonies, the remains of the distinguished dead were deposited in Trinity churchyard, and the First Battahon of the Eegiment of Artillery fired the funeral volleys over the grave. On the 2d of April, 1804, the artillery of the whole State was formed into a brigade, and brevet Brigadier-General Ebenezer Stevens, commanding the Eegiment of Artillery of New York City, was appointed brigadier-general thereof. Major Peter Cur- tenius was promoted to lieutenant-colonel, to command the New York Eegiment of Artillery, and John Swartout and John C. Lud low were commissioned as first and second majors. On the 27th of March, 1805, the Brigade of Artillery of the State of New York was raised to a division, comprising three brigades, and Brigadier- General Ebenezer Stevens was appointed major-general of the di vision. The First Brigade of Artillery was located in the city of New York, and consisted of the Eegiment of Artillery commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Curtenius, to be thereafter designated the First Eegiment of Artillery ; the Sixth Eegiment of Infantry, Lieu- 40 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1805 tenant-Colonel Morton, which was transferred by General Order of March 27, 1805, to the First Brigade of Artillery, and designated the Second Eegiment of Artillery ; and the Brigade Company of Artillery, Captain Ten Eyck, which was raised to a Battalion of Artillery. Under this reorganization Lieutenant-Colonel Jacob Morton was appointed brigadier-general, to command the First Brigade of Artillery; the First Eegiment was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Curtenius, with John C. Ludlow and James Manning as first and second majors, commanding the First and Second Battalions respectively ; the Second Eegiment was com manded by Lieutenant-Colonel John Swartout, with Lebbeus Loomis and Francis Saltus as first and second majors, commanding the First and Second Battahons respectively ; and the Battalion of Ar tillery was commanded by Major John Ten Eyck, with Andrew Sitcher as major. Thus originated in 1805 " Morton's Brigade of Artillery," for many years the pride of the New York militia and the favorite of the public. It will be noticed that the privileges and exemptions conferred by law upon the artillerymen of New York city largely increased the number of companies in that branch of the service during the years 1800-1805. The practice now became general of drilling one battalion (four companies) of each artillery regiment almost exclusively with muskets, and frequently both battahons paraded with small-arms. The place of assembly for drill and parade was now at the Arsenal, White and Elm Streets, although the Battery was the usual parade-ground for inspections and reviews. The artillery companies continued to recruit their ranks from the best classes of the people, and the Eegiment of Artillery was honored in 1803 by the election of one of its majors, De Witt Chnton, to the mayoralty of the city. The "Morning Chronicle" of June 15, 1803, reflected pubhc opinion at this period as follows : Artillery Regiment. It is needless to impress on our fellow-citizens the importance of a well-regu lated militia, or the peculiar dependence that this city must place on Artillery at any moment of danger. These circumstances are universally acknowledged ; but it is not equally well known that our State legislature, duly impressed with these circumstances, has endowed the regiment of artillery of this city with peculiar privileges, such as exemption from attendance on juries, and from the tax on per sonal property to the amount of 500 dollars. They have also made a distinction highly honourable to the corps, by enacting that all persons who have served in the 1805 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 41 regiment four years shall be exempted from militia duty for life, except in case of invasion, &c. The regiment is at present highly respectable for discipline, for numbers, and from the characters found in its ranks. Many gentlemen who have held commis sions in other corps have preferred the situations of privates in the artillery. An invitation is now given to our citizens generally to come forward and enrol them selves in a department of militia which is alike distinguished for usefulness and respectability. A volunteer band of music is at present in the act of attaching itself to the corps, whose services in the band are to be taken in lieu of other militia duty, and who are to enjoy, in consequence, the privilege granted to the regiment. We un derstand that seventeen citizens have already volunteered their services in this band, and that it is expected to be completed in a few days. Of the interesting mihtary parades at this period not already noticed, may be mentioned the funeral of General John Lamb on the 31st of May, 1800. This distinguished patriot was the active leader of the Sons of Liberty during the ten years preceding, the Eevolutionary War, and in 1775 enrolled in New York a company of artillery, which subsequently was raised to a regiment, and per formed gallant service during the entire struggle. The direct and legitimate successor to Lamb's Artillery Eegiment was the Eegi ment of Artillery of New York, organized by Lieutenant-Colonel Bauman during the first years of peace ; and it was pecuharly ap propriate that this organization should occupy the foremost place in the military honors to this great American patriot. The First Battahon of the Eegiment of Artillery was detailed as the special military escort at the funeral of General Lamb, and fired the fu neral volleys at the grave. Another parade of historical interest was upon the occasion of laying the corner-stone of the City Hall in the park on the 26th of May, 1803. The " Morning Chronicle " of the 27th says : New City Hall. Yesterday the foundation stone of the New City Hall was laid by His Honour the Mayor, at the head of a procession composed of the Common Council, public officers, mechanics' society, &c. &c. General Stevens's regiment of artillery, under Major Curtenius, and a detachment from Col. Morton's infantry, under command of Major Loomis, formed the escort. The procession commenced at the City Hall, and proceeded through Broad street, Beaver street, and Broadway, to the Park, where the military formed and saluted the Mayor and Recorder, as they passed along the line. The stone being laid at the discharge of a single gun, a national salute was fired from the field pieces, and a feu de joye of three rounds from the musketry. The military then proceeded to the Park, where they formed a hollow 42 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1805 square, and were regaled with a supply of wine from the Corporation, and dis missed. The 4th day of July and the 25th day of November continued to be the great military hohdays, and in the celebration of those days, in the early part of the present century, the Eegiment of Ar tillery always held a prominent place. The 4th of July was a day of sincere rejoicing and hearty enjoyment. The pubhc demon strations were of a more quiet, intellectual, and patriotic character than at a later period ; and instead of flying to the country to es cape the noise and confusion, the best citizens took an active part in the celebration of the national birthday. National salutes were fired at the Battery at sunrise, noon, and sunset, from brass ord nance taken from the British during the Eevolutionary War, and the bells of the several churches were rung at the same hours. At an early hour the uniformed mihtia of the city assembled at the Battery and was reviewed by the Governor of the State or the mayor of the city. The line of march was generally up Broad way to Wall Street, and through Wall, Pearl, Beekman, Yesey, and Greenwich Streets, to the Battery, and it was not until many years later that mihtary parades were seen above Chambers Street. Arriving at the Battery, hne was again formed, and the parade ended by the firing of a feu-de-joie. It was customary at this period to close all military parades with a discharge of musketry or artillery, and on all pubhc days the corporation furnished the am munition, the captain of each company receiving his supply at the City Arsenal on the day previous to the parade. The civic societies also paraded on the 4th of July, prominent among which were the Tammany, Tailors', Hatters', Masons', Shipwrights', Hibernian Provident, Coopers', and Mechanics' and Tradesmen's. These socie ties were at this period popular and influential organizations, and took an active and important part in all pubhc celebrations and popular demonstrations. After marching with music and banners through the principal streets, they repaired to church to listen to the reading of the Declaration of Independence and to an oration from a distinguished citizen. The parades of the military and of the civic societies were f ollowed by dinners at the pubhc-houses of the city, and the festivities of the day were concluded with baUs and fire-works in the evening. The New York artillerymen of 1805 were worthy predecessors 1805 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 43 and prototypes of the young men of the Seventh Eegiment. They were proud of their corps and jealous of its fame, and though the military drill and discipline of the period were of a primitive char acter, they labored earnestly to excel in their mihtary duties and accomplishments. The blue artillery-eoat, trimmed with red, and the three-cornered hat of Eevolutionary style with its tall feather, were as proudly worn at parade or festival as are the more elabo rate uniforms of modern times. The neatness of attire and elegance of appearance, which ever characterize the true citizen soldier, were not ignored at this period ; and General Stevens, in an order for a parade of the Eegiment of Artillery in 1803, especially charged the officers commanding companies "to take care that their companies parade with powdered hair, and with their arms and accoutrements in proper order, with out black knee garters, that the Eegiment may appear uniform." The artillerymen of 1805 were also proud of their arms and of the brightness and cleanliness of the same on days of parade. Their field- pieces had seen service on many Eevolutionary battle-fields, and were stored at the Arsenal ; their muskets, being the private prop erty of the members, were tenderly cared for at their own resi dences. The latter were of the ancient smooth-bore and flint-lock pattern, and, though faithfully relied upon by the confiding sol dier of that period, such arms would now be pronounced more dangerous to those who had the temerity to discharge them than to enemies near or distant. The introductory chapter to the history of the Seventh Eegi ment closes with the year 1805. In the following year the com panies now known as the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Com panies of the regiment were organized, and the history of the Seventh Eegiment commences with the year 1806. Flint-Lock. 44 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1806 CHAPTEE FLEST. 1806-1811. The military organization now known as the Seventh Eegiment commenced its existence in the year 1806, by the organization of its first four companies, and its origin is directly traceable to cir cumstances of great historical interest. The right claimed by Great Britain to search American vessels, and take from them any British subjects serving therein, had been denied by the Govern ment of the United States, and its enforcement had frequently en dangered the friendly relations existing between the two countries. British men-of-war had repeatedly boarded and searched American merchantmen upon the high-seas and upon the coast ; but so strong and so universal was the desire for peace, that these outrages had been overlooked, or noticed only by harmless protests. In the month of April, 1806, the British ship Leander, fifty guns, the Cambrian, forty-four guns, and the sloop-of-war Diver, appeared off Sandy Hook, and persisted in boarding and searching all the vessels that entered the harbor of New York. On the 25th of April, the wind being favorable, over twenty vessels, mostly coasters, entered the harbor, at which nearly one hundred shots were fired by the British vessels. Some were boarded and ex amined, and others escaped without search to the city. The sloop Eichard, from the Delaware, was fired upon, and the second shot struck the helmsman and killed him instantly. John Pierce, the victim of the outrage, was a respectable citizen of New York, and well known to many of the people ; and when his body arrived in the city and the facts were made pubhc, the excitement was in tense. During Saturday, April 26th, his remains were exposed to the public at Burling Slip, and were viewed by thousands of in dignant citizens. At the head of the editorial column of the New York "Evening Post" of that date conspicuously appeared the following announcement : 1806 NEW YORK ALARMED. 45 Murder. When the sloop Richard, Captain Pierce, was coming in the Hook yesterday afternoon from the Delaware she was fired at twice by the British ship-of-war Le ander. After the first shot the sloop hove-to, when John Pierce, brother of the captain, who was standing at the helm, was killed instantly by the second shot. The editor of the " Post," in commenting upon this event, de nounced in the most violent terms the repeated outrages upon American commerce and insults to the American flag, and declared " our harbor invaded by an armed force, and that the ships-of-war of a nation professing to be at peace with us are at this moment blockading our defenseless port." A special meeting of the Common Council of the city was held the same day, at which a committee was appointed to take charge of the body of Pierce and make arrangements for a public funeral. A meeting of citizens was also called, the following notice being posted in the public places and published in the evening news papers : General Meeting. A general meeting of the Federal Republicans of this city is earnestly re quested to be held at the Tontine Coffee-House this (Saturday) evening, at seven o'clock, to take into consideration the present defenseless state of our harbor, already stained with the blood of our fellow-citizens. In spite of a severe storm, the Tontine Coffee-House was crowded to overflowing by the leading citizens of the town. Amid the most intense excitement, resolutions were adopted severely con demning the recent outrage, prohibiting all intercourse with the British vessels, and calhng upon the Government to defend the city and maintain the honor and dignity of the nation. On Monday, April 28th, the funeral of Pierce was attended at the Council Chamber, and his remains were interred in St. Paul's churchyard. The " Evening Post " of that date says : The body of John Pierce, who was murdered on Friday last by a foreign force in our harbor, was this day attended by thousands of our fellow-citizens as mourn ers. The corpse was preceded by the reverend clergy in white scarfs ; next went Captain Pierce, brother of the deceased, and the hands belonging to the sloop ; then a great number of seafaring men with weeds in their hats ; and lastly our citizens of all ranks, amounting to several thousands. The excitement caused by the death of Pierce, and the difficul ties and dangers likely to result from it, directed the attention of 46 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1806 the patriotic young men of New York to mihtary organization. Large accessions to the ranks of those companies already in suc cessful existence immediately foUowed, and new companies were promptly organized. Prominent among the new organizations were four companies of artillery, which are now known as the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Companies of the Seventh Eegiment. At the time of their organization and for many years thereafter they were not designated numerically as above ; but, according to the custom of the period, were known and recognized by the names of the commanding officer, as " Captain Morgan's company," " Captain Hewitt's company," etc. But to avoid any confusion in the identity of these four companies, they will be uniformly desig nated in the following pages by the numbers by which they are now known. The Second Company was organized at St. John's Hall, in Frankfort Street, near the City Hall Park, on the 6th day of May, 1806, and the original parchment roll is among the archives of the company. Unfortunately, the original rolls and records of the First and Third Companies, if in existence, are not in their posses sion, and the precise dates of their organization can not be ascer tained. The roll of the Fourth Company, on parchment, is com plete from 1812 as a company in the Eleventh Eegiment, and contains also the names of members at that time in the company who had enlisted from 1806 to 1812. The want of care as to mili tary records and the preservation of the same at this period, and the very limited notice by the few public journals of the local news of the day, must account for the paucity of particulars in respect to the origin of the original companies of the Seventh Eegiment. That they were organized in the months of May and June, 1806 ; that their founders were active merchants and tradesmen ; and that patriotism and a desire to serve in the defense of the city were the immediate causes of their organization, are important and unques tionable facts connected with their origin. When the number of men had been duly enrolled as required by law, the companies proceeded to elect their officers, and they selected for the more important positions those who had been most active and influential in organizing the companies, and whose abil ity, energy, and social standing would be likely to secure their con tinued prosperity. It was a prevailing practice at this period to 1806 THE FIRST FOUR COMPANIES ORGANIZED. 47 confer the offices of mihtary organizations upon those who could contribute most hberally in time and money to their support. But this custom did not prevent the four original companies of the Sev enth Eegiment from bestowing their honors upon men of merit, and in some cases upon officers of considerable experience in the mihtia of the city. The First Company was organized by the election of Henry Morgan as captain, Ezra Eobins first lieutenant, and Aaron For- man second lieutenant. Captain Morgan had been connected for several years with the mihtia of the city, having been commissioned an ensign in the Fifth Eegiment of Infantry in 1802 and a captain in the same regiment in 1803. The Second Company was organized May 6, 1806, eleven names being subscribed on that day to the following : We, the undersigned, do voluntarily annex our names under Captain , Company, by the name of the Masonic New York Artillerie, commanded by General Jacob Morton, and severally Engage to Comply with the laws of the State of New York for organizing and regulating the militia of the State. The original members of this company were members of the Masonic order — Philip Becanon and Barnet Anderaise being prominent officers of the Grand Chapter of Eoyal Arch Masons, and their connection with that order suggested the name of the company and secured its adoption. James Hewitt and Barnet An deraise, two of the original signers of the roll, were elected captain and heutenant respectively. Captain Hewitt had been connected with the militia for nearly fifteen years, and a commissioned officer since 1793. The organization of the Third Company was completed by the election of John Fleming as captain, Theophilus W. Smith first heutenant, and Alpheus Sherman second heutenant. The name of Captain Fleming does not appear among the officers commissioned in the mihtia of the State previous to this date, and it may reason ably be presumed that his mihtary experience was limited. The first officers of the Fourth Company were Captain John W. Forbes, First Lieutenant Thomas E. Mercein, and Second Lieu tenant John M. Bradhurst. They were young men of abihty and social distinction, but it does not appear that the first officers of the Fourth Company had achieved any prominence in mihtary affairs previous to the year 1806. 5 48 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1806 So active and energetic were the founders of the four new com panies of artillery, and so successful were their efforts at this period of patriotic excitement in enlisting young men for military service, that in June an apphcation was made to the Governor of the State for official recognition. It was promptly and favorably responded to by General Orders, dated June 25, 1806, providing for the addi tion of several companies to the Battalion of Artillery of the First Brigade, and authorizing the officers already elected to act as such until duly confirmed by the Council of Appointment of the State. On the 26th of June General Stevens issued the following order : State Artillery, ) Division Orders, ) New York, July 26, 1806. In compliance with General Orders of the 25th of June, Major Sitcher will take charge of the Battalion in the First Brigade, late commanded by Major Ten Eyck, who has resigned in consequence of indisposition ; and Major Snowden, of the Second Regiment, is transferred to the said battalion to act as second major. Six companies will be added to the battalion, to be provisionally officered as directed in General Orders, a copy of which is hereunto annexed and the injunc tions of which are to be punctually obeyed. . . . By order of Major-General Stevens. P. Irving, Aide-de-camp, Under the above orders the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Companies were officially attached to the Battalion of Artillery commanded by Major Andrew Sitcher, it being expressly under stood that the battahon should be raised to a Eegiment as soon as the authority could be obtained from the Legislature for that pur pose. The 4th of July, 1806, was celebrated in New York with un usual enthusiasm, owing to the patriotic excitement which univer sally prevailed ; but the four new artillery companies were not fully prepared to parade on that occasion. No time, however, was lost in procuring their uniforms, arms, and equipments. The uniform adopted was similar to that worn by the First and Second Eegi- ments of Artillery, and consisted of the blue artillery-coat with artillery-buttons and red trimmings, the three-cornered hat with tall white feather, the color of the top indicating the particular regiment, and white vest and trousers. The regiments of artillery at this period consisted each of two battalions, the first drilling gen erally with field-pieces and the second with muskets. The four 1807 THE FIRST PARADE. 49 new artillery companies decided in favor of muskets, and from that day to this, though nominally artillery, have drilled as infantry or hght infantry. The muskets, which were forthwith purchased by the members, were of the smooth-bore, flint-lock pattern of the pe riod. Drills for instruction were also commenced without delay, and were generally held in the afternoon in the open air, and before the end of the year the four new organizations could justly claim to be equal to any in the city in mihtary accomplishments. Great precision in drill was not required at this time, and the simple tac tics of Baron Steuben were soon easily and sufficiently mastered for all practical purposes. The first parade of the new artillery companies, now the First, Second, Third, and Fourth of the Seventh Eegiment, took place on the 25th day of November, the twenty-third anniversary of the evacuation of New York by the British. The Brigade of Artil lery, General Jacob Morton commanding, was the great military attraction of the day, and consisted of the First and Second Eegi- ments of Artillery, a squadron of two troops of " Horse or Flying Artillerists," and the Battalion of Artillery, the latter parading under Major Andrew Sitcher and containing seven New York city companies, four of which were the new artillery companies com manded by Captains Hewitt, Morgan, Fleming, and Forbes. No effort was spared on the part of the officers and members of these companies to make their first appearance creditable and successful. With the advantage of new uniforms, arms, and equipments, they compared favorably with any companies of the brigade, and Gen eral Morton complimented the officers upon the fine, soldierly ap pearance of their commands. The brigade was reviewed at the Battery by Major-General Stevens, and at the conclusion of the parade two elegant stands of colors were presented in the City Hall Park by De Witt Clinton, Mayor of New York, in behalf of the 'corporation. The ceremony, which was not a common affair at that day, was witnessed by a large concourse of people, and the elo quent address of Mayor Chnton, which accompanied the presenta tion of these tokens of official favor, was received with great ap plause. Subsequently General Morton presented these stands of colors to the First and Second Eegiments of the brigade. Application was made to the Legislature of 1807 for authority necessary to raise the Battahon of Artillery of the City of New 50 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1807 York to a Eegiment, and on the 27th of March the following act was passed : Chapter LXXI. An Act to organize a Third Regiment within the First Brigade of Artillery of the State. Be it enacted by the people of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, That it shall and maybe lawful for the commander-in-chief, when ever he shall deem it expedient, to organize a Third Regiment of Artillery within the First Brigade of Artillery of the State ; the officers and privates of which said Regiment shall be entitled to the same privileges and subject to the same duties as those of the First and Second Regiments of the said brigade, except as to the time of service, which shall be seven years. And be it further enacted, That no person who shall hereafter enlist in either the First or Second Regiments of Artillery, within the city of New York, shall be entitled to exemption from military duty until they shall have served seven years in said corps. On the 5th of April, 1807, Governor Morgan Lewis issued the following order : The commander-in-chief, by virtue of an Act of the Legislature, passed the 27th of March, 1807, authorizing him to organize a Third Regiment in the Brigade of Artillery of the State, orders the battalion under the command of Major A. Sitcher be organized into a Regiment, and that measures be taken for that purpose without delay by the proper officers. By order of His Excellency : Solomon Van Rensselaer, Adjutant-General. On the following day the Council of Appointment ordered that commissions be issued to the line officers of the several companies of the new Third Eegiment, giving them rank from April 6, 1807, and at the same time commissioned Major Andrew Sitcher as first major and Charles Snowden as second major of the Third Eegi ment of Artillery. On the 9th of June, Major Andrew Sitcher was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of the Third Eegiment, Major Charles Snowden first major, and Benjamin Aycrigg second major. Meantime a violent quarrel had broken out in the new Third Eegiment, in which, however, the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Companies, constituting the Second Battalion, had no share and took no active j>art. A court-martial, of which General Morton was president, convened at the City Hall, pursuant to Division Orders, on the 2d day of June, 1807, for the trial of charges pre- fered by Major Snowden against Lieutenant-Colonel Sitcher. That officer was charged with disobedience of orders, and with unofficer- 1807 THE CHESAPEAKE AND LEOPARD. 51 like and improper conduct in omitting certain names from the hst of staff-officers forwarded in February to Albany for appointment. Colonel Sitcher was found guilty by the court-martial and was sen tenced to be cashiered, and the finding was approved by Major- General Stevens ; but Colonel Sitcher appealed to the commander- in-chief. The court-martial of Colonel Sitcher caused a delay in perfecting the organization of the Third Eegiment, and Major- General Stevens had not yet promulgated the order of Governor Lewis of the 5th of April. An effort was made to induce the new Governor, D. D. Tompkins, to countermand the order of his pred ecessor, and to reorganize the Eegiment. But, by direction of Gov ernor Tompkins, Major-General Stevens issued on the 5th of Au gust the necessary Division Orders for completing the organization of the Eegiment, and directing all officers appointed to the Eegiment to assume their respective rank and stations, except Lieutenant- Colonel Sitcher, who was suspended from all command therein un til his appeal to the Commander-in-chief was determined. While this unseemly quarrel was progressing in the Third Eegi ment of Artillery, events transpired of great national and histori cal importance. In June, 1807, the American frigate Chesapeake, Commodore Barron, was wantonly attacked near the Chesapeake Capes by the British man-of-war Leopard, and four seamen claimed to be British subjects were taken away by force. When the news reached New York, an immense public indignation meeting was held in the park, of which Mayor De Witt Clinton was president and General Jacob Morton secretary. President Jefferson im mediately issued a proclamation ordering British war-vessels to leave our harbors, and calling upon the States to detach from their enrolled militia or to enlist volunteers to the number of one hun dred thousand men, and prepare them for active service. The threatening aspect of affairs, and the unprotected condition of the city of New York, directed the attention of its citizens and civil authorities to the harbor defenses. On the 13th of July the Com mon Council ceded to the United States Government such portions of the Battery and other grounds as might be needed for the erec tion of fortifications, and Congress was memoriahzed and urged to appropriate liberally for the defenses of the city and harbor. The necessary appropriations having been made, work was immediately commenced upon the forts and batteries at the Narrows, on Gover- 52 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1807 nor's, Bedlow's, and Ellis's Islands, Castle Garden at the Battery, Fort Gansevoort, the North Fort at Hubert Street, and others, and the War Department detailed competent engineers to superintend the work upon the fortifications. The probability of immediate war with Great Britain aroused the mihtary spirit of the people of New York and secured the formation of several new military companies and the active recruit ing of those already in existence. Of the one hundred thousand troops called for by the President, the quota of the State of New York was 12,704, and on the 11th of July the Governor issued an order for that number of volunteers or detached mihtia. The troops raised under the order were to be duly organized into regi ments and companies, and to be drilled by the officers commanding or assigned to command them, but not to be considered in active service, until by subsequent orders they should be directed to take the field. The number of officers and men required from the First Brigade of Artillery of the City of New York was 327 ; and Briga dier-General Morton, in an order dated July 14, 1807, confidently expressed the hope that " the appeal made by the major-general to the spirit and patriotism of the brigade, so honorable to their char acter as soldiers and as citizens, will be duly appreciated ; he is also persuaded that they will with pleasure embrace the opportunity now offered them of evincing the zeal and promptness with wliich they will ever render their services at the call of their country." The First, Second, Third, and Fourth Companies, Captains Hewitt, Fleming, Morgan, and Forbes, promptly volunteered as part of the artillery quota, to the number of 140 officers and men, being nearly half of the number required from General Morton's brigade. The remainder was furnished by the other companies of the Third Eegiment and by one company of the First Eegiment of Artillery. Thus it appears that the four original companies of the Seventh Eegiment in 1807 were first and foremost in responding to the call of duty — an example wliich has been followed by those companies and by the Eegiment of which they form a part from that day to this, whenever the peace of the city or State has been threatened, or when the welfare or the safety of the country has been in danger. The quota required from the Division of Artillery of the State having been filled by volunteers from the several regiments, and 1807 THE FOUR COMPANIES VOLUNTEER. 53 the officers and men having been enrolled, they were organized into a Eegiment by Division Orders dated November 14, 1807, and Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Curtenius, the senior artillery-officer of that rank, was assigned to its command. Major Snowden, of the Third Eegiment of Artillery, was assigned to the command of the Second Battalion, which was almost exclusively composed of vol unteers from that Eegiment. From the official records it appears that the four original companies of the Seventh Eegiment fur nished the following officers and number of men : Officers. Men. First Company : Henry Morgan, Captain. Ezra Robins, First Lieutenant. Gilbert Haight, Second Lieutenant. 3 40 Second Company : James Hewitt, Captain. Barnet Anderaise, Second Lieutenant. 2 25 Third Company : John Fleming. Captain. Theophilus W. Smith, First Lieutenant. Alpheus Sherman, Second Lieutenant. 3 36 Fourth Company : John M. Forbes, Captain. Thomas R. Mercein, First Lieutenant. John M. Bradhurst, Second Lieutenant. 3 28 As these companies were under- the command of their own officers, no material change was made in their organization, drill, or discipline. They were exercised, however, with field-pieces and heavy artillery, and their drills were henceforth more frequent and thorough than the other companies of artillery of the city not de tached for active service. The suspension of Lieutenant-Colonel Sitcher from the com mand of the Third Eegiment did not bring peace to that organiza tion. At a meeting of officers for mihtary improvement and other purposes, on the 18th day of August, a violent altercation occurred between Majors Snowden and Aycrigg. The latter was placed under arrest, and charges were preferred against him, and Major Aycrigg also preferred charges against Major Snowden. Brigadier- General Morton dechned to act upon these charges, but an appeal having been made to the major-general, Major Snowden was placed under arrest and a court-martial ordered. Lieutenant-Colonel Sitch er also chafed under his suspension from the command of the Eegi ment, and preferred charges against General Morton for unofficer- hke conduct. At the end of the year 1807 the Third Eegiment was practically without field-officers, its lieutenant-colonel com- 54 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1808 manding being suspended from duty and its two majors being un der arrest. Although these troubles threatened the disorganization of the Eegiment, the prosperity of the four companies whose history is followed in these pages was not materially affected. They had been detached for active service ; their military duty was mostly performed under Colonel Curtenius, commanding the detached Eegiment of Artillery ; they had no particular regard for any of the belligerent officers, and took no part or interest in their quarrels. The military parades of the year 1807 were few and unimpor tant, the most noticeable being on the 4th of July and the 25th of November, and a review of the artillery by the Governor on the 6th of August. The impending danger and the prospect of active service naturally led to meetings for military instruction rather than for display or amusement. But the activity at this period in mili tary affairs of a practical character resulted in placing the four original companies of the Seventh Eegiment upon a sound mili tary basis, and inculcated principles of disciphne which have never been lost. The Embargo Act, passed by Congress in December, 1807, for the purpose of compelling England and France to remove the unjust restrictions which, as war measures, they had imposed upon the commerce of the United States, failed to secure the desired result. It weighed heavily upon the commercial interests of New York, and was the cause of great political excitement and animosity. Business was prostrated ; merchants were embarrassed or hopelessly ruined ; and a general gloom enveloped the metropolis of the coun try. Although it was confidently hoped that diplomacy would avert impending war, preparations for defense were actively con tinued. The forts in the harbor and at the Narrows were strength ened ; the army and navy were increased ; arms and ammunition were manufactured, and the militia was more completely enrolled. In General Orders of April 1, 1808, the organization of the quota of mihtia of the State of New York was announced. Under an act of Congress passed March 30, 1808, the quota of the State was fixed at 14,389 men, and, by General Orders of November 15, 1808, this number, which included 551 men from the Brigade of Artillery of New York. City, was detached and ordered to be held in readiness for active service. The detachment from the Brigade of Artillery included the four companies which are now the First, 1808 THE WALLABOUT MARTYRS. 55 Second, Third, and Fourth Companies of the Seventh Eegiment, with their officers, as already named, and their numbers consider ably increased. Under this order, the officers and members of these companies were subjected to additional military duties, and the constant drills and mihtary exercises were a severe tax upon their time and business pursuits. From an official report, dated September 20, 1808, it appears that the First Company, Captain Morgan, numbered at that time forty-two men ; the Second, Cap tain Hewitt, thirty-six men ; the Third, Captain Fleming, forty-one men ; and the Fourth Company, Captain Forbes, forty-eight men. The difficulties and dissensions in the Third Eegiment of Artil lery, already noticed, were finally adjusted. General Morton was acquitted of the charges preferred by Lieutenant-Colonel Sitcher, and Majors Snowden and Aycrigg were relieved from arrest and restored to duty. Lieutenant-Colonel Sitcher was also restored to the rank in the Brigade of Artillery, of which he had been de prived, but was not assigned to any command. In General Or ders of August 25, 1808, the Third Eegiment of Artillery was reorganized, and Major Francis Saltus, of the Second Eegiment of Artillery, was transferred to its command, with the rank of lieu tenant-colonel. The regiment was divided into two battalions — the Second Battalion containing the four companies commanded by Captains Morgan, Hewitt, Fleming, and Forbes. In General Or der of September 14, 1808, the disputed question of rank of cap tains was finally determined and settled by denying any preference on account of commissions held by those officers in the infantry of the State previous to their connection with the Third Eegiment of Artillery. Since the War of the Eevolution the bones of American pris oners who had died upon the British prison-ships at Wallabout Bay had not been properly entombed. In making improvements in and near the Brooklyn Navy- Yard, many of these bones had been collected, and the Tammany Society of the City of New York re solved to honor the memory of the Eevolutionary martyrs by a pubhc funeral. On the 13th of April, 1808, the corner-stone of a tomb was laid in Hudson Avenue, near York Street, Brooklyn, with imposing ceremonies. Major Aycrigg, of the Third Artillery, was the grand marshal, and the procession consisted of the Tammany and other civic societies and many military organizations. On the 5(3 HISTORY OP THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1809 26th of May, when the ashes of the patriot dead were removed to the vault, New York witnessed a magnificent funeral pageant. At the head of the procession was a trumpeter mounted on a black horse, carrying in his hand a black flag, upon which was inscribed in letters of gold : " Mortals, avaunt ! Eleven Thousand Five Hun dred Spirits of the Martyred Brave approach the Tomb of Honor, of Glory, of Yirtuous Patriotism ! " Then followed the mihtary of the city, including the new Third Eegiment of Artillery, under command of General Morton, the " Wallabout Committee," each member with a buck-tail in his hat, the Tammany Society, with all the insignia of the order, the municipal officers of New York and Brooklyn, the Governor and other State officers, members of Con gress, military and naval officers of the United States, and, finally, all the various civic societies of the city. Before crossing to Brook lyn, the funeral procession passed through the principal streets of New York, which were elaborately decorated with emblems of mourning, and were thronged with people. Dr. Benjamin De Witt delivered the oration, and, at its conclusion, the coffins were depos ited in the tomb, and the procession returned to New York. The parades of the year 1808, with the above exception, were unimportant, and military duty was almost entirely limited to drills, inspections, and artillery practice. The Brigade of Artillery paraded for inspection and review in May and September. The 4th of July was celebrated by a parade of the First Eegiment of Artillery, the officers of the other artillery regiments parading in a body with the regiment. On the 17th day of June the corner stone of a new arsenal " near the Collect," for many years the mili tary headquarters of the city, was laid with appropriate mihtary honors. On the 1st of March, 1809, the Embargo Act was repealed, and a non-intercourse act was passed, which opened the ports of the country to commerce with all nations except France and England. During the same month assurances were received from the Prime Minister of England that the restrictions upon American commerce would be removed on the 10th day of June, and the President forthwith proclaimed that trade with England would be renewed on that date. By Order of April 20, 1809, the detachment of New York State mihtia, which had been organized in 1807-8 for the United States service, was reheved from duty, " and no longer held 1810 A NEW MILITIA ACT. 57 in readiness for active service." The prospect of peace and of a revival of trade was hailed with delight by the citizens of New York ; mihtary ardor and excitement subsided ; offensive and de fensive preparations were to a great extent abandoned, and the people joyfully turned their attention to their business pursuits. But the Enghsh Government failed to fulfill its pacific promises, and in August the Non-intercourse Act was renewed by presiden tial proclamation. The interest in mihtary affairs speedily declined with the proba bility of peace and with the discharge of the militia which had been detailed for active service. The drills of the four companies whose history is foUowed in these pages were for some months sus pended, and, when resumed in the winter of 1809-10, took place only monthly. The reaction which follows unwonted activity was everywhere visible, and in November, 1809, for the first time since the Eevolution, the celebration of Evacuation Day by the mihtary was omitted. An act to organize the militia of the State of New York, passed March 29, 1809, contained several new and important provisions. It required that the artillery of the State of New York should ex ercise or drill not less than twelve times in each year. The term of service was fixed at seven years for all men enlisted after March 7, 1807. It exempted officers and members from jury duty during their term of service, and property to the value of five hundred dollars was exempted from taxation. It authorized the commander- in-chief to direct as to the color and fashion of the artillery uniform for all companies not already provided. The year 1810 witnessed some revival of mihtary spirit, espe cially upon holiday occasions. The anniversaries of the birth of Washington, of the Declaration of Independence, and of the evacua tion of New York, were duly celebrated with military honors. On the 7th of June the Brigade of Artillery paraded in the afternoon at the Battery, and " the Band belonging to the Second Eegiment played upon a barge anchored off the Battery opposite the Flag-Staff in the Evening." The parade of the Brigade of Artillery on the 1st day of November was pronounced by the New York " Columbian " to be " one of the most splendid and gratifying mihtary displays ever witnessed in the city." The brigade was reviewed at the Battery by Governor Tompkins, after which a variety of evolutions were 58 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1811 performed, including artihery practice with field-pieces, and the troops paraded through the principal streets in the city. At the parade of November 25th the Third Eegiment was presented by the city corporation with a stand of colors. The Eegiment marched from the Battery to the City Hall, where, in presence of the Com mon Council and a large assemblage of people, Major Eadcliffe de livered the standard to Lieutenant-Colonel Saltus with an appro priate speech. During the year 1810 there was no material change in the con dition of the companies composing the Second Battahon of the Third Eegiment of Artillery. In drill and disciphne, and in the character and standing of their officers and members, these compa nies were not surpassed in the mihtia of the city. Some valuable members, who had enhsted with the expectation of immediate active service in the defense of the city, withdrew from the companies during the year, but their places were readily filled with recruits from the best class of citizens. The most distinguished of the retir ing officers was Captain James Hewitt, of the Second Company, who was succeeded by Lieutenant Barnet Anderaise. Captain James Hewitt was commissioned as an ensign of in fantry in 1793, and served with distinction as an officer until his resignation in 1810. Although an Enghshinan by birth, he was distinguished for his patriotism and loyalty to the country of his adoption. He was an active and . able officer, and a popular and accomplished gentleman. Captain Hewitt was a dealer in music and musical instruments in Maiden Lane, and was distinguished for his musical accomplishments. As a consequence of the renewal of commercial intercourse with France, the year 1811 witnessed many new outrages upon Ameri can commerce by Enghsh war-vessels stationed upon the coast. Business in New York was prostrated, and the sufferings of the people were beyond endurance. The arts of diplomacy had failed, and it was evident that the sword must settle the pending difficul ties. Congress assembled in November, and by its legislation fairly represented the warlike spirit of the people. But the Presi dent hesitated to involve the country in a war that promised to be long, expensive, and of doubtful results, and the year closed with out a solution of the questions in dispute and with grave apprehen sions of the future. 1811 THE THIRD REGIMENT OF ARTILLERY. 59 The Brigade of Artillery paraded in June, and was reviewed at the Battery on the 25th of November by Governor Tompkins. Eegimental and company drills were more numerous as the proba bility of war with England increased. The Third Eegiment of Artillery, as the leading and most popular mihtary organization of the city, was distinguished for its activity ; and during the summer and autumn the companies of Captains Morgan, Anderaise, Flem ing, and Forbes devoted many afternoons to drill and artilleEy prac tice in the fields in the outskirts of the city or in the beautiful country near the hamlet of Hoboken. With the prospect of active service at no distant day the prosperity of these companies rapidly increased, and at the close of the year 1811 their strength and effi ciency were the subject of favorable comment in mihtary circles. During the year 1811 there occurred several important changes among the field-officers of the Third Eegiment of Artillery. First Major Charles Snowden resigned his commission, and Second Major Benjamin Aycrigg was promoted to fill the vacancy ; and Captain Cornelius Harsen, of the First Battalion, was commissioned as sec ond major. Major Aycrigg also retired from the service, and Major Harsen was appointed first major, and Captain John W. Forbes, of the Fourth Company of the Second Battahon, was com missioned as second major. Lieutenant John M. Bradhurst was elected captain of the Fourth Company, vice Forbes promoted. From a photograph about 1855. (30 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1812 CHAPTEE SECOND. 1812-1815. In the early part of the year 1812 the regiments of artillery of the State of New York were numbered by lot, and the Third Eegi ment of Artihery of the City of New York became the Eleventh Eegiment of Artillery; the companies which are now the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Companies of the Seventh Eegiment, being the Second Battahon of the regiment. Lieutenant-Colonel Saltus resigned his commission in April, and, on the 23d of May, First Major Cornelius Harsen was commissioned lieutenant-colonel, Second Major John W. Forbes first major, and Captain Henry Morgan, of the First Company of the Second Battahon, second major. Lieutenant Aaron Forman was chosen captain of the First Company, vice Morgan promoted. By the order renumbering the regiments the First Eegiment of Artillery of New York City be came the Second Eegiment, the Second Eegiment became the Ninth, the Fourth Eegiment became the Third, and the Third Eegiment became the Eleventh, as before stated. Although war had not yet been declared, the President, under authority of an act of Congress passed April 12, 1812, called upon the several States for troops, and a General Order was issued on the 21st of April, 1812, detailing 13,500 militia of the State of New York for immediate service. In compliance with this order, General Morton detailed 450 officers and men from his brigade of artillery (that being its quota), and organized them into two bat tahons of three companies each : the First Battahon under the com mand of Major Eobert Swartwout ; and the Second, of Major John Bleecker, and they were ordered to be ready for active service at a day's notice. The Eleventh Eegiment furnished its full proportion of officers and men for this detachment by voluntary enlistments from its several companies. On the 18th of June, 1812, the long-expected declaration of war 1812 WAR WITH ENGLAND. 61 with Great Britain was promulgated. Though a large and power ful party regarded the war as unwise and unnecessary, vigorous measures were at once taken to organize an army and navy, and prepare to meet the enemy on land and sea. Volunteers were called for, the militia was drafted, the forts upon the seaboard were garrisoned, privateers were fitted out and sent to sea, troops were hurried forward to the northern border ; and the President, Congress, and the Governors of States actively co-operated in offen sive and defensive preparations. Immediately after the declaration of war the two battalions de tailed from General Morton's brigade for active service were or dered to occupy the fort at the Narrows and man the batteries in the city. They promptly paraded for duty, and detachments were sent to the various posts. The battalion commanded by Major Swartwout, after a brief sojourn at the Battery, was conveyed by schooners to Staten Island to garrison Fort Eichmond. During the time this detachment remained at the Narrows it was not idle ; drills in the use of heavy artillery were frequent, the fortifications were strengthened, furnaces for heating shot were built, and bar racks for the men were erected. Garrison and camp duty at the Narrows proved to be no holiday amusement, and the young soldiers, many of whom were unaccustomed to manual labor, wel comed the arrival of other troops and the order for their return to New York. The quota of the State of New York not having been filled, the Governor issued a general order on the 21st of July, calhng for the required number. Although the Brigade of Artillery of the City of New York had already promptly furnished its proportion of the State quota, its patriotism was not exhausted. As the Seventh Eegiment in 1861 was the first to volunteer for the defense of the national capital, so its First, Second, Third, and Fourth Companies, with the other companies of the Eleventh Eegiment, were the first to spring to arms in 1812 for the defense of the city, State, and nation. On the 29th of July the Eegiment paraded for drill, and Colonel Harsen, in an eloquent and patriotic speech, proposed that the Eegiment volunteer its services. The proposition was received with enthusiastic demonstrations of favor, and all the officers and nearly all the non-commissioned officers and privates " repaired to the drum-head " and subscribed to the following : 62 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1812 We the undersigned officers, non-commissioned officers, and matrosses of the Eleventh Regiment of New York State Artillery, in the city of New York, do hereby volunteer and offer our services [in the several capacities hereinafter named] to his Excellency the Governor of the State of New York, in the defense of the United States of America, and in particular for the protection and defense of the city and county of New York, and its harbor, and the adjacent towns, under, and pursuant to the Act of Congress, entitled " An Act to authorize a de tachment from the militia of the United States," passed the 10th day of April, 1812, as part of the detachment of thirteen thousand five hundred men, required under and in conformity with the said act, by general orders of his Excellency, bearing date the 21st day of July, 1812. In testimony whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names the 29th day of July, 1812. « On the 1st of August, Colonel Harsen officially tendered the services of the Eleventh Eegiment to the Governor of the State. The following is an extract from the letter of Governor Tompkins to Colonel Harsen, dated August 8, 1812 : The military and patriotic spirit manifested by yourself and the officers and privates of the Regiment of Artillery under your command, in tendering their services in defense of their country, deserves the highest praise, and is an ex ample worthy the imitation of all independent volunteer corps. Be assured, sir, that I duly estimate their generous conduct and example, and shall avail myself of an early opportunity to gratify their wishes, by obtaining for you, with the Regiment under your care, the command and defense of one of the forts in the harbor of New York. Allow me to assure you of my sincere regard for yourself personally, and for the officers and soldiers under your command, and of my un qualified approbation of their prompt and cheerful pledge to support the honor and independence of our beloved country. The citizens of New York had been so divided upon the politi cal questions of the day that the action of the Eleventh Eegiment of Artillery in July, 1812, is of great historical interest and im portance. Its officers and men represented the wealth, intelligence, and commercial interests of the city, and their voluntary enhstment estabhshed the fact that in the approaching conflict New York would present a united front to the enemy, and that all pohtical considerations must yield to the general welfare and to the safety of the country. By its active patriotism on this occasion the Eleventh Eegiment united the people in the support of the General Government, and secured for itself the most prominent place in the public favor. During the month of August large numbers of troops from the interior of the State and from the towns on the Hudson 1812 ARTILLERY PRACTICE. 63 Eiver arrived in New York and were quartered in the city, at Staten Island, Brooklyn Heights and upon the upper part of Man hattan Island. The mihtia of the city was drilled almost daily, but the members were quartered at their own homes, and were not obliged to entirely rehnquish their business pursuits. No or ganization was more active at this period than the Eleventh Eegi ment, including the four companies which are now a part of the Seventh Eegiment. On the 14th of August the Eegiment paraded with full ranks pursuant to the following order : First Brigade, New York Artillery, i Brigade Orders. \ New Yokk, August 12, 1812. His Excellency the Governor having purchased a hulk for the purpose of giv ing the troops an opportunity of practicing in firing, and having given the general (Morton) the direction of the same, informs the brigade that it will be anchored in the bay, between the Battery and Bedlow's Island on Friday next. The troops of this brigade will assemble on Friday next, 14th ins't, at eight o'clock A. M., on the Battery, etc, etc. . . . By order of Brigadier-General Morton. Thomas R. Mercein, Aide-de-camp. The firing was witnessed by the Governor and a large number of distinguished citizens. One hundred and thirty shots were fired, and the practice ended with the burning of the hulk from shot heated in a portable forge. The expertness of the men in handling the guns and the precision in firing were eminently satisfactory, and the Governor issued a special order comphmenting the brigade. On the 1st of September, several companies of artillery arrived in New York from Albany, Poughkeepsie, and other river towns, and the Brigade of Artillery paraded to receive them. After a review by the Governor and a parade through the principal streets, the companies from the interior embarked at the Battery for Fort Eichmond. The Governor of New York having ordered the Brigade of Artillery into active service, the following order was promulgated : First Brigade, New York Artillery, j Brigade Orders. ) City of New Yore, September 5, 1812. The brigade having been called into the service of the United States for the protection of the city of New York, by order of his Excellency the commander-in- chief, of the 3d ins't, and division orders of this date, the several regiments of this brigade will therefore assemble at the Battery on Tuesday, 15th ins't, at 9 A. M., equipped for duty according to law. 64 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1812 The men will furnish themselves with knapsacks and blankets, and are also recommended to provide themselves with a knife, fork, and spoon, a sack for bed ding, and one day's provisions. As the troops are called into the service for the protection of their homes and firesides (a duty for which they have ever considered themselves volunteers) and moreover are to be under the immediate command of their own officers, who will share with them the duty that may be required, and whose study will, of course, be to render that duty as agreeable as possible, the general confidently expects that no one of the corps will be found wanting on the occasion, and that even those who by former service may be exempt by law, will be again arraying themselves in the ranks with their brother soldiers. By order of Brigadier-General Morton. Thomas R. Mercein, Aide-de-camp. Upon the issue of this order, the members of the Eleventh Eegiment commenced active preparations for a three months' tour of duty. Pursuant to his promise, when its services were volun teered in July, the Governor caused the Eleventh Eegiment to be detailed to Bedlow's and Ellis's Islands, which were at that day considered the most desirable and honorable posts in the vicinity of New York. The pay of privates in the United States Army at this period was five dollars per month ; and, in view of the fact that this sum was insufficient for the support of the families of the members, the officers of the Eleventh Eegiment held a meeting on the evening preceding the departure for the forts, at which the following pre amble and resolution were adopted : Whereas, the families of some of the men belonging to this Regiment may require further aid than that provided by law, in consequence of being deprived of means derived from the ordinary pursuits of their respective trades while called into public service for the protection of the city and harbor : Therefore, Resolved, that the officers of this Regiment will appropriate a por tion of their monthly pay to raise a fund for the further maintenance of such families as may require assistance, and that Colonel Harsen, Major Mercein, and Captain Bradhurst be a committee to digest and report a plan to carry this reso lution into effect. The First Brigade of Artillery assembled at the Battery, pur suant to order, on the morning of September 15th, and with the usual ceremony was mustered into the United States service. Crowds of citizens thronged the Battery and greeted with cheers the various companies and battalions as they departed for their re spective posts. The Eleventh Eegiment was conveyed to Bedlow's and Elhs's Islands in schooners, and arrived at its destination early in the afternoon. The quarters at the islands were found in a filthy 1812 THE ELEVENTH REGIMENT IN ACTIVE SERVICE. 65 and uncomfortable condition, and the first duty was to secure the neatness and cleanliness which characterize well-ordered garrisons. The routine of garrison duty was similar to that of the present day, but during the first month of service almost ah the entire time was devoted to drill and practice in heavy artihery. Constant exercise in the open air furnished the men with capital appetite for their plain but wholesome fare ; the fatiguing labors of the day disposed them to sleep soundly ; and before the first month had expired ah exhibited a physical perfection and a buoyancy and cheerfulness of spirits such as is rarely known by those who follow the ordinary business pursuits of city life. During the first month, hours of leisure were not numerous, and the opportunities for amusement were limited ; permits to visit the city were rarely issued, and strangers were not allowed to visit the garrison. But, as the men became proficient in artillery practice, and in the duties of the garrison, their labors gradually became hghter ; more freedom was allowed in pass ing to and from the city, and ample time was afforded for athletic amusements upon the islands, or aquatic sports in the waters of the harbor. During the pleasant afternoons of October and November, the garrison occasionally presented quite a gay and fascinating ap pearance by reason of the presence of large numbers of laches, who visited the fort to spend an hour with their husbands, brothers, or lovers. But the stormy days of autumn were sometimes gloomy in the extreme, and every conceivable device was resorted to for rehef from the monotony and dullness of garrison life. Eumors of a probable attempt of the British frigates to pass the forts at the Narrows occasionally reached the islands and caused a temporary excitement, but they never failed to find the Eegiment ready to give the enemy a warm reception. For temperance and good order, for faithful attention to duty and strict obedience of orders, the Eleventh Eegiment at Bedlow's and Elhs's Islands in 1812 was a model worthy of all imitation. On the 15th of December, its term of service having expired, the New York Brigade of Artillery was relieved from duty by detach ments of volunteers and militia, and was discharged from the United States service. The Eleventh Eegiment landed at the Battery, where the other regiments of the brigade, that had occupied the batteries and fortifications in the city, were in line for its reception. Thorough drill for three months had converted the holiday soldiers 66 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1812 into veterans, and as the brigade marched through the principal streets it excited the admiration of the citizens and received a cor dial welcome. The Eleventh Eegiment attracted particular atten tion ; for constant exposure to sun and wind had bronzed the faces of its members, while its sohd company fronts, its steady marching, and its soldierly bearing assured the pubhc that its new favorite was not unambitious to excel in all military accomplishments. The following were the orders issued upon the discharge of the brigade from the United States service : General Orders, Headquarters. New York, December 12, 1812. The Brigade of City Artillery under command of Brigadier-General Morton will be mustered on Monday or Tuesday next, as may be most convenient, their time of service expiring on the 15th inst. The brigadier and his staff and the regimental officers and privates will accept the thanks of the commanding gen eral and the assurance of his most distinguished consideration and respect. The manner in which they have acquitted themselves while in the service of the United States is a sure pledge to their country of future usefulness and devo tion. When such are its defenders the city of New York has nothing to fear. By order of General Armstrong : C. K. Gardner, Captain and Brigade Major. First Brigade, New York State Artillery, ) Brigade Orders. ( New York, December 15, 1812. The troops having performed the tour of duty agreeably to the requisition of the President of the United States, the general, in announcing to them their dis charge, can not omit expressing to them his high satisfaction at the manner in which that duty has been performed. The harmony which has existed among them, their strict attention to military order, and their high attainments in mili tary discipline have made his command an unvaried scene of pleasure and pride. In returning to their stations in the militia of our State, he trusts they will carry with them those principles of discipline and zeal for military improvement which have strongly characterized them during the late tour of duty ; and he flat ters himself they will again be ready and with increased numbers to perform such services as their country shall require from them. By order of Brigadier-General Morton : Thomas Chrystie, Brigade Major. During the time that the Eleventh Eegiment had been in the United States service in 1812, a draft had been made upon the militia of the State of New York, and some members of the Eegi ment were its unfortunate subjects. It was supposed that they would be exempted on account of their three months' volunteer 1813 MILITARY AFFAIRS IN 1813. 67 service ; but, when the Eegiment was mustered out on the 15th day of December, those who were drafted were called to the front, and were marched away to the Lower Battery for another three months' tour of duty. The separation from their officers and comrades, and the association with drafted men of uncongenial tastes and habits, made their military duty extremely irksome and unpleasant. The great injustice to those who had patrioticahy volunteered and had already served three months, of compelling them to serve an addi tional term with men who had avoided military duty until drafted, was fully appreciated by the young men of the Eleventh Eegiment at the Battery. But they were in the immediate vicinity of their friends and homes ; their mihtary duties were not very laborious or exacting ; furloughs were readily obtained ; and the additional term of service of the drafted men of the Eleventh Eegiment was faithfully and honorably completed. At the close of the year 1812 a flotilla had been organized under Commodore Lewis for the defense of the city and harbor, and, with the forts well garrisoned, New York was considered comparatively safe. During the year 1813 the progress of the war was as rapid as could be expected in an age when steam was in its infancy and railroads and telegraphs were unknown. The war was mostly con fined to the Canadian border, and our army, composed of raw re cruits and mihtia, was not generally successful against the veteran forces of Great Britain. Upon the sea, however, our success was brilhant, and several well-contested engagements estabhshed a high reputation for the American Navy. In New York city mihtary affairs continued active. Eegiments of volunteers were organized and forwarded to the seat of war, gunboats and privateers were fitted out and sent to sea, the forts in the vicinity were strongly garrisoned, and the mihtia was actively drilled for home defense. British men-of-war appeared from time to time off the coast, and excited uneasiness or alarm among the peo ple ; but the United States flotilla and the forts at the Narrows pre vented any hostile demonstration. As the blockade was imperfect, our privateers passed, to and fro without much difficulty or danger, and swept the British commerce from the ocean. The success of the navy and the depredations of privateers naturally dehghted the people of a commercial city, and all naval heroes were sure of an en thusiastic welcome from the corporation and citizens of New York. 68 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1813 The public funeral of Captain James Lawrence and Lieutenant A. C. Ludlow, who fell in the engagement between the United States frigate Chesapeake and the British frigate Shannon, took place on the 16th of September, at Trinity Church. The remains were conveyed in a launch, escorted by the barges of the navy, from the sloop-of-war Alert, to the Battery, where they were re ceived with mihtary honors by General Morton's brigade of artil lery, which had been selected by the Common Council as a special escort on this occasion. The mihtary procession was f ollowed by the Common Council, the civic societies, and a vast concourse of citi zens ; the flags of the city and the shipping were at half-mast ; church-bells were tolled ; minute-guns were fired at the navy-yard and the Battery, and the entire ceremonies were conducted in the most solemn and impressive manner. The Eleventh Eegiment of Artillery was active and prosperous throughout the year 1813, and maintained its place as the leading mihtary organization of the city. The companies drilled weekly, and, during part of the time, semi-weekly, and the battahon and regimental drills were also numerous. During the entire year the members were under orders to be prepared at an hour's notice to respond to any call of the State or national authorities. In addi tion to the parades, inspections, and reviews usual in a period of war, the several companies devoted considerable attention to artil lery practice in the field and the fortifications. On the 3d of November the Eleventh Eegiment paraded -with the Brigade of Artillery for practice, and was reviewed by General Dearborn, of the United States Army. The target was an old hulk anchored one thousand yards from the Battery, and so extraordinary was the firing that, on the following day, General Dearborn issued a special order, complimenting the brigade upon its fine appearance and its perfection in gunnery. The monotony of routine military life in New York in 1813 was relieved by the famous " Harsen-Gedney duel " — a duel which was much talked of, but never fought. Colonel Harsen, of the Eleventh Eegiment of Artillery, had, for good and sufficient rea sons, relieved certain members of the corps from fines imposed by Captain Gedney, of the First Battahon, acting as president of the regimental court-martial. Captain Gedney was exceedingly offended at this action, and, at a meeting of the board of officers held in Feb- 1813 THE "HARSEN-GEDNEY DUEL." 69 ruary, the irate captain publicly used the most violent and insulting language toward Colonel Harsen. At this period duehng was still a favorite method among mihtary men of settling disputes, and a hostile meeting of the belligerents was anticipated ; but Colonel Harsen having been brought before a magistrate and placed under bonds to keep the peace, and the officers of the Eegiment having interfered to prevent a colhsion, the affair was settled for the time by an apology from Captain Gedney, who soon afterward retired from the Eegiment. In September, at a meeting of the board of officers, a letter from Captain Gedney was handed to Colonel Har sen, which he publicly refused to receive, and returned unopened. This letter would appear to have been a formal challenge, for a few days afterward the streets and public places were placarded with the f ollowing : To the Public. Whereas Lieutenant-Colonel Harsen, of the Eleventh Regiment of Artillery, has behaved in » very unbecoming manner, and has refused to give that satisfac tion which one gentleman has a right to expect from another, I hereby publish him to the world as an unprincipled coward and poltroon. Immediately upon the appearance of this placard, Colonel Har sen was again arrested and . held to bail to keep the peace. In a long card, which was published in the daily newspapers, Colonel Harsen stated the facts in the case, and proved that Gedney had instigated his repeated arrests for the purpose of protecting him self from deserved chastisement ; and so clearly did Colonel Harsen vindicate himself, and in so ridiculous a position was his assailant placed, that the quarrel which had been so long a subject of pubhc gossip degenerated into a farce. The officers of the Eleventh Eegi ment also published a card, confirming Colonel Harsen's statement of the facts, and testifying to his brave and honorable conduct on all occasions. The finale of the affair was a suit by Colonel Harsen against Gedney for hbel, which resulted in a compromise, by which Gedney apologized, and consented to a verdict of one thousand dollars damages. Several important changes occurred among the officers of the Eleventh Eegiment during the year 1813. Second Major Henry Morgan was promoted to first major, vice Forbes resigned, who was obhged to retire from the service on account of failing health. Captain John Fleming, of the Third Company, was appointed 70 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1813 second major, and also resigned. Captain Thomas E. Mercein, who ranked as captain in the Eegiment, and who had served with dis tinction upon the staff of General Morton, was appointed first major ; and Captain George Hodgson, of the First Battahon, was ap pointed second major. Lieutenant George Talcott, Jr., was elected captain of the Third Company, vice Fleming promoted, and subse quently accepted a commission in the United States Army ; and was succeeded as captain by Lieutenant George H. Stanton. Cap tain Barnet Anderaise, of the Second Company, was transferred to the command of a company of heavy artillery in the First Battahon of the Eegiment, and Lieutenant Edward Bockwell was promoted to the captaincy. Major Henry Morgan was first commissioned as ensign of the Fifth Eegiment of Infantry in 1802, and in 1803 was promoted to a lieutenancy. In 1806 he was the leading spirit in the organiza tion of the company now known as the First Company of the Seventh Eegiment, and was elected its first captain. In 1812 he was elected second major, and in April, 1813, first major. Major Morgan died in 1813, universally respected and lamented. He was a prosperous young merchant and a popular citizen. As an officer he ranked among the most able and experienced of the period. Major John Fleming, the first captain of the Third Company of the Seventh Eegiment, was born in New York in 1781. He was for many years a man of distinction in the commercial circles of New York, first as a merchant, and for a long period as Cashier and President of the Mechanics' Bank, and city chamberlain. It is related, in Scoville's " Old Merchants of New York," that while a member of the firm of Fleming & Home he drew a prize of thirty thousand dollars in a lottery. His great executive abihty and fine business talents were instrumental in placing the Third Company upon a firm foundation, and during his administration and for many years thereafter the company was distinguished for its activity and military efficiency, and for the high character of its members. Major Fleming was an able and energetic officer, and was one of the most distinguished of the officers of the Eleventh Eegiment both as a citizen and as a soldier. He died in New York in 1837. Major John W. Forbes was active in organizing the company now known as the Fourth Company of the Seventh Eegiment, and was its first captain. To his ability as an officer and his popularity 1814 CAPTAINS ANDERAISE AND TALCOTT. 74 as a gentleman was due, to a considerable extent, the high position maintained by that company for a long series of years. During the military excitement in 1814, when New York was threatened by the British fleet, Major Forbes re-entered the service, and com manded with distinction a new battahon of artillery. Captain Barnet Anderaise, of the Second Company, was a well- known and popular man of this period. He was a prominent officer in the Masonic Order, and was an active leader in ah patri otic measures, and his name appears in the list of subscribers to the war loan of 1812. Captain Anderaise was one of the most active and influential of the founders of the Second Company, and was chosen first heutenant in 1806, and succeeded Captain Hewitt as its com mandant in 1810. In 1813 Captain Anderaise was transferred to the command of a company of heavy artillery in the First Battalion of the Eleventh Eegiment, and he served in that position until the end of the war. Captain George Talcott, Jr., a native of Connecticut, was en gaged in mercantile pursuits in New York from 1805 until 1813, and enhsted in the Third Company, Captain Fleming, soon after its organization. He became a corporal and sergeant in 1809, sec ond heutenant in 1810, first heutenant in 1812, and captain in 1813. In 1813 he was commissioned in the regular Army of the United States, and was soon after transferred to the Ordnance Corps. In 1832 he became lieutenant-colonel, and was made in spector of arsenals and armories. He was in command for a long period of the armories at Springfield and Watervliet, and, at the death of Colonel Bromford, he became colonel and chief of the Ordnance Corps. He was bre vetted brigadier-general in 1848, and died at Albany in 1862, in the seventy-sixth year of his age. The active and valuable services of General Talcott in the Ordnance Corps for a period of nearly forty years, and his intelligence and energy in the introduction to the United States Army of improve ments in arms and ammunition, are a part of the history of the country. General Talcott was also a popular gentleman, and was universally beloved and respected. In June, 1814, alarming news from Europe reached New York. The allied powers were victorious, and Great Britain could now withdraw her troops from the Continent and pursue more vigor ously the war with the United States. Eumors that an immense 72 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1814 fleet was fitting out in the British ports to operate against New York aroused the people and the city authorities to a consciousness of impending danger, and on the 7th of July a committee was ap pointed by the Common Council upon the subject of city defenses, which subsequently waited upon the President of the United States to solicit the aid and co-operation of the General Government. The President immediately made a requisition upon the Governor of New York for a large number of troops, and directed them to be stationed in the fortifications already erected in and about the city, and in fortified camps to be located at Brooklyn and Harlem Heights. The commandant of the Corps of Engineers and the chief of the Ordnance Department were ordered to New York to superintend the erection of fortifications and the collection and preparation of supplies and munitions of war. The citizens of the several wards of the city were called together in pubhc meetings, and rolls were opened and extensively signed by those willing to volunteer for service in a military capacity or to labor on the forti fications. Pursuant to a requisition made by Major-General Morgan Lewis upon General Stevens for three thousand troops from his division, the First Brigade of Artillery was officially notified on the 30th of July to be in readiness for active service, and all regiments of uni formed mihtia were ordered to be thoroughly inspected and their inspection and muster rolls delivered at once to the brigade majors. On the 5th of August the Eleventh Eegiment was inspected at the arsenal, and numbered, present and absent, four hundred and forty- nine men. On the 8th of August an immense pubhc meeting was held in the park, at which a Citizens' Defense Committee was ap pointed to co-operate with the Defense Committee of the Common Council ; and the joint committee, of which Hon. Nicholas Fish was chairman and General Jacob Morton secretary, met daily at the City Hall to receive contributions of money, to accept the serv ices of those volunteering to work upon the fortifications, and to devise and carry into effect such measures as might be necessary for the pubhc safety. The immense field-works at Harlem and Brooklyn, which were designed to protect the flank and rear of the city in case the enemy should attempt to approach it by land, were commenced on the 8th of August, and Captain Bremner's company, of the First Battal- 1814 "THE PATRIOTIC DIGGERS." 73 ion of the Eleventh Eegiment, which was the first to volunteer, had the honor of breaking ground for the fortification at Brook lyn Heights. So universal was the desire to serve the city with the pick-axe and the spade, that the Defense Committee found it impos sible to give immediate employment to all, and therefore assigned to each trade and profession a particular day to labor in the in- trenchments. The lawyers and lawyers' clerks, the physicians and medical students, and the merchants and merchants' clerks mus tered in large numbers ; the printers, the cabinet-makers, the ship wrights, the cordwainers, the hatters, the shoemakers, the machin ists, the 'longshoremen, the butchers, and every other branch of labor, furnished stout arms and willing hearts ; and the civic socie ties — the Tammany, the Masons, the Hibernian Benevolent, the Mechanics and Tradesmen's — and the artillery and infantry regi ments, each in turn contributed its labor to the patriotic cause. Even the colored population claimed the right and the privilege of devoting a day to the service of their country and for the protec tion of their homes. Nearly all the trades, professions, societies, and regiments worked a second day upon the fortifications ; and, in the latter part of October, Fort Greene, at Brooklyn Heights, and Forts Fish and Chnton, at Harlem, were completed. An editor of the period celebrated the patriotic labors of the people of New York in a song called THE PATRIOTIC DIGGERS. Johnny Bull beware, keep at proper distance, Else we'll make you stare at our firm resistance ; Let alone the lads who are freedom tasting, Recollect our dads gave you once a basting. Pickaxe, shovel, spade, crowbar, hoe, and barrow, Better not invade— Yankees have the marrow. To protect our rights 'gainst your fleets and triggers, See on Brooklyn Heights our patriotic diggers ; Men of every age, color, rank, profession, Ardently engage labor in succession. Pickaxe, etc. in. Grandeur leaves her towers, poverty her hovel, Here to join their powers with the hoe and shovel ; 74 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1814 Here the merchant toils with the patriot sawyer, There the laborer, near him sweats the lawyer. Pickaxe; etc. IV. Scholars leave their school with their patriot teachers ; Farmers seize their tools, headed by their preachers. How they break the soil ! Butchers, brewers, bakers ; Here the doctors toil, there the undertakers. Pickaxe, etc. v. Plumbers, founders, dyers, tinmen, turners, shavers ; Sweepers, clerks, and criers, jewelers, engravers; Clothiers, drapers, players, cartmen, hatters, .tailors ; Gaugers, sealers, weighers, carpenters, and sailors. Pickaxe, etc. VI. Better not invade ; recollect the spirit Which our dads displayed and their sons inherit. If you still advance, friendly caution slighting, You may get, by chance, a bellyful of fighting. Pickaxe, spade, and shovel, crowbar, hoe, and barrow, Better not invade — Yankees have the marrow. The Eleventh Eegiment, New York Artihery, was among the first to volunteer its services to the Defense Committee, as will be observed from the following notice : Eleventh Regiment, New York Artillery, ) Regimental Notice. j New York, August 12, 1814. The officers, non-commissioned officers, and matrosses of this Regiment will assemble to-morrow morning, the 13th inst., at seven o'clock precisely, in fatigue dress, at the foot of Beekman Slip, for one day's duty on the intrenchments at Brooklyn Heights. By order of Colonel Harsen : William Kumbel, Adjutant. More than three hundred men responded to this call, and worked manfuhy in the trenches ; and on the 6th and 19th of Sep tember, and the 15th of October, about the same number of mem bers of the Eleventh Eegiment were voluntarily employed at Brook lyn Heights, in the same patriotic but laborious duty. The appearance of many hostile vessels in Long Island Sound and off the Hook during the month of August was a source of con stant anxiety and alarm. On the 27th of August the capture of Washington by the British was announced in New York, and on 1814 THE NORTH BATTERY. 75 the 29th of August the commander-in-chief ordered the entire division of Major-General Stevens, comprising the uniformed and drafted militia of the eastern part of the State, to assemble at their respective rendezvous on the 2d of September for active service in the defense of the city of New York. On the 30th of August the troops that had previously arrived in New York and been mus tered into the United States service, were paraded for inspection and review, and over six thousand men appeared under arms. On the 2d of September the uniformed and drafted mihtia of New York city, consisting of four brigades, was mustered into the service of the United States. General Morton's brigade of artil lery assembled at the Battery at 7.30 a. m., and, after the rolls were called and the usual oath administered, the several regiments were dismissed by the following order : First Brigade, New York Artillery, ) Brigade Orders. } New York, September 2, 1814. In pursuance of Division Orders of this date, the troops will be dismissed and the officers and men will be permitted to return to their respective homes. The commandants of regiments will direct their respective commands to be drilled by company, at such places as may be convenient, to-morrow morning, from six to eight o'clock, and in the afternoon from four to six o'clock ; and this to be con tinued daily until further notice. The field-officers will visit the company pa rades and render every assistance in their power to the discipline of the men. All firing of cannon or small-arms is strictly forbidden. The general can not dismiss the troops without expressing his high satisfaction with their appearance to-day. He is proud to find that the call to duty and for the defense of our country has increased the First Brigade of Artillery. By order of Brigadier-General Morton : Jeremiah Vanderbilt, Aide-de-camp. The Eleventh Eegiment mustered, on the 2d of September, three hundred and thirty-three present (ninety-one absent), including officers, non-commissioned officers, privates, and musicians. When it became publicly known that the members of the Eleventh Eegi ment were to be quartered at their own houses, and that their ordinary duties were to be morning and evening drills and guard duty, there was a host of apphcants for admission to its ranks ; but Colonel Harsen positively refused to receive any recruits on and after the 2d of September. On the 5th of September, the Eleventh Eegiment took charge of the North Battery, and of a battery of hght artillery stationed 76 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1814 at the corner of Sixth Street and Broadway. There were three principal batteries or fortifications in the city of New York — the West Battery (Castle Garden), at the extreme southern part of the city; the North Battery, on the North Eiver, near the foot of Hubert Street ; and the Gansevoort Battery, about a mile farther north, beyond Greenwich village. The North Battery mounted sixteen heavy guns (thirty-two-pounders), and was a creditable speci men of the fortifications of that period. It was occupied on the morning of September 5th, by Captain Bremner's company of the Eleventh Eegiment ; and Thomas E. Mercein, first major of the The North Battery, New York, 181b Eleventh Eegiment, was detailed as commandant of the post. To each gun in the battery was assigned a detachment of eight ma trasses and two gunners, and a non-commissioned officer to each arcade of two guns. The punishments at North Battery for neglect of duty were forfeiture of pay, confinement in the garrison, and extra guard duty ; and a court-martial for the trial of all delinquents was active and efficient in enforcing the mihtary regulations and in maintaining disciphne in the regiment. Guard was mounted daily, at 8 o'clock a. m., and the several companies of the Eleventh Eegi ment performed guard duty alternately for twenty-four hours. 1814 THE NORTH BATTERY, 77 The guard report for one day affords a general idea of the character of the service. Guard Report. North Battery, September 25, 1814. In compliance with Garrison Order of the 24 inst, Captain Rockwell's com pany, under my command (Captain Rockwell being sick), relieved the detachment from Captain Forman's company, under the command of Lieutenant Benedict, at 8 o'clock a. m., and detailed a guard of three sergeants, one corporal, and twenty- one privates. At 9-J A. M., was visited by Major Mercein ;- at 10 A. m., detailed a fatigue party of eight men to collect the straw which had been scattered throughout the garri son during the late storm, piled up the wads, etc., etc., which duty was performed with promptitude and cheerfulness. Major Hodgson, Captains Bremner, Anderaise, Brown, and several other officers of the regiment visited the garrison through the day. At 4 p. m., paraded the guard and drilled one hour. At 5-J p. M., was visited by the officer of the day (Major Purdy) and suite, who were received on the right of the guard with presented arms. Major Purdy (in direct contradiction of what is believed to be the uniform practice of this regiment) ordered the guard to be countermarched, so that he might advance upon its left — which order being repeated, was obeyed. The roll was then called, and the arms and accoutrements of the guard inspected. At 11-J p. m., was visited by the Grand Rounds, who were received in due order, examined the several posts, and were apparently pleased with their reception. September 26, at 8 a. m., paraded the guard and drilled one hour. At 9 A. M., the guard was relieved by a detachment from Captain Anderaise's company of the Eleventh Regiment. Christopher Wolfe, Lieutenant, Second Company, Second Battalion, Eleventh Regiment, N. Y. S. A. During the three months' service of the Eleventh Eegiment, the companies not on duty at the North Battery were drilled every morning with muskets, field-pieces, or the heavy guns of the fort. Its evening parades proved a great attraction to the ladies of the town, and were attended by large numbers of citizens and strangers, and the neat and soldierly appearance of its members, its excellent drill, and the fine music of its martial corps, were always subjects of favorable comment with the pubhc. The martial corps or band was under the instruction and leadership of Fife-Major Cochran. His fame as a musician extended to every household in New York ; the clear notes of his fife were always listened to with admiration and delight, and the music at the North Battery in 1814 was, for years, associated with many pleasant reminiscences of the war. In addition to its duties at the North Battery, at its cantonment on Broadway, and in the intrenchments at Brooklyn, the Eleventh 78 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1814 Eegiment attended weekly a brigade drill in the open fields near Bellevue. Details were also made weekly from each company for guard duty at the United States Arsenal and Laboratory at the junction of the Bowery and Bloomingdale Eoad. Apart from the garrison duty at the North Battery the time devoted to military duty by the members of the Eleventh Eegiment averaged over three hours daily. All were able, however, to give some attention to their domestic affairs and ordinary business pursuits. Trade and commerce were completely prostrated, and for that reason the tour of duty in 1814 was not a heavy tax upon the time and means of the rank and file. To insure uniformity of appearance, and to mark the distinction between the two battalions of the Eleventh Eegiment, it was ordered, on the 12st of October, that " in future at ah full-dress parades the battahon with field pieces (the First) will appear with blue pantaloons, the artillery coat, hat, and plume, and the battalion with small-arms (the Second), with white panta loons, and coat, hat, and plume as above." The Second Battalion, composed of the companies now known as the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Companies of the Seventh Eegiment, although appear ing on parade with muskets, was drilled as carefully and was as ex pert in artillery tactics as the heavy artillery companies of the First Battalion. During the three months' tour of duty in 1814 these companies were distinguished for their activity, faithfulness to duty, and their gentlemanly and soldierly conduct. Early in September a large number of troops arrived in New York from the rural districts, and on the 10th of that month it was estimated that there were twenty-five thousand armed men in the city and its immediate vicinity. Although this force was mostly composed of undisciplined volunteers and militia, its large number gave confidence to the people, and promised, with the extensive fortifications, a stubborn defense of the city. The immense British fleet, which was known to have sailed for some important point in the United States, was daily expected to appear at Sandy Hook or in Long Island Sound ; but in October doubts began to be expressed as to its destination, and in November it was satisfactorily ascer tained that New Orleans was the object of attack. On Sunday, November 13th, there was a grand parade of all the troops stationed in New York and its vicinity, and a review by Governor Tompkins ; and on the 25th of November the evacuation 1815 THE ELEVENTH REGIMENT MUSTERED OUT. 79 of New York by the British, in 1783, was celebrated by a parade of equal magnitude. Over twenty-five thousand troops marched in column through Broadway on these occasions, and New York never witnessed so large and imposing a military parade until the Centennial Celebration of the Inauguration of Washington in 1889. Colonel Harsen urged upon the officers and members of the Elev enth Eegiment " to do their very best on this parade " of the 25th of November, as they " are to vie with regulars," and must " not allow their brilliant reputation to suffer." By General Orders of Governor Tompkins, dated November 29th, all the militia in the service of the United States in the vicinity of New York were ordered to be mustered out and discharged — the progress of the negotiations at Ghent between the American and British commis sioners rendering it almost certain that peace was not far distant. On the 2d day of December the Eleventh Eegiment of Artil lery was mustered out of the United States service at its parade- ground near the North Battery. Two companies of artillery being required temporarily by the Governor " to act as vidette," the Eleventh Eegiment patriotically furnished one of them by volun teers from its ranks, and this company under the command of the gallant Captain Bremner, of the First Battahon, marched away on the afternoon of the 2d of December to Harlem Heights to reheve the troops there stationed, and waiting for muster and discharge. On the 8th of January, 1815, was fought the decisive battle of New Orleans. Although it was generally supposed that a treaty of peace had been already signed by the commissioners, it was gratifying to American pride that the last great battle of the war should crown with honor the arms of the republic. While the people were celebrating the glorious success of our army, the news arrived that a treaty of peace had been signed at Ghent on the 24th of December, 1814. The 11th of February, 1815, was a bright and happy clay in New York. The cry of " Peace ! peace ! peace ! " rang through the streets, and passed from mouth to mouth — citizens rushed to the public places to congratulate each other upon the great event — bells were rung, cannon were fired, and flags innumerable were displayed throughout the city. In the evening pubhc and private buildings were illuminated, the streets were brilliant with bonfires and fire-works, and a feeling of security 1 80 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1815 and happiness, such as had been long unknown, prevailed in all classes of the community. Arrangements for a grand peace cele bration were at once made by the Common Council for the evening of the 22d of February, which, however, was postponed until the 27th, on account of the inclemency of the weather. New York had never witnessed so magnificent a demonstration. The illu mination was general; the stores and dwelhngs in the principal streets were ornamented with transparencies and appropriate mot toes and devices, and a grand display of fire-works took place at the Battery and the City Hall. The streets were crowded to over flowing with people, and the entire community united in celebrat ing the event which brought peace and security to every house hold. The volunteers and militia yet remaining in the fortifications were at once discharged, and gayly departed for their homes. Trade and commerce revived, and the hum of peaceful industry was heard once more throughout the land. The Eleventh Eegiment, which was indebted for its origin and existence to the War of 1812 and the troubles which immediately preceded it, was not benefited as a mihtary organization by the restoration of peace. Many of its most valuable officers and men, who had enlisted solely from patriotic motives, retired at the close of the war, and the following year was a critical period in its his tory. So weary were all of war and of martial exercises, and so great the aversion to military duty among the young men of the city, that it was found impossible to procure recruits for the de pleted ranks of the regiment. But on the 4th of July and the 25th of November its appearance was exceedingly creditable, and in all its movements the regiment exhibited the effect of its thor ough instruction during the previous years. The " Evening Post," in describing the review of the First Brigade of Artillery on the 25th of November, notices the Eleventh Eegiment as follows: " The troops made a splendid appearance, and the regiment com manded by Colonel Mercein attracted particular attention." The changes in the field and staff of the Eleventh Eegiment at this period were important. Lieutenant-Colonel Harsen resigned his commission at the close of the war, and First Major Thomas E. Mercein was appointed heutenant-colonel in April, 1815. Second Major George Hodgson was appointed first major, vice Mercein promoted, and Captain Andrew Bremner, of the First Battalion, was 1815 COLONEL CORNELIUS HARSEN. 81 appointed second major. Major Hodgson retired from the regi ment in May, and was succeeded by Major Bremner ; and Captain Aaron Forman, of the First Company of the Second Battahon, was appointed second major. Lieutenant-Colonel Cornelius Harsen was born in the city of New York in 1783, and was a member of one of the oldest Dutch famihes. The hamlet on the old Bloomingdale Eoad, formerly known as " Harsenville," took its name from the family, and the " Harsen farm," situated between Sixtieth and Seventieth Streets, Central Park and North Eiver, was the country-seat of Colonel Harsen and his ancestors. At the age of twenty years Cornehus Harsen became an ensign in the Fifth Eegiment of Infantry. He was soon transferred to the artillery, and his talents, wealth, and social position secured his rapid promotion. At the age of twenty- nine he was commissioned lieutenant - colonel, commanding the Eleventh Eegiment of New York Artillery, which position he held with distinction during the War of 1812. In ah that concerned the defense of New York during the war Colonel Harsen was an active and popular leader, and the proud position occupied by the Eleventh Eegiment was due in no small degree to his energy, abil ity, and patriotism. At the close of the war (1815) Colonel Har sen resigned his commission, and he remained a prominent and dis tinguished citizen of New York until his death, which occurred in 1838. The Second Battahon of the Eleventh Eegiment (the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Companies of the Seventh Eegiment) suffered in common with the other military organizations of the city at the close of the war. Its numerical strength was seri ously impaired ; accessions to its ranks were trifling ; and the at tendance at drills and meetings was unsatisfactory. The general aversion to mihtary duty, and the absence and indifference of so many members, were sufficient to discourage the most loyal and the most hopeful. Fortunately for the companies, the offices made vacant by the resignations of the officers who had served during the campaign of 1814 were filled by active, able, and influential young men, whose energy, ambition, and talents carried the com panies safely through a most critical period in their history. Lieu tenant James Benedict was chosen captain of the First Company, vice Forman promoted; Lieutenant Christopher Wolfe became 82 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1815 captain of the Second Company, vice Bockwell resigned ; and Lieu tenant Garrit Forbes was appointed captain of the Fourth Com pany, vice Bradhurst resigned, but was succeeded before the end of the year by Lieutenant William Kumbel, who had won an enviable reputation during the active duty of the years 1812-1814 as the adjutant of the Eleventh Eegiment. Captain John M. Bradhurst was born at Washington Heights, in the city of New York, in the year 1783, and his ancestors were among the most respectable and distinguished of the early Dutch colonists. He was educated as a physician, but engaged in mer cantile pursuits as a wholesale druggist, and the firm of Bradhurst & Field was for many years distinguished for its wealth and pros perity. During the patriotic excitement of 1806 young Bradhurst was active and influential in the organization of a company of artil lery, now the Fourth Company of the Seventh Eegiment, and his wealth, education, and talents secured him the office of second heu tenant. In 1810 he was elected first heutenant, and in 1812 he was chosen captain. In the latter position he achieved great success, and his company was so distinguished for its drill and discipline during the War of 1812 that it was popularly known as " Brad- hurst's Eegulars." In addition to his active military service, Cap tain Bradhurst manifested his patriotism by a hberal subscription to the war loan of the Government. He died in 1855, upon his extensive estate at Washington Heights. Captain Edward Bockwell was one of the founders of the Second Company, and was a distinguished character in its early history. At the organization of the company, in 1S06, he was chosen orderly sergeant, and was commissioned second heutenant in 1807, first heutenant in 1809, and captain in 1813. He was an active and intelligent officer and a patriotic and popular citizen. His business as manufacturer and dealer in gold and silver jewelry was located at No. 200 Broadway. The changes among the general mihtia officers in New York city in 1815 were also important. Major-General Ebenezer Ste vens retired from the service, and Brigadier-General Jacob Morton was commissioned major-general of artillery. Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Curtenius, of the Second Eegiment of Artillery, succeeded to the command of the New York Brigade of Artillery. General Ebenezer Stevens was born in Boston in 1752, and was 1815 GENERAL EBENEZER STEVENS. 83 .•-'"¦fy an active member of the famous " Boston Tea-Party " in 1773. In 1775 he was commissioned as captain, and raised two companies of artillery and a company of artificers for the expedition to Quebec. In 1776 he was commissioned major of artihery, and was in charge of the artihery at Ticonderoga and at the battle of Stillwater. In 1778 he was appointed lieutenant-colonel, and was assigned to Colo nel Lamb's regiment, was with Lafayette in Yirginia, and in com mand of the artihery, alternately with Lamb and Carrington, at Yorktown. After the Eevolutionary War General Stevens became a leading merchant and a prominent citizen of New York. In 1798 he was commissioned lieutenant-colonel, commanding the New York Eegiment of Artihery, in 1804 brigadier-general, and in 1805 major-general of artihery. During the War of 1812 he served actively and-efficiently in the defense of the city of New York, and he resigned his commission as major-general in 1815. General Stevens died in 1823. The records of the mihtia of the city of New York bear upon their pages no name of greater dis tinction than that of Ebenezer Ste vens. He was an active patriot, a brave and accomplished soldier, an enterprising merchant, and a pub- he-spirited citizen. His name was prominently connected with every pubhc movement for the advance ment of the interests and prosper ity of New York, and his descend ants have maintained his fame by their distinction in the commercial and pubhc affairs of the city and State. The uniform which had been worn by the artillery of New York since 1806 was modified, in 1815, by the adoption of a new cap and by some other unimportant alterations. The following bill of dress was promulgated in orders of February 3, 1815, and A Soldier of the Eleventh Regiment, N. Y. S. Artillery. 1S06-1S15. 84 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1815 was not materially changed until the adoption of the gray uniform in 1824 : Bill of Dress of Eleventh Regiment, N. Y. S. A. A cap, seven and a half inches high (yeoman), two and one half inches front, bound with brass, trimmed with a cockade and yellow cord, braided and fes tooned ; a brass plate in front, and tassels on the right side ; a red band around the lower part of the crown, edged with yellow; feather, same as now worn by regiment. The coat to be blue, with red collar, with two yellow buttons and holes; skirts turned up with red ; single-breasted ; with stamped artillery-buttons, four on each cuff around the wrist, four on each pocket-flap, and eight on the hips and in the plaits. Pantaloons to be white for those doing duty with muskets, and blue for those doing duty with field-pieces. Vests of the same color. Long boots, to be worn over the pantaloons. 1816 PARADES IN 1816. 85 CHAPTEE THIED. 1816-1824. By an act of Congress, passed April 20, 1816, the old English regulation in respect to rank of field-officers was abolished. Com mandants of regiments had heretofore ranked as lieutenant-colonels only, and bore that title ; but, under the authority of the act re ferred to, ah lieutenant-colonels became colonels and first majors became lieutenant-colonels of their respective regiments, and only one major was allowed to a regiment. The Council of Appoint ment of the State of New York, on the 8th of July, 1816, by resolution ordered the commission of colonel to be issued to Lieutenant-Colonel Mercein, of the Eleventh Eegiment of Artil lery. First Major Andrew Bremner having recently resigned, Second Major Aaron Forman was appointed heutenant - colonel, and Captain George W. Brown, of the First Battalion, was ap pointed major. Mihtary affairs were exceedingly dull during the year 1816, the only parades worthy of notice occurring upon the 4th of July and 25th of November. On the anniversary of American Independ ence the Brigade of Artillery was reviewed by Major-General Win- field Scott, of the United States Army. Line was formed in Hud son Street, the review was followed by a marching salute in the park, and a feu-de-joie at the Battery concluded the exercises of the day. This was the first time that this distinguished officer appeared before any of the companies of the Seventh Eegiment, but for a period of half a century thereafter his face was a familiar one to its officers and members, and his friendship and admiration for the corps were manifested on many memorable occasions. The commander-in-chief, Governor D. D. Tompkins, accompanied by Generals Scott and Gaines, of the United States Army, reviewed the Brigade of Artillery on the 25th day of November, and on the fohowing day expressed in general orders his great satisfaction 86 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1816 with the appearance of the troops. A detail from the Eleventh Eegiment hoisted the flag at the Battery at sunrise, and fired the national salute at noon, on the 25th of November, 1816. From the organization of the Eleventh (Third) Eegiment of Artihery, in 1807, it had consisted of two battahons — the first armed with field-pieces, and the second battahon (First, Second, Third, and Fourth Companies of the future Seventh Eegiment) armed with muskets. During the War of 1812, and the troublous times preceding it, the Second Battahon was often drilled as artil lery, but always appeared with muskets at parades. After the war the drills of the Second Battahon were confined exclusively to the musket, and it gradually became apparent that the union of two battalions with different arms in the same regiment was incongru ous and inconvenient. The time had not yet arrived for the sepa ration of the two arms of the service into distinct regiments, and the difficulty was temporarily overcome by ordering the drills of the two battalions at different times and places. After this date the two battalions of the regiment rarely appeared together except at parades, and occasionally all the battahons of the artillery regi ments of the city that were armed with muskets were exercised together for military improvement under the command of one of the colonels of the brigade. During the season favorable to exercise in the open air, in 1816, the drills of the Second Battahon of the Eleventh Eegiment were held at the arsenal-yard, or in the fields adjacent to the city. In the winter, meetings for business or drill were held at St. John's Hah, in Frankfort Street, near what is now known as Printing- House Square ; Tammany Hall, in the same vicinity, long famous as the headquarters of the Democratic party ; Harmony Hall, in Wilham Street, near Frankfort Street ; and Hodgkinson's (after ward StoneaU's) Shakespeare Tavern, at the corner of Fulton and Nassau Streets. When not engaged for public balls, pohtical meet ings, or other purposes deemed more important than mihtary exer cises, the companies were occasionally called together at one of these places for drill and social reunion. As the arms, uniforms, and equipments of the members were always kept at their respect ive residences, permanent quarters were not as necessary as at the present day. A valuable souvenir of the period is a gold medal, which has 1817 GENERAL PETER CURTENIUS. 87 been faithfuUy preserved in the First Company of the Seventh Eegiment, and which bears the following inscription : Presented by Captain James Benedict and Lieutenant Joseph Coles to the Second Company, Eleventh Regiment, U. S. A., In memory of its late commandants, Henry Morgan and Aaron Forman. April 15, 1816. The First Company was at this date second in rank, and was therefore called the Second Company. By the death of General Curtenius, in the early part of the year 1817, the command of the New York Brigade of Artihery devolved upon Colonel Horatio Gates Stevens, of the Second Eegiment, who was subsequently commissioned its brigadier-general. General Peter Curtenius wag the son of a distinguished Eevolutionary patriot of the same name, and was for many years one of New York's foremost citizens. He was commissioned as a heutenant of artillery in 1786, captain in 1793, major in 1794, and lieutenant- colonel commanding in 1804, vice Ebenezer Stevens promoted. He commanded the Second Eegiment of Artillery during the War of 1812, and also held the position of United States Marshal for the District of New York in 1813. In 1815 he was commissioned as brigadier-general of artillery, vice Morton promoted. General Curtenius died in 1817, having completed thirty years of active and distinguished service in the New York State Artihery. His funeral took place on the 28th of March, and he was buried with military honors. General Stevens entered upon his duties as commandant of the New York Brigade of Artillery with the earnest determination to revive the military spirit which had characterized it in former years. In his first order, the battalions of the brigade doing duty with small-arms were ordered to parade on the 21st of May, 1817, in full uniform for drill under Colonel Mercein, of the Eleventh Eegiment, and the battalions doing duty with field-pieces were ordered to parade on the 22d of May, under Colonel Hunter, of the Third Eegiment, and similar drills took place in June. On the 12th of June, President James Monroe visited New York and was honored with a public reception. The Brigade of Artillery paraded at the Battery, where it was reviewed by the President, accom- 88 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1818 panied by General Scott, after which the distinguished guest of the city was escorted to the City Hah and was formally welcomed by the mayor. At the conclusion of the ceremonies, President Monroe was escorted to the Merchants' Hotel in Wall Street. On the 4th of July the brigade paraded, and was reviewed by Governor De Witt Clinton. In August the Eleventh Eegiment of Artillery pro ceeded to Staten Island upon the steamer Connecticut for a day's target-practice, and in September the officers of the brigade were ordered to the same place " for practice with field-pieces, howitzers, and mortars." On the 4th of November the brigade paraded for annual inspection and review, and the usual parade took place on the 25th of November. The officers of the Eleventh Eegiment actively seconded the efforts of General Stevens for a mihtary revival. The regiment continued to maintain its leading position in the brigade. A few of the veterans of the War of 1812, influenced by military tastes or attracted by old associations, remained in its ranks, and, by precept and example, aided and encouraged the younger members to pre serve the fame and the good name of the organization. During the year 1817 Lieutenant-Colonel Aaron Forman resigned his com mission and was succeeded by Major George W. Brown. Captain George H. Stanton, of the Third Company, was appointed major, vice Brown promoted, and Lieutenant Andrew T. Goodrich was his successor as captain of that company. Lieutenant-Colonel Aaron Forman was one of the founders of the First Company, and was elected second heutenant at its organization in 1806. He was pro moted to first lieutenant in 1809, captain in 1812, second and first major in 1815, and heutenant-colonel in 1816. He was an earnest, faithful, and reliable officer, and was universally esteemed and re spected. The activity in military affairs which commenced with the accession of General Stevens to the command of the brigade con tinued throughout the year 1818, but without very favorable re sults. Indifference to drills, carelessness in appearance, and an increasing disposition to convert the military organizations of the city into convivial associations, were among the remarkable features of the condition to which a few years of peace had reduced the splendid regiments which New York furnished to the United States service in the war with Great Britain. A new mihtia law, 1818 FUNERAL OF GENERAL MONTGOMERY. 89 passed in 1818, was intended to aid and encourage the uniformed mihtia ; but, as it required companies of artillery to be composed of volunteers, and to furnish their own uniforms, arms, and equip ments, and, at the same time, afforded no reasonable or sufficient inducement for such voluntary service and additional expenditure of time and money, it was of no particular benefit to the New York Brigade of Artillery. The 4th of July and the 25th of November were celebrated with considerable spirit in 1818, and the troops were reviewed by Governor De Witt Chnton, who, as a distinguished and favorite son of New York, always secured an enthusiastic welcome. The only mihtary event of importance of the year was the funeral of General Eichard Montgomery, who fell at Quebec in the early part of the Eevolutionary War. On the 8th of July, 1818, his remains arrived in New York from Quebec, and were deposited in St. Paul's churchyard. The military, the civic societies, and at least five thousand citizens, paraded in Broadway, the right of the line resting on Bowhng Green, and, after marching through Broadway and Chambers, Chatham, Pearl, and Beaver Streets, attended the funeral ceremonies at St. Paul's Church. While the procession moved, minute-guns were fired by the Washington seventy-four- gun ship, at the navy-yard, and at the forts in the harbor. The service was read by the Eight Eev. Bishop Hobart, the sacred music was performed by the Handel and Haydn Society, and a vol ley of musketry was fired by a detachment of infantry over the grave of the brave and distinguished soldier. Colonel Thomas E. Mercein and Major George H. Stanton re signed their commissions in 181 8,. and Lieutenant-Colonel Brown was promoted to the colonelcy. Captain James Benedict, of the First Company, was appointed heutenant-colonel, and Captain Jonas Hubert, of the First Battahon, became major. Lieutenant Joseph Coles was chosen captain of the First Company, vice Benedict pro moted, and Lieutenant Peter Bolles was chosen captain of the Third Company, vice Goodrich resigned, and before the end of the year was succeeded by Lieutenant Matthias O'Connor. Colonel Thomas E. Mercein was one of the founders of the Fourth Company of the Seventh Eegiment, and at its organization in 1806 was chosen first lieutenant. In 1810 he was promoted to captain and served upon the staff of the Brigade of Artillery, and 90 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1819 in 1813 held the responsible position of brigade-major. His valu able services during the War of 1812, and his abihty as a staff- officer, were duly recognized by his superiors and by the pubhc generally. He was appointed by the Governor of the State to the responsible office of Sheriff of the City and County of New York, and from 1813 to 1816 was the comptroller of the city. He was also Treasurer of the Defense Committee in 1814. In 1814 he was appointed major of the Eleventh Eegiment, N. Y. A., vice Morgan deceased. In 1815 he was promoted to heutenant-colonel, and during the same year was commissioned as colonel. Colonel Mercein was a prominent, popular, and patriotic citizen, and one of the ablest and most distinguished military officers of the period. Major George H. Stanton enlisted in the Third Company at its organization in 1806, and was one of its most active and devoted members. In 1810 he was a sergeant, and was promoted to second and first lieutenant in 1812, captain in 1813, and major in 1817. He was distinguished for his ability as a company officer, and was a thorough military instructor. His earnestness and energy in promoting the interests of his command and in maintaining its reputation were noticeable at this period, and gave him distinction among his contemporaries. During the year 1819 the Eleventh Eegiment renewed its activity and gave promise of returning prosperity. Many active and influential young men entered its ranks ; its drills were more frequent, and its parades larger and more attractive. At the same time its apparent prosperity was to a great extent due to the change which was taking place in the character of the association. A per ilous condition of the country had originally called the regiment into existence ; during the war it had been purely and practically a mihtary organization ; but in the dull and monotonous years of peace which followed, it had gradually laid aside its stern mihtary features, and assumed a more social and convivial character. In a regimental order dated May 17th, Colonel Brown complimented the regiment upon its improved prospects and referred to the " valu able amendments to the militia law passed at the last session of the Legislature " as likely to increase its members and promote its wel fare. The provisions of law referred to were intended to encour age enlistments, by defining and extending the privileges and ex emptions of artillerymen, as well as to enforce discipline by proper 1819 PARADES IN 1819. 91 fines and penalties, and the collection and enforcement of the same. Several drills for officers and non-commissioned officers were held at Tammany Hall, the recognized headquarters of the regi ment. The Board of Officers met monthly at that place to devise ways and means of advancing the interests of the regiment, and the dinners and social reunions of the several companies nearly all took place at Tammany Hall. Several battahon drills were ordered during the year at the arsenal-yard, the two battahons of the regi ment parading for that purpose on separate days — the First under the heutenant-colonel, and the Second under the major. But the efforts for mihtary improvement were not successful in re-establish ing the reputation of the regiment as a mihtary organization. The " Evening Post " noticed editorially the parade of the Brigade of Artillery on the 4th of July, 1819, as follows : The line was formed at the Battery, and having inarched through Broadway, Greenwich, and Chambers Street to the City Hall, they were dismissed in the park, having, on the whole, performed an arduous march of nearly half a mile. The performance ended by the firing of a feu-de-joie, by the way of three cheers, I presume, for the feat they had achieved. The parade was not that we have seen in former times, particularly at the close of the last war. The men did not march as well in any respect, nor make so soldierly an appearance ; some of them nodding familiarly to their friends and acquaintances, and others very soberly smoking their cigars as they marched along. The music too was inferior, the marches badly selected. The animated fife of Cochran was not there — nor anything to remind one of it. The commanders certainly made a creditable ap pearance, and were in general well mounted. I like to see an officer at the head of his regiment, with a grave and manly countenance, suitable to the occasion and his business, showing that he is occupied with that and that only ; and not that sort of a look which seems to say, " Girls, have at ye all, damme ! " The first parade in 1819 was on the 24th of May, regimental line forming in Chatham Square ; and the Eleventh Eegiment also paraded on the 8th and 28th of June. The usual parade took place on the 4th of July, the Eleventh Eegiment forming " at the Flag- Staff, on the Battery." The annual inspection and review was on the 2d day of November, regimental line forming in front of the arsenal, in Elm Street. The regiment paraded on the 16th of November ; and the last parade of the year was on the 25th day of November, when the troops were reviewed by Governor De Witt Chnton. At the conclusion of the mihtary ceremonies of the day, the officers of the Second, Third, Ninth, and Eleventh Eegiments 92 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1820 of Artillery dined together at Tammany Hah. A peculiarity of the parade of the 25th of November, which was a subject of cur rent criticism, was the formation of the brigade line in Canal Street — a locahty distant from the center of business and population. Target excursions were now becoming popular, and in September the non-commissioned officers of the Second Battahon of the Elev enth Eegiment proceeded to Wilhamsburgh for a day's shooting. The only change in the field-officers of the Eleventh Eegiment, in 1819, was caused by the resignation of Major Humbert, who was succeeded by Captain William Kumbel, of the Fourth Com pany. Lieutenant Gilbert Hopkins became captain of the First Company, vice Coles resigned; Lieutenant Charles Hull, captain of the Second Company, vice Wolfe resigned ; Lieutenant John D. Wilson, captain of the Third Company, vice O'Connor re signed ; and Lieutenant Jacob Hunter, captain of the Fourth Com pany, vice Kumbel promoted. Of the retiring mihtary. officers, the most distinguished was Captain Christopher Wolfe, of the Sec ond Company. He enlisted as a private in 1808, served with dis tinction as a lieutenant during the War of 1812, and was elected captain in 1815. He was a thorough soldier, a splendid officer, and an accomplished gentleman. He held a high social position in the commu nity, was an active, enterprising, and successful merchant, and a public- spirited and patriotic citizen. In February, 1820, Colonel Brown resigned his commission, and Lieu tenant-Colonel James Benedict was promoted to the colonelcy of the Eleventh Eegiment of Artillery; Major Kumbel was appointed lieu tenant-colonel, and Captain Josiah Mann, of the First Battalion, became major of the regiment. In Septem ber Lieutenant-Colonel Kumbel re signed, and Major Mann became lieutenant-colonel ; and Captain Peter W. Spicer, of the First Battalion, was appointed major. Lieuten ant-Colonel William Kumbel enlisted in the Third Company soon Lieutenant-Colonel William Kumbel. From a photograph. 1866. 1820 THE ELEVENTH REGIMENT IN 1820. 93 after its organization in 1806, and, having served as a non-commis sioned officer, was promoted to second heutenant in 1812, and first heutenant in 1814. He served with great distinction as adjutant of the regiment in 1814, and in 1815 was chosen captain of the company, now the Fourth of the Seventh Eegiment. In 1819 he was appointed major, and in 1820 heutenant-colonel of the regi ment. He was distinguished for his fine, soldierly appearance and bearing, and his activity, energy, and ability as an officer. Colonel Kumbel was one of the most popular mihtary officers of the period, and as a gentleman was universally esteemed and respected. For over fifty years he was an active and successful leather-merchant in the " Swamp," and his erect, handsome, and commanding figure was weh known in that famous locahty. Colonel James Benedict was a gentleman of great personal pop ularity and of remarkable fondness for mihtary association, and his accession to the command of the Eleventh Eegiment gave new hf e and spirit to the organization. Enlistments in its ranks were more numerous, and from the best class of young men ; drills were fre quent, and punctual attendance was enforced by fines ; the enthu siasm, and esprit de corps which had distinguished the regiment during the War of 1812 were partially revived, and officers and men labored earnestly to restore its former fame and popularity. The drills of officers and non-commissioned officers were held at Tam many Hall, and sometimes at Dooley's Upper Long Boom, Duane Street ; and the companies of the Second Battahon met for mih tary instruction at the same places, and at Mealy's Long Eoom in Spruce Street, at Washington Hah, and at the arsenal-yard. Dur ing the latter part of the year the business meetings of the Board of Officers were held at Hodgkinson's Shakespeare Tavern, corner of Fulton and Nassau Streets, wliich soon became the favorite quar ters of the regiment and its several companies. As an illustration of the activity and earnestness of the officers of the regiment, it may be mentioned that they adopted a resolution imposing a fine of ten dohars upon any one absent from a regular quarterly meet ing. During the year the musicians of the regiment, consisting of fifers and drummers, were newly uniformed and equipped, and the necessary amount of money for that purpose was promptly raised by subscription. On the 5th of April the Second Battahon of the Eleventh Eegi- 94 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1820 ment attended the funeral of Major-General Steddiford, of the Third Division, New York Infantry, as a military escort. General Steddiford was a well-known citizen, and had been connected with the mihtia of the city since the Eevolutionary War. The funeral ceremonies were celebrated at the Middle Dutch Church, and a large procession of citizens foUowed the remains of the old soldier to his grave. The Eleventh Eegiment paraded on the 7th and 23d of June, hne forming in front of St. John's Church. The usual parade took place on the 4th of July, and on the 25th of September the regiment paraded for the reception and escort of Hon. John C. Calhoun, Secretary of War. The annual inspection and review was on the 17th of October, and the usual parade took place on the 25th of November. A novel feature in the mihtary exercises of the 25th of November was a pubhc drill and sham fight in the park by detachments from the several regiments of the Brigade of Artillery detailed for that purpose. The detail from the Elev enth Eegiment consisted of forty-eight men, aU from the First Company, under the command of the officers of that company, Captain Hopkins and Lieutenant Hawley. This drill attracted and interested a large concourse of people and proved so popular that, for several years, a drill of this kind was an important part of the mihtary exercises in celebration of the evacuation of New York by the British in 1783. The first order issued by Colonel Benedict directed the First Battahon of the Eleventh Eegiment to adhere strictly to " the sys tem of Stevens," and the Second Battahon to " the system adopted by the United States infantry." The spirit and object of these orders were subsequently approved and confirmed by an act of Congress passed May 12, 1820, which directed that " the system of disciphne and field exercises which is or shall be ordered to be ob served by the regular army shaU also be observed by the mihtia throughout the United States." In October, Colonel Benedict pub lished, for the information and guidance of the Second Battahon of the Eleventh Eegiment, selections from " the system of infantry discipline directed by Congress to be observed by the mihtia," and directed the non-commissioned officers who desired to obtain a thorough knowledge of their duty to study Potter's " Abridgment of the United States System" or Gardner's "Compend." The 1821 ENCAMPMENT AT KENSINGTON PLACE. 95 tactics prescribed by Congress in 1820 continued to be standard authority until the adoption of " Scott's Tactics " in 1826. During the year 1821, under the popular command of Colonel Benedict, the Eleventh Eegiment was active and prosperous. Its first parade was on the 29th of May, and it paraded with the Bri gade of Artillery on the 4th of July. On the 1st of August the non-commissioned officers of the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Companies (Second Battalion) proceeded to Williamsburgh for a day's target-practice. An elegant musket had been presented to the battalion by Brigadier-General Stevens, and was the prize for the best marksman, and there was considerable excitement among those interested in the result. All were delighted with the pro ceedings of the day, and target-shooting for prizes became a popu lar military amusement, and, in some companies of the regiment, a regular annual mihtary festival. On the 28th of September the regiment assembled, at 6 A. m., at Chatham Square, and marched to Kensington Place, situated on the East Eiver in the vicinity of Sixtieth Street, and at that time a long distance from the city. Tents had been procured from the arsenal, and, at 9 a. m., were pitched on a handsome lawn near the river. The day was beautiful and the scene novel and attractive. Since the War of 1812 there had been no military encampments, and the citizens of New York, who in large numbers visited the Eleventh Eegiment on this occasion, were forcibly reminded of that dark and gloomy period which preceded the happy days of peace. The day was devoted, not to military improvement, but to pleasure and amusement. The " one day's rations," the quantity and quality of which would have astonished any army quarter master or commissary of subsistence, amply supplied the wants of the soldiers and their numerous guests, and, at 5 p. m., tents were struck, and the regiment marched to the city. The annual inspection and review took place on the 9th of Oc tober, and the fine appearance of the Brigade of Artillery was the subject of general remark. Evacuation-Day was celebrated on Monday, the 26th of November, by the usual mihtary parade, and the troops were reviewed by the mayor and Common Council. Dooley's Long Eoom was in the year 1821, and fohowing year, the favorite drill-room of the four companies which now form a part of the Seventh Eegiment. It was upon the second floor of an 96 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1821 old wooden building, situated in Duane Street near the present Centre Street. Its principal entrance was on Duane Street, through the Sixth Ward Hotel, and it had a private entrance in the rear, which was reached by a flight of stairs on the outside of the build ing. When Centre Street was opened through that part of the city, the dimensions of Dooley's Long Eoom were considerably re duced by the improvement, and the whole building was destroyed by fire about the year 1857. It was in 1821 the largest drill-room in the city — being about eighty feet in length and forty feet in width. Its fixtures and appointments were exceedingly plain, and its most noticeable ornament was a large wooden cannon for artillery practice. At a latter day it was the headquarters of the " unter- rified Democracy " of the Sixth Ward, and was the scene of many a bloody skirmish among the sovereigns of that political Gibraltar. At times, Terpsichore claimed the Long Eoom for the use of her votaries, and the unaristocratic denizens of the " bloody Sixth " often " tripped the hght fantastic toe " within its walls. In the orders for parade of May 29th Colonel Benedict an nounced an important change in uniform, viz., "to wear panta loons over boots instead of present uniform (boots over pantaloons)." This was in accordance with the unanimous wish of the regiment, but Colonel Benedict in the same order expressed the opinion that " the change in the uniform will not have the same martial and soldier-like appearance as the present." To correct a common de linquency of the period the colonel also announced that "those companies that are not prepared to march into regimental line at the appointed time must expect a junior rank," and for a period of forty years thereafter this was the penalty of tardiness at parade. Another military novelty was the appointment of a sergeant of the band, whose duty it was to call the roll at parades and make returns to the leader of the band. The companies of the regiment con tinued to be mentioned in all mihtary returns according to the rank of their captains — the First Company as now known being at that period the Fourth, the Fourth Company the Second, etc. The militia of the State of New York in 1821 consisted of twenty-five divisions of infantry (fifty-two brigades), of which the Third Division, commanded by Major-General Edward L. Laight, and the Forty-fifth Brigade of the Second Division, were located in the city of New York. The artillery of the State was united in 1822 THE NEW STATE CONSTITUTION. 97 one division (four brigades), commanded by Major-General Jacob Morton, of which the First Brigade was located in New York city, Long Island, and Staten Island, and was commanded by Brigadier- General Horatio Gates Stevens. The cavalry of the State consisted of one division (three brigades), commanded by Major-General Stephen Yan Eensselaer, and there was a brigade of " Horse Artihery." The adoption of a new Constitution for the State of New York was celebrated on the 4th of March, 1822, by a grand military parade. The line was formed at the Battery at 12 m., and after a review by the Governor, a salute of fifty-two guns (corresponding to the number of counties in the State), was fired, followed by three volleys of musketry. The line of march was through Broad way to the City Hah, where the mihtary was dismissed, to partake of a collation at the expense of the city corporation. In the even ing the pubhc buildings were ihuminated, and fire-works were ex hibited in the park. The new Constitution rendered a new militia law necessary, and at a meeting of the officers of the Brigade of Artillery, held at Hodgkinson's Shakespeare Tavern, on the 2d of January, 1822, a memorial to the Legislature and the form of the enactment re quired were approved and adopted, and money was subscribed to pay the expenses of a representative of the mihtia at Albany to urge and secure its passage. But the Legislature failed to enact any law upon the subject ; and so doubtful were the officers of the Brigade of Artillery as to their powers and duties, that Colonel Benedict stated in orders dated June 7th that "the mihtia law of the State is somewhat ambiguous ; and the Legislature not having passed an explanatory act the commandants have thought it inex pedient to order out their commands in full-dress during the present season." In consequence of this doubt and uncertainty the only parades of the year were on the 4th of Jidy and 25th of November. The number on parade on both occasions was extremely small, and, on account of the excessive heat on the 4th of July, the hne of march only extended from the Battery to the City Hall, where the parade was dismissed without the usual ceremonies. The annual inspection and review was omitted, but the Brigade of Artillery was inspected at the parade of November 25th. On this occasion " the flag that floated over Washington's marquee at the 98 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1822 Battery thirty-nine years ago was displayed on the flag-staff at the museum." During the latter part of the year, the languishing state of the mihtia was a subject of earnest discussion, especially among the active and enthusiastic young men of the Second Battahon of the Eleventh Eegiment. The union of two arms of the service in one regiment was objected to, and it was claimed that both battahons would be more prosperous if permanently separated. A new, more attract ive, and more appropriate uniform was also talked of, and, though these suggestions and discussions were informal and desultory, they originated a movement which finally resulted in the withdrawal from the Eleventh Eegiment of its Second Battahon and the or ganization of the Battahon of National Guards, the future Seventh Eegiment. During the year 1822, Lieutenant-Colonel Mann resigned his commission, and Major Spicer, of the First Battalion, was promoted to the vacancy. Captain Gilbert Hopkins, of the First Company, was appointed major, and Lieutenant Irad Hawley succeeded to the captaincy of the First Company. Captain Hunter, of the Fourth Company, resigned his commission in the early part of the year, and Lieutenant Prosper M. Wetmore was chosen his successor. Captain Wetmore, afterward distinguished as one of the founders of the Battahon of National Guards and as the first colonel of the Seventh Eegiment, was appointed by General Stevens brigade- major of the Brigade of Artillery soon after his promotion to the captaincy of the Fourth Company, and in announcing the appoint ment Colonel Benedict complimented him for his " zeal, activity, and attention to duty." During the War of 1812 an association was formed by the offi cers and members of the Eleventh Eegiment who served at Bed- low's and Elhs's Islands during the three months that the regiment garrisoned those posts. The association had met annually for social reunion, and on the 14th of December, 1822, celebrated its tenth anniversary at Jones's Public House, No. 135 Fulton Street. But nearly all the officers and members of the regiment who had been in the United States service during the war had retired from active duty in the militia, and this is the last occasion of which there is any record -of any meeting of the Eleventh Eegiment Yeterans of 1812. 1823 A NEW MILITIA LAW. 99 A new mihtia law was enacted in 1823, which settled all doubts as to the powers and duties of officers, and the Eleventh Eegiment renewed its activity, performed the usual amount of military duty, and continued to maintain a leading position among the regiments of the city. On the 7th of April the First Battalion, having been detailed by the major-general for that purpose, fired a salute at the Battery in honor of the change of the name of Fort Diamond to Fort Lafayette. On the 13th of June the First Brigade of Artil lery was reviewed by the commander-in-chief, Governor Yates, and the usual parade occurred on the 4th of July. The annual inspec tion and review of the Eleventh Eegiment took place on the 14th of October, " on the vacant ground between Hudson and Green wich Streets, near the State Prison." The number present was three hundred and sixty-four, and the total number present and absent was five hundred and forty-six. The parade ordered for the 25th of November was postponed, on account of the inclemency of the weather, to the following day. By request of the colonels of the artillery regiments, a parade of the Brigade of Artihery was ordered for the 3d of December, and " the present and newly- elected members of the Corporation " were invited to review the brigade. Line was formed in Hudson Street, the right resting on Duane Street ; the passage in review was at the City Hall, and the exercises of the day closed with a series of military manoeuvres in the park by a detachment from the battalions drilling as infantry. At 5 o'clock, p. m., there was a grand dinner to the Corporation of the city, given by the officers of the Brigade of Artillery, at Sykes's New York Coffee-House. From the American Eevolution to the year 1823 the officers of the mihtia of the State of New York had been appointed by the Council of Appointment upon the recommendation of commanding officers of divisions, brigades, and regiments, and the promotions were generaUy made according to rank and seniority. Under the new Constitution and the militia law of 1823, and in accordance with the democratic spirit of the period, the election of military officers became the estabhshed usage, and has continued until the present day. The election of officers in 1823, and following years, was attended with considerable ceremony — officers attending them in fuU uniform, and non-commissioned officers and privates in un dress uniform. 100 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1823 On the 14th of June, 1823, Colonel James Benedict, of the Eleventh Eegiment of Artillery, was elected brigadier-general, vice Stevens resigned. General Horatio Gates Stevens was a son of General Ebenezer Stevens, and was born in Connecticut in 1779. In 1806 he was commissioned a captain in the First Eegiment of Artillery, and in 1812 first major of the same regiment, renum bered the Second ; in 1815 he became a lieutenant-colonel, and colonel of the Second Artihery, vice Curtenius promoted ; and in 1817 brigadier-general of the First Brigade of Artillery. General Stevens was a gentleman by birth and education, and was an able and accomphshed officer. He was a member of the Society of the Cincinnati, but did not aspire to prominence in civil, pohtical, or commercial affairs. He died in New York in 1873, at the remark able age of ninety-four years. General James Benedict passed through all the mihtary grades from second heutenant of the First Company, in 1810, to major- generai of the Second Division of New York Artillery, in 1826, and retired from the service in 1829. During the War of 1812, and in every military rank, he served with eminent distinction. Colo nel Benedict was born in 1774, and from 1804, until he retired from business in 1830, he was a successful merchant. He removed to Tarrytown in 1830, where he died in 1841. For a considerable period he was active in the politics of the city, as an intimate per sonal friend and warm supporter of De Witt Clinton. He was one of the two members of the Legislature who voted against the re moval of Clinton from the office of Canal Commissioner in 1824 ; and in the following year, when Clinton was elected Governor, he was the only member of the Legislature of 1824 from New York that was re-elected. As an officer of militia he enjoyed an enviable reputation, being a capable and accomphshed soldier, and a genial and popular gentleman. During the year 1823 the following changes occurred among the officers of the Eleventh Eegiment : Lieutenant-Colonel Spicer was elected colonel, vice Benedict promoted ; Major Hopkins heu tenant-colonel, vice Spicer promoted ; Captain John D. Wilson of the Third Company, major, vice Hopkins promoted ; Wihiam B. Curtis, captain of the Third Company, vice Wilson promoted ; Lieutenant John Telfair, captain of the Second Company, vwe Hull resigned ; and Lieutenant George Tomlinson, captain of the Fourth 1824 EXECUTION OF JOHN JOHNSON. 1Q1 Company, vice Wetmore who had in the previous year been ap pointed brigade-major. The subject of organizing a new regiment — all the companies of which should drill as infantry, and which should be pre-eminent for the beauty of its uniform, the perfection of its drill, and the high character of its members — continued to be discussed during the year 1823 by the officers and members of the Second Battahon of the Eleventh Eegiment. But the difficulty of severing old at tachments and pleasant associations, and the obstacles which a new mihtary project is certain to encounter, prevented the immediate reahzation of a scheme which many regarded as visionary and im practicable. The project was not abandoned, however, and its per severing friends and advocates secured in the fohowing year the consummation of their hopes and aspirations. On New- Year's Day, 1824, in accordance with a mihtary cus tom of the period, the officers of the Eleventh Eegiment assembled in full uniform and called upon Colonel Spicer, at his residence, to exchange the comphments of the happy season. In the early part of the year, Captain George Tomhnson resigned the captaincy of the Fourth Company, and was succeeded by Lieutenant Howard A. Simons. On the 2d of April the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Com panies paraded under Major Wilson to aid the sheriff of the county in preserving order at the execution of John Johnson for murder. At the west end of the BrideweU in the City Hah Park the battal ion received the prisoner, who was brought out of the prison-yard in a cart, seated upon a coffin, and dressed in white, with black rib bons upon his cap. The battahon formed a square surrounding the prisoner, and proceeded with difficulty through a vast and turbulent concourse of people to the place of execution, Second Avenue and Thirteenth Street, on the Stuyvesant farm. The weather was ex tremely cold, and, although there was no disturbance unusual to such occasions, the mihtary duties of the battahon were laborious and exceedingly unpleasant. The Eleventh Eegiment paraded on the 3d and 28th of June, and also performed its part with the Brigade of ArtiUery in the celebration of the anniversary of American independence. On the 3d of August the Second, Third, and Fourth Companies paraded under Major Wilson, and proceeded to Flushing for target practice. 102 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1824 As an example of the mihtary, critical, and satirical notices of the mihtia at this period, the following extract from the editorial col umn of the New York " Commercial Advertiser," a leading daily journal of the city, descriptive of the parade of July 4, 1824, is presented : At 8 A. m. the Brigade of Artillery was paraded, and formed in Canal Street — All furnished, all in arms, All plumed, like ostriches, that with the wind Bated like eagles having lately bathed ; As full of spirit as the month of May, And gorgeous as the sun in midsummer, Wanton as youthful goats, wild as young colts. A Soldier of the Eleventh Regiment, N. Y. State Artillery, 1815-1821,. 1824 THE NEW BATTALION. 103 CHAPTEE FOURTH. 1824. The year 1824 witnessed the development and consummation of the plans for the formation of a new battahon caUed the " Bat tahon of National Guards," which was subsequently known as the Twenty-seventh Eegiment, National Guard, and is now the Sev enth Eegiment, National Guard, S. N. Y. To Major John D. Wilson and Captain Prosper M. Wetmore, brigade-major upon the staff of General Benedict, and to the captains of companies of the Second Battahon of the Eleventh Eegiment, New York Artihery — namely, Irad Hawley, of the First ; John Telfair, of the Second ; Wilham B. Curtis, of the Third ; and Howard A. Simons, of the Fourth — is due the honor of originating and founding an organiza tion which has since occupied so prominent and honorable a posi tion in the mihtia of New York. Major Wilson had formerly commanded with distinction the Third Company, and Captain Wet more had been the popular commandant of the Fourth Company, and both actively sympathized with the new and ambitious schemes of the infantry battahon of the Eleventh Eegiment. During the winter and spring of 1824 the above-named gentlemen met often, and, with leading members of the several companies, discussed their favorite project. It was a subject that demanded time, attention, labor, and perseverance ; and they entered upon their work with remarkable zeal and industry. The selection of an appropriate uniform for the new organization was considered a matter of vital importance, and received serious attention. Every conceivable style had its friends andadvocates ; but it was found to be impos sible to harmonize the diverse opinions or to gratify the various tastes of the parties interested. Nor was it less difficult to select a satisfactory name for the new battahon — the "New York City Guard," the " Washington Guards," the " Independence Battahon," being prominent among the names suggested. The visit of La- 104 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1824 fayette to New York, and circumstances connected with his mili tary reception, fortunately .decided the various questions which seemed to endanger the favorite project of the young men of the Second Battahon of the Eleventh Eegiment, New York Artillery. On the 24th of July it was officially announced that the Mar quis de Lafayette was to visit America. His valuable services in the Eevolutionary War had endeared him to the American people, and he came at the invitation of the President and Congress to witness the prosperity and receive the blessings of a free people. Prepara tions were at once made for his pubhc reception, and the mihtary of the city were ordered to parade upon his arrival. At a signal from Sandy Hook that the ship Cadmus (in which Lafayette had embarked) had arrived, it was ordered that flags be hoisted at the City Hah and at the Battery, and that the troops assemble for pa rade at " the sounding of a bugle through the principal streets of the city." The Eleventh Eegiment was directed to assemble in Chatham Square, " the right resting on the Old Watch-House." On Sunday morning, August 15th, Fort Lafayette announced the arrival of the nation's guest by a salute of thirteen guns, but the pubhc reception was postponed until -the fohowing day. At 1 p. m., on Monday, he embarked at Staten Island on the steamer Chancellor Livingston for the city, and was escorted by an immense number of steamers and small craft, ah crowded with enthusiastic citizens and gayly decorated with flags and banners. On board the Chancellor Livingston were the Mayor and Common Council of New York and a large number of Lafayette's personal friends and Eevolutionary compatriots, conspicuous among whom were Colonel Marinus Whlett (at that time eighty-five years old), Gen eral Yan Courtlandt, and General Clarkson. At 2 p. m. he reached the Battery, where an immense crowd of people had gathered to bid him welcome, and, amid the thunder of artihery, the ringing of beUs, and the cheers and shouts of the populace, the hero of two revolutions landed in New York. He at once proceeded to review the troops at the Battery. As the commandant of the National Guard of France passed down the line, every eye of the vast throng followed him, and he was everywhere greeted with expressions of profound respect and sincere affection. The review ended, La fayette proceeded up Broadway to the City Hall, enthusiastically welcomed on all sides by the immense concourse of citizens. At 1824 THE NAME "NATIONAL GUARD." 1Q5 the City Hah he received the marching salute of the troops, and was officially welcomed to the city by the corporate authorities. A noticeable circumstance was the selection and detail of the Fourth Company as the guard of honor to Lafayette on this memorable day. To that remarkable body of citizen soldiers, the National Guard of Paris, the Seventh Eegiment was indebted for its original name, and the reception of Lafayette in New York, on the 16th day of August, 1824, suggested and secured its adoption. While the troops were at the Battery, awaiting the arrival of Lafayette at Castle Garden, a group of officers of the Eleventh Eegiment, who were interested in the proposed new organization, stood under the shade of a tree in front of the line, in earnest conversation. Promi nent in the group was Major Wilson, who with some of the hne officers of the Second Battahon, Captain Stevens of the First Battalion, and Ohver M. Lownds, a popular young citizen, and a personal friend of most of the officers present, awaited the arrival of the distinguished stranger, and discussed the affairs of the pro posed new battahon. Major Wilson, in the course of the conversa tion, alluded to the connection of Lafayette with the celebrated "National Guard" of Paris, and exclaimed, " Why not call our new corps the National Guards ? " The remark was electric ; the name was unanimously approved by ah present; and, when the officers returned to then- posts and made known to the men the proposed name, it was greeted with acclamation. At the meeting of the officers, held at the Shakespeare Tavern, on the 25th of August, the name " National Guard " was unanimously adopted, and it belonged exclusively to the new organization (subsequently the Twenty-seventh and now the Seventh Eegiment) from 1824 to 1862, when the Legislature of New York adopted it as a suitable title for the entire mihtia of the State. On the morning of the parade for the reception of Lafayette, Sergeant Philetus H. Holt, of the Fourth Company, left his resi dence in Beaver Street and proceeded through Pearl Street to pro cure his uniform coat which had been sent on the previous day for some alteration or repair to his tailor in Frankhn Square. He was dressed for the parade, and, with the exception of the coat, wore the full uniform of the Eleventh Eegiment (white trousers, white cross-belts, cap, and plume), and upon his shoulder he carried his 106 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1824 musket. Young Holt was a flour-merchant, and the business-coat which he wore on this occasion, intending to exchange it for his mihtary coat, upon arriving in Frankhn Square, was of gray cloth, with metal buttons, and short skirts, and was made to fit closely and button high, being in all respects admirably adapted to his business pursuits. As he passed the store of Brigade-Major Prosper M. Wetmore (No. 244 Pearl Street), he encountered that gentleman in company with Major John D. Wilson, who were at once attracted by the neat and novel appearance of the garment, which the fine figure and soldierly bearing of young Holt displayed to so good advantage. He was halted, his coat underwent a most rigid and critical inspection, and he was not permitted to pass on until the officers had decided in their own minds the color and style of the new uniform of the new battalion. With Holt's business-coat as a pattern, Major Wilson caused a gray mihtary coat to be made, and equipped as a private he attended the meetings of the four com panies interested in the new battahon, held at the Shakespeare Tavern on the 30th of August, exhibited it to the members, and urged its adoption. It was received with favor, was greatly ad mired, and with hardly a dissenting voice, was adopted as the future uniform of the Twenty-seventh, now the Seventh Eegiment. The uniform as adopted consisted of a short, single-breasted coat of cadet mixed cloth ; square standing cohar ; three rows of buttons in front ; black braid running back from each button across the breast; buttons and braid on the collar and cuffs; wings or shoulder-caps with black tufts ; white trousers ; glazed leather hat, with bell crown, trimmed with gold and silver tassels ; brass initials "NG" in cipher on front; white pompon; white body-belt of webbing, with cartridge-box and bayonet-sheath suspended there from ; on the cartridge-box the cipher " N G " in brass. The Battahon of National Guards was the first mihtia organiza tion in the United States to adopt the gray for a permanent uni form. It had been worn by the brigade commanded by General Winfield Scott on the Niagara frontier during the War of 1812 and by the United States cadets at West Point since 1815, but its in troduction into the mihtia was an innovation which attracted atten tion and invited criticism. It soon, however, secured the popular favor, and has maintained it through many generations of National Guardsmen. 1824 THE COMPANIES NUMBERED. 107 It was understood that the changes were not to be made until the following year, but so ardent and enthusiastic were many of the young men that they immediately ordered the new uniform and equipments. The officers encouraged this promptness on the part of the men, and in some cases advanced considerable amounts of money to hasten the complete equipment of their commands. At the annual inspection on the 12th day of October, Sergeant Asher Taylor, of the Fourth Company, then acting as secretary to the brigade inspector, appeared on parade in the new uniform, and was the subject of considerable attention and admiration. Asher Tay lor is entitled to the honor of having first worn on parade the gray uniform of the Seventh Eegiment. During the summer of 1824, the officers of the companies of the Second Battahon of the Eleventh Eegiment organized a pro visional board, and held frequent meetings to consider various sub jects of interest to the battalion. At a meeting of the Board of Officers held at the Shakespeare Tavern on Wednesday, the 25th day of August, 1824, the resolution instituting and organizing the corps now known as the Seventh Eegiment, National Guard, State of New York, was adopted as follows : Resolved, That the Battalion of Infantry attached to the Eleventh Regiment, N. Y. S. Artillery, be hereafter known and distinguished by the name of National Guards. At one of the preliminary meetings of the board it was resolved that the companies should in future be designated by numbers, and that the absurd practice of distinguishing companies by the name of their captains, and of numbering them according to the rank of their respective commanding officers, should be abandoned. That there might be no dissatisfaction in the matter, the captains cast lots for the numerical designations, and Captain Hawley's company became the First, Captain Telfair's the Second, Captain Curtis's the Third, and Captain Simons's the Fourth, with rank in the order named. The names of the officers constituting the board at this period, and officially concerned in the organization of the Battalion of the National Guard, were : First Company : Irad Hawley, Captain. Augustus H. Sands, First Lieutenant. James Flynn, Jr., Second Lieutenant. 108 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1824 Second Company : John Telfair, Captain. Peter W. Cole, First Lieutenant. George Wetsel, Second Lieutenant. Third Company : William B. Curtis, Captain. David T. Valentine, First Lieutenant. Benjamin H. Roach, Second Lieutenant. Fourth Company : Howard A. Simons, Captain. James A. Minard, First Lieutenant. William R. Whitney, Second Lieutenant. The Shakespeare Tavern, where the Battahon of National Guards was organized, was situated on the southwest corner of Fulton and Nassau Streets. It was built before the Eevolutionary War, and was an old-fashioned edifice constructed of small, yellow The Shakespeare Tavern, 182k- bricks, two stories high, with dormer-windows on the roof. In 1822 an extension, three stories high, was built on Fulton Street, With a room for pubhc meetings and mihtary driUs on the second floor, and an arched room in the third story for balls and concerts as well as mihtary purposes. From 1808 to 1824 it was kept by an Englishman named Thomas Hodgkinson, a brother of the cele brated comedian and vocalist John Hodgkinson, who was at one time a manager of the Park Theatre. Thomas Hodgkinson was an officer in the Second Eegiment of the New York State Artillery, 1824 THE COAT-OF-ARMS. 109 and was distinguished for his activity and patriotism during the War of 1812. He died on the day of the reception of Lafayette. His famous establishment passed into the hands of his relative James C. Stoneall, by whom the interior was remodeled and mod ernized, and it continued to maintain its wonderful reputation and popularity until the building was demolished by the widening of Fulton Street in the year 1836. For more than a quarter of a century the Shakespeare Tavern was a favorite place of resort of the first citizens of the city, and was distinguished for the superior character of its refreshments and the quiet comfort which pervaded the entire establishment. Merchants, pohticians, and artists of dis tinction gathered, by day and by night, beneath its hospitable roof, and it was the acknowledged military headquarters of all the lead ing organizations in the city. Old New-Yorkers long recollected with pleasure the hospitality, the good cheer, and the good-natured pubhcan of the Shakespeare Tavern. The coat-of-arms of the Seventh Eegiment was devised and designed by Sergeant Asher Taylor, of the Fourth Company, immediately after the adoption of the name and the inauguration of measures insuring the success of the Battahon of National Guards. The design was en graved by A. Ander son, one of the pioneers in the art of wood-en graving in this country, by order of Captain Prosper M. Wetmore, who presented it to the Board of Officers ; and it was unanimously approved and adopted. The coat-of-arms consisted of a shield, quarterly; the first grand quarter, the shield of the United States ; the second, the shield of the State of New York ; the third, the shield of the city of New York ; the fourth, the initials " N. Y. S. A.," on a red ground, for the corps of artil lery ; on an inescutcheon of gold the cipher of the corps, " N. G." Crest, an American eagle displayed, proper motto, " Pro patria et gloria." An alteration was made in the fourth quarter in 1835, The Coat-of-Arms, 182U. HO HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1824 by substituting two cannons crossed saltierwise, and in chief a blaz ing bomb, the insignia of artillery. At the reception of Lafayette at the Battery, on the 16th day of August, when Major Wilson suggested the name of National Guard for the infantry companies of the Eleventh Eegiment, Cap tain Linus W. Stevens, who commanded a company of heavy artil lery in the First Battalion of the Eleventh Eegiment, proposed to Oliver M. Lownds, Esq., to raise a new (Fifth) Company for the National Guards, and promised to secure the transfer of his own company from the First to the Second Battahon. To this propo sition Lownds promptly assented, and proceeded at once to enlist recruits for the new company. Meantime Captain Stevens, who had intended to retire from the mihtia service on account of the neglect of his superior officers to provide Ms command with guns for artillery practice, took the necessary measures to procure the transfer of his company to the National Guard Battahon. On the 1st day of November the resignation of Major John D. Wilson was announced in regimental orders. The announcement was received by the officers and members of the National Guard Battahon with sincere sorrow, but all efforts to retain the valuable services of Major Wilson were unavailing, as failing health admon ished him of the necessity of withdrawing from the military service. At an election held at the Shakespeare Tavern, on the 11th of November, Captain L'ad Hawley, of the First Company, was elected major of the Eleventh Eegiment, and was in General Orders as signed to the command of its Second Battahon. The first parade in the gray uniform of the Seventh Eegiment took place on the 25th day of November, the anniversary of the evacuation of New York by the British troops at the close of the Eevolutionary War. Such members of the several companies as were fully equipped were allowed to parade in the new uniform and equipments, and were consolidated on the right of the National Guard Battahon under the command of Captain Telfair, of the Second Company. About fifty men appeared in the ranks; the neatness and novelty of the uniform attracted general attention, and the parade was a complete success. The parade having been dismissed, Captain Telfair marched his command up Broadway to his residence in Spring Street, where he had prepared a splendid coUation for its entertainment. The hospitality for which Captain 1824 ANNUAL INSPECTION. Ill Telfair was so distinguished was, on this occasion, most bountifully dispensed. The long hfe and prosperity of the new organization were toasted again and again ; congratulatory speeches were enthu siastically dehvered, and as enthusiastically received; and it was not until a late hour that those who participated in the first National Guard parade could tear themselves away from the festivities of the evening. The annual inspection of the Eleventh Eegiment occurred on the 12th day of October. The strength of the four companies of National Guards, as officially reported by the brigade-major and inspector, was as follows : OFFICERS. NON-COMS. MUSIC. MATROSSES TOTAL. Pres ent. 2 3 3 1 Ab sent. "2" Pres ent. 8557 Ab sent. 11 11 Pres ent. 2 Ab sent. Pres ent. 5027 15 31 Ab sent. 8 242823 Total present. Grand total. First Co., Capt. Hawley.. . Second Co., Capt. Telfair. Third Co., Capt. Curtis . . . Fourth Co., Capt. Simons. . 62 3524 41 7160 1 2 5367 Total 9 2 25 4 5 123 83 162 251 The activity and popularity of Oliver M. Lownds secured the rapid organization of a new company, which was admitted to the Eleventh Eegiment as the " Fifth Company of National Guards," by regimental order of the 25th day of December, as fohows : Eleventh Regiment, N. Y. State Artillery. New Yore:, December 25, 1824. Regimental Orders. The following officers of a company, to be recognized as the Fifth Company of National Guards, having been admitted into this regiment, they will be respected accordingly : Mr. 0. M. Lownds, Captain. C. B. Spicer, First Lieutenant. W. H. Insley, Second Lieutenant. By order of P. W. Spicer, Colonel : G. F. Everson, Adjutant. Captain Linus W. Stevens did not meet the expected success in securing the transfer of his company from the First Battahon of the Eleventh Eegiment to the Battahon of National Guards. A majority of its members strenuously opposed the movement, and Captain Stevens tendered his resignation. Although approved by 9 112 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1824 Colonel Spicer, the resignation was not accepted by the commandant of the brigade, thirty-two members of the company having pro tested against its acceptance. Finally, a compromise was effected, by which Captain Stevens was ahowed to detail from his command such members as desired to connect themselves with the National Guard Battahon ; and the necessary regimental order was issued as fohows : Eleventh Regiment, N. Y. State Artillery. New York, December 27, 1824. Captain L. W. Stevens, now doing duty in the First Battalion of this regiment, is hereby directed to detach forthwith one lieutenant and any number of men, not to exceed twenty-five, from the company now under his command, and organize the same to perform duty as infantry, in the Second Battalion, and to assume command of the same, and report himself and officers so detached to the com mandant of the said battalion. He is also directed to assume the name and uni form of the National Guards. By order of P. W. Spicer, Colonel : G. F. Everson, Adjutant. In compliance with the above order, Captain Stevens, in com pany order dated December 29, 1824, detached from his old com pany, in the First Battahon of the Eleventh Eegiment, one heuten ant (John H. Williams), five sergeants, two corporals, and eighteen privates, to be cahed the Sixth Company of National Guards. The first meeting of the Sixth Company was held for organization at Dooley's, on the 4th day of January, 1825. The year 1824 closed brilliantly for the National Guard Bat tahon. Six companies were already completely organized, and their equipment was rapidly progressing. The talents and energies of its officers and members were f ully enhsted ; time, labor, and money were lavishly expended in advancing its interests, and its future was full of hope and promise. Although a large number of active and talented young men were earnestly engaged during the year 1824 in the organization of the Battahon of National Guards (sub sequently the Seventh Eegiment), the following-named officers are conceded to be its fathers and founders : Captain Prosper M. Wetmore, Major John D. Wilson, Captain Irad Hawley, Captain John Telfair,' Captain William B. Curtis, Captain Howard A. Simons, Captain Linus W. Stevens, Captain Oliver M. Lownds, Sergeant Asher Taylor. 1824 THE FATHERS OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 113 Of the officers above named, Captains Wetmore, Hawley, Tel fair, Stevens, and Simons were subsequently field-officers of the new organization, and their services are noticed in these pages at the period they terminated their connection with the regiment. Major John D. Wilson was born in the city of New York in 1797, and in 1814 became a member of a celebrated company called the " Iron Grays," which was organized for the defense of the city, then threatened by the British. Although but seventeen years of age, young Wilson was so distinguished for his proficiency in the manual of arms that he was selected as the " fugleman " of his company. Soon after the termination of the war he enhsted in the Eleventh Eegiment, in the company now known as the Third of the Seventh Eegiment, and passed through the various grades with distinction until he was elected captain, in the year 1819. In 1823 he was elected major of the Eleventh Eegiment of New York Ar tihery, and assigned to the battahon wliich, in 1824, became the "Battahon of National Guards." Major Wilson was active and enthusiastic in the movement which resulted in the. organization now known as the Seventh Eegiment, but failing health compehed his retirement from the service, and prevented his assuming the prominent place in the new organization to which he was entitled by his rank, talents, and popularity. He was subsequently induced by Major-General Benedict to accept the position of division in spector, wliich office he held until his death, which occurred on the 10th day of October, 1827. The funeral of Major Wilson was at tended at the old John Street Methodist Church by an immense concourse of his friends and mihtary associates. A thorough sol dier, an accomphshed musician, a genial companion, a faithful friend, and a true gentleman, Major Wilson enjoyed an enviable popularity, and was universally respected. Captain Wilham B. Curtis, a native of New York city, enhsted at an early age in the Eleventh Eegiment of Arthlery, and was ap pointed paymaster of the regiment in 1820. He was appointed adjutant in 1822, and elected second heutenant of the Third Com pany in the same year. In 1823 he was successively promoted as first lieutenant and captain of his company. No officer was more active, energetic, and influential in the organization of the new bat tahon than Captain Curtis, and he was a popular leader in every movement and project to that end. His mihtary tastes led him to 114 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1824 prefer a staff position rather than the line, and in 1825 he received the appointment of brigade-major and inspector, which position he held until 1826, when he retired from the service. He died in the prime of hfe, about the year 1830. Captain Curtis was a brihiant and popular young man, of fine person and captivating manners. He was, at the time of his connection with the regiment, a partner in a large dry-goods house in Pearl Street. Captain Oliver M. Lownds, being an intimate friend of Wilson, Wetmore, Stevens, and other founders of the Seventh Eegiment, was induced to undertake the raising of a company for the new organization, in which he was eminently successful, and his valuable services were universally recognized and appreciated ; but, having no mihtary experience or particular taste for the service, he soon re signed his commission to accept the position of High-Sheriff of the City of New York. Captain Lownds was a popular and influential gentleman, and a favorite and successful pohtician of the period. Sergeant Asher Taylor was born in Middletown, Conn., in the year 1800, and enlisted in the Fourth Company in 1822. He was elected orderly sergeant in 1826, and, al though frequently elected heuten ant, he positively declined further promotion. He was active and in fluential in the organization of the National Guard in 1824, and de signed the regimental coat-of-arms, and in 1826 he furnished the de signs and drawings for the colors of the new regiment. As secretary to the brigade inspector he was the first to wear the gray uniform of the Seventh Eegiment on duty in 1824 ; a distinction of which he was always proud. In 1830 Ser geant Taylor resigned his warrant; but he remained active in the service of the Eegiment and influential in its councils until he removed from the city in 1840. At Camp Clinton, in 1831, he acted as assistant quartermaster, and he was in the ranks of the 1824 SERGEANT ASHER TAYLOR. 115 regiment on the several occasions between 1834 and 1837 when it was called upon to preserve the peace and order of the city. In 1838 he was commissioned as chaplain of the regiment. A man of decided talent and strong common sense, with a full measure of Yankee wit and shrewdness, genial, social, and agreeably eccentric, Asher Taylor is a prominent figure in the early history of the Seventh Eegiment. His time and talents were enthusiasticahy devoted to the regiment, and his valuable services should be ever held in grateful remembrance. His interesting and valuable pub lications, the "Notes on the Colors" and " Eecollections of the Seventh Eegiment," and his remarkable illustrated volume entitled " A Tribute to the Seventh Eegiment," are evidences of his devo tion to the corps. Asher Taylor was in early hfe engaged in mer cantile pursuits, and for many years he was President of the Market Fire-insurance Company. The great fires in Chicago and Boston (1871 and 1872) irretrievably ruined that company and impaired his private fortune, and he subsequently accepted the position of Yice- President of the Exchange Insurance Company, which he held until his death, which occurred in 1878. Taylor's Seventh Regiment Album. 116 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1825 CHAPTEE FIFTH. 1825. The reorganization of the First Brigade of New York State Artillery had been for a long time under consideration, and was consummated by General Orders, dated January 27, 1825. Under the new arrangement, all companies doing duty with muskets were united in the Second and Ninth Eegiments, and ah companies doing duty with field-pieces were transferred to the Third and Eleventh Eegiments. The fohowing is an extract from the orders referred to : The companies of the Second and Eleventh Regiments doing duty with muskets, with the staff and music of the present Second Regiment — Colonel Robert T. Manly, Lieutenant-Colonel James A. Moore, and Major Irad Hawley, to constitute the Second Regiment of Artillery. In comphance with this order, the six companies of National Guards bade adieu to their comrades of the old Eleventh Eegiment, and, with Major Irad Hawley, reported to Colonel Manly of the Second. It was not the intention, however, of the officers and members of the National Guard to continue their connection with the Second Eegiment for any considerable period, for ah looked forward with hope and confidence to the time when their organiza tion should be recognized as a distinct and separate battahon or regiment. A circumstance which occurred on the first parade with the Second Eegiment hastened the withdrawal of the National Guard Battalion from that regiment. The Second Eegiment at this time consisted of twelve companies, two of which were called the Chnton Guard, four the Lafayette Guard, and the six companies of National Guards. At the first parade, for inspection, on the 6th day of June, the companies as sembled in Hudson Street, and a dispute arose as to seniority between Captain Stevens, of the Sixth Company, National Guards, and Captain Cooke, of the Lafayette Guard, both claiming the right of 1825 THE FIRST NATIONAL GUARD BALL. 117 the hne. The matter was at once referred to Colonel Manly, who promptly decided in favor of Captain Stevens, and gave the right of the hne to the National Guard Battahon. This and other circum stances caused so much ill-feeling and jealousy in the Second Eegi ment, that the active efforts of the National Guards to become a distinct and independent organization encountered no very serious opposition. On the 1st of January, 1825, tickets were issued by the Battahon of National Guards for a grand mihtary bah to take place on the 22d of February, at the City Hotel. The following is a copy of the ticket : MILITARY BALL. The honor of is solicited at a Military Ball to be given in cele bration of the Birth of Washington by the National Guards, at the City Hotel, February 22, 1825. Captain Wetmore, Captain Telfair, Captain Simons, Adjutant Everson, Lieutenant Cole, Lieutenant Spicer, Orderly Sergeant Wilson, Sergeant Taylor, Sergeant Drake, Corporal Everdell, Mr. Jackson, Mr. Taylor, Mr. Mason, Mr. White, Mr. Telfair, Mr. Anderson, New York, January 1, 1825. Captain Curtis, Captain Lownds, Lieutenant Minard, Lieutenant Flinn, Lieutenant Insley, Orderly Sergeant Boyd, Sergeant Holt, Sergeant Cairns, Corporal Hawley, Mr. Wolfe, Mr. Rockwell, Mr. Mapes, Mr. Booth, Mr. Schenck, Mr. Conklin. After the tickets had been issued, many leading citizens re quested the privilege of uniting with the National Guards in the arrangements for their great mihtary ball, and a new committee of management, half mihtary and half civic, was appointed. It was decided that the City Hotel, which was situated in Broadway near Trinity Church, and was the most extensive and popular hotel in New York, could not suitably accommodate the large number of fashionable people who desired to participate ; and the Park Theatre was therefore engaged for the evening of February 22d. The Park Theatre, situated in Park Eow, being the only place of amusement of 118 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1825 importance in the city, was popularly known as " The Theatre," and was the favorite resort of the youth, beauty, wit, and talent of the metropohs. As wealth and fashion gradually migrated from the lower wards to " above Bleecker," the glory of this old dramatic temple waned, and it was finally destroyed by fire in 1848, never to be rebuilt. On the 1st of February a new ticket was issued, of which the following is a copy : MILITARY BALL. The honor of company is solicited at a Military Ball to be given in celebration of the Birth of Washington, at the Theatre, February 22, 1825. Managers. Elisha W. King, Brigade-Major Wetmore, Thomas Morris, Captain Telfair, Philip Hone, Captain Curtis, Henry Brevoort, Captain Simons, David C. Colden, Captain Lownds, John C. Stevens, Captain Jackson, A. D. C. Adjutant Everson, Lieutenant Flinn. . No other testimony is needed as to the high position of the National Guards in society, than the presence upon this card of invitation of the names of the wealthiest, most popular, and most honored citizens of New York. Actively assisted by the above-. named gentlemen, and by many others of high social and pohtical position, the young men of the National Guards succeeded in mak ing their ball the great event of the season. The theatre was ele gantly decorated, the attendance was large and fashionable, the arrangements were complete and satisfactory, and the whole affair, in all its details, a complete success. During the winter and spring of the year 1825, vigorous efforts were continued to complete the equipment of the several companies of National Guards, and to enhst new members. The battahon was' decidedly popular and the ardent labors of officers and members were rewarded with success. On the 6th of July the resignation of Major Hawley was ac cepted. Major Irad Hawley was born in Eidgefield, Conn., in 1793, and at an early age became a partner in the firm of Holmes, Hawley & Co., and he continued in prosperous business until 1841, when he retired with an ample fortune. He was subsequently a 1825 MAJOR IRAD HAWLEY, 119 director in many of the large commercial and financial institutions of the city, and was the first President of the Pennsylvania Coal Company, which he was active in organizing and instrumental in placing upon a firm foundation. In 1862 he visited Europe on ac count of his health, and he died in Eome in 1865. Major Hawley enlisted in the Eleventh Eegi ment of Artillery in 1812, and served as a private during the war. He passed through the sev eral grades of non-commissioned office and was chosen heutenant in 1819, captain in 1822, and ma jor in 1824. He was not distin guished as a soldier, but was a good executive officer, an accom phshed business man, and a popu lar and estimable gentleman. Al though active in the organization of the new battahon the extensive business engagements of Major Hawley compelled him to resign his commission before the official recognition of the National Guards as a distinct and independent organization. On the 12th day of July, Brigade-Major Prosper M. Wetmore was elected major of the Second Eegiment. The 4th of July, 1825, was celebrated with unusual splendor, and a review of the uniformed mihtia by Lafayette added to the interest and enthusiasm of the occasion. The display of bunting, the salutes of artihery, the immense crowds of people on the streets, the variety of the festivities and amusements, and the exhibitions of fire-works, ah surpassed anything ever before witnessed in New York. Lafayette was profoundly impressed by the various mani festations of prosperity and happiness, and pubhcly expressed his pleasure and pride in having aided to secure to a great nation the blessings of a free and repubhcan government. On the 5th of July the Battahon of National Guards paraded as part of a detach ment from the brigade to render funeral honors to General Charles G. Harris, Adjutant-General of the State of New York. Major Irad Hawley. From a photograph, 18t 120 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1825 The tour of Lafayette through the United States had been an ovation of affection and admiration, and the time had at length arrived for his departure for his native land. On the 14th of July the people of New York assembled to bid him farewell, and to the National Guard Battalion was assigned the post of honor in his mihtary escort. From his quarters at the City Hotel to the foot of Barclay Street, the place of embarkation, the streets were filled with admiring friends, every window was crowded to its utmost capacity, and trees and house-tops were ahve with enthu siastic spectators. As his carriage passed down Barclay Street and he came in sight of the new gray battahon, called the " Na tional Guards " in his honor, reccohections of the past and the reahties of the present affected him to tears. Though lame and in firm, he ahghted from his carriage, and, commencing with Captain Stevens, took each officer by the hand as he passed slowly down the line and feelingly expressed to all his sentiments of kindness and affection. Having reached the left of the hne he resumed his seat in his carriage and passed on amid the cheers and shouts of the assembled thousands. The distinguished honor conferred upon the National Guards by the departing patriot and soldier makes this a proud and memorable day in the history of the Seventh Eegiment. The first excursion of the National Guard Battahon took place on the 5th day of August, and its object was to practice in target- firing. Leaving the foot of Eoosevelt Street at 8 a. m., the battal ion, Major Wetmore commanding, accompanied by a large number of distinguished guests, proceeded by steamer to Barnet's Mansion- House, Bloomingdale, and, having reached its destination, each company set its target, and all tried their skill as marksmen. As many of the members had never discharged a musket, it was not a very brilliant exhibition of sharp-shooting. Colonel William M. Stone, the accomplished and genial editor of the New York " Com mercial Advertiser," thus describes in that paper of the 8th of August, 1825, his contest with Mordecai M. Noah, the veteran editor of the " National Advocate " : 1825 FIRST TARGET EXCURSION. 121 And, after the officers, Major Noah and ourselves [Colonel Stone] took a shot — not at each other, but at the target — at the usual distance. This part of the exhibition excited the most attention, inasmuch as we have both made so many hits that it was considered impossible for us to miss. The major, who, like Wilkin Flammock, " loves a deep and solemn draught when th'e business is weighty," com menced his preparations for the conflict by deliberately turning off a bottle of claret. He then grasped the musket, which he held tolerably steady, shut up the wrong eye in taking sight, and blazed away. The judges, seeing the point toward which the muzzle was directed, stepped a few yards farther back ; but, after the smoke cleared away, they were all found safe, and reported that he had made a good shot. The judges, however, decided in our favor, it appearing from the tar get that we placed the ball about an inch nearer the center than he — such, at all events, was the report, and the target, with the mark of each, was triumphantly exhibited by the friends of the People's Editor. We shrewdly guessed, however, from sly remarks, that neither of us hit the target, the major's shot striking the ground at a distance of about eight feet from the tree, and ours striking the tree in a direct line from the center of the mark, about three inches above the target. After the firing was completed, the officers, invited guests, and the troops sat down to a well-spread table, etc., etc. The dinner was spread in the shade upon a lawn near the hotel, and the entertainment was concluded with speeches, songs, and toasts by the members and invited guests. Among the speeches that were received with particular favor was that of Colonel Stone, by whom the prizes were presented to the successful competitors of the day, and who closed his f ehcitous remarks with the fohowing toast : " The National Guard — a detachment from the army of the people — every ready to defend, but never to enslave." The happy party returned to New York at an early hour in the evening, all delighted with the amusements of the day and the complete suc cess of the excursion. The first entry in the minute-book of the Board of Officers of the Battahon of National Guards was made on the 23d of Septem ber, 1825, since which date full minutes of the meetings of the Board of Officers of the Battalion of National Guards, the Twenty- seventh Eegiment, National Guard, and the Seventh Eegiment, National Guard, have been carefully recorded and preserved. The original minute-book barely escaped destruction by fire in 1837, while in the possession of the secretary, C. H. Bryson. The cover was destroyed, and its leaves considerably scorched, but rebinding has given it a creditable appearance. The title-page was elaborately ornamented by the pen of Sergeant Asher Taylor, and reads as f ohows : 122 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1825 Minutes of the Meetings OF The Officers of THE National Guards [Coat-of-arms] Pro Patria et Gloria New York 1825 The first page of the first minute-book reads as follows : 1825, September 23, Minutes, Battalion of National Guards. At a meeting of the officers of this Battalion. Stoneall's, September 23, 1825. Major-Commandant Wetmore presiding. A petition was approved by Major Wetmore from Captain Van Buren and his officers for the admission of a company to be known as the Seventh Company of National Guards. On motion, Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed by the Chair to confer with the officers upon the application. Captain Simons, ) Lieutenant-Commandant Flinn, >¦ were appointed said committee. Lieutenant Roach, ) The company above referred to was admitted unanimously. Resolved, That the committee appointed some time since for the purpose of drafting a code of By-Laws be discharged from further consideration of the sub ject. Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed by the Chair to draft a code of By-Laws to regulate this battalion. Captain Stevens, ) Captain Telfair, V were appointed said committee. Lieutenant-Commandant Flinn, ) Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed by the Chair to consummate the arrangements respecting the band. Captain Stevens, 1 Captain Simons, and [¦ were appointed said committee. Lieutenant Hart, ) Adjourned. C. B. Spicer, Secretary. The efforts of the officers and members of the new battahon were at length crowned with success ; and on the 1st of October the following order was issued by the commander-in-chief, Governor De Witt Clinton, for the withdrawal of the National Guard Battahon 1825 THE NATIONAL GUARDS AN INDEPENDENT BATTALION. 123 from the Second Eegiment, and constituting it a separate and inde pendent organization : State of New York. Head Quarters, Albamy, October 1, 1825. General Order. The commander-in-chief hereby directs that the several companies now be longing to the Second Regiment of the First Brigade, commanded by Captains Stevens, Telfair, Curtis, Simons, Lownds, and Lieutenant-Commanding Flinn at present comprising the Battalion of National Guards of said regiment, be detached therefrom and organized into a separate battalion. Major Prosper M. Wetmore is assigned to the command of the battalion. By order of the commander-in-chief : N. F. Beck, Adjutant-General. On the 12th of October Major Wetmore issued the first battalion order as f ohows : First Brigade, N. Y. State Artillery. New Yoke, October 12, 1825. Battalion Orders. The above general and brigade orders are communicated for the information of the officers and members of this battalion, to whose spirit and energy the com mandant looks with confidence for support and assistance in his endeavors to establish for the corps a reputation and character in the militia of the State. A company having been organized and admitted into this battalion, it will hereafter be recognized as the 7th Company, and will be commanded by Captain Egbert J. Van Buren ; Mr. George N. Allen will act as 1st lieutenant ; they will be respected accordingly, until the pleasure of the commander-in-chief shall be known. An election has been held in the company lately commanded by Captain Sands, and the commandant announces the following result : James Flinn, Jr., captain ; Levi Hart, 1st lieutenant ; Henry C. Conkling, 2d lieutenant. The following gentlemen are appointed to constitute the staff of this battalion : Mr. John J. Manning, quartermaster ; Mr. Sidney P. Ingraham, paymaster ; Dr. Richard S. Bryan, surgeon's mate. Lieutenant Charles B. Spicer will perform the duties of adjutant until further orders. Mr. Simeon J. Drake, of the 6th Company, is appointed sergeant-major ; Mr. Samuel L. Post, of the Second Company, is appointed assistant sergeant-major ; Mr. M. Myers, of the 5th Company, is appointed quartermaster-sergeant. They will be respected accordingly. Pursuant to brigade orders, the officers of this battalion are directed to assem ble at Stoneall's Shakespeare Tavern, corner of Fulton and Nassau Streets, on Tuesday, 18th inst., at 8 p. m., without arms, for the election of a lieutenant- colonel commandant. The officers of the battalion are directed to assemble for the transaction of business, without arms, at Stoneall's, on Friday evening next, the 14th inst., at 7 o'clock ; a general attendance is expected. The chairmen of all committees ap- 124 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1825 pointed since the organization of this battalion will be required to report on the subject of the duties confided to them at the above meeting. Commandants of companies are directed to promulgate to their commands the above orders, or so much of them as relates to the organization of the battalion. By order of Prosper M. Wetmore, Major Commandant. C. B. Spicer, Acting Adjutant. At the election held pursuant to the above orders, the greatest harmony and unanimity prevailed, and Major Wetmore was elected heutenant-colonel and Captain Stevens major of the battahon. From the origin of the movement for the organization of the Na tional Guard, Prosper M. Wetmore had been active, earnest, and indefatigable in his efforts, and had lavishly expended his time and money in its service, and the high honor of being its first field- officer was a deserved tribute of gratitude for his labors and of re spect for his talents and accomphshments. Linus W. Stevens, whose services in the mihtia commenced during the War of 1812, had demonstrated his ability as an officer, and had displayed talents that would honor any mihtary position ; and, although not among the original captains of the National Guards, he had, since his con nection with the organization, spared no effort to advance the inter ests of the battahon and establish it upon a firm and enduring basis. The result of the election was announced in orders, as f ollows : First Brigade, N. Y. State Artillery. New Tore, October 19, 1825. Brigade Orders. The brigadier-general announces the following promotions in the Battalion of National Guards : Prosper M. Wetmore, Lieutenant-Colonel. ) -„. . , ,. t -nr c M- • f Flrst election. Linus W. Stevens, Major. ) They will respectively be obeyed in the capacities to which they have been elected, until the pleasure of his Excellency the commander-in-chief shall be known. By order of Brigadier-General Benedict : William B. Curtis, Brigade-Major and Inspector. First Brigade, N. Y. State Artillery. National Guards. New York, October 19, 1825. Battalion Orders. The above brigade orders are communicated to the battalion. The resignation, by Captains Curtis, Simons, and Lownds, of the command of their companies is accepted ; they will each retain their rank in the line of this battalion, and be held responsible for the performance of all duties required of 1825 BATTALION ORDERS. 125 them. Lieutenants Williams, Valentine, Minard, and Spicer will respectively as sume the command of their companies. Captain Telfair and Lieutenants-Commandant Williams, Valentine, Minard, and Spicer will direct their several companies to assemble for the purpose of electing officers to supply all vacancies existing therein, on Monday evening next, the 24th inst., at the house of J. C. Stoneall, at seven o'clock. Commandants of companies will be prepared to exhibit, previous to the election, proper evidence of notice having been served on all the members of their companies within the time prescribed by law. Major Stevens will attend, and preside at the elections in the Second, Third, and Sixth Companies, and report the result to the commandant. Lieutenant Spicer having been assigned to the command of the Fifth Company, the com mandant tenders his thanks for the attention he has given to the duties of the adjutancy since the organization of the battalion. Lieutenant Andrew Warner, of the Seventh Company, is appointed and will perform the duties of adjutant of the battalion, and will be respected accord ingly. Orderly Sergeant James B. Wilson, of the Third Company, is appointed stand ard-bearer. A feather one third black and two thirds white, not exceeding eight inches in length, will be adopted and worn by the field and staff of this battalion. The Board of Officers, at a recent meeting, having adopted an alteration pro posed in the decoration of their coats, the line and staff officers are required to have their dress in conformity with the pattern, which may be examined at the store of Mr. Waterbury, No. 301 Pearl Street. The commandant will be absent from the city for a few days. Major Stevens will assume the command, and be obeyed and respected accordingly, until further orders. By order of Prosper M. Wetmore, Lieutenant-Colonel, Commandant : Andrew Warner, Adjutant. The changes in the decoration of the uniform coat of officers referred to in the above order, consisted of lace trimmings for the cohar, lace diamonds upon the skirt (instead of black braid), as well as upon the back of the waist. By reference to the above battahon orders it will be noticed that many important changes occurred at this period among the officers of the Battahon of National Guards. In the First Company, Captain Sands resigned and was succeeded by Lieutenant Fhnn ; in the Third Company, Lieutenant David T. Yalentine was elected captain, vice William B. Curtis, appointed brigade-major ; in the Fourth Company, Lieutenant Chandler White was elected captain in place of Captain Howard A. Simons, who retired on account of the pressure of business engagements, and was honored by a unanimous resolution of the Board of Officers granting him " the privilege of 126 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1825 remaining a supernumerary officer in this battahon " ; in the Fifth Company, Captain Lownds retired, to serve the city of New York as its sheriff, and Lieutenant Charles B. Spicer, who had been act ing as adjutant, was assigned to the command of the company until an election should be held; in the Sixth Company, First Lieu tenant Williams was elected captain, vice Stevens promoted; in the Seventh Company, Captain Yan Buren did not accept a com mission, and the office remained vacant until the fohowing year. Dr. Bryan also dechned to accept a commission, and Dr. Edward E. Marcelhn was appointed surgeon's mate. Lieutenant Andrew Warner, of the Seventh Company, was appointed adjutant, being the first of a long hst of officers popular and distinguished as occu pants of that important and favorite position. Under the energetic and successful administration of Governor De Witt Chnton, the grand Erie Canal had been completed, and great preparations were made in every city and town, between New York and Buffalo, to celebrate in an appropriate manner the great event. The city of New York justly regarded this great work of internal improvement as immensely important to her com mercial prosperity, and testified in very many ways her approbation of the pohcy of Governor Chnton. The 26th day of October was selected for the celebration of its completion, and orders were issued for the parade of the uniformed mihtia. It was noticed, however, after the issue of brigade and regimental orders, that the parade would be in violation of a law which prohibited the pubhc appear ance of any brigade or regiment within five days of a State or city election. The general orders were therefore countermanded, but the Battalion of National Guards, by a peculiar construction of the law, paraded under special orders from Lieutenant-Colonel Wet more. Having marched through Broadway and the Bowery, the battahon visited the Parthenon, more popularly known as Peale's Museum, and, after inspecting its paintings and curiosities, per formed various mihtary evolutions upon the roof of the building, and fired afeu-de-joie. Peale's Museum was situated in Broadway, near Murray Street, and, though a building of moderate size, its roof comfortably accommodated the National Guards on this occasion. The first annual inspection of the Battahon of National Guards took place at the Battery on the 18th of November, in compliance with the following order : 1825 THE ARSENAL YARD. 127 National Guards. New York, November, 12, 1825. Battalion Orders. The officers of this battalion are directed to assemble in undress, with side- arms only for drill, in the arsenal-yard, on Tuesday and Thursday, the 15th and 17th inst., at half-past 3 p. m. of each day. The battalion is directed to parade in full uniform for review and inspection, on Friday next, the 18th inst. The battalion line will be formed in Park Place, at half-past two, precisely. At all parades, drills, and meetings, ordered in this battalion, the time will be taken by the adjutant from St. George's Church, and the roll will be called pre cisely at the time specified in the orders. . . . By order of Prosper M. Wetmore, Lieutenant-Colonel, Commandant : Andrew Warner, Adjutant. The arsenal-yard mentioned in the above order, and frequently alluded to in the fohowing pages, occupied the block bounded by Centre, Elm, Franklin, and White Streets, and was for a long time a favorite place for out-door drill and mihtary instruction. Nearly every pleasant afternoon in spring and autumn, a company, or bat tahon, or the officers of a regiment, assembled there to practice and improve in mihtary tactics, and it was also a popular resort for the idlers of the town, who strolled thither to take a look at the soldiers. For many years it was the scene of all mihtary tournaments, or " trials of skill," as they were popularly called, and of a variety of other interesting mihtary events ; and to the veteran mihtiaman the name and appearance of the old arsenal-yard were long as familiar as a household word. The old State Arsenal, a three-story brick building erected in 1808, was situated upon the southwest corner of the premises, and was surmounted by a very tall flag-staff ; in the center of the Franklin Street front was a three-story brick dwelling, the residence of the commissary-general having charge of the arsenal and yards, and the remainder of the premises was sur rounded by a high board fence, and by a row of sheds, under wliich was stored the artillery of the State. In due time the old arsenal was succeeded by a more imposing structure, located in Sixty-first Street, near Fifth Avenue — now Central Park — and the mihtary glory of the old arsenal-yard succumbed to the demands of the rapidly increasing business of the city. The execution of James Beynolds, convicted of the murder of Wilham West, took place On the 19th of November, and the Na tional Guards were called upon for the first time by the authorities 10 12S HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1825 to assist in the preservation of order and the enforcement of the laws. At this period the execution of crhninals was pubhc, and attracted vast throngs of vulgar people, and a mihtary force was always required by the sheriff to secure the pubhc peace and to aid in the performance of his duty. Pursuant to order, the National Guards assembled in Elm Street in front of the arsenal, and, having received the necessary ammunition and special instructions, marched to the Brideweh in the park, and escorted the criminal thence to the place of execution. The place selected for the purpose was be tween the First and Second Avenues, and near where the Bellevue Hospital now stands, and was at that time a wild and rough locahty, and far beyond the city limits. Apprehensions had been enter tained that the mob would attempt a rescue, and it required all the strength and firmness of the National Guards, assisted by High- Constable Jacob Hays and his posse, to preserve order in the turbu lent crowd of spectators. As the soldiers marched back to the city they were crowded and jostled by the rude mob, and, after a day of fatigue, hunger, and suffering, they were glad to break ranks and repair to their comfortable homes. The last parade of the year was on the 25th day of November. The battahon paraded in white trousers and without overcoats, for gray trousers and overcoats were not yet a part of the prescribed uniform. In battahon orders issued December 27th the Shake speare Tavern was designated as the place for the monthly meetings of the Board of Officers until otherwise ordered. The meetings were held on the first Thursday in each month, and the fine for absence was three dollars. At a special meeting held on the 14th day of October a code of by-laws was adopted, which was amended and readopted on the 5th day of April, 1827, for the government of the Board of Officers. By general orders of November 26th a new brigade was formed from the First Brigade of New York State Artihery, to be called the Sixth Brigade. It consisted of the Third, Eleventh, and Thirteenth Eegiments, New York State Artillery, the Battal ion of National Guards remaining a part of the First Brigade, General Benedict commanding. During the latter part of the year 1825 the Battahon of National Guards made rapid progress. It had not only secured official rec ognition as a separate and distinct organization, but a new company 1825 PROGRESS AND PROSPERITY. 129 (the Seventh) had been formed and accepted, a considerable num ber of new members had been enlisted in ah the companies ; the members had been uniformed, and activity and enthusiasm gener ally prevailed. Officers and members hailed the day as not distant when an eighth company should be added to the battahon, thereby securing a regimental name and existence. The Old Park Theatre, 1825. 130 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1826 CHAPTEE SIXTH. 1826. The celebration of New- Year's Day as a hohday is not pecuhar to the present generation, and formerly commenced at a very early hour in the new year, as appears from the fohowing order : Battalion of National Guards. New Year Order. The officers of this corps are invited to meet at Colonel Wetmore's quarters, No. 79 Franklin Street, on Monday morning next, 2d January, 1826, at one min ute after midnight, on business of an interesting nature. Andrew Warner, Adjutant. The mihtary text-book in general use by the mihtia of New York after the Eevolutionary War was Baron Steuben's Tactics. On the 12th of September, 1814, Duane's Hand-Book of In fantry was officially introduced to the service, and, in the follow ing year, Gardner's "Compend" became a recognized text-book. During the winter of 1825-26 Congress adopted the system de rived from the French, popularly known in this country for many years as " Scott's Tactics." The United States Army was immedi ately ordered to drill in this system, and the more intelligent and ambitious of the mihtia organizations at once commenced its study and practice. An order was issued by Lieutenant-Colonel Wet more, directing the officers of the battahon to assemble at Dooley's Long Eoom, on the 22d of February, to commence a course of in struction in the new tactics, and officers' drills were held regularly once a week for several months. Scott's Tactics continued to be the mihtary text-book of the United States Army and of the mihtia of the State of New York until Hardee's Light-Infantry Tactics — a translation from the French — was adopted by the War Department in the year 1858. At this period there were no generally accepted regulations for the ordinary mihtary ceremonies. Early in the year 1826 a Board 1826 BILL OF DRESS. 131 of Officers composed of the commandants of the regiments of the First Brigade, New York State Artillery, revised the " System of Formation and Dismissal of Eegiments and of the Standing and Marching Eeview," which was approved in brigade orders of June 15th, and ordered to be strictly observed throughout the corps. At an election on the 20th of January for a captain of the Fifth Company, Eobert B. Boyd was elected by one vote over Lieutenant Charles B. Spicer. The election was appealed from, and was set aside by General Benedict, on the ground that one member had voted who had not yet signed the roU. The affair created great excitement, but was amicably adjusted by the unanimous election of Lieutenant Spicer to the command of the Seventh Company, and the unanimous re-election of Captain Boyd in the Fifth, both elec tions being held on the 14th of February. The Bill of Dress having been referred for revision to a com mittee of officers consisting of Major Stevens, Captain Flinn, Quar termaster Maiming, and Lieutenants Allen and Holt, their report was finally adopted by the Board of Officers on the 2d day of March, and was subsequently pubhshed for the information and government of the battahon, as f ohows : BILL OF DRESS OF THE NATIONAL GUARDS. The uniform of this corps shall consist of a short coat or coatee, of mixed cloth, a cap of black glazed leather, and white pantaloons, as follows : I. The coat shall be of the military gray, manufactured for this corps, single- breasted ; square, standing collar to meet and hook under the chin ; a double stripe of black silk braid to extend around the collar, and a blind button-hole of the same, to commence at the front and extend back on each side three and a half inches, and terminate in three face-loops into a button in the center of the loops. One row of buttons in front, to be placed one and a half inches apart ; the number to vary in conformity to the size of the person. Blind button-holes of the braid to extend across the front from each button, conforming to the direction of the collar, and to terminate in three face-loops ; the length to vary, being longest across the chest, and diminishing gradually above and below. The cuff three inches deep, with four buttons around the upper edge in front. A blind button hole to extend downward from each button, and terminate in three face-loops to correspond with the breast. Four buttons under each pocket-flap, with blind button-holes, as on the cuff and breast. Four buttons on the plait or fold of each skirt, viz. : one at one inch from the bottom of the skirt, one at the top, a third midway between the two, and a fourth one and a half inches above the third. The two buttons at the top of the skirt to be inclosed in a diamond of braid, with a diamond of braid between them ; the edge of the back skirts to be trimmed with a stripe of braid from the tacking to the bottom. A stripe of braid to commence 132 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1826 at the top of the skirt, on the outward or front edge, extending downward on the skirt (varying from one to one and a half inches from front edge) to within one and a half to two inches of the bottom, and with a single loop continuing to the lower corner in front. On the corner of the skirt between the braid and the front edge to be placed a diamond of braid. On the back of the coat a stripe of braid to commence with each of the buttons, and cover the two outer seams of the back to the shoulder, thence along the sleeve to the shoulder-seam, and covering that to the col lar. The skirts of the coat to be in length proportioned to the length of the back, the outer edge to commence at the side-seams of the pantaloons and terminate narrow. II. The wings to consist of a shoulder- cap of cloth, like the coat, three inches deep at the center, diminishing gradually to a point each way, to be padded full and se cured to the top seam of the sleeve by the upper edge, a stripe of braid on the upper edge, and diagonal stripes of the same to be placed on top, one inch apart, a tuft of black worsted on the outer edge. III. The buttons of the pattern manu factured for the Regiment, and known as the " button of the National Guards." IV. The pantaloons to be plain white linen drilling, and long enough to touch the instep, worn over the boots. No under- straps to be permitted to pantaloons. V. The cap, bell-crowned, seven inches high in front, the visor of black leather, circular, two and a half inches deep at the widest part ; the cap to terminate at the back of the head in a point, on a horizontal line with the extremity of the visor. Trimmings, plain brass or gilt scales in front, and one inch above the scales the initials " N. G.," in a cipher, over which an eagle, measuring three inches between the tips of the wings ; the initials and eagle to be of brass or gilt ; on the upper edge, in front, a black leather cockade, with a small yellow button having an eagle impressed upon it. Tassels of gold bullion, three inches in length, finished with silver at each extremity, to be sus pended by a gold and silver braided knob and cord of the pattern now worn, three and a half inches long, from a ring at the upper edge of the right side of cap. Pompon white, three inches long, to be worn in front, and inserted in the cap, through a plain brass or gilt ball. VI. Black stock or cravat, plain in front. VII. Gloves of deep buff. A Seventh Regiment Soldier, 1825. 1826 BILL OF DRESS. I33 Arms and Accoutrements. I. Musket according to law, same style as those manufactured for the regular service of the United States Army, with a white sling of linen or cotton webbing. II. Cartridge-box of black leather with the initials "N. G.," in brass or gilt. III. Bayonet-sheath and throg of black leather. IV. Belt of white webbing, secured in front by brass plate or clasp. Non-commissioned Officers. I. The second, third, and fourth sergeants and the corporals will be uniformed the same as privates, with the exception of the trimmings on the wings, where gold-lace will be substituted for braid ; and with the addition of a small, straight sword, with yellow mounting, and black leather scabbard, suspended by a throg, to correspond with the bayonet. II. The orderly sergeant will be permitted to dispense with musket, etc., and wear a sword the same as above defined, suspended in the same manner to a similar belt. Coat the same as that of the other non-commissioned officers. Officers' Uniforms. I. Field-officers' coats will be trimmed as above defined (wearing gold-lace in lieu of braid) with the addition of three chevrons reversed on each skirt. They will wear epaulets and the chapeau de bras. II. Company and commissioned staff-officers (with the exception of surgeons) will have the " trimmings on the collar " and the " diamonds " of gold-lace, wings of gold bullion, protected by gilt scales and chains. III. The coats of medical officers shall correspond with those of the battalion in point of color. IV. The swords worn by field, staff, and medical officers shall be gold-mounted with straight blades, suspended by gilt chains to a gold-laced belt, secured in front by a gilt plate or clasp ; sash of red net. V. Sergeant-majors and quartermaster-sergeants will wear the same uniform as orderly sergeants, with the addition of a sash of red silk net. Distinctions. I. Captains will wear a chevron on each arm above the elbow. II. Subalterns will wear a chevron on each arm below the elbow. III. Staff-officers (with the exception of adjutant and sergeant-major) will wear, in addition to the chevrons of their rank, a band of gold-lace on the right arm above the elbow. IV. The adjutant will wear an arc of gold fringe connecting the two extreme points of the chevron. V. The sergeant-major will wear an arc similar to that of the adjutant. VI. Sergeants will wear a chevron on each arm below the elbow. VII. Corporals will wear a chevron on each arm below the elbow. 134 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1826 By general orders, dated March 14, 1826, the Corps of Artil lery was reorganized and divided into three divisions : the First Division to consist of the Sixth Brigade of Artillery and the First Brigade of Horse Artillery ; the Second Division to be composed of the First and Second Brigades ; the Third Division to include the Third, Fourth, and Fifth (country) Brigades. The command of the First Division remained with Major-General Morton, and the commander-in-chief assigned Brigadier-General Benedict to the command of the Second Division. Colonel James A. Moore, of the Second Eegiment, was elected brigadier-general of the First Brigade, vice Benedict promoted, but declined, and, on the 9th of May, Eobert T. Manly was elected to fill the vacancy. The Bat tahon of National Guards (Twenty-seventh Eegiment), under the reorganization, formed a part of the First Brigade in the Second Division. On the 4th day of May the Committee on Music reported to the Board of Officers that a contract had been made with " a band of drummers and lifers," this being the first permanent arrange ment made for music by the new battahon. As difficulties frequently occurred as to rank and station upon parade, the Board of Officers on the 12th of May adopted rules for their government in these particulars. The most important of these rules, and the only one which continued in force for a long period, was, " at the signal for the formation of the regimental hne, the company commanded by the senior officer present shah be entitled to the senior station in the Eegiment." That the Battalion of National Guards might be legally ad vanced to the dignity of a regiment it was resolved to raise another company, and, on the 10th of April, Lieutenant-Colonel- Wetmore detailed the fohowing gentlemen to organize the new corps : An drew Warner, heutenant of the Seventh Company and adjutant, to be captain ; William H. Insley, first heutenant ; and William P. Mil lard, second heutenant. They entered upon their duty with great energy and industry, and, on the 4th of May, the requisite number of men having been enrolled, the new company was admitted to the battahon as the Eighth Company of National Guards. As soon as the Eighth Company was admitted, Governor De Witt Chnton was notified of the fact, and promptly issued the fol lowing order : 1826 FIRST REGIMENTAL ORDER. 135 State of New York. Head Quarters, Albany, May 6, 1826. General Orders. The commander-in-chief hereby directs that the Battalion of National Guards m the city of New York, now under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Prosper M. Wetmore, and attached to the First Brigade of New York Artillery, be organ ized into a new regiment, to be denominated the Twenty-seventh Regiment of Ar tillery. By order of the commander-in-chief : N. T: Beck, Adjutant-General. A regimental name and organization had long been hoped for and desired, and the above order was received with enthusiasm and dehght by the officers and members of the National Guards. Lieu tenant-Colonel Wetmore promulgated the above general orders on the 16th day of May in the following, the fwst regimental order issued to the Twenty-seventh (now Seventh) Regiment. Twenty-Seventh Regiment, N. Y. State Artillery. New York, May 16, 1826. Regimental Orders. The preceding general and brigade orders are communicated for the informa tion of the officers and members of this Regiment. The commander-in-chief having been pleased to direct that this corps shall be organized and constituted a regi ment, the commandant anxiously hopes that the exertions on the part of the offi cers and members will not be relaxed, and that, on the approaching parades, every endeavor will be made to create for this Regiment a character and standing for numbers, appearance, and discipline worthy of the brigade to which it is attached. Surgeon's Mate Edward P. Marcellin is appointed and will perform the duties of surgeon to this Regiment until the pleasure of the commander-in-chief shall be known. Pursuant to brigade orders of this date, the officers of this Regiment will assemble at Stoneall's, on Tuesday, the 23d inst., at 10 a. m., to hold an election for colonel. By order of Prosper M. Wetmore, Lieutenant- Colonel, < Commandant : Andrew Warner, Adjutant. At the election held pursuant to order, at Stoneall's Shakespeare Tavern, on the 23d of May, Lieutenant-Colonel Prosper M. Wet more was elected colonel, Major Linus W. Stevens heutenant-colonel, and Captain John Telfair major of the Twenty-seventh Eegiment. Captain Telfair had dechned the majority at the previous election, and on this occasion was elected contrary to his earnestly expressed wishes ; and it was only at the urgent solicitation of Colonel Wet more who was his warm personal friend and admirer, that he con sented to accept the position. 136 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1826 Before accepting his commission, Colonel Wetmore appealed to the commander-in-chief, Governor De Witt Chnton, for the rank in the brigade of which he deemed himself unjustly deprived by the election of Munson Clarke, Esq., to the colonelcy of the Four teenth Eegiment on the 22d of May. Fortified by the opinions of such distinguished jurists as James Kent, Ambrose Spencer, Thomas J. Oakley, Samuel A. Talcott, and others, to the effect that the commander-in-chief has the right to confer rank upon officers of the same grade without regard to the date of election, Governor Chnton gave the higher rank to the Twenty-seventh Eegiment, although its colonel was elected a day later than the colonel of the Four teenth Eegiment. On the 19th of June Major Telfair resigned his commission, on account of business engagements, and at an election held at Stone all's, on the 27th of June, ex- Captain Howard A. Simons, of the Fourth Company, was unani mously elected his successor. Major John Telfair enhsted in 1806 as a private in the Third Company of the Second Battal ion of the Eleventh Eegiment. He passed through ah the grades of the service, was a sergeant during the War of 1812, a heu tenant in the Second Company in 1820, and its captain in 1823. He was active and influential in the organization of the Battahon of National Guards, and is emi nently entitled to the honor of being one of the founders of the Seventh Eegiment. In 1833 he again accepted the captaincy of the Second Company, and finahy retired from the service in 1836. He died in New York in 1850. During his administration the Second Company maintained a high state of prosperity. Although not a strict disciphnarian nor fond of the details of drill, he had the happy faculty of attracting young men to his command, and of enlisting their affections and efforts 1826 FIRST REGIMENTAL STANDARD. 137 in its behalf. He belonged to that school of officers who love the militia service for its society, its display, and its parades, rather than its drills and military tactics. Captain Telfair was an active and capable business man, and for many years held confidential and responsible positions in several prominent mercantile houses. His fine social qualities, fascinating manners, unbounded hospi tality, and attractive and handsome person made him a general favorite in military circles during the period of his active connec tion with the regiment. At the January meeting of the Board of Officers a committee was appointed, consisting of Captains Telfair and Flinn, Surgeon Marcelhn, and Adjutant Warner, " to make the necessary arrange ments for procuring a standard to be embroidered for this battal ion." On the 2d of March the committee submitted the following report : National Guards. The committee for procuring a standard have to report that some effort has been made with a view of distinguishing the corps by some fair individual who might be disposed to embroider an appropriate standard, but the expectation hith erto entertained on that subject has not been realized. The season has become far advanced, and it is now best to employ Mrs. Windsor, who has executed em broidery on standards for other regiments, and will do the same for this battalion at a reasonable compensation ; but a certain price can not be fixed until the design is exhibited, and, that not having been agreed upon by the committee, it is sub mitted to the Board of Officers for the adoption of such design most suitable to their wishes. John Telfair, James Flinn, Jr., Edward P. Marcellin, Andrew Warner, New York, March 2, 1826. The failure of the committee to enhst any of the young ladies of the city in the appropriate task of embroidering a standard for one of the most popular and gallant military corps in the service was the subject of considerable good-humored badinage. The committee, having been authorized by the Board of Officers to select a design and to procure the standard, employed Mrs. Windsor, wife of Lloyd D. Windsor, the veteran Principal of Pubhc School No. 1 — originally the " New York Free School " — in Chatham Street, corner of Tryon Eow, to execute the embroidery, and accepted the original design of Sergeant Asher Taylor, of the Fourth Company. Sergeant Taylor traced the design upon the silk, and supervised Committee. 138 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1826 the entire work, and, through his activity and energy, the commit tee was enabled to report during the latter part of May the comple tion of the standard. The Board of Officers acknowledged his valuable services by the adoption of the following preamble and resolution : Whereas, Sergeant Asher Taylor, of the Fourth Company of National Guards, having assisted the Standard Committee in giving a suitable design to be embroid ered for the banner of this battalion, and also facilitating the duties of the com mittee for prescribing the uniform of the corps ; therefore — Resolved, That the thanks of the officers of this battalion be presented to Ser geant Asher Taylor, of the Fourth Company, for his skill and ingenuity exercised in sketching a suitable design for and tracing it on the silk intended for the ban ner of the National Guards, and also for assistance i'endered in furnishing the " Bill of Dress " lately adopted. The first parade of the National Guards as the Twenty-seventh Eegiment took place on the 31st of May to receive the colors above referred to. The regiment was formed in Park Place, and the colors were presented in front of the City Hall. The distinguished Mayor of New York, Hon. Philip Hone, dehvered the standard to Colonel Wetmore, with an eloquent and complimentary address, in the presence of a large number of ladies and prominent citizens. The fact, however, that the young men of the Eegiment were allowed to purchase a regimental flag, and that the chief executive officer of the city should present a flag thus purchased to the Eegi ment, illustrates the economy or parsimony of the city government of that period, and is not very creditable to the public spirit of the citizens of New York, whose lives and property the Eegiment was organized and sworn to defend. The flag presented on this occa sion was made of red silk, upon which was embroidered the coat-of- arms of the Eegiment on a shield, with the crest and motto, sup ported by wreaths of oak and laurel and surrounded by golden stars. Colonel Wetmore having received an invitation to the Eegiment to witness the laying of the corner-stone of the New York (Bow ery) Theatre by his Honor the Mayor, ordered a parade on the 17th of June for that purpose. Considerable objection was made by officers and members to parading on an occasion of this character, and the parade was countermanded. At a meeting of the Board of Officers held on the 1st of June, a committee was appointed, consisting of Adjutant Warner, Pay master Ingraham, and Lieutenant Holt, "to complete the State 182G THE MIDDLETOWN CADETS. 139 The Seventh Regiment Standards, 1826. banner now in the hands of Mrs. Windsor, being embroidered." This flag was also purchased from the contributions for. that pur pose of the officers and members of the Eegi ment, and was embroid ered by Mrs. Windsor with great taste and skill. It was made of blue silk, bearing the arms of the State of New York on a shield supported by wreaths of oak and laurel, with the State crest, and the motto " Excelsior." At the meeting of the Board of Officers in March a communication was received from John Pintard, Esq., long a distinguished citizen of New York, favoring and urging a project for a military hbrary. Eesolutions were adopted by the board encouraging the movement, and in favor of attending a mihtary lecture by Captain Partridge at the Mechanics' Institute, the pro ceeds of which were to be devoted toward founding a military library. Captain Alden Partridge had been an instructor in mili tary tactics at West Point, and was at this period the principal of a very flourishing and popular military school at Middletown, Conn. So dehghted were the officers of the Eegiment with this admirable lecture, that comphmentary resolutions to Captain Partridge were unanimously adopted ; and, although the project for a mihtary library, after languishing for a time, finally expired, it immediately led to a most agreeable acquaintance between the officers and mem bers of the Twenty-seventh Eegiment and Captain Partridge and his cadets. On the 12th day of May a resolution was adopted in viting the Middletown Cadets to parade with the Eegiment on the 4th of July and accept its hospitahties, and the invitation was accepted. The semi-centennial anniversary of American independence was 140 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1826 celebrated with great enthusiasm and display. At an early hour the Twenty-seventh Eegiment paraded to receive the Middletown Cadets. After the usual reception, ceremonies at the foot of Fulton Street, East Eiver, the National Guards, accompanied by their guests, proceeded to Castle Garden to receive from Governor Chn ton the State standard above referred to. As this presentation pre ceded the general parade of the day, the attendance was unusually brilhant, including the major-general and staff, the brigadier-gen erals and staffs, nearly all the field and line officers of the division, and a large part of the youth, beauty, and fashion of the city. The enthusiasm with which the eloquent remarks of Governor Chnton were received by citizens and soldiers, the great number and variety of elegant uniforms that graced the occasion, and the fine martial appearance of the Eegiment and of the Middletown Cadets, united to render the scene particularly interesting and imposing. The division formed at the Battery at 10 A. m., was reviewed by Major- General Morton, marched through Broadway, Maiden Lane, Pearl and Chatham Streets, passed the Governor in review at the City Hah, and, after a feu-de-joie, was dismissed. The Middletown Cadets were afterward entertained by the Eegiment at Morse's Hotel in Park Eow, and were quartered for the night with the members at their residences. The mihtary ceremonies concluded, the Governor and Mayor and the officers of the Division repaired to Washington Parade- Ground, where a pubhc feast had been prepared by the city corpora tion. Immense awnings had been erected, beneath which two tables, each four hundred and fifty feet long, groaned under vast quantities of substantial viands. Two oxen, roasted whole ; two hundred hams, with a carver at each ; immense piles of bread and innumerable barrels of beer, were the chief features of this wonderful entertain ment. The mayor having officially inaugurated the pubhc feast, the oxen, hams, bread, and beer soon disappeared among the hungry and thirsty people, while the mayor and city officials, the Governor and suite, and the officers of the division, dined together more sumptuously at the City Hah. In describing the events of the day, Colonel William L. Stone, of the " Commercial Advertiser," alluded to the corporation dinner as follows : The regular before-dinner proceedings of the day having been thus happily ended ; the Governor having presented a banner, reviewed the troops and been 1826 WASHINGTON PARADE GROUND. 141 saluted by them ; the officers having shown their fine coats and epaulets to the public in general, and to their wives and sweethearts at the windows in particular, and the soldiers fired away the powder — the societies having paraded, and the Tammanies exhibited their bucktails — the rabble around the park having swallowed all the pigs, puddings, and punch from those elegant restorateurs, the booths, which they could procure for cash or credit — the " up-town boys " having ate a yoke of oxen and picked their teeth with the horns, and the committee of arrange ments having closed the doors of the banqueting-hall, so that the multitude could no longer see or smell what their betters were about to taste — we retired to our domicile to partake of an independent and solitary dinner, not so rich and varied by half as the corporation dinner — for who but aldermen dare dine upon turtle and champagne? — but good enough for all that, and well seasoned with Spartan sauce. The truth is, our knowledge of dinatory tactics teaches us to dislike a corporation feast excessively, when we happen not to have an invitation. And even occasionally, when we do arrive at that high distinction, there are so many drawbacks upon one's comfort, that ten to one, were it not for the name of the thing, a domestic man, who has not a smoky house and the usual con comitant (a scolding wife) at home, would find more substantial pleasure, ay, a more substantial dinner, at his own fireside. In the latter particular, how ever, we expect to make no converts among the worshipful "fathers" of the city ; for, as the poet says : " Wretches hang, that aldermen may dine ! " In short, we have high authority for saying that a coquette would rather renounce the pleasure of being admired ; a poet that of being praised ; a tailor that of cheating, or a dandy that of getting into his debt ; and lawyers and doctors would sooner abandon their fees ; nay, a bailiff sooner let you out of his clutches without a bribe, than an alderman would forego a good dinner. How many city improve ments have been arranged while the committee were swallowing their beefsteak and oysters ! And how many schemes of retrenchment planned over a dinner of three courses with Burgundy to boot ! In the evening there was a grand display of fire-works in the park. The front of the City Hall was adorned with illuminated paintings and transparencies, and an immense illuminated globe suspended in the park attracted great attention and was universahy admired. The following extract from division orders, dated June 27, 1826, is historically interesting : The corporation of the city have been pleased to set apart a piece of ground for a military parade on Fourth Street near McDougall Street, and have di rected it to be called " Washington Military Parade-Ground." For the purpose of honoring its first occupation as a military parade, Colonel Arcularius will order a detachment from his regiment, with field-pieces, to parade on the ground on the morning of the 4th of July next. He shall fire a national salute and proclaim the name of the parade-ground, with such ceremonies as he shall see fit. 142 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1826 On the 4th of July, Colonel Wetmore presented to Governor De Witt Clinton, Mayor Phihp Hone, John Pintard, Esq., and other very distinguished citizens, medals bearing the arms of the Eegiment, which were acknowledged in the most comphmentary terms. Mayor Hone wrote as follows : The Mayor presents his respects to Colonel Wetmore and accepts with great pleasure the beautiful medal bearing the arms of the Corps of National Guards. Nothing could be more grateful to his feelings than to receive this compliment from his favorite regiment, and he hopes they will consider themselves under his peculiar patronage. The death of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson on the fiftieth anniversary of American independence was a remarkable coinci dence, and the whole country united in testifying respect to their memory. On the 12th of July the obsequies were celebrated by the city authorities of New York, and the funeral services took place at the Middle Dutch Church. The officers of the Twenty- seventh Eegiment National Guards met at the City Coffee-House, 31 Park Eow, to join the procession. The pubhc buildings were draped in mourning; the city bells were tolled; a salute of one hundred and seventy-five guns, that being the united ages of the deceased Presidents, was fired at the Battery by the Eleventh Eegi ment, New York Artillery ; all places of business were closed ; and the entire community participated in the solemnities in honor of the departed statesmen and patriots of the Eevolution. At the end of the first half of the year 1826 the Eegiment had made considerable progress in the new and improved system of in fantry tactics. Officers had been drilled twice a month with the musket, and the drills by company had been more frequent and thorough than under the old regime. New members were admitted to the Eegiment and were promptly equipped, and in every depart ment of the organization activity and harmony prevailed. Target-firing was the popular military amusement of this season, and every company of the Eegiment, except the Eighth, devoted a day to target-practice. Considerable military instruction and im provement were the result of these target excursions, and they were a source of great pleasure to the members and their friends. Among the invited guests were usually the editors of the city newspapers and the prominent officers of the mihtia, and some times ladies graced these occasions with their presence. A good 1826 ANNUAL INSPECTION. 143 dinner after the fatigues and amusements of the day, and the usually lively and sometimes brilliant after-dinner exercises, were always attractive features ; and the prizes, which were generally a musket, a brace of pistols, and a piece of plate, were cherished by the champions of the target, as valued mementos of these days of pleasure. The scene of these pleasant and instructive entertain ments in 1826 was Mersereau's Ferry, Staten Island, a dehghtful rural resort upon New York Bay. On the 9th of August the non-commissioned officers of the Eegi ment, under command of Adjutant Warner, proceeded to Stuy vesant Creek for target-practice. The detachment was accompanied by the commissioned officers, who appeared on this occasion, by order, in " undress gray caps, white pantaloons and vest, and white roundabout." The field and staff officers fired at the target with pistols for a pair of prize pistols, and the company officers fired with muskets for a prize sword, using for that purpose the muskets of the non-commissioned officers. The prizes for the best marks men among the non-commissioned officers were presented by the field and staff officers. It is related that on this occasion Colonel Stone, of the " Commercial Advertiser," who was a great friend of the Eegiment and a universal favorite with its members, was in duced to try his skill with a musket ; and, as with closed eyes he blazed away, an officer standing two or three rods from the target was seen to fall. The colonel was struck with horror at the thought that he had caused the death of a friend, and was corre spondingly elated when he discoverd that it was only a practical joke upon his unskillful marksmanship. He abjured target-firing, however, from that day forward. The annual inspection and review took place at the Battery on the 18th of October, regimental hne forming in Park Place. All members, whether uniformed or ununiformed, were ordered to parade for inspection, and all " warrant officers," except the sergeant- major, were directed to appear with musket, bayonet, belt, and cartouch-box. The sergeant-major was directed, " for the purpose of having a correct understanding in the music department," to call the roll of musicians precisely at the commencement of the formation of the hne, and immediately report the dehnquencies to the senior officer of the music committee present, to whom the leader was to report the cause of each delinquency for final refer- 11 144 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1826 ence to the Board of Officers. The following is an abstract of the inspection of the First Brigade of New York State Artihery, held on the 18th of October, 1826 : REGIMENTS. Commandants. Number of com panies. Ma- trosses present. Total present. Grand total. Twenty-Seventh Regt. . . Fourteenth Regiment . . . Colonel J. A. Moore. . . . P. M. Wetmore. M. Clarke S. I. Hunt 8798 32 193 189 177 178 289 277276272 5 472437 529 472 7 Total force of the 737 1,119 1,917 ¦ New Yoek, December 1, 1826. J. D. Everson, Brigade Inspector. The year closed with the usual parade on the anniversary of the evacuation of New York, November 25th. On the 13th of November, the First Brigade proceeded, by order of General Manly, to the " village of Brooklyn," for exercise in the evolu tions of the hne. As a parade of this character was a novelty in military circles, crowds of people crossed the Fulton Ferry and proceeded to the open fields near Bed Hook to witness the unusual display. In general orders, both General Manly and Colonel Wet more expressed great satisfaction at the rapid improvement in the drill and discipline of their commands. There had certainly been a general revival of military spirit in New York, and the Twenty- seventh Eegiment had led the advance. To the frequent meetings of the officers, non-commissioned officers, and the several companies for military instruction was due the reputation which the Eegiment so rapidly acquired in the year 1826. The changes in company officers during the year were numerous and important. In the First Company, Captain Flinn retired, and was succeeded by Lieutenant Levi Hart ; in the Second Company, Lieutenant Ingraham succeeded Captain Telfair, but continued to act as paymaster upon the staff of Colonel Wetmore ; in the Fifth Company, Eobert B. Boyd, Esq., succeeded Captain Lownds, the company having been for a long time in charge of Lieutenant Spicer ; in the Seventh Company, Lieutenant Spicer, of the Fifth Company, was elected captain, and may be properly regarded as -1826 CHANGES AND PROMOTIONS. 145 the first captain of that company, as the company since its organi zation had been in charge of Lieutenant Allen. Captain Andrew Warner was commissioned as the first captain of the Eighth Com pany, but continued to perform the duties of adjutant during the year. American Rifleman. From a print about 1776. 146 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1827 CHAPTEE SEYENTH. 1827. The harmony which had prevailed in the Eegiment was sud denly terminated by a contest among its officers, which threat ened the existence of the organization. The failure of the Lom bard Association, a loan and trust company, of which Colonel Wetmore was a prominent officer, was the immediate cause of the outbreak. When the pubhc suffers by the failure of finan cial institutions, charges of fraud are generally visited upon the unfortunate officers ; a shadow is often cast upon their good names, and time alone can vindicate those who are supposed to be the authors of misfortune. So, in this case, the pubhc and the press were not slow in circulating reports unfavorable to the integrity and honor 'of Colonel Wetmore and his associates in business. An event of this character was, of course, the subject of anxious consid eration among the officers and members of the Eegiment. Colonel Wetmore had enjoyed an enviable popularity ; he was the most act ive and influential among the founders of the Eegiment, and, under his administration as its chief officer, it had echpsed other organiza tions in prosperity and in the struggle for pubhc favor. All were deeply chagrined that any charges whatsoever should be made which reflected upon the good name of their popular colonel, and many were alarmed lest the reputation and prosperity of the Eegi ment should suffer thereby. The great questions were for the first time agitated in the Eegiment, how far a military organization should allow its prosperity to be jeopardized by any odium which its officers may incur, whether merited or unmerited, and whether it is or is not the duty of an officer who is for the time being under a cloud to sever his mihtary connections without regard to his own guilt or innocence. Upon both of these questions a diversity of opinion existed, and no settled policy has ever been adopted wliich 1827 THE WETMORE IMBROGLIO. 147 can govern the occasional cases of this kind which occur under a variety of circumstances in a popular military body. On the 22d day of December, 1826, an informal meeting of the officers was held, pursuant .to the following notice : Friday, December 22, 1826. You are requested to attend a meeting of the officers of the Twenty-seventh Regiment, at Stoneall's, this evening, at seven o'clock, on business of importance. By request of officers : L. W. Stevens, Lieutenant-Colonel. There was a full attendance of officers, and the reports in respect to the financial operations of Colonel Wetmore were f reelly discussed with reference particularly to the probable influence of such reports upon the interests of the Eegiment. A memorial to Colonel Wet more on 'the subject was prepared and adopted, recounting the un favorable rumors in public circulation, and asking for a statement of the facts in the case. At a meeting held on the 27th day of December, a letter was received from Colonel Wetmore, promising at the earhest opportunity to communicate with the Board of Offi cers upon the subject. At a special meeting of the officers con vened by the commandant on the 11th of January, 1827, Colonel Wetmore appeared in his own defense, pronounced the charges unfavorable to his character to be false, denied the right of his offi cers to directly or indirectly sit in judgment upon his private and business transactions, and intimated that those officers who had been most active in agitating the subject within the Eegiment were actu ated by selfish and personal motives. At the conclusion of his address the colonel retired, and the Board of Officers, without discussion, by a vote of sixteen to eight, declared that the defense of Colonel Wetmore was unsatisfactory. For more than two weeks this sub ject had been an exciting topic of conversation among officers and men ; gradually the discussion had become bitter and personal, and now open war was declared between the partisans of Colonel Wet more and his opponents. Officers pubhcly declared that they would obey no orders issued by the commandant ; threats of arrest and of courts-martial were hurled back and forth ; some of the companies ventilated their sentiments in resolutions, and throughout the entire Eegiment the conflict waxed fierce and furious. The war did not end in words, for, on the 13th day of January, Colonel Wetmore tested the obedience of his more violent oppo- 148 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1827 nents by an order directing each commissioned officer to report to him in writing the date of his commission, on or before the 15th, at 2 p. m., and, on the 20th of January, he announced that four officers had been placed under arrest for disobedience of orders. Meantime, the opposition had not been idle. A petition to Gov ernor De Witt Chnton had been prepared and was presented at headquarters, Albany, by Lieutenant-Colonel Stevens, praying for the removal of Colonel Wetmore from the office of colonel, and, on the 20th of January, by general orders, a court of inquiry was organized for the purpose of examining into the facts set forth in said petition. Upon the receipt of this order, Colonel Wetmore issued the following order : Twenty-Seventh Regiment, N. Y. State Artillery. National Guards. New Yoek, January 24, 1827. Regimental Orders. The commandant of the Regiment, having received an order from his Excel lency the commander-in-chief, has great pleasure in announcing, for the informa tion of the officers and privates of the corps, that a general court of inquiry has been instituted on the subject of the charges which have been alleged against him ; and, in order that the officers who have preferred the charges may have all the advantages which may arise from their official character and from the exercise of their official duties, the commandant has determined not to take any further measures in relation to the disobedience of the late order issued by him, until after the decision of the court of inquiry is made known ; and, in the furtherance of this object, he has requested the major-general (to whom he had preferred charges and requested the arrest of Lieutenant-Colonel Stevens) to stay all proceedings in the premises. Prosper M. Wetmore, Colonel Twenty-seventh Regiment. By order : Andrew Warner, Adjutant. The combatants now rested on their arms, and all eyes were anxiously turned to the court of inquiry which convened at the Shakespeare Tavern, and through several succeeding weeks dragged its slow length along. Every point in the case was ably contested by eminent counsel, and no effort was spared by either party to secure a favorable verdict. The decision of the court of inquiry, if any was arrived at, was never known ; for, on the 6th day of April, Colonel Wetmore announced in regimental orders that he had forwarded the resignation of his commission, and on the 9th day of April the fact was promulgated, in brigade orders, that the 1827 COLONEL PROSPER M. WETMORE. 149 resignation of Colonel Wetmore had been accepted by the com mander-in-chief. It is not deemed proper to express in this place any opinion upon the origin or the merits of this unfortunate controversy, or to engage in the defense or condemnation of any of the chief actors, but simply to record the undisputed facts as gleaned from official documents and other reliable sources. The prominent actors in this eventful contest have passed away, and the bitterness and per sonal enmities resulting from it, which were carefully nursed for many years, are at last buried forever. Colonel Prosper Montgomery Wetmore was born in Stratford, Conn., in 1798. In 1816 he enhsted in the Eleventh Eegiment, New York Artillery, in the company commanded by Captain Kumbel, and since known as the Fourth Company of the Seventh Eegiment. His activity and talents secured him rapid promotion. In 1819 he was elected second heutenant, and in 1821 first heu tenant, and from 1819 to 1822 he was also adjutant of the Eegi ment. In 1822 he was elected captain of the Fourth Company, but soon vacated that position, having been appointed brigade-major. He continued in this position until the organization of the Battahon of National Guards, of which he was elected major and heutenant- colonel in 1825, and in 1826 was elected the first colonel of the Eegiment. The honor of being the first colonel of an organization since so distinguished was well deserved, for he was one of the originators of the project, and its most active and influential sup porter and advocate. In the history of the militia of the city of New York there is no record of an officer so young in years achieving by his own ex ertion and talents such great distinction. He was the idol of his comrades in arms, the favorite of his superior officers, and a pet of the public. Though not distinguished as a tactician or military instructor, he was a fine officer, and with his graceful and dashing maimers won laurels from both soldiers and civilians. Money flowed hberally from his purse for the advancement of the corps, and, being a fluent speaker and a ready writer, he was always pre pared to promote or defend its interests. Great financial convul sions, already referred to, and the desperate struggle to escape the consequences, terminated his brilliant mihtary service. At an early age Colonel Wetmore gave evidence of the talent 150 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1827 and activity which characterized his extraordinary career. He be came a partner at the age of twenty-one years in a large dry-goods house, and afterward established himself in the same business at No. 240 Pearl Street, and rapidly built up an extensive trade, and won the friendship and esteem of the leading merchants of the city. By degrees he launched into the maelstrom of speculation in Wall Street, and finally gave his entire time to business in that direction. He was a leading manager and director in the Lombard Banking and Loaning Association, the failure of which brought financial ruin to all concerned. His ardent and restless temperament then led him into pohtics, and in 1834 and 1835 he was a member of the Legislature of the State. In 1832 he was appointed upon the staff of Governor Marcy, and in 1833 was elected a Eegent of the University of the State of New York. Under the administration of President Polk he was Naval Officer of the Port of New York. Colonel Wetmore was also President and managing director of the celebrated American Art Union, Secretary and Yice-President of the Chamber of Commerce, Secretary of the Union Defense Committee, during the war (1861-65), and was the founder and active promoter of many of the leading institutions and enterprises of New York city. His valuable services to the city and State of New York and to the country generally during the great rebellion were never known, except to those who were f amiliar with the various quiet processes of shaping pubhc opinion, and of directing and concen trating the efforts of many men of many minds in the proper direction. Colonel Wetmore wrote and pubhshed, while a young man, a book of poems, being at that period somewhat ambitious for hterary distinction, and through his long and eventful life he was a con stant writer for the press. He was an active and able manager of public meetings and popular demonstrations, and on such occasions was an attractive speaker. His last pubhc speech was at the semi centennial dinner of the Seventh Eegiment at Irving Hah in Octo ber, 1874, and his eloquent remarks on that occasion will be long remembered by all present. Colonel Wetmore was a man of medium height and stylish figure, of regular and remarkably hand some features, and most attractive and captivating manners. As a large part of his service to the pubhc was rendered without material compensation, and as he only valued money to spend it, fortune 1827 BY-LAWS OF THE BOARD OF OFFICERS. 151 frowned upon his later years, but his proud spirit bore him bravely through the trials and troubles attendant upon age and poverty. Colonel Wetmore died at Great Neck, Long Island, in 1876. At a meeting of the Board of Officers held on the 1st day of February, a committee, consisting of Major Simons, Captains Will iams and White, and Lieutenants Mihard and Thompson, was ap pointed to revise the by-laws adopted by the " Battalion of National Guards," and adapt them to the use and government of the officers of the Twenty-seventh Eegiment. On the 5th day of April the new code was adopted, as revised and amended. The most im portant change was the creation of the office of secretary, the duties pertaining to which had heretofore been performed by the adjutant of the Eegiment. Lieutenant T. J. Ireland, of the Fourth Com pany, was unanimously elected the first secretary of the Board of Officers, but resigned in August, and was succeeded by Lieutenant B. J. Hathaway, of the Fifth Company. It is not necessary to record the divers changes made, from time to time, in the by-laws of the Board of Officers ; but the pubhcation of the original code, as fohows, and of the code as adopted in 1863, will enable the curi ous to notice at a glance the importance of the changes made, and the comparative simplicity of the modern machinery for the gov ernment of the business affairs of the Eegiment. BY-LAWS OF THE 27th REGIMENT, N. Y. S. A., national guards. Article 1. There shall be a meeting of the officers of this Regiment for the transaction of business on the evening of the first Thursday in every month ; the hour of meet ing to be eight o'clock from March to November inclusive, and seven o'clock from November to March. Extra meetings may be called by the commandant, when he may deem it expe dient, at such time and place as he shall designate in orders, and he shall call a meeting whenever a majority of the officers make a written request to him for that purpose. Article 2. At all meetings, the senior officer present shall preside, and 15 officers shall be required to constitute a quorum ; the chairman to have the casting vote in case of there being an equal number of votes for and against any question. 152 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1827 Article 3. There shall be a fine of three dollars for neglect to attend any meeting held by virtue of these by-laws, unless a sufficient excuse be made to the Board of Officers within three months subsequent thereto, and every neglect to furnish such excuse shall bind the party by default. No excuse will be valid except absence from town, personal or family sickness, or engagement on military duty. At regular meetings the roll shall be called by the Secretary precisely at the time stated in the first article of these by-laws ; at extra meetings at the time specified in orders. The following penalties are also established for absence at roll-call, and at the stated period thereafter, viz. : Colonel Lieutenant-Colonel Major All other officers. . Roll-call. 5 min. 10 min. 15 min. 50 cts. 75 cts. $1 00 $1 50 37i 50 75 1 25 25 m 50 75 18* 25 37i 50 Half hour. $2 00 1 75 1 50 1 00 The fine for longer absence than half an hour shall be the same as for neglect to attend. The Secretary's time shall be considered as correct, and for this purpose it shall be his duty to have his watch regulated immediately before he attends any meeting by that source which the Commandant by regimental orders shall direct. No officer shall depart from any meeting without permission from a majority of the officers present, under penalty of fine for absence. Article 4. The Standing Committee provided for by these By-laws shall be appointed by the Commandant on the evening of the first Thursday in January in each year, at which time an election by ballot for Secretary shall be held, and the candidate having a majority of the votes present shall be considered duly elected. Article 5. There shall be a Board of Officers to be denominated the Board of Honor, to consist of the Major, as President, and the Commandants of companies as mem bers ; the duty of which Board shall be to decide on the expediency or propriety of admitting companies in the Regiment, to decide on all disputes, should any exist or occur between the officers of the Regiment, when submitted to them, and their decision shall be binding on the parties. This Board shall be convened without delay on application to the President thereof by the Commandant of the Regiment, and shall report their proceedings to the Commandant within two days thereafter. The utmost secrecy shall be ob served in relation to all communications that shall be made touching the parties, and every member is directed to give all the information of which he is in posses sion in relation thereto. 1827 BY-LAWS OF THE BOARD OF OFFICERS. 153 Article 6. There shall be a Committee of Finance, to consist of three Platoon Officers in conjunction with the Paymaster and Secretary. The duty of this Committee shall be the superintendence of purchases for the Regiment, the making of all contracts in relation thereto, to levy assessments on the officers when necessary ; and when a bill against the Regiment is to be discharged, it shall first be signed by the Chair man of this Committee. The senior officer of this Committee shall be the Chairman thereof, whose duty it shall be to convene the members on all occasions appertaining to contracts or their duties. Article 7. There shall be denominated the Music Committee, which shall consist of the Major as Chairman, one Captain, and the Quartermaster as members ; the Cap tain to be appointed annually on the evening of the first Thursday in January. It shall be the duty of this Committee to provide music, and make every arrange ment connected therewith. Article 8. In order to establish a permanent fund for the purpose of defraying the cur rent expenses of the Regiment, the following dues shall be paid monthly to the Secretary by each officer acting in the respective stations hereinafter enumerated, and at the rate thereto affixed, viz. : Colonel $2 00 First Lieutenant $0 62| Lieutenant-Colonel 1 50 Second Lieutenant 50 Major 1 00 Staff Officers 75 Captain 75 Quartermaster's Sergeant 37| The Secretary, in consideration of the extra services required of him, shall be exempted from the payment of dues, but not from his proportion of an assess ment, when that measure is resorted to. Article 9. Should the expenses of the Regiment at any time exceed the receipts, there shall be an assessment, to be apportioned between Field, Staff, and Platoon Offi cers, according to rank ; any officer who shall neglect, or refuse to pay his propor tion of any dues, forfeitures, or assessments authorized by these by-laws, unless the same be remitted within twelve months thereafter, by a majority of the officers, present at a regular meeting, shall be considered as dishonored, and subject to prosecution as provided by the 10th Article of these by-laws. Article 10. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to record the proceedings of all meetings in a book, which he shall bring or send to every meeting, under the penalty of five dollars ; to keep a just and true account of all fines, dues, and assessments accru ing to the Regiment ; collect the same, and specify the amount paid by each officer, and make a report thereof semi-annually, viz., on the evening of the first Thursday in the months of January and July. It shall be his duty to pay over any money in his hands belonging to the Regiment when called upon by the Paymaster, whose receipt shall be a sufficient 154 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1827 voucher. And it shall be his duty to commence suit against any officer, whose account shall be of more than one year's standing, provided the same shall not be paid or secured to be paid within ten days after notice shall have been given to the officer so in arrears. In case of non-attendance the Chairman may appoint a Secretary pro tempore. Article 11. The Paymaster is authorized to call on the Secretary for funds as often as necessary, on receipt of which he shall grant his certificate for the same, and by him all bills against the Regiment shall be paid. He shall also make a report semi-annually of the state of the regimental funds, viz., on the evening of the first Thursday in the months of January and July, or sooner if required by the Commandant. Article 12. Each officer hereafter to be commissioned in this Regiment shall, when notified of his having been duly elected, pay to the Secretary the sum of twenty dollars, as an initiation fee ; but should the Governor not commission him, the said amount shall be refunded ; he shall likewise pay five dollars for every grade -of promotion he shall' afterward receive ; and each officer now holding a commission in the Regiment shall be subject to the same regulation when promoted. Article 13. No officer shall be permitted to resign until he has paid all fines, dues, and as sessments, unless by permission of a majority of the officers present at a regular meeting. Article 14. The Paymaster, Quartermaster, and Secretary, shall, previous to the resigna tion of either of them being accepted, transfer all their books and vouchers into the hands of the Commandant. They shall procure all necessary stationery for that purpose, at the expense of the Regiment. Article 15. The present officers of this Regiment, and all those hereafter attached to it, shall subscribe to these by-laws, and pledge themselves bound thereby in law, jus tice, equity, and honor ; and the same shall be so construed in all places having cognizance thereof, whether in Courts Martial, appointed by the Commandant, or in Courts of Justice ; and the Secretary of the Regiment for the time being is fully authorized and empowered by this Article to sue for and recover every due and penalty incurred, individually in his own name and in behalf of the Regiment. Article 16. There shall be no supernumerary officers in this Regiment, unless by consent of a majority of the officers. Article 17. The Chaplain of this Regiment shall in no case be affected by the provisions of the foregoing Code of by-laws. Article 18. No alteration or amendment of these by-laws shall have effect unless proposed at a regular meeting, to lie over for consideration until the next regular meeting, when, if two thirds concur therein, it shall have all the effect and obligation of an original. 1827 RESIGNATIONS AND ELECTIONS. 155 The resignation of Colonel Wetmore, and the peculiar circum stances attending that event, necessarily and naturally resulted in many changes among the officers of the Eegiment. At an election held at Stoneall's Shakespeare Tavern, on the 25th day of April, Lieutenant-Colonel Stevens was elected colonel ; Major Simons was elected lieutenant-colonel ; and Captain John H. Williams, of the Sixth Company, was elected major. Captain Williams did not accept the office of major, as he had already decided to retire from the Eegiment on account of his business engagements, and on the 3d day of May his resignation as captain was accepted. On the 14th day of May, Quartermaster John J. Manning was elected major. The staff-officers of Colonel Wetmore retired with him, and Colonel Stevens appointed Lieutenant William P. Millard, of the Second Company, adjutant; Eobert J. Delavan, Esq., pay master; and Dr. William C. Hickok surgeon of the Eegiment. Captain Ingraham, of the Second Company ; Captain White, of the Fourth Company ; and Captain Spicer, of the Seventh Com pany, who had been warm friends and supporters of Colonel Wet more, also resigned their commissions and were succeeded respect ively by Ezra F. Eaymond, Lieutenant Philetus H. Holt, and Lieutenant Denis P. Philarey ; and Lieutenant William Thompson succeeded Captain Williams in the command of the Sixth Com pany. The retiring officers were men of ability. Captain Williams, afterward of the celebrated house of Williams and Stevens, dealers in paintings and pictures in Broadway, was an excehent officer and an accomplished gentleman. Captains Ingraham and White were distinguished for their fine personal appearance and gentlemanly manners, and, though not especially devoted to the details and labor of the drill-room or noticeable as disciplinarians, they were men of mark in the Eegiment. Captain Spicer, a brother of Colonel Peter B. Spicer of the period, was an ambitious young officer and became a brigadier-general in the First Division, New York State Mihtia, which position he held for many years. At the first parade of the Battahon of National Guards in 1825, Lieutenant Spicer acted as adjutant, and since the organization, then in its infancy, has achieved distinction, he has claimed the honor, which is not known to be disputed, of being " the first officer to draw a sword in front of the renowned Seventh Eegiment." 156 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1827 It will be noticed that the officers most friendly to Colonel Wet more and hostile to Colonel Stevens gracefully retired from the Eegi ment with their leader. There was, however, one notable exception — Cap tain Andrew Warner, of the Eighth Company, who continued the con test under the new ad ministration. His com pany had never been thoroughly organized, drilled, or equipped, and the members, having been enhsted mainly through his own per sonal influence, were ready and willing to fol low their chief. Colonel Stevens having ordered ' ¦ ' "' a meeting of the Eighth Company to be held at Stoneall's on the 3d day of May, for the election of lieutenants, Captain Warner refused to become respon sible for the rent of the room where such meetings were usually held, and the election went by default. The colonel then ordered the election to be held at the arsenal-yard, on the 8th of May, but there is no evidence that Captain Warner ever notified the mem bers of his company of the meeting. But this insubordination culminated on the 11th of May, at a regimental drill at the arsenal- yard, where all the members of the Eighth Company, except pri vate David H. Keeler, left the ground, thus publicly and defiantly refusing to obey the orders of the commandant of the Eegiment. On the morning of May 12th, Colonel Stevens ordered Captain Warner to furnish him, before 2 p. m., with " returns of the notifi cation of the members of the Eighth Company for the drill of pre ceding day, and of all delinquents and deficiencies from and at said drill, and with the names and residences of the men who left said drill without permission of the commandant of the Eegiment." This order not having been obeyed, Captain Warner was immedi- 1827 THE ADMINISTRATION OF COLONEL STEVENS. 157 ately placed in arrest, was promptly tried by a brigade court-mar tial for " disobedience of orders, neglect of duty, and unofficer-iike conduct," and was sentenced to be cashiered and to pay the costs of prosecution. The sentence of the court was approved in brigade orders dated July 10, 1827 ; and the discord which for more than six months had reigned in the Eegiment came to a timely end. During the excitement which preceded and attended the resig nation of Colonel Wetmore and other officers, drills were neglected, recruiting ceased, disaffection prevailed, and the affairs of the Eegi ment generally assumed a condition not far from desperate. But Colonel Stevens was a man of energy, decision, and ability, and upon taking command he at once commenced the herculean task of rescuing the Eegiment from the perils which threatened its ex istence. Beheving that the permanent prosperity and popularity of the Eegiment must depend upon its mihtary superiority, he in augurated a thorough system of military instruction for officers and non-commissioned officers, and during the months of May and June frequently assembled the Eegiment for drill at the arsenal-yard. By encouraging the resignation and discharge of such officers and men as were disaffected toward the new administration, and by the prompt punishment of those who were disobedient and mutinous, disciphne was restored and harmony was secured in the Eegiment. The newly elected officers rallied to the support of the commandant, and aided him with zeal and ability in stemming the tide which had been bearing the organization rapidly toward destruction. The first parade of the year was on the 6th day of June, and the Eegiment paraded nearly its usual strength and attracted more than ordinary attention and approbation. On the 18th day of June the Eegiment participated in a brigade drill at the " village of Brooklyn." The 4th of July was celebrated by the First Division in the usual manner. The First Brigade, General Manly, assem bled on Canal Street at 8 a. m., and division line was formed at the Battery at 10 a. m. After a review by Major-General Morton, the division passed in review before the corporation at the City Hah, and the parade terminated with &feu-de-joie of six rounds per man fired by the regiments doing duty as infantry. On the 11th day of July the officers of the Eegiment assembled in full uniform at the Merchants' Exchange, Wall Street, to attend the funeral of Major- General Mapes, of the Second Division of Infantry. In regimental 158 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1827 orders of May 24th the signal for the countermand of orders for parade was announced as a white flag with the initials " N. G.," to be displayed at the New Masonic Hall in Broadway, between Pearl and Anthony Streets. At the first meeting of the Board of Officers held under the new administration, it was, on motion of Captain Holt, of the Fourth Company, resolved that the cartridge-box and bayonet be worn with cross-belts and counter-straps, with a brass breastplate, and a committee was appointed to carry the alteration into effect. The adoption of the cross-belts was popular with the rank and file, and it was generahy conceded that the uniform was materially improved in appearance by their use. During the latter part of the year a committee was appointed, consisting of the commandants of com panies, to take into consideration and report upon proposed altera tions of the BUI of Dress, by the adoption of gray pantaloons and of knapsacks. These innovations were of so important a character, and invited so much consideration and discussion, that no result was reached during the year 1827. A resolution was adopted at a meeting of the officers, held at the arsenal-yard in May, authorizing a committee to procure a woodcut for discharge certificates, at an expense not to exceed forty dohars. Wood-engraving had not yet reached perfection, as is apparent from the discharge certificates issued to the graduates of the Eegiment at this period. The drill season commenced vigorously in September, both by company and by battahon. Colonel Stevens was distinguished both as a disciplinarian and as a tactician, and spared no effort to raise the standard of mihtary excehence. Although the company drills at this period were only held monthly, or in some cases semi monthly, visible progress was apparent in all departments of the Eegiment. During the autumn several regimental drills were held at the arsenal-yard, and on the 26th day of September the Eegiment paraded in full-dress uniform through the principal streets of the city. The annual inspection and review was at the Battery on the 12th day of October, and resulted as follows : Number of com panies, 7; matrosses present, 185; total present, 276; grand total, 437. Considering the serious troubles and the many changes in the Eegiment during the year, the result of the inspection was regarded with great satisfaction. On the 9th day of November the Eegiment Er.j*liyHBJMl Jr.MY Colonel Seventh. He giment, 1827-1828 and 1830-1B3S. 1827 CAPTAIN DAVID T. VALENTINE. 159 paraded at Hamilton Square for brigade drill. On the 26th day of November the Eegiment paraded, pursuant to division orders, in commemoration of the evacuation of the city of New York by the British in 1783. The most important changes during the latter part of the year were caused by the resignations of Captain Yalentine, of the Third Company, and Captain Philarey, of the Seventh Company. Lieu tenant James D. Phillips was elected to the command of the Third Company, and Lieutenant Jacob Y. D. Wyckoff to the command of the Seventh Company. Captain David T. Yalentine was born in the year 1801, in West chester County, where his ancestors had resided from the earliest settlement. He enhsted m 1819 in Captain Wil son's company of the Elev enth Eegiment, N. Y. S. A., since known as the Third Company of the Seventh Eegiment, and was elected a non-commissioned officer in 1820, second heutenant in 1823, first heutenant in 1824, and captain in 1825. The fame and popularity of David T. Yalentine were won in fields other than mihtary. Though an in telligent and faithful offi cer, he was not prominent in the mihtia service ; but bis distinguished career in after-life entitles him to special notice in these pages. At the time of his connection with this Eegiment he was in the grocery business near Peck Shp ; but, having received an appointment as Deputy Clerk to the Common Council, he resigned his commission in the Eegiment, rehnquished his mercantile business, and devoted the remainder of his hfe to the service of the city and to literary pursuits. In 1845 he was elected Clerk of the Common Council, and for over twenty years performed, in the most creditable man- 12 160 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1827 ner, the duties of that important office. His distinguished urbanity of manner, his thorough knowledge of the details of the city gov ernment, his unwavering honesty and fidehty to duty, secured for him an enviable local reputation. As he advanced in years his placid and venerable appearance attracted universal attention, and the name and face of " Uncle David " Yalentine became famihar to all New-Yorkers, young and old. He died in 1869, universally loved and respected. Captain Yalentine commenced in the year 1841 the pubhcation of an annual called the " Manual of the Cor poration of the City of New York," a work involving great labor and patient research. In addition to complete statistics in respect to all the offices and institutions of the city of New York, these volumes contain a mass of valuable information in respect to the early history of the city, with copies of its oldest original maps and views of its most ancient and curious buildings, and of the most dis tinguished edifices erected in modern times. The series is now much sought for and highly prized by all collectors of rare and valuable books. Captain Yalentine also published in 1853 the first volume of the " Documentary History of New York," but did not complete or publish the second volume. His was a life of earnest and de voted labor, of integrity and faithfulness, of kindness and charity. On the 17th of November Colonel Stevens announced the death of Paymaster Eobert J. Delavan, and in orders paid a deserved tribute to the character and virtues of that estimable and accom plished gentleman. At an extra meeting of the Board of Officers resolutions of respect and condolence were adopted, and the officers subsequently, by permission of the relatives of the deceased, erected a head-stone with a suitable inscription at the grave of their comrade. The feeble and somewhat mythical existence which had been maintained by the Eighth Company since its birth in May, 1826, was finally terminated by the following order : First Brigade. N. Y. State Artilery. New Yoke, November 5, 1827. Brigade Orders. The company denominated the 8th Company in the 27th Regiment, lately commanded by Captain Warner, not having fulfilled the requirements of the law, at the Annual Reviews and Inspections of 1826-'7, it becomes the duty of the Brigadier-General to disband the said company, and by virtue of the 3d section of the Militia Law, it is hereby disbanded. By order of Robert F. Manly, Brigadier-General : J. D. Everson, Brigade-Major and Inspector, 1827 THE EIGHTH COMPANY REORGANIZED. 161 Arrangements had been made to organize a new Eighth Com pany, and, upon the promulgation of the above order, the parties to whom the work had been intrusted commenced active operations John H. Brower, a popular young merchant, had accepted the captaincy of the new company, and his activity and influence aided materially in securing the necessary number of members. The strong and prosperous companies of the Eegiment generously con tributed some experienced men to the new organization, and all united in the effort to place it upon a firm foundation. On the 3d day of January, 1828, the officers of the new Eighth Company were admitted as members of the Board of Officers, and the exist ence of the company was officially recognized as follows : State of New York. Head Quarters, Albany, January 19, 1828. General Orders. The Commander-in-Chief directs that a new Company of Artillery be organized and attached to the 27th Regiment of New York State Artillery. By order of the Commander-in-Chief : N. F. Bick, Adjutant-General. First Brigade, N. Y. State Artillery. New York, January 31, 1828. Brigade Orders. The Brigadier-General promulgates the above General Orders for information to his command. The following officers in the newly organized company hav ing taken the oath of office, will report themselves to the Commandant of the 27th Regt. without delay, viz. : John H. Brower, Captain. Schureman Halsted, First Lieutenant. Alfred H. Clark, Second Lieutenant. In December an association of officers and non-commissioned officers was formed for the purpose of military improvement, cahed "The National Guards Private Military Association." A code of by-laws was adopted, and for a time the association ex hibited some vitality, but after a brief period it languished and ceased to exist. 162 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1828 CHAPTEE EIGHTH. 1828. Governor De Witt Clinton died at Albany, February 11, 1828, and military honors to the distinguished statesman were rendered in New York on the 20th day of February. The artillery paraded in line and at open order at the Battery at 10 a. m. ; the colors of all the regiments, posted first on the right, were carried from the right to the left of the hne, the troops saluting; the standards were then posted in front of the center of the hne, with the major-general and brigadier-generals and their staffs, and the troops were marched past in platoons, officers saluting, muffled drums and bands playing a dirge. Detachments detailed for that purpose then marched in slow time to Fort Gansevoort, the North Battery, Castle Garden, Corlear's Hook, and Manhattan Market, where guns were fired half hourly until sunset. Governor Chnton had been in early life, and for a long period, an active and promi nent officer in the New York State Artihery, and for many years mayor of the city ; his talents had secured for him the chief magis tracy of the State and other offices of distinction ; and his sudden death cast a gloom over the city which had been honored by his greatness and which contained a host of his friends, admirers, and partisans. The first part of the year was distinguished for the activity of the Eegiment in its mihtary exercises. The company drills of the winter months were followed by frequent drills of officers and non commissioned officers at the arsenal-yard. On the 9th day of May the officers of the First Brigade assembled at the arsenal-yard " with side-arms in citizens' dress for military improvement." On the 23d of May the right wing of the Eegiment drilled in full uni form at the arsenal-yard, and on the 26th day of May the left wing drilled at the same place. The annual spring parade, in full uni form, occurred on the 4th day of June, line forming in Park Place. 1828 RECEPTION OF PHILADELPHIA GRAYS. 163 On the 16th of June the Eegiment paraded for brigade drill " on the Bed Hook Eoad, south of the village of Brooklyn." As this drill occupied the entire day, and as the men had no knapsacks or haversacks for the transportation of rations, the Board of Officers appointed a committee " to provide sutlers whose duty it shall be to provide good and wholesome refreshments in convenient order and at reasonable rates for the Twenty-seventh Eegiment." So earnest was Colonel Stevens in his efforts to improve the Eegiment, that he secured the unanimous adoption by the Board of Officers at the February meeting of the following resolution : " Eesolved, that the officers will attend future meetings with side-arms for drill." An application having been make to Colonel Stevens by the Philadelphia Grays, Captain Miles, for permission to parade with the Twenty-seventh Eegiment on the 4th day of July, arrange ments were made for the reception and entertainment of that corps. The Fourth Company, Captain Holt, was detailed for the escort duty, and on the afternoon of the 2d day of July received the Philadelphia Grays at the ferry and escorted them to their quarters at the National Hotel. The officers of the Eegiment, in undress uniform, assembled at the hotel to receive their mihtary guests, a bountiful collation having been provided for their entertainment. General Manly, Colonel Moore, Colonel Hunt, and other distinguished officers of the militia, were present, and participated in the festivities of the occasion. From the hour of the arrival of the Grays until their departure the officers and members of the Twenty-seventh Eegi ment extended to them every possible attention, and their visit proved mutually agreeable and satisfactory. On the 4th of July the Eegiment marched to the quarters of the Philadelphia Grays, and escorted them to their place in the division hne. As military excursions from city to city were not of common occurrence at that period, the Philadelphians attracted considerable attention during the parade in Broadway. On the following day the Philadelphia Grays gave an exhibition drill in the Park, and were reviewed by the mayor, the Fourth Company volunteering a sergeant and twenty men for guard duty on that occasion. On the 14th day of April the resignation of Lieutenant-Colonel Howard A. Simons was accepted, and at an election held on the 21st day of April, Major John J. Manning was elected lieutenant- colonel, and Captain Eobert B. Boyd, of the Fifth Company, was 164 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1828 Lieutenant-Colonel Howard A. Simons. elected major. Lieutenant-Colonel Howard A. Simons was born near Albany in 1786, and at an early age came to New York and engaged as a book-keeper in the leather trade. He retired from business in 1833, and died in 1841. He enhsted as a private in the Fourth Company, served as a non-commissioned officer, and was elected heutenant in 1823, captain in 1824, major in 1826, and lieutenant-colonel in 1827. He was a very popular and valuable officer, and was dis tinguished for his kind and ge nial manners, and for a remark able abihty to entertain his friends and comrades from an exhaustless fund of anecdotes. Being a fine musician, his songs were the delight of all convivial meetings of his company and of the Eegiment. In person he was short and stout, had a bright and pleasant face, and his appearance in uniform was attractive and commanding. On the 9th day of July, Colonel Stevens announced, in regi mental orders, the resignation of his commission. As Colonel Stevens was induced at a subsequent period to resume command of the Eegiment, a sketch of the valuable service of this accomphshed officer is deferred until the date of his final retirement from active duty in the Eegiment. The officers and members of the Eegiment testified their appreciation of Colonel Stevens as a soldier and gentle man by presenting to him two elegant silver pitchers, upon which were engraved the arms of the corps and a suitable inscription. The presentation took place at the house of Colonel Stevens, on the 31st day of December, in presence of the officers of the Eegiment and a committee of the non-commissioned officers and privates. An election for colonel was held at Stoneall's on the 19th of July, at which Lieutenant-Colonel John J. Manning was elected colonel, and Captain Levi Hart, of the First Company, was elected heutenant-colonel. The reign of Colonel Manning was brief and 1828 COURT-MARTIAL OF CAPTAIN HOLT. 165 stormy. His election to the highest position in the Eegiment was unexpected, and was not satisfactory to officers or men. So para lyzed were all by the resignation of Colonel Stevens, that the attend ance at the election on the 19th of July was smah ; there was no concert of action, and many of the leading officers anticipated that so important a matter would be postponed for more careful consid eration ; but Colonel Manning was elected, and soon learned that " uneasy rests the head that wears a crown." Mutterings of dissat isfaction were heard on every side ; predictions of disaster and of the downfall of the Eegiment were freely circulated, and many of the most accomplished and conservative officers were disposed to despair or be mutinous. The very first act of the colonel-elect re sulted in an eruption from the slumbering volcano. On the 26th of July a regimental order was issued directing commandants to forward to headquarters complete muster-rohs of their companies. As Captain Holt, of the Fourth Company, was not particularly prompt in making the required return, Colonel Manning issued, on the 7th of August, a special order upon the subject to Captain Holt, in which his non-comphance with the pre vious order was referred to. At a meeting of the Board of Offi cers, held on the evening of August 7th, Captain Holt, who was considered one of the ablest leaders of the opposition to Colonel Manning, called the attention of the board to this special order, and demanded that the charge of " neglect of duty " should be retracted. During his remarks he was frequently cahed to order by the pre siding officer, Colonel Manning, but was allowed by the board to proceed, and, in the fierce and furious debate which followed, Cap tain Holt again demanded that " if he had neglected any duty he should be placed in arrest." The board, after a long and exciting session, adjourned. The challenge of Captain Holt was accepted, for, on the 9th of August, Colonel Manning placed him in arrest. The charges preferred against Captain Holt by Colonel Man ning were disobedience of orders and unofficer-iike conduct, and he was tried by a court-martial convened at Stoneall's on the 27th day of August. The case was weh contested, and resulted in the conviction of Captain Holt of " disobedience of an order," and a sentence to pay a fine of twenty dollars. The treasurer of the Fourth Company was present, and, in the name of the company, immediately paid the fine. In fact, throughout this brief but ex- 166 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1828 citing contest, the members of the Fourth Company, wliich was at this time the largest and most popular in the Eegiment, adhered to the fortunes of their captain with the greatest devotion. By reso lutions unanimously adopted approving the action of Captain Holt and asking Colonel Manning to resign ; by a complimentary com pany parade in honor of their commandant ; and in divers other ways, they manifested their confidence in the captain and their hos tility to the colonel. The result of the court-martial was considered unfavorable to the colonel, the conviction of Captain Holt being evidently technical and the fine nominal, and, yielding to what seemed to be the demand of public opinion in the Eegiment, Colonel Manning immediately tendered his resignation. The period from the date of his electon to the acceptance of his resignation was only fifty days, during which time there were no drihs or parades. Colonel John J. Manning was born in Stockbridge, Mass., in 1792, and enlisted in Captain Bremner's company, Eleventh Eegi ment, in 1812, was promoted to second heutenant in 1819, and first lieutenant in 1820. He was com missioned as quartermaster of the National Guard Battalion in 1825, major of the Eegiment in 1827, heutenant-colonel in 1828, and colonel July 19, 1828. At the time of his resignation he was en gaged in the fruit business in Fulton Street; he was afterward an officer of customs, and, at a later period, was a successful car penter and builder. Colonel Man ning was a man of moderate edu cation, and possessed neither the mihtary ability nor personal popu larity requisite to the command of such an organization as the Twenty-seventh Eegiment. Having only served as a heutenant in the heavy artillery and as quarter master of the Eegiment, his military experience did not qualify him for a position in the field, and he never paraded at the head of the Eegiment as its colonel. Being a fine horseman, and of tall and Colonel John J. Manning. From a photograph, 1870. 1828 ELECTION OF COLONEL HART. 16? handsome figure, his appearance on parade was commanding and distinguished. He died in Brooklyn in 1877. On the 24th day of September the election was held to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Colonel Manning, which re sulted in the unanimous choice of ex-Colonel Linus W. Stevens ; but Colonel Stevens could not be prevailed upon to take the com mand, and, at an election held on the 16th day of October, Lieuten- ant^Colonel Levi Hart was elected to the colonelcy. Meetings were held on the 19th day of November and the 17th day of December for the election of a heutenant-colonel, but without result. Major Boyd, Captain Holt, and other prominent officers, positively dechned promotion, and the lieutenant-colonelcy remained vacant for several months. There were during the year several changes among com mandants of companies. In the First Company Lieutenant Smith Spelman succeeded Captain Hart, promoted ; in the Second Com pany, Lieutenant Eichard Ellison succeeded Captain Eaymond ; in the Fifth Company, Lieutenant Bailey J. Hathaway succeeded Captain Boyd, promoted ; in the Sixth Company, Lieutenant Ben jamin B. Beach succeeded Captain Thompson. ' Of the retiring offi cers, Captain Eaymond was greatly distinguished for his soldierly accomplishments. On the 24th day of September and on the 28th day of October the Eegiment paraded in the city in full uniform. On the 20th and 22d days of October, drills of officers and non-commissioned officers were held at the arsenal-yard. The annual inspection and review occurred on the 15th of November, the hne forming on Broadway between Art and Bond Streets. The Eegiment paraded with the division on the 25th day of November, in honor of the evacuation of New York by the British. In the month of May, Benjamin Gifford, Jr., an active and popular member of the Eighth Company, was instantly killed at the burning of the Bowery Theatre. The officers and members of the company, by resolutions and by emblems of mourning, manifested a due appreciation of their deceased comrade and their sorrow at his untimely end. At the December meeting of the Board of Officers it was resolved that the officers drill twice a month from January 1 to May 1, 1829, and the non-commissioned officers be invited to participate. The officers also unanimously adopted a pompon, about three inches in height, to be worn instead of the plume. 168 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1828 At this period it was a common practice for the proprietors of places of amusement to extend to the prominent officers of the militia invitations to witness their entertainments. Colonel Sand- ford, subsequently and for many years major-general of the First Division, was at this time proprietor and manager of the Lafayette Theatre, and extended to Colonel Stevens the following compli mentary invitation : La Fayette Theatre, SOth June, 1828. Colonel Sandford presents his compliments to Colonel Stevens and field, and requests the honor of their presence at the La Fayette Theatre on the evening of the 4th of July, on which occasion a National Drama will be presented and the new Corps de Ballett introduced for the first time to an American audience. Matchlock Gun of the 17th Century. 1829 THE ADMINISTRATION OF COLONEL HART. 169 CHAPTEE NINTH. 1829. The year 1829, which comprises nearly the entire military ad ministration of Colonel Levi Hart, was an uneventful one in the history of the Eegiment. The activity and energy, which charac terized preceding and following years, were absent, and officers and men performed their routine military duties without much enthusi asm. It was one of those years when the Eegiment was dissatisfied with its condition, longed for a return of the past, and indulged in visions of a brighter future. At a special meeting of the Board of Officers held at Stoneall's Shakespeare Tavern on the 21st day of January, resolutions were adopted expressing the respect and affection universally entertained for Lieutenant M. K. S. Lee, of the Second Company, lately deceased. In regimental orders of April 11th, Colonel Hart directed that " the time for ah parades and drills be taken from the chapel clock in Beekman Street," and that "the signal for countermand of orders (a white flag with the initials ' N. G.' in black) shah be displayed." During the year, the proposition to adopt gray trousers as a part of the uniform of the Eegiment was agitated in the Board of Officers. The probable cost was stated to be about five dollars. At a special meeting held November 14th upon this subject a reso lution " that gray cloth pantaloons be worn by the officers at the next inspection parade " was lost, but " permission was granted to any officer that desired to wear the gray, to do so." By general orders, dated Albany, March 24, 1829, the First Brigade of Artihery, including the Twenty-seventh Eegiment, was transferred from the Second Division to the First Division, New York State Artillery, commanded by Major-General Morton. The annual spring parade took place on the 13th day of May, regimental hne forming in the park in front of the City Hall. 170 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1829 Drills of the Eegiment and of officers and non-commissioned officers were frequently held at the arsenal-yard during the year, and Colonel Hart spared no effort to maintain the drill and efficiency of the Eegiment. It is a noticeable fact that nearly all the drills of the Eegiment as well as of the officers during this year were in citi zens' dress, but in some cases the dress was a mixture of the civic and military, as appears from the following order : Twenty-Seventh Regiment, N. Y. State Artillery. New York, May 16, 1829. Regimental Orders. This Regiment will assemble at the Arsenal Yard on Tuesday next, 21st inst., at 4 p. m., and also on Thursday, the 23d inst., at 4 p. m., at the Washington Parade Ground in citizens' dress, with cap and pompon ; Officers and Sergeant-Major with side-arms. All non-commissioned officers and privates will appear with musket, bayonet, belts, and cartridge-box. The first drill will be by company, the second by battalion. Fife-Major Anderson will furnish a fife and drum for the drills. By order of L. Hart, Colonel : W. P. Millard, Adjutant. The 4th of July, 1829, was a November day, rainy in the fore noon, with pouring showers at frequent intervals in the afternoon. The newspapers were merry over the "muddy pantaloons and drip ping plumes " of the citizen soldiers at the Battery ; at the failure of the corporation dinner, " not, however, for want of guests or good wines " ; and at the positive refusal of the corporation fire works to go off at the time and place appointed. It was said to be the " first Fourth of July that the sun ever refused to shine upon our goodly city." The parade of the 4th of July was a serio-comic affair long to be remembered. General Jacob Morton, commanding the First Di vision New York State Artillery, was at this time about seventy years of age, and had far outlived his usefulness in the militia. His principal military duties were to write long and patriotic orders for the parades of July 4th and November 25th, and to appear at the head of the troops on these occasions. The general had fallen into the bad habit of being late at parade, and it was not an uncommon occurrence for the troops to be in line for two or three hours await ing his appearance upon the field. On the 4th of July, 1829, the division paraded at the Battery at the usual hour, but, on account of the changes that had been made in the brigade by general orders of March 24th and subsequently, disputes arose among the colonels 1829 FAMOUS PARADE OF JULY 4TH. 171 as to their relative rank and the places of their regiments in line. The old general and his young and inexperienced staff attempted to settle these differences, but to' no purpose ; for, no sooner had one difficulty been adjusted, than others appeared. Several officers were placed in arrest, and, after a hearing, were released, and thus nearly the whole day was exhausted. Meantime the line officers and the men were under arms at the Battery, grumbling and dis gusted. The execrable weather aggravated their troubles, and tor rents of rain poured down upon their devoted heads. The officers of the Twenty-seventh Eegiment remonstrated against the extraor dinary delay without avail, and finahy, toward night, during a shower of rain, the ranks broke, and the men, believing that for bearance and discipline were no longer virtues, retired to seek shel ter from the storm and not to return to the field. Other regiments applauded the action of the men of the Twenty-seventh, though it does not appear that they imitated the example. The field-officers and many of the line-officers of the regiment were, however, greatly chagrined at this precipitate retreat of their men, and ah were somewhat alarmed at the punishments from courts-martial and courts of inquiry which were likely to follow this unparalleled in subordination. The affair of the 4th of July, of course, created a great sensa tion in mihtary circles. The general ordered a court of inquiry, of which Brigadier-General Hopkins was president, to examine and re port the facts, with an opinion of the conduct of the field-officers of the Twenty-seventh Eegiment. It appeared, upon investigation, that the field-officers were entirely ignorant of the movement, and were astounded at the flight of their men, and, as for the rank and file, no one could be found who could or would give any satisfactory in formation as to the leaders or participants in this memorable retreat. The report of the court, therefore, exonerated Colonel Hart, " he having left his regiment to obtain leave of absence from the com mandant of the brigade," and lightly censured Major Boyd, "who was actually in command when the Twenty-seventh Eegiment dis persed, and did not make all the exertions to keep the said regi ment together, which his duty required ; but that he did not, from the testimony, appear to act from improper motives, and the occa sion gave him but little time for reflection." The court expressed the opinion that the dispersing of the Twenty-seventh Eegiment, 172 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1829 etc., reflected " disgrace " on the colonel and the major command ing, as well as upon the corps generally, and " that it was the duty of Colonel Hart and Major Boyd to have used the best exertions and endeavors to have brought the company officers and men, or such of them as were concerned in this transaction, to trial and punishment. Colonel Hart and Major Boyd have not produced evidence to the court of any such endeavors." In promulgating the above, the major-general concurred in the opinions of the court of inquiry, and directed Brigadier-General Manly to cause an in quiry to be made by a brigade court-martial as to the " disgraceful and shameful " conduct of the company officers and the men of the Twenty-seventh Eegiment, and expressed the determination to hotly pursue and direly punish every officer and soldier who had ignominiously fled from the field of glory on Columbia's natal day. Many members of the Eegiment had been particularly jolly over their exploits of July 4th, but the order of General Morton caused them to realize their danger, and to seriously consider the ways and means of escape. After carefully surveying the field, it was decided that the only hope was in a bold and aggressive policy, and a meet ing of the non-commissioned officers and privates was therefore held at the Shakespeare Tavern to organize for the campaign. The following were the proceedings of the meeting, as published in the newspapers of the day : Twenty-Seventh Regiment, N. Y. State Artillery, National Guard. A meeting of the non-commissioned officers and privates of the Regiment was held -at the Shakespeare, on Tuesday, October 6, 1829 ; Sergeant Allen M. Sniff en, of the Fifth Company, was appointed Chairman, and Sergeant Asher Taylor, of the Fourth Company, was appointed Secretary. The object of the meeting having been stated to be the consideration of the Division Orders of the 25th ult., pub lished in the " Courier and Enquirer," a Committee of three was appointed to prepare resolutions expressing the sense and feeling of the meeting. The Com mittee retired during the delivery of several addresses, and upon their return presented the following resolutions, which were passed unanimously : Whereas, The publication in the newspapers of a Division Order of 25th ult., promulgating the Report of a Court of Inquiry which had been instituted to inquire into the conduct of the field-officers of the Twenty-seventh Regiment, with regard to the affair of the Fourth of July, which said report, in relating the "facts" of the case, explicitly and unqualifiedly exonerates the field-officers from a participation in the affair alluded to ; and Whereas, The said Court of Inquiry, in the expression of their " opinion" have thought proper to pass judgment upon the line-officers and privates, pronouncing them guilty of " disgraceful conduct," &c, &c. ; and 1829 AN INDIGNANT MANIFESTO. 173 Whereas, General Morton, in promulgating the Report, repeats the assertion of " disgrace " and " guilt " on the part of the line-officers and privates, thereby tending to prejudge the case of those whom he at the same time orders to be tried ; therefore, Resolved, That we deem it a duty to our officers, to ourselves, and to the char acter of our corps, to express our indignation at the course pursued by General Morton, and those about him, endeavoring to disparage us in the estimation of our fellow-citizens. Resolved, That the imputation of " disgrace," on the transactions of July 4th. we hurl with contempt at those who had command of the military celebration of the day. Resolved, That we appreciate as highly as General Morton, or those about him, can do the importance of subordination in every rank of a military establishment ; that, under this feeling, we have endured the impositions and oppressions of Gen eral Morton on every occasion that we have paraded under his Command, when the repeated remonstrances of our officers have been disregarded ; that on the occasion in question, we consider that the disagreeable duty imposed on the Divis ion of Artillery was a gross outrage upon every principle of honor and respect that sustains all associations of citizen soldiers ; that through the imbecility of General Morton, and those about him, nearly the whole day was consumed in ordering, counter-ordering, and rescinding orders when half executed, and in arranging and compromising difficulties thus created, while the Division was kept standing until near night, under circumstances peculiarly vexatious ; that we then thought, and now think, that there is a point, even in military subordination, beyond which endurance would justly entitle men to the imputation of " shame " and " disgrace." Resolved, That, in reviewing the order of General Morton setting forth the Report of the Court of Inquiry, we consider that the course pursued by that Court is entirely unwarranted by the authority under which they acted, and evinced but little knowledge of the military law, or they would have known that neither General Morton, nor those about him, possess the power to order a direct inquiry into the case of any below the rank of a field-officer ; and we consider that as the said Court could not have had any testimony before them showing the conduct of the line-officers and privates, their " opinion " in the premises was entirely volunteered and gratuitous, and we esteem it accordingly ; and we deem it but barely an act of justice to our cause to state to the public, that the members of the Court of Inquiry, besides the President, General Hopkins, were Alexander Ming, Jr., and A. M. C. Smith. Resolved, That the peculiarity of the publication in the newspapers of the Division Order of the 25th ult., and that, too, before a copy had been furnished to the parties concerned, is unprecedented ; and that the evident desire of General Morton, and those about him, to create a prejudice and excitement in the public mind against the Twenty-seventh Regiment, previous to and during an investiga tion of its conduct, reflects the highest disgrace on them as officers, as citizens, and as men of honor. Resolved, That the proceedings of this meeting be signed by the chairman and secretary, and published in three of the daily papers. 174 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1829 This famous broadside demoralized the enemy, and all New York applauded the boldness of the young mihtiamen, and laughed at the discomfiture of the venerable general, "and those about him." No further action was taken in the matter ; gradually the excitement subsided, and the hostile parties, having laid aside their arms, henceforth traveled quietly onward in the path of peace. The Board of Officers having decided to celebrate the anniver sary of the organization of the Eeghnent, Colonel Hart issued the following order : Twenty-Seventh Regiment, N. Y. State Artillery. New York, September 28, 1829. Regimental Order. This Regiment will parade, completely uniformed and equipped, on Thursday next, October 1st. The regimental line will be formed in the Park in front of the City Hall, at 2 o'clock p. m., for the purpose of celebrating the anniversary of the day that gave birth to the National Guard. No organized festivities followed the anniversary parade. Many contended that the 25th of August, 1824, the date of the organiza tion of the Battalion of National Guards, at the Shakespeare Tav ern, was the proper anniversary day instead of October 1, 1825, the date of the general order of the adjutant-general recognizing the Battalion of National Guards as a separate and independent military organization, while others contended that the anniversary of the Eegiment should be celebrated on May 6th, the date of the order creating the Twenty-seventh Eegiment. The annual inspection and review took place on the 19th day of November, at Washington Parade-Ground, regimental hne forming at the park. The following was the result of the inspection : Present. Field 2 Staff 3 Non Com. Staff 2 First Company 31 Second " 29 Third " 25 Fourth Company. Fifth Sixth Seventh " EighthBand Present 19. 3:1483150 7 Total present, 333. Present and absent, 501. At this period it was the practice to inspect an entire brigade the same day, the different regiments appearing upon the ground at the different hours named in brigade orders. From 1825 to 1829 no regular band was attached to the Eegi ment. A " Martial Corps," consisting of sixteen Hampford drums, 1829 REIDEL'S MARTIAL CORPS. 175 with an appropriate number of fifes and bugles, was organized by the Board of Officers, under a leader or drum-major. The music furnished by this martial corps was so deafening and overpowering that the officers protested that their orders could not be heard, and, during the year 1829, a new corps was organized under the direc tion of Eeidel, a famous drummer and musician of the period, which was less noisy in its character. The corps was uniformed at the expense of the Eegiment. On extraordinary occasions a brass band was employed, generally from the United States forts in the vicinity of the navy-yard. The major of the Eegiment was always the chairman of the music committee, and made the arrangements for music, subject to general directions from the Board of Officers. Even at this early period the Eegiment was celebrated for its taste in respect to music. On one occasion the music' selected for the " troop " attracted universal attention. Inquiries were made as to its name and author, but the only information obtained was that the favorite air was No. 27. It was at once adopted by the Eegi ment, and was called " The Twenty-seventh," and was for a long time a great favorite ; but at length ah the bands played it for other mihtary corps, pianos retailed its notes in every direction, and the small boys whistled it in the streets, until the Twenty- seventh Eegiment was constrained to abandon its protege to the use and possession of the general public. During the year 1829 there was but one change among the captains of the Eegiment. Captain Beach, of the Sixth Company, an able and accomphshed officer, resigned his commission, and Lieutenant Thomas Postley was elected his successor. The Eighth Company in March adopted a belt-plate, and pur chased thirty plates, for the use of its members, at a cost of one dohar each, upon which the initials " N. G. Eighth " were in scribed. This style of plate was subsequently adopted by the other companies, and was worn until, by the adoption of the name " Na tional Guard " for the entire militia of the State of New York in 1862, it became necessary to substitute the letter of the company upon the belt-plate. In the various changes in the uniform and equipments of the Eegiment, the Eighth Company at this period was foremost both in originating and adopting all improvements. On the 1st day of December, 1829, the Eighth Company adopted the fohowing resolution : 13 176 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1829 " Resolved, That we adopt gray pantaloons as a part of the uni form of our company." Several of the companies of the Eegiment indulged in target- excursions during the year 1829. In later days of extravagance, it may not be uninteresting to notice the comparative economy which wisely characterized all affairs of this kind. From the minutes of the Eighth Company it appears that the expenses of its target- excursion, June 16, 1829, thirty-seven members participating, were as follows : Prize Musket: f 25.00 Expenses to Elizabeth, N. J 6.75 Target and Ornament 8.75 Bill for Dinners 54.00 Musicians 19.00 Steamboat Bellona Passages 15.00 Waiters 2.00 Refreshments for Musicians 1.50 Bill of Wine 16.50 Total $148.50 In apologizing for the fact that the expenses as above exceeded the estimates, the committee stated that " they could not have made them less and have shown a proper degree of spirit for the honor of the Eighth Company or the convenience of its members." From the minutes of the Second Company it appears that the expenses of its target-excursion to Bull's Ferry, June 12, 1834, thirty-seven members participating, were as follows : Ferriage for 37 men, 8 musicians, and 5 guests $12.50 Dinner at 50 cents 25.00 Wine, 20 bottles at 87-J cents 17.50 Eight musicians at $2 16.00 Target and Contingencies 3.00 Total $74.00 At this period the members purchased their own muskets, gen erally at Moore's, in Broadway, between Fulton and John Streets, whicli was then the. leading establishment for the sale of arms and ammunition. They were of the fowling-piece pattern, small, with small flint-lock, hght stock, the stocks varying in style, some being very crooked and some almost straight, and generally very badly balanced and quite unsuited for purposes of uniform military drill. 1829 THE ARMS OF THE REGIMENT. 177 The barrels were polished and the bayonets triangular, and about the same length and style as those in use upon the regulation Springfield musket, previous to the introduction of breech-loading arms. The shng was made of webbing with buttons for fastening. The members kept their muskets at their own homes, and were held responsible for their proper order and cleanliness on parade. Uniform of French Soldiers in America, 1780. 178 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1830 CHAPTEE TENTH. 1830. Colonel Hart and Major Boyd resigned their commissions in January, and Captain Holt, the senior officer, was in brigade orders designated to command the Eegiment until further orders. On the 25th day of January the officers assembled at Stoneall's for the election of field-officers, General Manly presiding, and unanimously elected ex-Colonel Linus W. Stevens colonel of the Eegiment. At a special meeting held on the 28th a communication was received irom Colonel Stevens, conditionally accepting the office, as follows : I will accept your invitation to resume the command of your Regiment, but as it must be our mutual wish to provide for the future as well as the present interest of the Corps that the following shall be the basis of such acceptance : First, that the subordinate stations in the Field shall be filled by good and approved men, such as shall be calculated to succeed to the command of the Regi ment whenever the same shall be vacated. Second, that whenever the time shall have arrived, when I may deem it ex pedient to retire from command, that I have full liberty to resign the same, and that no measures shall be taken to prevent my intentions being carried into effect. The Board of Officers accepted these conditions, and appointed a committee of five to take measures in conjunction with Colonel Stevens to select suitable candidates to fill the vacancies in the field. An informal ballot for lieutenant-colonel was taken, and a majority of the votes were cast for ex-Major Eobert B. Boyd, and Captain Holt was the unanimous choice for major, but both positively refused to accept. On the 19th of February, the committee on candidates reported in favor of George Dixey for lieutenant-colonel, and stated that " Colonel Stevens was perfectly satisfied with the nomi nation." On the 1st day of March Colonel Stevens took command of the Eegiment, and on the 22d George Dixey was elected lieu tenant-colonel, and Morgan L. Smith major. Neither of these 1830 COLONEL LEVI HART. 179 gentlemen had ever been connected with the Eegiment, but the powerful influence of Colonel Stevens and the reluctance of the prominent officers of the line to accept promotion, secured in this instance the adoption of the doubtful policy of electing to promi nent positions officers not identified by past service with the for tunes of the Eegiment. At the time of their election Dixey was an officer in another mihtia regiment, and Smith was adjutant of the Washington Guards. To the surprise and indignation of the officers of the Eegiment, Dixey declined the honor, and on the 1st day of April they adopted the following preamble and resolutions: Whereas, Lieutenant-Colonel George Dixey on being waited upon by a Com mittee of the officers of this Regiment did consent to take the Lieutenant-Colo nelcy of the 27th Regiment in ease he was elected thereto, and he having been elected thereto with one dissenting voice, and since his election having by a com munication to Colonel Stevens, which he this evening laid before the officers, in substance declined to take his post in our corps ; therefore Resolved, that Lieutenant-Colonel George Dixey be no longer considered worthy of our association, and that the Lieutenant-Colonelcy be considered vacant. Resolved, that the Commandant be requested to allow the communication from Lieutenant-Colonel Dixey to be resealed, redirected, and returned to Lieu tenant-Colonel Dixey through the Post-Office. Colonel Stevens, however, declined to allow the communication of Dixey to be treated so ignominiously, and so far as the Seventh Eegiment is concerned Dixey passed into obhvion. On the first day of July Major Smith was elected lieutenant-colonel and John M. Catlin was elected major of the Eegiment. Colonel Levi Hart enhsted in 1819 in Captain Hopkins's com pany of the Eleventh Eegiment, New York Artihery, which sub sequently became the First Company of the Twenty-seventh Eegi ment. Having served as a corporal and sergeant, he was elected second lieutenant in 1824, first lieutenant in 1825, and captain of the First Company in 1826. So rapid were the changes in the officers of the hne, that in 1828, when Colonel Stevens resigned, and Colonel Manning, after a very brief term of office, retired, Cap tain Hart was elected colonel without material opposition, and he performed the duties of the office for fifteen months, when he resigned and retired from the service. Colonel Hart, though not distinguished as an officer, was by no means deficient in soldierly acquirements, and at drill and parade 180 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1830 creditably performed every mihtary duty. He was a man of quiet and unassuming manners, and had not the peculiar qualities which inspire subordinates to activity and enthusiasm. But he was uni versally respected by officers and men, and his devotion to the interests of the Eegiment in a critical period of its existence won the affection of his associates and entitled him to a prominent place in the early history of the Seventh Eegiment. Colonel Hart was in person small, erect, and soldierly, with frank and pleasing face, modest in manner, and slow and dehberate in his movements. He was social and genial, and generous to a fault. At the time of his connection with the Eegiment he was in the clothing business, and afterward for many years was a real-estate broker, and was always successful in his business pursuits. He was an active politician in the Whig party from 1836 to 1848, a warm partisan of Henry Clay, and a personal friend and supporter of Wilham H. Seward, Hamilton Fish, and other prominent men of the party. Colonel Hart was born in Monmouth County, N. J., in 1796, and died in New York in 1874. Major Eobert B. Boyd was elected captain of the Fifth Com pany in 1826, having previously served with distinction for a con siderable period in another mihtary organization. In 1828 he was elected major, and in 1830 he was chosen lieutenant-colonel ; but he declined the honor on account of business engagements, and retired from the service. Major Boyd was a successful merchant, and a popular and highly respected gentleman. He was a good military officer, and was distinguished for his very fine personal appearance upon parade. On the 3d of June the Board of Officers appointed a committee to ascertain and report upon the practicability of performing a tour of camp duty in July. This committee, after visiting several im portant towns, decided upon Poughkeepsie as the most desirable location for the proposed camp, and recommended that the Eegi ment leave New York on Saturday, July 3d, and return on the following Tuesday. The companies generally approved the project, but upon application to general headquarters for a supply of tents and knapsacks from the State Arsenal a reply was received, inclos ing an order for the camp equipage, but refusing, " for the want of precedent," the use of the knapsacks belonging to the State. As it was impossible to have knapsacks manufactured by the appointed Colonel Seventh. Regiment. 1928 — 1830. 1830 FUNERAL OF COLONEL WILLETT. 181 time, and as a later day of departure was deemed inadvisable, the encampment was reluctantly postponed until the followino- year. The failure of the project for an encampment in 1830, beirjo- due principally to the want of knapsacks, the regiment at once inaugurated measures for procuring this important part of the equipments of the soldier. At a meeting of the Board of Officers, in August, a committee was appointed to select a pattern knapsack, and captains were directed to procure the appointment of commit tees from their companies to consider the subject. The joint com mittee met on the 13th day of September at Stoneall's Shakespeare Tavern, and after due consideration the pattern which had been approved by the Board of Officers was adopted as a part of the uni form of the Eegiment, six of the eight companies having voted in its favor. The Sixth Company approved of a pattern somewhat similar to the one adopted by the six companies, while the Second Company with great tmanimity voted against the adoption of the knapsack. The opposition to the adoption of the knapsack as a part of the uniform of the Eegiment was mainly because it was believed that the expense of that part of the equipment of the militia was properly chargeable to the State military fund. It is due to the Fourth Company to state that on the 19th day of Sep tember, 1827, it resolved " to adopt knapsack, whenever the same shall be generally adopted and become a part of the Bill of Dress, the style and pattern to be agreed upon by the Eegiment." And at a meeting held in June, 1830, and previous to any regimental action upon the subject, the Fourth adopted knapsacks for company parades. The funeral of Colonel Marinus Willett, of Eevolutionary renown, was a notable military event of the year. He died at his residence in Broome Street, in August, at the age of ninety years, and a vast concourse of distinguished citizens, veterans of the Eevolutionary War, and officers of the army and navy and of the militia, attended the funeral. A newspaper of the period states that — The corpse, in compliance with the written request of the deceased, was hab ited in a complete suit of ancient citizens' apparel, including an old-fashioned three-cornered hat, which had* been preserved for that purpose. The coffin was made of pieces of wood collected, as we have understood, by himself, many years ago, from the scenes of different revolutionary battles. 182 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1830 By Division order the Twenty-seventh Eegiment was detailed as special escort to the remains of Major James Fairlie, a distin guished officer during the Eevolutionary War, and a well-known and popular citizen of New York. The funeral was attended at No. 41 Cortlandt Street, on the 12th day of October, and the fine appearance of the Eegiment on this occasion was universally noticed and commended. Major-General Morton, in division orders, ex pressed " his great satisfaction with the soldierly manner in which the Eegiment yesterday performed the obsequies at the interment of Major Fairlie." The French Eevolution of 1830, resulting in the elevation of Louis Philippe to the throne of France, was hailed in this country as an important step in the progress of free institutions and popular government. Arrangements were made to celebrate the event on the anniversary of the evacuation of New York by the British, but on account of the inclemency of the weather the ceremonies were postponed until the fohowing day. At sunrise, on the 26th of November, the celebration commenced with a salute at the Battery by the Yeteran Corps of Artihery. French and American flags were displayed from the hotels and pubhc buildings, and from many private residences ; and the people, who at an early hour thronged the streets, were decorated with tricolored badges and rosettes, and other national emblems. The procession — which in cluded the mihtary, the civic societies, the associations and trades, the firemen, and the citizens generally — formed in Canal Street, at 11 A. m., and marched through Broadway to the Park, Chatham Street, Bowery, Broome Street, and Broadway to Washington Pa- rade-Ground. So immense were the numbers participating, and so great the length of the procession, that its right reached Washing ton Square before the left had moved from Canal Street. A plat form had been erected in the Square, around which the civic soci eties and the citizens assembled in such vast numbers that the mihtary was obliged to remain in the adjacent streets during the exercises. The oration was delivered by Samuel L. Gouverneur, the " Marseillaise " was sung with great enthusiasm, the bands per formed the French and American national airs, and the exercises closed with repeated discharges of artillery and volleys of musketry. It was estimated that thirty thousand people were assembled in Washington Parade-Ground, and the principal streets of the city Fourth Company 76 Fifth " 33 Sixth " 49 Seventh " 31 Eighth " 54 Band 7 1830 PARADES OF THE YEAR. Ig3 were at the same time crowded with men, women, and children. The celebration ended with a grand display of fire-works, and a general illumination. The spring parade took place on the 16th day of June, line forming in the park fronting the City Hall, and the Eegiment paraded as usual on the 4th day of July. A regimental drill took place on the 20th of September, and four drills for officers in the School of the Battahon were held in April and May, at the Shake speare and the arsenal-yard, and the same number of drills in the School of the Brigade in December. The annual inspection and review were held at the Battery on the 26th day of October, with the following result : Present. Present. Field 3 Staff 5 Non Com. Staff 2 First Company 33 Second " 30 Third " 37 Total present, 360. Present and absent, 472. The project of an encampment interfered with the usual com pany excursions for target-practice, but the Fourth Company pro ceeded to Yonkers for that purpose on the 20th of July, and the Eighth Company to Newark on the 10th of June. Both of these companies were wonderfully prosperous and enthusiastic ; and Cap tain Brower, in an order issued November 4th, triumphantly stated that "the Eighth Company is only second in numbers to the strongest company in the Brigade, as shown by the inspection, and is second to none in perfection of equipments and general good order." The public rooms which could be obtained at this period for mihtary purposes were few and unsatisfactory, and the expense of rent was a considerable burden upon the several companies. Stone all's Shakespeare Tavern continued to be the general headquarters of the Eegiment, and the drills and meetings of a majority of the companies were held at McDermott's Upper Long Eoom, No. 63 Duane Street, at Mihtary Hall, No. 193 Bowery, and at the corner of Mott and Chatham Streets. During the year 1830 Captain James D. Phillips, of the Third Company, was succeeded by William Jones ; Captain Philetus H. 184 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1830 Holt, of the Fourth Company, by Edward Eoome ; and Captain Benjamin J. Hathaway, of the Fifth Company, by William T. Beach. Captains Philhps and Hathaway were excellent officers, and highly respected as gentlemen, and Captain Holt again served as captain. Although the increase in the numbers of the Eegiment in the year 1830 was inconsiderable, the improvement in drill, discipline, and in esprit de corps was noticeable and important. The ability and popularity of Colonel Stevens gave new life to the Eegiment ; old and valued members rallied to its standard, and the younger members were inspired by the enthusiasm of those who were veter ans in the service. The year closed with bright hopes and promises of future prosperity. Tomb of Lafayette. 1831 APPEALS OF CHARITY ORGANIZATIONS. i§5 CHAPTEE ELEYENTH. 1831. The year 1831 was one of remarkable activity in the Twenty- seventh Eegiment. The regular drills by company and the frequent drills of officers were punctually attended, and many new and valu able members were enlisted. To promote the general interest in the Eegiment and a social feeling, among its members, the Board of Officers, at a meeting held on the 12th of January, made arrange ments for a grand regimental ball on the 22cl day of February. The committee having the matter in charge were disappointed in procuring the " City Hotel Eoom," and the project was reluctantly abandoned. From its organization to the present date, the Seventh Eegi ment has been the subject of constant applications for subscriptions to benevolent objects. In February, 1831, by resolution of the Board of Officers, a subscription was circulated throughout the Eegiment in behalf of the Female Assistance Society, which re sulted in a liberal contribution. The precedent, however, proved, a dangerous one, and so frequent and persistent were the applications for aid to similar institutions, that the Eegiment was obliged to withdraw as an organization from the field of benevolence, leaving all subjects of charity to the liberality and consideration of its indi vidual members. It has proved to be the true policy of the Eegi- iment to confine its labors, as far as possible, to the purposes for which it was created. The Bill of Dress having been revised by a committee, was, in June, approved as amended and ordered printed. The changes were immaterial. As the members furnished their own arms, and as the muskets of the Eegiment were therefore of divers patterns, the new Bill of Dress ordered that " all muskets, other than of the United States pattern, be excluded for any who may hereafter be come members." It was also provided by resolution that "the 186 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1831 several companies be permitted to adopt the knapsack approved by the Sixth Company, or the one previously approved by six of the companies of the Eegiment." The following is an extract from the Bill of Dress upon the subject : " Sec. 6. Knapsacks.— There are two patterns in the Eegiment, some companies having been permitted to adopt one pattern, and some the other; but it is distinctly understood that every member of the same company con form to the style and pattern of his company, as different kinds can not be allowed in the same company." Certificate of Membership, 1S31. The annual spring parade took place on the 18th day of April. The Eegiment also paraded with the division on the 18th day of May for review, at Washington Parade-Ground, by his Excellency Governor Enos T. Throop, and passed in review in front of the City Hah before the Governor, Mayor, and Corporation. The Twenty- seventh Eegiment was also reviewed by the adjutant-general in 1831 CAMP CLINTON. 187 front of the City Hall, and at the conclusion a splendid sword was presented to Colonel Stevens by the adjutant-general in behalf of the officers of the Eegiment. On the 20th day of June the Boston City Guards arrived in New York, and were received by the Seventh and Eighth Compa nies, detailed by regimental order for that purpose, and escorted to Washington Parade-Ground, where the corps encamped during its visit. This fine company was uniformed in gray, and was accom panied by the Boston Brigade Band, which attracted great atten tion, and which was said " to eclipse anything of the kind in New York." On the 21st of June the Boston City Guards visited many interesting localities in New York and its vicinity, and on the 22d were escorted by a detachment of the Twenty-seventh Eegiment to the City Hall, where they were reviewed by the Mayor and enter tained by the Common Council. After the review and cohation they were escorted to the steamer President, on wliich they em barked for Providence, en route for Boston. During the months of April and May the officers of the Eegi ment were active in making arrangements for an encampment at Poughkeepsie in July. On the 6th of June Colonel Stevens issued the fohowing order for " Camp Clinton " : Twenty-Seventh Regiment, N. Y. State Artillery. National Guard. New York, June 6, 1831. Regimental Order. In compliance with the wish of a majority of the Regiment to perform a tour of camp duty, and the necessary arrangements having been effected, the Regiment will assemble in complete uniform, armed and equipped, including knapsacks, on the 2d of July. Regimental line will be formed in the Park at 6 A. M. The commander-in-chief having instructed the Commissary-General to furnish the necessary camp equipage, the quartermaster is directed to attend at the Arse nal to receive and receipt for the same, and to make requisition for two six- pounders (say thirty-five rounds), and for 3,000 rounds of blank musket cartridges. It is recommended to each man to provide himself with a sack to contain straw for bedding, and, in addition to a blanket, a cloak, or such other necessaries as may be conducive to health and comfort, on the recommendation of their respect ive commandants. The place of encampment is at Poughkeepsie, in view of the Hudson River. The Commandant entertains the hope that more may be acquired in one tour of camp duty than in an entire season of duty performed in the usual manner. Those who do not perform the tour of camp duty will, in the course of the Summer, be ordered for drill on four separate days, which measure must be car ried into effect to satisfy the law, and in -justice to these who encamp. In com- 1S8 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1831 pliance. with Division and Brigade Orders, that part of the Regiment remaining in New York on the Fourth, are required to parade on that day ; the senior offi cer present will assume command, and report for duty to the Brigade Major. The following named receive appointments for the Poughkeepsie Excursion : Mr. Philetus H Holt, late Captain of the 4th, Secretary. " B. B. Beach, late Captain of the 6th, Assistant Paymaster. " Asher Taylor, late Orderly of the 4th, Assistant Quarter- Master. Unanimity, or L'Esprit de Corps. A spirit of good-will among the members of the Regiment is essential to the good that may result from this excursion. The general deportment of the officers toward the men should be strictly guarded. " If this be coarse or harsh on the one hand, or grossly familiar on the other, the harmony and discipline of the Corps can not be maintained." The examples are numerous and brilliant in which the most conciliatory manners have been found perfectly compatible with the exer cise of the strictest command. The prompt arrest of the disobedient may be ex pected. By order of Colonel L. W. Stevens, Colonel Commanding 27th Regiment. W. P. Millard, Adjutant. A complete standing order was also issued in respect to regula tions of camp, guard-mounting, duties of sentinels, etc., etc. On the evening of July 1st the preparations were complete for embarkation on the following morning. Quartermaster Sniffen had chartered the steamer Congress as a transport; obtained a band from the United States post at Governor's Island ; made contracts at Poughkeepsie for camp ground and supplies ; and had procured at the State Arsenal the necessary camp equipage and ammunition. The marquee for the colonel, which -svas obtained from the arsenal, was taken from the British in the War of 1812, and the field-pieces were trophies of the Eevolutionary War, one having been captured at Saratoga and the other at Princeton. Saturday, July M.— The Eegiment paraded pursuant to order, and embarked at the foot of Liberty Street, at 7 a. m., for Pough keepsie. On passing West Point, the companies were paraded on the upper and lower decks, and a salute was fired by a detachment from the Eighth Company, under Captain Brower, and at Newburg, New Hamburg, and other points on the route, salutes in honor of the Eegiment were responded to from the transport. The Eegi ment arrived at Poughkeepsie at 4 p. m., was officially received by the President and Trustees of the village and a battalion of militia under Major Beadle. At 6 p. m. tents were pitched, and, after evening parade and guard-mounting, the members were busy until 1831 JULY 4TH IN CAMP. 189 tattoo in decorating their quarters, and making them convenient and comfortable. Sunday, July 3d. — Early in the morning divine service was held in the camp, Eev. Dr. Cuyler, of Poughkeepsie, officiating, and the Eegiment attended the Dutch Eeformed church in the fore noon and the Episcopal church in the afternoon. The day was exceedingly warm, and the sentinels suffered severely from the heat and sun, but in the afternoon the camp was visited by a thunder-storm, which refreshed though it drenched the almost suf focated soldiers. No visitors were admitted to the camp, nor were the members of the Eegiment ahowed to leave it, except for the purpose of attending church. Monday, July 4-th. — At 9 A. m. the Eegiment was reviewed by Major-General Brush, and at meridian a national salute was (DJ^MLJP (CTL n :E3"1F gem ?¦ d i on . ?? ? do , u u , no^ea . do to/ I 1 D'DO'DD'DQ D ? ^BQ<^0a 'AD ?/0 /! D f DD - DO y CD i D ? '^QLV^p^. oa/^ D ^r fired. The authorities of Poughkeepsie having made arrangements to celebrate the anniversary of American Independence, and hav ing invited the Eegiment to participate, it left camp at 1 p. m. and joined the mihtary and civic procession. Having marched through the principal streets, and witnessed the ceremonies of the day, the Eegiment returned to camp, and with the Artihery and Fusileers, and the leading citizens of the town as its guests, sat down to an elegant and substantial dinner. Colonel Henry Livingston pre sided, and the cloth having been removed, a variety of patriotic and 190 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1831 complimentary toasts were drunk and '"esponded to by the officers of the Eegiment, and by the citizens of Poughkeepsie. The pro ceedings were enlivened by music from the band and by frequent discharges of artillery. A general invitation had been extended to the people of the town and surrounding country to visit the camp in the evening, and a large number of ladies and gentlemen availed themselves of this opportunity. The tents were decorated for the occasion in every variety of style, the entire camp was brilliantly illuminated, and to the gay people who thronged its streets on that charming summer evening the scene was novel, singularly beautiful, and long to be remembered. The fine music of the band suggested a dance upon the green, in wliich the belles of the town and the rustic beauties of the neighboring country enthusiastically joined, and it was long after midnight when the festivities ended and the citizens and soldiers separated. Tuesday, July 5th. — At 7 a. m. tents were struck, and the Eegiment having marched through the principal streets of the village, embarked upon its transport, and, amid the shouts and cheers and mutual compliments and congratulations of citizens and soldiers, bade adieu to Poughkeepsie and its generous hospitality and departed for New York. At 7 p. m. the Eegiment reached New York, and was dismissed at the Park. The following statement of the expenses of the first encamp ment may not be uninteresting at a distant day : Transportation to and from Poughkeepsie $288.50 Use of field and lumber 30.45 Transportation at Poughkeepsie 61.72 Subsistence 480.00 Band and Drum Corps 202.00 Sundries 73.(53 Total $1,136.30 The regular assessment of officers was ten dollars, non-com missioned officers five dollars, and privates three dollars ; and the amount collected was eight hundred and seventy-two dollars. The balance was paid from the regimental fund. The number present at Camp Chnton was two hundred and fifty-six, as appears from the following extract from the adjutant's report : 1831 FUNERAL OF EX-PRESIDENT MONROE. 191 Field and Staff 10 Non Com. Staff 4 Band 14 Martial Corps 7 First Company 16 Second " 7 Third " 33 Fourth Company 52 Fifth " 14 Sixth " 27 Seventh " 20 Eighth " 30 Servants 22 Total 256 James Monroe. Ex-President James Monroe died on the 4th of July, 1831, and was buried on the 7th of July, by the Corporation of New York, with appropriate honors. The remains were escorted by a squad ron of cavalry from the residence of his son- ' in-law, Samuel L. Gouverneur, to the City Hall, where an oration was delivered by Presi dent Duer, of Columbia College, and the funeral service was read at St. Paul's Church, by Bishop Onderdonk and Dr. Wainwright. The Twenty-seventh Eegiment was the special escort, and the procession included the divis ion commanded by General Morton, the civic societies, the national, State, and city authori ties, the officers of the Army and Navy, and a large number of citizens. Along the route the stores were closed and draped with mourning, and, while the procession moved, minute-guns were fired and the bells of the city were tolled. The remains were deposited in a vault in the Second Street Cemetery, and three volleys of musketry by the Twenty- seventh Eegiment concluded the, imposing ceremonies. Twenty- seven years later the Seventh Eegiment was selected by the city of New York to escort the remains of ex-President James Monroe to their final resting-place in Hohywood Cemetery, at the city of Eichmond, Ya. The headquarters of the several companies as well as of the Eegiment continued to be at Stoneall's Shakespeare Tavern, but company drills were also held at McDermott's Long Eoom, Military Hall, Broadway House, etc. The Fourth Company was at this time the largest company in the State of New York, numbering one hundred and fifteen men. It was also distinguished for the high character and varied talents of its members, some of whom furnished a fund of amusement to the Eegiment by their famous 14 192 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1831 songs and recitations. At the annual inspection in October it had ninety-two men present, which was said to be " the largest number that had been exhibited by any company since the late war." In addition to its large amount of regimental duty, the Fourth went on a target-excursion in September, and on the 13th of October indulged in a company parade. The only change among comman dants of companies was occasioned by the resignation of Captain Wyckoff, of the Seventh Company, and the election of Lieutenant John T. Cairns as his successor. Captain Wyckoff was an able officer and a popular gentleman, and his long and faithful services were noticed in general orders. The annual inspection and review took place on the 31st day of October, at Washington Parade-Ground, and resulted as f ohows : Field 3 Staff 5 Non Com. Staff 2 First Company 36 Second " 30 Third " 55 Fourth Company 92 Fifth " 27 Sixth " 47 Seventh " 34 Eighth " 63 Band 17 Total present, 411. Present and absent, 589. The fact that this was the largest number which had ever ap peared at the annual inspection since the organization of the Eegi ment, was a subject of general congratulation. Immediately after the inspection, a prize musket was presented by Colonel Stevens to the member in each company who had enhsted the largest number of men since the 1st day of March, the muskets having been pre sented to the Eegiment by Lieutenant-Colonel Smith and Major Catlin for that purpose. On the 24th day of October the election of James A. Moore, Esq., to the command of the First Brigade, vice Manly resigned, was officially announced. On the 25th day of November the Twenty-seventh Eegiment made its usual .parade with the division. All members of the Eegiment, who were not present at Camp Chnton were required to drill at the arsenal-yard on the 22d, 26th, and 29th of September. The death of Wilham B. Hall, Paymaster of the Eegiment, who died on the passage from Havana to New York, was announced in December, and the Board of Officers adopted resolutions comphmentary to the memory of that popular officer. 1831 LEGISLATION AT ALBANY. 193 A movement having been made to secure amendments to the mihtia law, among which was a reduction of the number of annual parades, the Board of Officers deeming the proposed changes un favorable to the interests of the Eegiment, appointed a committee in December to sohcit the appointment of similar committees by other regiments, and to confer with members of the Legislature- elect, for the purpose of defeating all measures which were likely to be detrimental to the interests of the Eegiment and of the Brigade. And from that day to this the Eegiment has been in constant fear of legislation at Albany calculated to impair its ef ficiency and prosperity by men ignorant of the wants of the militia, indifferent to its interests, or hostile to its existence. Ex-Captain Philetus H. Holt, the military secretary at Camp Chnton, having been requested by the Board of Officers to prepare a complete history of the encampment at Poughkeepsie, performed that duty in a satisfactory manner, and received a unanimous vote of thanks. This interesting history has been carefully preserved among the records of the Eegiment, and is described in the minutes of the Board of Officers as " a detailed statement of the expendi ture of the Eegiment to Poughkeepsie and the tour of duty at Camp Chnton, embodying the orders and reports incident to the occasion ; interspersed with numerous illustrations, descriptions, topographical, statistical, and historical ; compiled with care and accuracy, and drawn up in a dignified style." On the 31st, day of December, 1831, the numerical strength of the Eegiment was as follows : 13* m Q o 6 d O O O o O O Q O O nd a T3l3 fc CO £ « 1 CO ¦¦* tO CD i> GO « e o Commissioned officers. . . . 3 5 2 2 2 3 2 3 3 3 28 2 7 49 6 40 7 76 8 105 8 50 9 58 4 49 9 60 17 60 504 592 The receipts, as reported by the paymaster for the year, were $727.26, and the expenses were $577.59. The expenditures were as follows : Music, $431.50 ; printing, $76.25 ; incidental, $69.84 ; total, $577.59. 194: HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1832 CHAPTEE TWELFTH. 1832. The following extract from regimental order No. 1, dated Janu ary 2, 1832, in respect to the recent marked improvement and the encouraging prospects of the Eegiment, is worthy of notice : . . . The Commandant avails himself of the present opportunity to express the high degree of satisfaction which he has experienced from the improvement of the Regiment during the past year. To the officers, non-commissioned and privates, who have so generally contributed by their exertions to the unexampled increase of the Regiment in numbers, he tenders his warmest acknowledgments ; and his experience of the past assures him that to maintain its present standing and respectability will ever be with them a paramount object of their solicitude. As mainly conducive to this end, he would recommend to the members of this Regiment assiduously to cultivate and foster that spirit of unanimity which at present prevails, and which, while it continues, will be a sure guarantee for our permanent and abiding prosperity. By Order of L. W. Stevens, Col. Comdg. 27th Artillery. W. P. Millard, Adjutant. The action inaugurated by the Twenty-seventh Eegiment, and heretofore referred to, relating to changes in the mihtia law of the State, resulted in a memorial to the Legislature, signed by ah the officers of the First Brigade of Artillery. In this memorial it was stated that — These corps were originally established by exempting the members of them from the seven drills required by the ordinary militia— from jury duty during their term of service— from taxes on personal property to the amount of $500— and from militia duty for life after seven years' service, except in cases of insur rection and invasion. Since the reduction of the ordinary militia parades to three, our Regiments, notwithstanding the exertions of the officers and the expendi ture of large sums from their private purses, have become reduced to mere skele tons, and are, in fact, threatened with dissolution, unless your Honorable Body should take the necessary steps to preserve them. . . . Not only should greater privileges be offered to those who enlist in our volunteer Corps, but more duty should be required of them. . . . We, therefore, respectfully solicit from your Honorable Body the passage of a law exempting forever from jury duty all who shall have faithfully served ten years in any one of the legally authorized uniformed corps in the city of New York. In consideration of this privilege, we request that 1832 CENTENNIAL OP WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY. 195 in addition to the regimental drills and parades, now required by law, the uniform corps be required to meet by company for instruction one evening in each month during the year, after the setting of the sun, under a penalty of five dollars for each commissioned officer, one dollar for each non-commissioned officer or private, who shall absent himself from such meeting, &c, &c. The petition to the Legislature was of no avail, and the desired rehef was not obtained. At the February meeting of the Board of Officers a committee was appointed to consider the expediency of " a tour of camp-duty during the present season," and to report as to place and arrange ments. On the 5th day of April the committee reported in favor of an encampment at New Haven, Conn. — the Eegiment to leave New York June 26th, and to return in time for the 4th of July parade — and the report was unanimously adopted. At this period, as on many occasions of later date, the militia was made to bear the odium of certain extravagances of the city fathers. The fohowing preamble and resolution, offered by Cap tain Brower, although generally approved by the officers of the Eeghnent, and its adoption earnestly advocated by some, was from motives of expediency negatived by the board at its February meeting : It being by common consent in this community the generally received opinion that the appropriations made in the Common Council for refreshments furnished on celebrations and gala days are exclusively, or nearly so, for the entertainment of the military ; but this not being truly the case, Resolved, That the officers of the National Guards from this time do not par ticipate in refreshments provided at the times and in the manner aforesaid. At the April meeting the Board of Officers unanimously re solved that the Twenty-seventh Eegiment, which had heretofore been known as the " National Guards," should in future be cahed the " National Guard." The centennial anniversary of the birth of Washington was celebrated by the Corporation of New York in a brilhant and attractive manner. The First Division was not ordered to parade, on account of the condition of the streets. The Eighth Company of the Twenty-seventh Eegiment was detailed for special duty, in comphance with the following order : February 20, 1832. Division Order. The Committee of arrangements of the Corporation have received from George Washington Parke Custis, of Arlington House, the tent which George Washing- 196 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1832 ton used during the Revolutionary War, and have requested the major-general to have it pitched in the Park, in front of the City Hall, with military attentions, and have designated it as the place of assembly for the remaining companions in arms of General Washington. . . . The services of Colonel Stevens' Regiment (Twenty-seventh New York State Artillery) having been requested for guard duty on this occasion, and he having readily assented thereto, he will order for duty on the 22d inst. such part of the Regiment as he may deem proper. By order of Major-General Morton. The 22d of February was an extremely cold and unpleasant day, and the streets were filled with snow and ice, yet the interesting occasion called out a large number of people. At 9 a. m. the Eighth Company assembled with full ranks and received the Washington marquee at the arsenal, pitched it in front of the City Hah, and mounted guard with due ceremony in the midst of an immense crowd of enthusiastic citizens. At noon a national salute of twenty- four guns was fired — that being the number of States in 1832 — and three successive salutes of thirteen guns each, in honor of the original States. The procession was formed at the City Hall, con sisting of the national, State, and city officials, the civic and literary societies, the trades, the officers of the Army and Navy, and of the First Division, and the citizens generally, and marched through Broadway, Beaver, Broad, and Nassau Streets, to the Middle Dutch Church, where an oration was delivered by General Lewis. In the evening the City Hall, Tammany Hall, the Park Theatre, and all the buildings in the vicinity, were illuminated. The great attraction of the day was the marquee of Washington, in charge of the Eighth Company. This tent was first pitched by Washington at Dorches ter, Mass., and after seven years' service was finally used at York- town as a banquet-hall for the entertainment of Lord Cornwahis, then a prisoner of war. Phihp Lee, a nephew of Will Lee, the favorite servant of Washington during the Eevolutionary War, accompanied the tent from Arlington to New York. It was visited during the day by the mayor and Common Council, by many of the officers of the United States Army and Navy, and " Veterans of 1776," and by an immense throng of citizens. The curiosity of the people to pass under the identical canopy wliich had protected the Father of his Country from storms and sunshine during the most eventful period in American history was universal and was generally gratified. The Eighth Company performed the arduous 1832 THE LAFAYETTE MEDAL. 197 and delicate duties intrusted to it in the most soldierly manner, and its appearance and bearing were a subject of general commendation. A special meeting of the Board of Officers of the Twenty-sev enth Eegiment, National Guard, was held in the Washington mar quee during the afternoon of the 22d day of February, 1832, at which Major Catlin submitted a proposition, which was unani mously adopted, as follows : Assembled with thousands of our fellow-citizens to celebrate the day which a century gone by gave birth to him in the providence of God endowed with wis dom and energy by his Creator, became the Father of his Country. Assembled to unite our voices in the concert of gratitude and rejoicings which millions are sending heavenward in view of the numberless blessings, the unexampled prosperity, the bouudless prospects of our happy country — happy, indeed, beyond any nation or country under heaven. While we are thus distinguishing above the days of the years of our republic the birthday of the immortal Washington — while the name of the Hero of American Independence is glowing in our hearts and trembling on our tongues — whose memory does not prompt him with the next breath he draws to pronounce with scarcely less enthusiasm the name of that noble spirit, that gallant soldier, that champion of American Lib erty, that early and tried friend of our Washington — the hero of three revolutions —General La Fayette? On this auspicious occasion, un der this canopy hallowed in our cherished remembrance by the frequent inter course of those kindred spirits, I have the honor to propose a suggestion, of which Lieutenant-Colonel Smith is the author, sanctioned by the hearty approval of our honored commandant, that a medal, with appropriate devices and inscriptions emblematic and descriptive of the occasion and object, be prepared to be presented on the 4th July next to that pure patriot as an expression — feeble, it is true, but most sincere— of the gratitude and admiration with which his ardent devotion and distinguished services in the eventful period of our struggle for independence, his The Lafayette Medal. 198 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1832 unsullied virtues, his untiring efforts in the cause of liberty even to this hour have inspired, in common with their fellow-countrymen, the National Guard of the City of New York. That in this tribute of honor, to whom honor is due, every member of the corps have an opportunity of participating. The field-officers and captains of companies were appointed a committee to secure subscriptions and to procure the testimonial to Lafayette. The subscriptions to the medal were liberal, and in the selection of the design and in securing its successful execution the committee was most fortunate. It was made of sohd gold from the mines of North Carolina, and its front was embellished with emblems of the friendship existing between France and the United States, surrounding raised medallions of Lafayette and Washing ton. On the reverse was the following inscription : The National Guard, Twenty-seventh Regiment, N. Y. S. Artillery, to • LA FAYETTE, Centennial Anniversary of the Birthday of Washington, New York, February 22, 1832. The medal was completed in June, and on the 1st day of July was exhibited to the members of the Eegiment, then in camp at New Haven. It was forwarded to James Fenimore Cooper, the American consul at Lyons, to be presented to the distinguished patriot at such time and in such manner as he should think proper. The following letter from Mr. Cooper gives the circumstances attending its presentation : Paris, Nov. 22d, 1832. Gentlemen: I did not get the medal you entrusted to my care, in order to be delivered to Gen. La Fayette, until the middle of October," in consequence of a long absence from Paris. At my return Gen. La Fayette was out of town, and no opportunity offered to acquit myself of the trust until quite lately. Yesterday I gave a dinner to Gen. La Fayette, at my own house, and in the evening we had a meeting of friends, chosen from among the different nations of Europe, of which this city has always an ample representation. It struck me this expedient was the best I could devise to meet your wishes. In the course of the evening I presented your letter, resolutions, &c, with the medal, and explained the object of all, in a short address. I have the pleasure to enclose the answer of Gen. La Fayette with this letter. Among the guests were Lt. Gen. Comte Pac, a distinguished Polish Patriot; 1832 THE LAFAYETTE LETTER. 199 Lt. Gen. Sir John Vanderleur, of the British army ; Brig. Gen. Wool, Capt. Finch, and several other officers, of our own service. All our own officers appeared in uniform, in compliment to the occasion. Several distinguished civilians, and many ladies, were witnesses of your intentions. Mr. Barnet and Mr. C. Barnet, the Consuls at Paris and Venice, had great pleasure in attending. Demonstrations of attachment, and of adherence to his principles, are at all times peculiarly grateful to La Fayette, when coming from America. He consid ers himself a disciple of our school, and justly believes that he wishes no more for France than can be accomplished by imitating, with such modifications as pru dence would dictate, our own institutions. Your own offering has been happily timed, for it reaches him at a moment when his enemies are the loudest and most vindictive in their attacks. You will permit me to express the satisfaction I have had in being chosen as the organ of your feelings on this occasion. It has given me an opportunity of proving that I do not altogether misrepresent American sentiment when I affirm its attachment to La Fayette, and may, by'implication, help to sustain me in what I say of American institutions. This expression may cause you surprise, gentlemen, but I feel persuaded that did the American people rightly understand the doctrines that have been extensively circulated in Europe of late, and under the sanction of their authority, they would issue a rebuke that would fully vindicate their majesty as well as their principles. I have the honor to be, Gentlemen, Your ob. servt., J. Fenimore Cooper. To Messrs. L. W. Stevens, M. L. Smith, and J. M. Catlin. The fohowing autograph letter to the committee expresses the grateful emotions experienced by the venerable soldier and patriot, upon the reception of the testimonial of American respect and affection : Paris, November, 1832. Gentlemen : The precious specimen of American industry, which, in the name of the National Guard of New York, and by a unanimous vote, the Twenty-sev enth Regiment, New York State Artillery, has been pleased to offer to an Ameri can veteran, is a new testimony of that persevering affection of which it has been, during near sixty years, the pride and delight of my life to be the happy object. The only merit on my part, which it does not exceed, is to be found in the warmth of my gratitude, and the patriotic devotion that binds to the United States the loving heart of an adopted son. The honor which the gift and devices of this beautiful medal have conferred upon me is still enhanced by its connection with the hundredth anniversary birth day of our great and matchless Washington, of whom it is the most gratifying circumstance of my life to have been the beloved and faithful disciple, in no point more than in his fond hope of a perpetual union between the States of the Con federacy — a union, which as it has been the cherished object of his last recom mendation to his fellow-citizens, and the wish of his last breath, so should it be the last breath of every one of us who had the happiness to fight and bleed for American independence and freedom. I beg you, gentlemen, to convey to the kind donators the expression of my 200 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1832 profound, affectionate gratitude and respect, and to receive for yourselves the particular acknowledgments of Your most sincere and obliged friend, La Fayette. To Col. L. W. Stevens, Lieut. Col. M. L. Smith, and Major J. M. Catlin. The Eighth Company paraded in gray pantaloons on the 22d day of February, 1832, and on several other occasions prior to their final adoption by the Eegiment. On the 5th day of April the com mandants were directed to ascertain the wishes of their companies upon the subject, and, all the companies of the Eegiment having voted in favor of gray cloth pantaloons, the following resolutions were unanimously adopted by the Board of Officers on the 6th day of December : Resolved, That from and after this date grey cloth pantaloons shall consti tute a part of the uniform of this Regiment, and be incorporated in the Bill of Dress. Resolved, That the pantaloons be of cloth to correspond with the coat, with a stripe of black silk braid extending from the waist-band to the bottom on the outer seam, and the welt of the fall edged with braid, terminating in three fan loops — the latter braid to be of the narrowest and the former of the widest pre scribed in the Bill of Dress. Those of officers being the same, with the addition of gold lace of same width as on the coat, laid on the black braid. On the 9th day of May the Eighth Company adopted a fatigue or foraging cap, being the first company to adopt and to wear a fatigue cap of a uniform and distinctive pattern. This cap was of black cloth, with leather visor, the top being baggy, which when worn was pulled forward. On the 12th of June the Fifth Com pany resolved "to wear the Napoleon cap of black leather of morocco when on fatigue duty, during the encampment at New Haven." The members of the Eighth Company were ordered by Captain Brower to carry with them to the camp at New Haven " a cloak or great coat," and " a jacket for fatigue purposes," but no particular pattern was designated. After an animated and lengthy discussion, a resolution was carried at a meeting of the Board of Officers, held May 3, 1832, to adopt for line-officers (instead of the pompon) " a white plume twelve inches long, inserted in the cap through a gilt tulip and ball, and long tassels." A resolution was also adopted requesting company officers "to use their influence with the members of their respective companies to procure the im mediate reduction of the skirts of the coat to conform to the Bih 1832 CAMP PUTNAM. 201 of Dress and to correspond with the pattern worn by the cadets at West Point." The city of New Haven was selected as the most desirable place for the encampment of 1832, on account of its accessibility, its pleasant and healthy location, and the well-known public spirit and hospitality of its inhabitants. The camp equipage was obtained from the arsenal, the Bedlow's Island United States Band and Eeidel's Drum Corps were engaged, and the same rules and regula tions that governed Camp Clinton were published and promulgated for the government of Camp Putnam. In addition to the regular staff, ex-Captain Philetus H. Holt was appointed military secretary for the excursion ; Asher Taylor, assistant quartermaster ; ex-Cap tain B. B. Beach, assistant paymaster ; and J. C. Stoneah, commis sary of subsistence. Thursday, June 28th. — Pursuant to orders the Eegiment pa raded at 5 a. m. in the Park, and embarked at Stevens's Wharf, near Peck Slip, on the steamer United States, for New Haven. The morning was dark and cloudy, but at ten o'clock the weather became clear and beautiful, and remained delightfully dry and pleas ant during the encampment. The entire force mustered on this occasion was as follows : Field and Staff 11 First Company 11 Second " 4 Third " 50 Fourth " 40 Fifth " 8 Sixth Company 23 Seventh " 27 Eighth " 33 Musicians 28 Servants 21 Total 256 On arriving at New Haven the Eegiment was received by the New Haven Grays and Francis's Artillery Corps, and, having been escorted through the principal streets of the city, marched to the camp-ground, about a mile from the landing. The tents were soon pitched upon a fine dry plain, commanding a beautiful rural and river view, and after guard-mounting and evening parade the mem bers established themselves with the ease and assurance of experi enced soldiers in their comfortable quarters. In addition to the tents, a large, unoccupied hotel, not far from the camp, was gener ously placed at the disposal of the Eegiment by its owners, and afforded excellent sleeping accommodations for a part of the mem bers, as well as the necessary storage for the quartermaster and commissary departments. 202 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1832 Friday, June 29th. — The duties of camp commenced with a drill of officers and non-commissioned officers at 5.30 a. m., followed by a regimental parade at 6.30 a. m. for morning prayers. Guard- mounting was at 8 a. m., followed by drills by company, and bat tahon drill .at 10 a. m. At 11 a. m. the Eegiment paraded and visited the city by invitation of the Common Council, and was hos pitably and elegantly entertained at the Tontine Hotel. No effort was spared by the city authorities, on every occasion, to gratify the wishes and promote the comfort of the members of the Eegiment. Evening parade and guard-mounting closed the military duties of the day. Saturday, June 30th. — The usual morning drills were followed by active preparations for a grand dinner-party, to which were invited the officers of the United States Army stationed in New York, the general officers of the New York militia, the mayor, City Council, military committee, and mihtia officers of New Haven, and several private gentlemen, who had been particularly attentive to the Eegiment. At 3 p. m. the members and their guests sat down to an elegant and substantial dinner, which was enlivened by music by the band, and followed by patriotic speeches, comph mentary toasts, and all the festive exercises usual on such occasions. The greatest good feeling prevailed ; all were delighted with the entertainment, and the dinner at Camp Putnam was one of the most successful and satisfactory affairs of the kind in the whole history of the Eegiment. Sunday, July 1st. — The camp was closed to visitors, and to mount and relieve guard were the only mihtary duties of the day. The Eegiment attended divine service at the Episcopal Church in the morning, and at the Presbyterian Church in the afternoon ; and after supper visited the beautiful cemetery near the city. Monday, July 2d. — In the forenoon the Eegiment was re viewed by a number of Eevolutionary officers and soldiers, and then marched to the city, and after performing a variety of mili tary evolutions upon " The Green," to the delight of a multitude of spectators, was invited to a splendid collation by the gentlemen of New Haven. The members visited the College buildings, the Lyceum, and the Tomb of the Eegicides, and returned to camp delighted with the generous hospitality for which New Haven is so famous. K s, S s P-i o 1832 THE ASIATIC CHOLERA. 203 As the Eegiment was to leave for New York on the following day, the citizens of New Haven were publicly invited to visit the encampment on Monday evening, and great preparations were made to render the occasion creditable and enjoyable. The tents were decorated with flowers and bouquets from the gardens of New Haven, the streets were ornamented with flags and evergreens, and at dusk the whole camp was brilliantly illuminated. Camp Putnam was filled to overflowing with the beauty and fashion of New Haven ; the members of the Eegiment were active and earnest in contributing to the pleasure and amusement of their visitors ; with music and dancing, the evening passed rapidly away, and a brilliant display of fire-works concluded the entertainment. Tuesday, July 3d. — The Third Company paraded at 8 a. m., in full uniform, in the city of New Haven ; and the Fourth Company paraded at the same hour for target-practice. At 3 p. m. tents were struck, and, escorted by the New Haven Grays, the Eegiment marched to the steamer and embarked for New York. A large number of ladies and gentlemen assembled on the wharf to bid the officers and members adieu, and pledge eternal friendship. To the citizens of New Haven, and to the ladies in particular, they were under many obhgations for kind attentions. From first to last Camp Putnam was fragrant with flowers, and adorned with bouquets from the gardens of that fair city. Wednesday, July fyth. — The Eegiment arrived in New York at daylight, and intended to take part in the usual Independence pa rade, but the order for the parade having been countermanded, on account of the prevalence of the Asiatic cholera, it marched to the Park and was dismissed. During the summer of 1832 the Asiatic cholera prevailed in New York to an alarming extent. This disease was at that period almost unknown in America ; the successful methods of treating it were imperfectly understood, and its appearance consequently cre ated a fearful panic. Business was suspended; stores, dwellings, and hotels were closed ; those who had the means and ability fled to the rural districts, and those who were compelled to remain in New York avoided the streets and public places, and trembled at the havoc of the pestilence. The cholera commenced its ravages in New York while the Twenty-seventh Eegiment was in camp at New Haven, and when, upon its return, it landed at Peck Slip and 204 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1832 marched to the Park, scarcely a person was to be seen in those streets which a few days before were gay with life and bustling with business. Great fears were entertained and expressed by the friends of the members that their change of habits and unusual exposure at Camp Putnam would predispose them to the disease ; but not a single member of the Eegiment died in 1832 from the Asiatic cholera. During the two fatal months the drills and busi ness meetings of the companies were suspended, and it was not until October that the Eegiment escaped from the gloom which universally prevailed, and renewed its hfe and vigor. The annual inspection and review took place at Washington, Parade-Ground, on the 25th day of October, and resulted as fol lows : Field 3 Staff 4 Non Com. Staff 2 First Company 40 Second " 27 Third " 71 Fourth Company 93 Fifth " 24 Sixth " 48 Seventh " 42 Eighth " 66 Band 15 Total present, 435. Present and absent, 593. The annual parade, in commemoration of the evacuation of New York, took place on Monday, the 26th day of November. Adjutant William P. Millard resigned his commission in the latter part of the year 1832, and Lieutenant James P. Nichols was appointed his successor. As one of the most distinguished of the many brilhant officers who have filled the important office of adju tant of this Eegiment, Adjutant Millard deserves especial notice. He was prompt, energetic, and active ; was passionately fond of military drill and mihtary display; and in person, manner, and bearing he was the perfect soldier. He formed the Eegiment for parade or drill with the greatest rapidity and precision, and he was distinguished for being always in the right place and at the proper time, to correct any errors which might occur in its movements. An incident which occurred while he was adjutant illustrates his ready wit and promptness. The Eegiment had been ordered to form in the Park for parade ; but the court, then in session at the City Hall, was annoyed and disturbed by the drums, and directed the high-constable to order Colonel Stevens and his command to immediately leave the vicinity. Adjutant Millard, ' however, pro- 1832 CAPTAIN JOHN H. BROWER. 205 ceeded with the formation of the Eegiment until old Hays, the high-constable, appeared a second time, and in the most peremptory manner ordered him to desist. Although the face and person of the high-constable were famihar to every man, woman, and child in New York, Adjutant Millard pretended not to recognize him, and ordered his arrest ; and in spite of his protestations, threats, morti fication, and disgust, and to the great amusement of citizens and soldiers, a strong guard held him a prisoner until the Eegiment had formed in line, and had left the Park. Adjutant Millard reluc tantly resigned his position to remove to the West, where he was successful in business, and died about the year 1867. On account of the encampment and the prevalence of the chol era, the several companies dispensed with their usual excursions. At this period the Second and Fifth Companies were in a weak and languishing condition, while the Fourth, Third, and Eighth Companies were full of life and enthusiasm and eminently prosper ous. The First, Sixth, and Seventh Companies were also in good condition, and were creditable as component parts of the Eegiment. The headquarters of the Eegiment and of the several companies were at Stoneall's Shakespeare Tavern, where company drills were some times held. The several companies also drilled at McDermott's, at the corner of Broadway and Anthony Street ; at Military Hall ; at the Broadway House ; and at Milne's Tavern, corner of William and Duane Streets. The company drills were generally only once a month, but some of the more ambitious companies had already provided by resolution or by amendments to their by-laws for drills semi-monthly. In July, 1832, Captain Ellison, of the Second Com pany, resigned, and at the close of the year that company was without commissioned officers. Captain Brower, of the Eighth Company, also resigned, and was succeeded by Lieutenant Samuel D. Denison. Captain John H. Brower, a native of Brooklyn, born in 1801, commenced his military career in the Ninth Eegiment, New York State Artillery, about the year 1819. He served .in that regiment nearly eight years, and rose to the rank of adjutant. Having re signed his commission, and retired from the service, he was pre vailed upon to undertake in November, 1827, the reorganization of the Eighth /Dompany, and was duly commissioned as its captain in January, 1828. He resigned the captaincy in 1832, but accepted 206 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1832 the adjutancy in 1835, which position he retained until 1837. Cap tain Brower was an officer of great ability and distinction. Ener getic and indefatigable in a remarkable degree, he succeeded in rapidly organizing a new company, and at once placed it in the highest rank for disciphne and efficiency. His company was always distinguished for the utmost neatness in uniform and equipments. He possessed the rare talent of maintaining the most rigid discipline in his command without im pairing his personal and mihtary popu larity. In the general management of his company he manifested the admir able business tact and talents which distinguished him in the commercial world. Captain Brower was below the medium height, muscular, erect, and soldierly, and remarkably active. When on duty he was austere and peremptory, but in private life he was social and genial. From humble circumstances he reached a high position as a successful shipping and cotton merchant. In 1857 he named one of his new vessels the " National Guard," in honor of the Seventh Eegiment. Being largely engaged in the Southern trade, he met with heavy pecuniary losses in 1861 by the Great Eebelhon. He died in New York in 1881. From a photograph, 1850. 1833 THE POSTLEY CONTROVERSY. 207 CHAPTEE THIETEENTH. 1833. At the meeting of the Board of Officers in March, a resolution favoring an encampment in July at some place within ten miles of the city of New York was adopted, and commandants were directed to bring the subject before their several companies. A majority of .the companies voted in favor of an encampment, and Hoboken was the place popularly designated as the location, but the Board of Officers finahy decided that there was not sufficient unanimity and enthusiasm among the members of the Eegiment to insure the suc cess of the undertaking. The usual spring parade took place on the 15th day of April, and the entire Eegiment appeared for the first time in gray pantaloons. The memorable contest between Colonel Stevens and Captain Postley, of the Sixth Company, was the great military event of the year. It appears that Captain Thomas Postley, while commanding the Sixth Company, was elected to the captaincy of the Chnton Horse-Guards, a troop in the Sixth Brigade of Artillery ; accepted the office and was regularly commissioned ; and entered upon the discharge of its duties. Believing that the acceptance of a new commission in another corps disqualified Captain Postley from serv ing in his Eegiment, Colonel Stevens directed Lieutenant Delano to take charge of the Sixth Company, and ordered an election to fill the vacancy in the captaincy. The election was held on the 1st of March, and resulted in the re-election of Captain Postley, who noti fied Colonel Stevens of his acceptance of the office. Captain Post- ley had intended to hold commissions in both corps, but, finding that to be impracticable, he resigned on the 30th of April his commission in the Chnton Horse-Guards. Captain Postley then claimed his former rank in the Eegiment, and, notwithstanding the protest of Colonel Stevens, the commander-in-chief (Governor Marcy) assigned him to duty in the Twenty-seventh Eegiment, 15^ 208 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1833 under his commission as captain, dated January 22, 1830, and with rank accordingly. The contest had now become personal, and while the Sixth Company with great unanimity sustained their commandant, the other companies of the Eegiment, and their offi cers, were as unanimous in the support of Colonel Stevens. The Eighth, the. Fourth, and the Fifth Companies, as well as the Board of Officers, adopted resolutions comphmentary to Colonel Stevens, and denouncing Captain Postley both as a soldier and gentleman. In reply, the Sixth Company was equally vigorous in the support of their captain and in opposition to the colonel, and ventilated their enthusiasm by resolutions pregnant with argument and invective. The commissioned officers of the Eegiment at once made appli cation for a court of inquiry to decide the question of rank, and the application was granted ; and on the 1st day of June Brigadier- General Moore ordered the brigade court-martial, of which Colonel Hunt, of the Second Eegiment, was president, to act as a court of inquiry in the case. The Board of Officers at once authorized Colonel Stevens to procure the ablest counsel ; a committee was. appointed to obtain the opinions of eminent mihtary gentlemen both in the United States Army and in the militia service of the several States ; and no effort was spared to secure mihtary justice, which it was charged political influences had overthrown. After a, protracted hearing of testimony, and of the opinion of many of the most eminent military and legal gentlemen of the country (includ ing a personal examination of Major-General Winfield Scott), tho court unanimously came to the conclusion : " (1) Captain Postley vacated his commission of captain in the Twenty-seventh Regi ment, by the acceptance of a subsequent commission in another corps ; that (2) he is entitled only to commission in said Eegiment giving him rank as captain from March 1, 1833 ; that (3) the petitioners, Captains William Jones, William T. Beach, Edward Eoome, John T. Cairns, Samuel D. Denison, and John Telfair, take precedence over the said Thomas Postley in the line of the Twenty- seventh Eegiment ; and that (4) no officer can, according to law or mihtary usage, hold or act under two commissions at the same time. The acceptance of and qualification under the latter commission, whatever the grade may be, vacates the former without the formal ity of a resignation." In an order, dated July 24th, Brigadier-Gen eral Moore approved of the finding of the court, and directed the 1833 RECEPTION OF GENERAL JACKSON. 209 officers of the Twenty-seventh Eegiment affected by the decision to conform thereto. The same order directed " the company lately commanded by Captain Postley to do duty in the Twenty-seventh Eegiment ; and until Captain Postley reports for duty under his commission of 1st of March, 1833, the company be placed under the command of its senior commissioned officer." The decision gave great satisfaction to all except Captain Postley and his com pany. It was in accordance with a decision made by Adjutant- General John A. Dix under the preceding State administration, and has been uniformly confirmed in many other cases from that day to this. But Captain Postley at once appealed to general head quarters, and until the final decision in the case the Sixth Company was excused from all drills and parades. The decision of the commander-in-chief (Governor Marcy) was not promulgated until the 12th day of November, and is one of the most wonderful specimens of sophistry to be found in mihtary literature. The conclusion arrived at, after many pages of laborious argument, was, that " a second commission, accepted by an official already in commission, is entirely void, unless, first, the latter com mission be of a higher grade than the former, and in the same corps ; or unless, secondly, such second commission be one that confers a command over the corps in which the first was issued " ; and, in accordance with this conclusion, the commander-in-chief directed that " Thomas Postley is liable to duty, and entitled to his rights as a captain in the Twenty-seventh Eegiment of Artillery, by virtue of his commission of January 22, 1830." The military public was astounded at this result, while Captain Postley and his friends were jubilant over their victory. The officers and members of the Eegi ment were almost mutinous with indignation ; and, had Captain Postley attempted to take advantage of the decision of the com mander-in-chief in his favor, his situation and position would have been decidedly uncomfortable. He, therefore, wisely yielded to the necessity of the hour, and applied for a transfer to the Presi dent's Guard, and on the 30th of November was, with forty-two men, transferred thereto. Although victory nominally perched upon the banners of Captain Postley, the field of battle remained in the possession of Colonel Stevens, and he proceeded to repair his losses by the organization of a new. Sixth Company. A public reception of President Andrew Jackson took place on 210 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1833 the 12th of June. The First Division paraded at 2 p. m., at the Bat tery, and General Jackson was officially received at Castle Garden by the Corporation of the city. He had barely crossed the bridge, which at that time led from Castle Garden to the Battery, when it fell under the weight of the immense crowd, precipitating many persons into the water, and seriously injur ing a large number of people. Having hastily reviewed the troops, the President on horseback was escorted to the City Hall. His appearance was almost grotesque, for, being in mourning for Mrs. Jackson, re cently deceased, he wore upon his head a white hat, almost covered with an enormous a^T^e^it^J Ja^Oivr, weeper, with pendent bands, such as mutes wore at funerals in England at that period. The streets, windows, and house-tops were crowded with men, women, and children, and at every point he was received with the most flattering enthusiasm. So dense was the throng that he was obliged to leave Broadway at Fulton Street, and pass through Nas sau to the City Hall, where he was officially welcomed by the Gov ernor of the State, and received a marching salute from the troops. Since the reception of Lafayette, in 1824, New York had not wit nessed so large and enthusiastic a demonstration as honored, on this occasion, the hero of New Orleans. The Sixth Company did not parade on this occasion, having been excused from duty until the rank of Captain Postley was definitely determined. The Fourth Company temporarily supplied the vacancy by parading as two companies, one under Captain Eoome of the Fourth, and the other under Lieutenant Delano of the Sixth. The two companies of the Fourth were at the close of the parade detailed to escort the Presi dent and Vice-President to their quarters. The usual anniversary parade took place on the 4th of July, line forming at the Battery, where the division was reviewed by Major-General Morton. After passing in review before the mayor, at the City Hall, the troops doing duty with muskets formed in the Park, under the command of General Moore, and fired afeu-de-joie. On the 26th day of September the Eegiment paraded under brigade orders for exercise in the evolutions of the brigade. The fiftieth '&" Fourth Company 81 Fifth " 33 Seventh " 41 Eighth " 61 Band 15 1833 NEW SIXTH COMPANY. 211 anniversary of the evacuation of New York by the British was celebrated on the 28th of November. An improvement in the knapsack, as worn by the Eegiment, having been approved by the Board of Officers, was submitted to the several companies in September, and was adopted. The Sec ond Company, which had persistently refused to equip itself with knapsacks, at last succumbed, and on the 4th day of October adopted the new and improved pattern. On the 7th of November the new style of knapsack was by resolution of the Board of Officers made a part of the Bill of Dress. The annual inspection took place at the Battery on the 23d day of October. Only seven companies were mustered — the Sixth Company, Captain Postley, not having been ordered for inspection. The returns were as follows : Field 3 Staff 5 Non Com. Staff 2 First Company 39 Second " 38 Third " 79 Total present, 397. Present and absent, 532. The general orders transferring Captain Postley and forty-two members of the Sixth Company to another regiment were dated November 30, 1833, and directed such of the members of the com pany as preferred to remain in the Twenty-seventh Eegiment to report to the colonel within thirty days. As the strength from this source was likely to be inconsiderable, the Board of Officers, at a meeting held on the 7th day of December, resolved to organize a new company, and ex-Captain Philetus H. Holt was invited to accept the captaincy, and Lieutenant Thomas Delano of the late Sixth Company, and Lieutenant Theodore Crane of the Fourth Company, were designated as its first and second lieutenants. They accepted their appointments, and at once entered vigorously upon their important and laborious duties. The well-known energy and ability of Captain Holt was a guarantee of success, and the gener ous aid of the Fourth Company secured the immediate accomplish ment of the object. Thirty-three members of that company (" in dignant at the manner in which the vacancy has been occasioned ") applied to Captain Eoome for a transfer to the new company, which was promptly granted. Among this number were many members 212 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1833 of great ability and influence, such as Asher Taylor, William Ever- dell, Joseph Durbrow, Jr., A. M. Eyder, Thomas M. Adriance, Wright F. Conger, and many others, who before and since have achieved distinction in the Eegiment. So bitterly detested were Captain Postley and the men who adhered to his mihtary fortunes that the new company, fearing it might be in some way confounded with the apostate organization, adopted a new name, and, instead of the " Sixth Company," was for a long period known as " Company 6." The organization of the new company being satisfactorily completed, the necessary papers were forwarded to general head quarters, and there was great rejoicing among the officers and mem bers of the Eegiment when an order, dated February 4, 1834, was received and promulgated, officially recognizing the new company as a part of the Twenty-seventh Eegiment. During the summer several of the companies of the Eegiment proceeded to places in the vicinity of the city for a day's pleasure and for mihtary improvement. The target-excursion of the Fourth Company was to New Eochelle, on the 17th day of May ; the Sec ond Company to Fort Lee, on the 1st day of August ; the Seventh Company to Bull's Ferry, August 19th; the Fifth Company to Tompkinsville, S. I., August 27th ; and the Eighth Company to Flushing, on the 23d day of September. Stoneall's Shakespeare Tavern continued to be the popular place for the meetings of the Board of Officers and of the several com panies; and company drills were held at Brower's Long Eoom, Biker's Eepository, McDermott's Masonic Hall, Broadway House, Military Hall, and at Euterpean Hall, No. 410 Broadway, more re cently famous as the Apollo Booms. The changes among commandants of companies, not already referred to, were as follows : in the Second Company, John Tel fair, ex-captain and formerly major of the Eegiment, was elected captain in place of Ellison, who resigned in 1832 ; in the Fifth Company, Lieutenant Washington E. Yermilye was elected captain, vice Beach resigned. Captain William T. Beach was a splendid soldier. He had no superior as a military instructor, and, had he received proper support from his company, would have achieved great distinction in the Eegiment. In accepting the resignation of Captain Beach, the colonel noticed, in general orders, "his zeal, tal ents, and assiduous attention to his duties." 1834 THE ELECTION RIOT. 213 CHAPTEE FOUETEENTH. 1834. The new Sixth Company, or " Company 6," having been offi cially recognized by general orders, dated February 4, 1834, Colonel Stevens announced the completion of its organization on the 10th day of February, and directed Captain Holt and Lieutenants Delano and Crane to enter upon the discharge of their military duties. The first regular meeting of the company was held on the 14th of February, at Stoneall's Shakespeare Tavern, at which non-com missioned officers were elected, by-laws were enacted, and other necessary business was transacted. The greatest harmony and en thusiasm prevailed, and " Company 6 " at once entered upon a long career of prosperity and usefulness. In March the Board of Officers voted in favor of an encamp ment upon New York Island during -the approaching summer, and a committee was appointed to select a place and to estimate the expense. In April the committee reported Hamilton Square, "a place about three miles out of town," to be a suitable location, and estimated the cost of the proposed encampment to be about thirteen hundred dollars. A majority of the companies approved of the project, and arrangements were made accordingly. It is a notice able fact, and illustrative of the rapid growth of New York, that a part of the square selected for the encampment in 1834, and said to be " about three miles out of town," was secured by the Seventh Eegiment in 1874 as the site fo£ its new armory. On the 10th day of April, 1834, the civil authorities were obhged for the first time in many years to call for military aid to maintain the peace of the city and protect the public property. The Twenty-seventh Eegiment was the corps selected for this im portant and delicate duty. At this period great political excite ment prevailed in New York, and the bitter hostility which existed between the opposing parties was remarkable and dangerous. Every 214 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1834 State and city election occupied three successive days, and as there was only one polling-place in each ward it was always surrounded by an excited crowd, and fights and melees were of common occurrence. The Sixth Ward was noted for its disorderly character, and the frequent skirmishes which took place within its borders, with the consequent black eyes and bloody noses, gave it the well-known sobriquet — " The Bloody Sixth." On the first day of the election, April 8, 1834, it was said that the anti-Bank, Democratic, and Irish citizens of the Sixth Ward had blockaded the polls and prevented the Whigs from voting. On the second day the Whigs from other districts rallied in large numbers to the Sixth Ward, resolved to break the blockade and give their friends an opportunity to cast their ballots. The result was a series of engagements, in which both parties maintained their positions in the field until the polls closed for the day. A ship, mounted on wheels and adorned with Whig banners, was drawn through the ward, and used to convey voters to the polls, and this insulting invasion of the Democratic stronghold increased the excitement. In the forenoon of the third and last day of the election (April 10th) a terrific battle raged in and about Masonic Hah, which was the headquarters of the Whig party, and was situated in Broadway, near Duane Street. The civil authorities attempted to queU the riot, but were powerless ; for, whenever the undisciplined and un- uniformed policemen of that period interfered in political disturb ances, they were certain to receive a fair share of hard blows from both parties, and generally retired in disgust to more quiet locali ties, leaving the belligerents to settle their difficulties as chance or superior force and courage might decide. The Democratic assail ants were finally repulsed, and retreated to the more remote dis tricts of the Sixth Ward. A rumor was forthwith circulated at Masonic Hall that they were attempting to break open the State Arsenal, to procure arms with which to resume the contest. The State Arsenal was on the corner of Elm and Franklin Streets, and with its yard and out-buildings and gun-sheds occupied the entire block between Centre, Elm, Franklin, and White Streets ; in the center of the front, on Franklin Street, was the residence of the Commissary-General of the State, who had the charge of the estab lishment. " To the arsenal ! to the arsenal ! " was the cry of the Whigs, and to the arsenal rushed pell-mell the excited crowd. The 1834 THE ELECTION RIOT. 215 fences were scaled, the rear doors were forced, the more active mounted from the shoulders of their comrades into the second-story windows, and the Whigs soon held the stronghold, and gallantly defended it against the large, uproarious, and threatening mob that hastened to the rescue. Commissary-General Arcularius was absent from the city, but the keys to the main building, where the arms were stored, were unwillingly delivered by his son to the victors, and bristling bayonets soon warned all those who besieged the stronghold that its capture was impossible. Meanwhile the mayor, Hon. Gideon Lee, had called upon Major-General Morton for mili tary aid to suppress this violent outbreak, and to prevent still more serious consequences. The Twenty-seventh Eegiment was detailed for this service by the following order : First Brigade, N. Y. S. A. April 10, 1834. Brigade Order. In pursuance of division orders of this date, you are hereby ordered to assem ble at the Arsenal Yard with the 27th Regiment under your command, immedi ately, in full uniform, armed and equipped. By order, Brig. Gen'l Moore. Pratt, Brigade Major & Inspr. To Col. Stevens, 27th Regt. Colonel Stevens promptly promulgated this order, and the com panies of the Eegiment soon began to arrive at the arsenal-yard, to which they were immediately admitted. The irregular force that held the establishment at once laid down their arms, and, having without formality transferred the arsenal and its contents to the care and custody of the citizen soldiers, quietly retired from the premises. Within two hours after the order was issued nearly three hundred of its members were guarding the arsenal and the arsenal-yard. The Eegiment continued on duty until the next morning, when the canvass was completed and the result announced ; and the ex citement having subsided, it was dismissed, with the thanks of the mayor. The novel events of the day made a great impression upon the public mind. The large number of men of respectable connections directly and indirectly engaged in the political conflict, and in its riotous results ; the danger to pohtical liberty from such violent interference with the rights of electors; the inefficiency of the pohce, and the entire inability of the civil authorities to control the 216 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1834 lawless elements of the city ; the necessity of invoking the aid of military power to prevent serious bloodshed ; the value of a well- organized and disciphned mihtia in periods of dangerous excite ment — were all subjects of popular comment and discussion. The Common Council represented pubhc opinion by the adoption of the following resolution : Resolved, That the thanks of the Common Council be presented to the indi viduals who thus nobly sustained their reputation as citizen soldiers, and proved the importance and the necessity to the city of a well-disciplined militia in time of peace as well as in time of war. Major-General Morton promulgated this resolution in general orders, and commented upon the same as follows : Next to the satisfaction arising from the consciousness of having performed a duty, is the approbation of those whose good opinion we prize. These resolutions, emanating from the municipal authorities of the city, cannot, therefore, but be highly gratifying. The late occurrences will show to the public the necessity and the use of a well-regulated militia, prepared at all times to support the magistracy in sustain ing law and order in the community. It will confirm us in the opinion, long entertained, that the time is not yet arrived when we may beat our swords into plow-shares and our spears into pruning-hooks. The Major-General doubts not that the Corps will still continue to perform its duties ; they will be sustained by their fellow-citizens who will see in them, not the array of incontrollable force, but a power directed by the venerable majesty of the laws in the persons of the magistrates. The history of the famous " election riot " of 1834 would not be complete without a brief reference to the remarkable report upon that subject made to the Legislature of the State by Com missary-General Arcularius. It is one of the curiosities of liter ature ; an2e-*~^—Gs£. where it was reviewed by the Hon. William H. Seward, the Gov ernor of the State. The buildings along the route were ornamented with pictures and devices appropriate to the occasion, and at the street-cor ners the water was allowed to flow from the hydrants in honor of the day. The procession was reviewed by the mayor at the City Hall, and the ceremonies of the day terminated with an address by Samuel Stevens, Esq., President of the Croton Water Commission, and an ode composed by General George P. Morris, and sung by the New York Sacred Music Society. In the evening the pubhc buildings, the hotels and thea tres, and many private residences were illuminated. In the whole history of the city no gala-day is more memorable than this, for the occasion was one which touched the heart of every New-Yorker, whether of high or low degree. The Fourth Company became the subject of admiration, if not of envy, by leasing a large room for its quarters over the Arcade Baths, in Chambers Street, which its members fitted up and fur nished with taste and elegance, and at a large expense. The other companies met for business and drill at a variety of places, the most notable being the Fusileers' Armory, at No. 360 Broadway, Thompson's National Hall, and the Apollo. The only target-excur sion of the year was by the Eighth Company to Staten Island, on the 20th day of September. The Seventh Company, which had been a long time without a captain, elected Abram Denike, of the President's Guard, to that office in June, and commenced a new career of activity and prosperity. Although the Eegiment was weak in numbers during the year 1842, its discipline was good, harmony prevailed, and there was no want of spirit, energy, and activity. A special committee was ap pointed by the Board of Officers in September " to make inquiries into the condition and prospects of the Eegiment and to devise a plan for stimulating the enlistment of recruits." Upon the report of this committee a memorial to the Legislature was prepared, urg- 290 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1843 ing the repeal of the law by which, upon the payment of five dol lars, exemption was secured from all mihtary duty. The attention of the adjutant-general was also cahed to the practice of comman dants of infantry companies of issuing certificates of mihtary service to persons who perform no duty, and the commander-in-chief was petitioned to organize no new mihtary companies while the ranks of the organizations already in existence were not full. At various times in the history of the Eegiment efforts had been made to organize social and hterary clubs, to be composed exclu sively of its officers and members. Without exception the exist ence of such organizations had been brief and unsatisfactory. Hav ing enhsted for mihtary purposes, it was found impossible to secure a permanent interest of the members of the Eegiment as such in any subordinate association, hterary or social. The "National Club " organized about this time, after a brief and varied career, expired under a cloud. The " Eighth National Guard Lyceum," composed of members of the Eighth Company, had rooms at No. 115 Franklin Street at this period, which were open four evenings in each week, and were enlivened by lectures and other literary exercises, but it shared the sad fate of its predecessors. The Uniform Hat, 18h2-185S. 1843 LIEUTENANT-COLONEL BACKHOUSE. 291 CHAPTEE TWENTY-THIED. 1843. In April Lieutenant-Colonel Backhouse resigned his commission, and Major Yermilye was elected his successor, and Captain George G. Waters of the Fifth Company was chosen major. Adjutant McAllister and Surgeon Leeds, veteran staff-officers, also resigned their commissions during the year. Lieutenant-Colonel Edward T. Backhouse was a gentleman of intehigence and talent, of extensive travel and obser vation, of considerable influ ence in public and pohtical affairs, and was enterprising and successful in business. He was for a long time a dealer in foreign fruits in Fulton Street, operated largely and successfuhy in real estate in Brooklyn, and was for many years Presi- I dent of the Kings County Fire - Insurance Company. He was a member of the State Legislature ; an alder man of the city of Brooklyn, and president of the board ; secretary of the Whig Gen eral Committee previous to 1844 ; treasurer for twenty years of the American Institute, and held many other offices of honor and trust. He was a prominent leader in Brooklyn in the great reform movement in municipal affairs in 1871, and was chair man of the Committee of Fifty, and in 1875 was chairman of the From a photograph, 1879. 292 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1843 Tax-payers' Association. He was born in New York in 1806, of an Enghsh family distinguished for service in the British army, and he died in Brooklyn in 1884. Lieutenant-Colonel Backhouse enhsted in the Fourth Company and was elected second heutenant in 1833, and in 1835 was chosen captain of the Sixth Company. In 1839 he was elected major of the Eegiment, and in November of the same year was promoted to the lieutenant-colonelcy. A slight and rather unsoldierly figure and a feeble voice prevented his achieving great distinction as an officer, but he thoroughly understood his rnihtary duties and was prompt in their performance. In the Board of Officers and in the affairs of the Eegiment generahy he was an officer of great influ ence, and his decision of character and his abihty to forcibly express his opinion on ah occasions gave him a prominent position in the Eegiment. He was universally respected, and to personal friends and acquaintances he was a very genial and pleasant companion. Adjutant Samuel McAllister was elected second heutenant of the Fourth Company in 1831, first heutenant in 1833, and was ap pointed adjutant in 1838. He performed the duties of adjutant 'with great distinction, being remarkably active, prompt, rapid, and correct. His handsome and soldierly figure, his elegant military carriage, his authoritative and decided manner, and his rapidity in the performance of his important duties upon parade, combined to give him an enviable reputation among the citizen soldiers of the period. Although remarkably brusque at drill and parade, he was social and agreeable in private life and popular among the officers of the Eegiment. The aid, consideration, and encouragement which he extended to young officers in obtaining a practical knowl edge of their duties secured him many steadfast friends. No officer of the Eegiment has ever performed his duties with more pride and spirit than did Adjutant McAllister. Surgeon Gurdon J. Leeds was distinguished for Ms long and faithful service and for his remarkable devotion to the interests and welfare of the Eegiment. He was active and energetic, and re markably social and genial ; and he was such an inveterate talker and uncompromising admirer of the Twenty-seventh Eegiment that his interest in its affairs was widely known and proverbial. Sur geon Leeds was a druggist by profession, and was appointed assist ant surgeon of the Eegiment in 1832 and surgeon in 1835. He 1843 BUNKER HILL MONUMENT. 293 vacated his office to accept the position of hospital surgeon upon the brigade staff. On the 12th of June, John Tyler, President of the United States, reached New York en route to Boston, to attend the inaugu ration of the Bunker Hih Monument. He was received at Castle Garden by the city authorities, and, having reviewed the troops at the Battery in a barouche, was escorted up Broadway, Chatham Street, and the Bowery, to Union Square, and down Broadway to the City Hah. The people crowded the streets and pubhc places as usual, but on this occasion they honored the Chief Magistrate only by their presence and respectful silence. The total absence of enthusiasm was without a parallel, and was positively chilling. John Tyler had the reputation of having proved faithless to his pohtical friends, the highest crime of an American pohtician, and, while the people paid due respect to his official position, he received favorable consideration only from those who enjoyed his patronage. The Twenty-seventh Eegiment appeared on this occasion with un usually small numbers, and the parade was a very fatiguing one. Besides the long march, the Eegiment was under arms at the Bat tery four hours without intermission, and during the long delay it was, for once, a relief and a pleasure to be reviewed by Major- General Sandford and by Brigadier-General Hah. The inauguration of the Bunker Hill Monument took place at Boston on the 17th of June, and a battalion of the Twenty-seventh Eegiment, the Second, Third, Fourth, Sixth, and Eighth Compa nies, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Yermilye, left New York on the afternoon of June 15th to participate in the ceremo nies. As the steamer New Haven passed the Brooklyn Navy- Yard, it was greeted by cheers from the receiving-ship North Carolina, whose yards were manned in honor of the battalion. Arriving at Norwich at 4 a. m., the battalion was received by a heavy shower and by a mihtary company of ten men, and escorted to the railroad depot. A variety of vexatious delays prevented the arrival at Bos ton until noon, and as a most violent storm was raging at the time, every man was thoroughly drenched when the battahon reached its quarters at the Pemberton House. The accommodations at this hotel were not satisfactory, but the kindness of the Hancock Light Infantry and the liberality of the Boston merchants, who sent bales of blankets and other necessary articles from their stores to the 294 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1843 members, rendered the limited quarters tolerably comfortable. In the evening the officers and members were elegantly entertained by the National Lancers. Saturday, June 17th. — The morning was clear, cool, and de lightful. At an early hour the mihtary part of the procession, which consisted of four grand divisions, was formed on Boston Common, and to the Twenty-seventh Eegiment battalion was as signed the post of honor in the second division. As the procession moved toward Bunker Hih, the battalion compared favorably with the military organizations from the New England cities, and at tracted universal attention and admiration. The enthusiasm which its appearance produced at all points along the route was only equaled by that wliich greeted the distinguished Webster, the gifted orator of the day ; while President Tyler, in melancholy contrast, was received with the same ominous silence and coolness which characterized his reception in New York. While Webster was deliv ering his celebrated oration at Bunker Hih, the New York soldiers were far beyond the sound of his voice, and, although greatly disap pointed at this unexpected circumstance, they were somewhat con soled by the generous hospitahties of the Hancock Light Infantry. The inauguration ceremonies completed, the procession returned to Boston, and the troops were reviewed by the President at the State- House. In the evening the members of the Twenty-seventh Eegi ment battalion were entertained in divers ways. Some were dragged away to the den of the Boston Tigers, -some rode out to Bunker Hill to witness the fire-works, some visited the theatres, and some, yielding to the fatigues of the day, went early to bed. Sunday, June 18th. — In the forenoon the Twenty-seventh Eeghnent battalion attended divine service at the famous " Old South Church " ; and in the afternoon, by invitation of the members of the Hancock Light Infantry, visited Mount Auburn and other interesting localities in the vicinity of Boston. Monday, June 19th. — The battahon paraded and marched through the principal streets of Boston, escorted by the Hancock Light Infantry, and dined at Faneuil Hall. The entertainment was elegant, and the extravagant hospitahty of the mihtary and citizens of Boston, on this occasion, was a memorable feature of the excursion. In the afternoon the battalion left Boston, and arrived at New York on the following morning ; was received by those 1843 BILL OF DRESS. 295 companies of the Eegiment that had remained at home ; was re viewed by Colonel Jones at the Battery, and was escorted to La fayette Hall to breakfast. The Eegiment made the usual anniversary parades, July 4th and November 25th, hne forming at the City Hall, and reviews at the Battery by Generals HaU and Sandford. The troops were also reviewed at the City Hall, November 25th, by Marshal Bertrand, of the army of Napoleon the Great. The National Guard of Easton, Pa., visited New York on October 17th, and was received by the Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Companies. After a parade through the principal streets of the city, the visiting military was enter tained at the Apollo Booms. The annual inspection took place in October, at Tompkins Square, and the Eegiment was reviewed by Brigadier-General Hah and by Major-General Sandford. The fohowing extracts from the Bill of Dress, as published in 1843, are necessary to complete the history of the uniform of the Eegiment : Uniform Cap. — Cap of a yeoman shape, 8 inches high, to fit the head, 3 inches breadth above the upper lobe of the ear, the top to be 9£ to 9-J- inches in diame ter, according to the size of the head. The body to be of black felt or beaver, with a patent leather tip pressed in as those of the United States, making a return margin of 1 inch all round ; the head band at the bottom to be of patent leather 1 inch wide, strapped behind with a square brass buckle If to 1J inches ; two patent leather bands 7-J eighths of an inch wide, to come down obliquely on each side, uniting with the top and head band and being apart from each other 4 inches above and 2^ inches below ; above the head band from outside to outside, vizor of patent leather 2 inches wide in front, with a narrow rim round the edge ; on the front, centre of the eyes, beginning from the seam of tip band, there is to be a patent leather socket f inch wide at the top and narrowing gradually for insert ing the pompon ; on the upper edge, in front, a brass crest, If inches in diame ter, indenting to receive the ball of the pompon, with the number of the Regi ment (37) engraved on it. Trimmings. — A brass crescent with the words " National Guard," in raised letters in front, J inch from the upper edge of the tips — immediately under this plate a three-blazed shell ; brass scales fixed on each side round the head band, in the centre where the side straps meet, to be worn under the chin. Tassels. — Of white cotton, throughout braided ; two tassels pendent, the one falling toward the right shoulder to come down opposite the breast, and the other from the left side as far as the head band, with a braid passing from right to left in front and rear, the heaviest part of braid to be worn in front. The Field and Commissioned Staff Officers (except the Adjutant) will wear chapeaux de bras with gilt trimmings. The Medical Staff will wear the chapeaux de bras with black bugle instru ments. 296 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1843 Officers.— The braidings on cap to be of silver tinsel and scales and ornaments to be gilt, to be of the same form and pattern as on privates' caps. Pompon.— White wool, 5 inches long, to be worn in front, and inserted in the cap through a plain brass ball. Officers (except medical) will wear plumes of white cock feathers, drooping from a stem eight inches high. The Medical Staff will wear black plumes. Non-Commissioned Staff will wear plumes like the Officers, the Quartermaster Sergeant with a red tuft on the top, and the Sergeant Major with a black tuft. Cartridge .Boa;.— Black leather, of U. S. pattern, with patent leather flap ; size of box 7 inches long, 5-J- inches wide, to contain two tin boxes of sufficient capac ity to hold forty cartridges ; size of flap 10 inches by 8i inches, scolloped at the bottom, with a brass N. G. in cypher, in the centre, and 11 inches from bottom. Cartridge box to be worn from 3 to 4 inches below the waist belt, according to size. Bayonet Sheath.— Plain black leather 17 inches long, brass top and bottom mountings, with patent leather throg, and to be worn 3i inches below the waist belt. Fatigue Jacket. — Cloth same as the coat, single breasted, with standing collar, nine buttons in front, of the National Guard pattern, the collar to meet and be hooked with three hooks and eyes in front, and a single stripe of black worsted ferreting around the collar ; black cloth shoulder straps on each shoulder, 3 inches wide, to be sewed in the sleeve head and extended to the collar, with a small N. G. button on the collar. Sleeves without cuffs, with vent behind, a black cloth strap 6i inches long and If inches in width, with three small N. G. buttons in the centre, to be placed in the middle of the upper sleeve, commencing from the bottom. The jackets for the officers to be the same as those of the privates, with the exception of the black cloth shoulder strap, and in place of which they will have a gold embroidered epaulette strap, to run from front to rear, and near the sleeve heading. Description of rank to be the same as the undress of the U. S. Those of the non-commissioned officers to be the same as the privates, but the black shoulder strap to be framed with gold vellum lace. Non-commissioned Staff same as Non-commissioned officers, excepting a double framing of gold vellum lace on shoulder strap. Fatigue for Field and Staff, as may be determined on by them. Cap of gray cloth, navy pattern, 11 inches in diameter on the top, in the rim of which shall be inserted a small reed, a head band of black cloth 1| inches wide, black patent leather vizor 3 inches wide, a chin strap i inch wide, to be united with a small brass buckle ; a brass gilt figure, designating the number of the com pany, to be placed in front and centre on the head band. Cap for officers shall be the same, with a band of gold lace, f inch wide, laid on the black cloth head band. Belts for officers : A waist belt, white leather, 3 inches in width, to clasp in front, with sliding throg. Sword. — The regimental sword to be worn, and no sash. The first movement for a regimental armory and drill-rooms originated in 1843. At a meeting of the Board of Officers, held in September, on motion of Lieutenant Joseph A. Diwer, a committee was appointed, of which Lieutenant-Colonel Yermilye was chair- sfyri^^ SEVENTH REGIMENT UNIFORM, 1835-1853. 1843 A REGIMENTAL ARMORY PROPOSED. 297 man, " to inquire into the practicability of hiring ground and erect ing a building for the proper accommodation of the Eegiment." The committee reported in October that a suitable lot of ground (fifty-seven by eighty-five feet) had been found in Elizabeth Street, which could be leased for twenty-one years, at three hundred dollars per annum, and that the cost of a suitable building was estimated at five thousand dollars. Other suitable plots of ground were re ported in Greene Street, in Chrystie Street, and in Mulberry Street. The committee was then instructed "to inquire in what manner funds can be raised to erect a building for a drill-room." In No vember Lieutenant-Colonel Yermilye reported that a building could be erected provided two hundred and fifty dollars was raised by each company and deposited with the quartermaster as collateral security ; and proposed to personally furnish the necessary funds, and to assume the entire financial responsibility, provided the Eegi ment would agree to pay the interest on the cost of the building and the ground-rent. The liberal offer of Lieutenant-Colonel Yer milye, so characteristic of that distinguished officer, was not accepted, and no further action was taken in the matter. In November, 1843, the Eighth Company voted to drill four times a month for eight months of the year. This was a decided step in the direction of military improvement, and the example was followed by other companies. The average number of company drills per annum was increased from this date, and it finally became an estabhshed regulation that each company should drill once a week during six months of the year, commencing October 1st. The general practice in the Eegiment at this period, when a vacancy occurred in a commissioned office, was to appoint a com mittee to select and recommend a candidate for the vacant office. Such nominee was regarded as the regular candidate, and the nomi nation generally insured success at the election. Occasionally, how ever, an opposition was organized, and was fohowed by an active and exciting canvass, with the result in doubt until the votes were counted. But there was no uniform practice in the several com panies in respect to the nomination of non-commissioned officers. In some companies they were nominated by a standing or special committee ; in others, by the non-commissioned officers already in office ; and in others they were elected without previous nomination. In the Seventh Company the captain selected the candidates, and 298 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1843 from his nominees the company elected its non-commissioned offi cers ; but this method was not popular, and never prevailed exten sively in the Eegiment. Company affairs in 1843 were dull and uninteresting. The Eighth Company proceeded to Fort Lee on September 20th for a day's amusement and mihtary improvement, and was the only com pany that indulged in a target-excursion. The Second Company lost by resignation its veteran commandant, Captain John Cum- ings, who had been connected with the Eegiment for a longer period than any other officer or member, and his successor was an ambitious young officer of distinguished capacity, Lieutenant Abram Duryee. The resignation of Captain William W. Lyon, of the Third Company, was accepted during the year, and Henry E. Mount was elected his successor. The Fifth Company, although not weak in numbers, was distinguished for its inferior discipline. Upon the election of Captain Waters to the majority in October, George William Smith, a former captain of the Fifth Company, was elected his successor. Lieutenant Frederick S. Cozzens, Jr., of the Sixth Company, distinguished in literary circles as a humorist and as the author of the " Sparrowgrass Papers," also resigned his commission in 1843. Captain John Cumings enlisted as a private in the Second Company in 1824 ; served as a first sergeant for five years, and was elected first lieutenant in 1833, and captain in 1836, but soon re signed on account of failing health. In 1837 he re-enlisted as a private, was elected first lieutenant in 1838, and in 1839 was again chosen captain. During a period of twenty years' active service Captain Cumings enjoyed the unlimited confidence of his associ ates, and was remarkably popular as an officer. He was a thor oughly practical soldier ; was active, prompt, and intelligent in the discharge of his duties ; and his sound judgment and common sense commanded respect and attention. He was always first and fore most in every effort for military order and improvement, and he labored earnestly during his whole career to elevate the mihtary condition and standing of his company. His unselfish devotion to its interests was a pleasing feature in his character. Eejoicing in its prosperity, and its most steadfast friend in the days of adversity ; willing to serve it in any capacity in which he could be useful ; self-sacrificing and unambitious, his career furnishes an example so 1843 CAPTAIN JOHN CUMINGS. 299 bright and brihiant as to be worthy of all imitation. As a gentle man and as a companion Captain Cumings commanded the affec tion of his comrades, and his pleasing manners, kind and gen erous disposition, and quiet and unassuming dignity, won their hearts. He was a man of me dium height, and possessed a good figure, a pleasant counte nance, and a commanding air and soldierly bearing. After a suc cessful business career in New York as an iron-founder, Captain Cumings removed to Orange County, where he resided for many years, and was distinguished as a useful, patriotic, and public- spirited citizen. He died near ^ Middletown, N. Y, in 1865, in c^&^, the sixtieth year of his age. Captain Wihiam W. Lyon was appointed sergeant standard- bearer of the Eegiment in 1835, and became second heutenant of the Third Company in that year ; was elected first heutenant in 1837, and was captain from 1838 to 1843. In 1849 he was chosen captain of the Seventh Company, but did not accept the office. The Third Company was very prosperous during the administration of Captain Lyon. His good-humor and attractive social qualities, his gentlemanly and fascinating manners, and his extremely hand some face and person, were sufficient to attract young men to the ranks of his command. He was also an excellent officer, thor oughly understood his duties, and was passionately devoted to the Eegiment. Captain Lyon was not successful in business, and, when Colonel Jones was elected sheriff, he accepted office as a deputy. After the expiration of his term of service as deputy-sheriff, he be came despondent from want of lucrative employment, and finally migrated to Texas, where he soon afterward died. The Legislature of 1843 having authorized the proper authori ties to supply the militia of the State with arms at the public ex- From a photograph, 1857. 300 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1843 pense, the Board of Officers in September directed the colonel to make requisition upon the commissary-general for the necessary number of muskets for the Eegiment. The passage of the law re ferred to was a subject of general congratulation in mihtary circles. It encouraged enhstments by relieving new members of a consider able expense, and was an act of justice to the citizen soldiery which had long been persistently resisted by the State authorities. The reception of arms from the State made necessary a suitable place for their care and storage. The time-honored custom for each member to take his musket after drill or parade to his own house, and to be responsible for its good order and cleanliness, entirely passed away with the appearance of the State arms. Some com panies were already provided with a gun-rack and case, commonly called an " armory," for the reception of the arms when not in use. All companies were now subjected to the necessity of providing such " armories," and employing a proper person to clean and care for the arms, and thus originated the office of company and regi mental armorer, at that time an additional expense to the mihtia. The want of power to enforce the by-laws necessary to secure regular attendance at company drills and proper attention to other company duties, had long been regarded as the principal obstacle to improvement in the drill and disciphne of the mihtia of the State. The Twenty-seventh Eegiment is entitled to the honor of originating the movement which resulted in the legislation neces sary to enable companies to secure attendance at drills and the en forcement of proper mihtary disciphne. In November, 1843, the Board of Officers appointed a committee " to inquire into the expe diency of applying to the Legislature for a recognition by law of the powers of companies and Boards of Officers to estabhsh by-laws for their government, so as to make infractions of such by-laws cognizable by court-martial." The committee reported to the board the form of an act upon this subject, which was ordered to be printed and forwarded to the Legislature, and the bill was subse quently passed and became a law. Should an officer or soldier of the Seventh Eegiment at the present day loan his uniform to be worn at a bah or elsewhere by a person not connected in any way with his company or Eegiment, such an indiscretion would not be overlooked, and might be fol lowed by the pains and penalties of a court-martial. Not so in the 1843 LOANING UNIFORMS. 301 good old days of the first half of the nineteenth century. Then a young man, without the abihty or inclination to become a member of the uniformed mihtia, but desiring to shine as a " bright particu lar star " on any great festive occasion, proceeded to borrow the uniform of some friend who was so fortunate or unfortunate as to be enrolled among the armed defenders of the State, and, thus equipped in gilt and in feathers fine, appeared at pubhc fete or ball to captivate and conquer with his borrowed plumage. Even officers and members of the Twenty-seventh Eegiment were known to loan their uniforms to friends to grace some great occasion. But the evil culminated when a gentleman of some distinction appeared at a bah at the City Hotel in the uniform of the colonel of the Eegi ment, and this circumstance proved fatal to the practice of loaning uniforms, either by officers or men. ' Bunker Hill Monument. 302 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1844 CHAPTEE TWENTY-FOURTH. 1844. The name " National Guard " had been the distinctive title of the Twenty-seventh Eegiment from the date of its organization, and was recognized as such in orders and official communications. Whatever of honor the Eegiment had gained by its superior drill and discipline and by its services to the city was associated with that appellation. It is not, therefore, surprising that a storm of indignation should arise when it became known that the Sixth Bri gade, General George P. Morris commanding, had assumed the title of " National Guard " and was using it in official papers. At a meeting of the Board of Officers held on January 4th, a committee, consisting of Major Waters, Captain Bremner, and Quartermaster Allen, submitted a spicy preamble with strong and spirited reso lutions upon the subject, which were unanimously adopted, and which were pubhshed in the " New York Courier and Enquirer." The appearance of the resolutions in the newspapers created a sensa tion in military circles, and Generals Sandford and Hunt hastened to the front with a flag of truce to preserve the peace. At their request a special meeting of the Board of Officers of the Twenty- seventh Eegiment was held, at which the generals exhausted their eloquence in the effort to prove that the resolution had been passed under a misapprehension of the facts in the case, and should be pubhcly rescinded and withdrawn. But the officers of the Twenty- seventh were obdurate, and having again resolved to maintain their position, Generals Sandford and Hunt withdrew from the meeting, satisfied that their mission of peace was a failure. But " the battle for a name " soon terminated by the surrender of the enemy. On the 1st day of February it was announced to the Board of Officers that the Sixth Brigade had gracefully yielded the point in dispute, and the fohowing preamble and resolution were adopted and or dered to be published : 1844 COLONEL WILLIAM JONES. 303 Whereas, The Sixth Brigade of New York State Artillery have abandoned the name of " National Guard " heretofore adopted by them, and the same has been officially announced in orders by their commandant General George P. Morris ; therefore Resolved, That so much of the resolutions of the 4th January last past as pro hibits the interchange of military courtesies with the said Brigade be and the same is hereby rescinded. ' At the annual election in 1843, Colonel William Jones was elected upon the Whig ticket to the office of sheriff of the city and county of New York. His prominent position as commandant of the Twenty-seventh Eegiment secured him the nomination, and, as he was the only candidate elected on his ticket, his election was at tributed to the strong personal influence of the members of the Eegiment in his favor. When he entered upon the duties of the office of sheriff in January, 1844, he resigned his commission as colonel. At the request of Lieutenant-Colonel Yermilye, the Board of Officers unanimously tendered the nomination of colonel to ex- Colonel Stevens, but he declined the honor, and on the 25th day of April Lieutenant-Colonel Washington E. Yermilye was elected to the colonelcy and Major Waters was chosen lieutenant-colonel. In July Captain Andrew A. Bremner of the Fourth Company was elected major of the Eegiment. Colonel William Jones was born in Saybrook, Conn., in 1797, and came to New York in 1814, and immediately enhsted for the defense of the city, then threatened by the British. Having achieved some distinction by long service in other military organ izations, he was elected captain of the Third Company in 1830 ; and in 1837 he was elected lieutenant-colonel, and in 1839 colonel of the Eegiment. The great popularity of Colonel Jones was due, to a considerable extent, to his rare good-nature, and frank, cordial, and kindly manners. Although a man of limited education, his good common sense, excellent judgment, plain and unpretentious demeanor, and fine administrative ability inspired his officers and men with confidence and secured their united respect and support. As an officer he was thoroughly familiar with his duties, was cool and deliberate, and, although easy-going and not particular as to details, his mihtary administration gave great satisfaction. In per son Colonel Jones was tall, portly, and soldierly, with a round, full, and rather handsome face ; and his imposing appearance upon parade attracted general attention. He was thoroughly loyal and devoted 21 304 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1844 to the Eegiment, and labored earnestly and faithfully to promote its interests and welfare. In general orders, April 19, 1844, an nouncing the resignation of Colonel Jones, it is said, " The Eegi ment sustains the loss of a chief whose services in its behalf have been invaluable, and who possesses the confidence and respect of the entire command." At the period of his connection with the Eegiment Colonel Jones was engaged in a small retail business in the Bowery. But this fact he did not disguise ; for, when in the course of a parade the Eegiment passed through the Bowery, two troopers were sta tioned in front of his establishment to mark the place, and the sol diers reverentially carried arms in honor of their commandant and his family. Colonel Jones was an active Whig politician, and the recipient of various pohtical honors. From 1838 to 1840 he was deputy-sheriff ; in 1840 was appointed keeper of the City Prison ; in 1841 was a member of Assembly ; and in 1843 was elected sheriff. In 1847 he removed to the Highlands of Navesink, N. J., where, with a moderate competency, he lived until 1864, the date of his death. A collision at the drill-room at Centre Market, on the evening of January 22d, was a notable military event of the period. By an error in the order assigning the rooms to the several regiments, the Second Company, Captain Duryee, assembled, and the drill had commenced, when a German company of the Thirty-eighth Eegi ment, commanded by Captain Henry Kutzemeyer, made its appear ance and demanded possession of the room. Captain Duryee per emptorily refused ; and, when it was intimated that possession would be taken by force, he informed the intruders, in the most decided tone and manner, that the attempt would be resisted at all hazards ; and he terminated the angry interview by ordering Cap tain Kutzemeyer and his men to immediately withdraw, or be sum marily ejected. The Germans were very indignant, boisterous, and threatening, and it was said loaded their muskets with the determi nation to enforce their rights. But a careful examination of the subject satisfied Captain Duryee that the German company was entitled to the room. The drill of the Second Company was at once suspended, and, after considerable noisy discussion of the vari ous points involved, the belhgerents separated in tolerably good- humor. Captain Duryee was arrested, and tried by brigade court- martial upon the following charges : ExLgS- "by H.3. Ji all J: Colonel Seventh Regiment. 1833 — 184' 4j 1844 THE DURYEE COURT-MARTIAL. 395 First. Taking possession of Centre Market Drill-Rooms, January 22, 1844, and retaining possession against the just remonstrance of Captain Kutzemeyer. Second. Refusing to withdraw, and insolently ordering Captain Kutzemeyer to leave. Third. Disrespectful language towards General Sandford, a, superior officer, in respect to his assignment of the rooms. Fourth. Publishing an incendiary article in the Military Argus in respect to the transaction. Captain Duryee was found guilty on most of the specifications, and was fined fifteen dollars. He appealed to Governor Bouck, the commander-in-chief, and his appeal was sustained, on the ground that evening drills were not authorized by the existing mihtia law, and consequently a military court had no jurisdiction in the case. In May Brigadier-General Samuel J. Hunt resigned his com mission, having completed thirty years of active service in the mili tia of the city. He was an officer of great merit and distinction. Although very diminutive in stature, he was a man of commanding address as well as captivating manners. He manoeuvred his bri gade with the skill of a veteran and the intelligence of a profes sional soldier, and as an administrative officer was active, prompt, energetic, and reliable. Colonel William Hall, of the Third Eegi ment, succeeded General Hunt in the command of the First Bri gade, the nomination having been tendered to ex-Colonel Stevens and declined. The practice of advising the colonel as to the date of parades had not yet been abandoned. In March the Board of Officers passed a resolution recommending the commandant to order a pa rade, and in April six of the eight companies, together with the Troop, voted in favor of " requesting the lieutenant-colonel com' manding to defer ordering a parade until the middle of May." In accordance with this request, the spring parade took place on May 22d. The Eegiment was drilled in the School of the Battahon, at Tompkins Square, in June and in October, and paraded on Sep tember 16th, July 4th, and November 25th. The average number reported at regimental drills and parades during the year was about three hundred, including musicians. Governor Bouck and the Court of Errors, and Mayor Harper and the Common Council, united in the review of the First Division on the 4th day of July, 1844. 306 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1844 The annual inspection was held at Tompkins Square on the 17th of October. The result of the inspection was as follows : Present. Present. Third Company 43 Field and Staff 7 Non Com. Staff 3 Musicians 18 Troop 35 First Company 24 Second " 32 Fourth FifthSixthSeventhEighth 2534433541 Total present, 340. The Boston City Grays passed through New York, on their re turn from Baltimore, on July 24th, and were received by the Eighth Company, and escorted to the United States Hotel. The two com mands stacked their arms on the roof of the hotel, and at 2 p. m. sat down to dinner. Speeches and toasts from officers and members and invited guests followed, and after the entertainment the Boston City Grays were escorted to the steamer. The Second Company visited Tarrytown on July 23d, and was quartered for three days at a hotel in that delightful locality. The only circumstance to mar the pleasure of the excursion was the hostility of the young men of the village, who were jealous of the attentions of the New York soldiers to the fair damsels of the neighborhood, and the kindly manner in which they were recipro cated. A ball given by the Second Company, on the evening of the 24th, was materiahy interfered with by their noisy demonstra tions, and they instigated the urchins of the vihage to a mock parade in paper hats and epaulets, with wooden guns, to annoy the unwelcome visitors. The earnest remonstrances of the officers of the company only prevented its members from giving the whole party of riotous Tarrytowners a sound beating. The Troop went on an excursion for target-practice to the Abbey Hotel, on the Bloomingdale Eoad, and the Fifth Company proceeded to Nyack for the same purpose in August. The target-excursion of the Sixth Company was to Jamaica, and of the Seventh Company to Paterson, in September. The strength and prosperity of the several companies at this period were more equal than for many years, and nearly ah were led by ambitious and able officers. The Third, Sixth, and Eighth Companies were considered the leading companies, although the Second, Fourth, and Seventh Companies were striving vigorously 1844 CAPTAIN WRIGHT F. CONGER. 307 for equahty in numbers, and in drill and disciphne. The Fourth Company lost the valuable services of Captain Bremner by promo tion, and the Sixth Company with great reluctance consented to the resignation of Captain Conger. Lieutenant William H. Eiblet was elected captain of the Fourth Company ; Lieutenant John Gould, captain of the Sixth Company; and the vacancy in the Fifth Company, caused by the resignation of Captain George Will iam Smith, was filled by the election of James L. Waugh, who had been a heutenant in the Ninth Eegiment. Captain Wright F. Conger ranks among the most distinguished officers of this period. He enlisted in the Fourth Company in 1829, was elected corporal of the Sixth Company at its reorgani zation in 1834; first heutenant in 1835, and captain in 1839. He was an excehent military in structor and a strict disciplina rian, was thoroughly devoted to his command, and was ambi tious that it should be second to none in every particular. Un der his administration the Sixth Company achieved great dis tinction, and was a rival to the Eighth in numbers, social stand ing, and military accomplish ments ; and the energy, activity, and popularity of Captain Con ger contributed largely to its prosperity. In addition to his abihties as an officer, Captain Conger was distinguished for his fine personal appearance and sol dierly bearing. Straight and muscular, with a handsome face and figure, and a prompt and decisive manner, he was the beau-ideal of the citizen soldier. Though hasty and impetuous in character, he was equally ready to retract or recede when his views or actions proved to be erroneous. Captain Conger was born in New York in 1812, and was an active and prominent merchant. He was suc cessfully engaged in the dry-goods trade, in the manufacture of fityd-J&, ftteW^ From a photograph, 1870. 308 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1844 paper, and in the storage-warehouse business, and was uniformly successful and prosperous. He died in 1880. At this period ah the companies occupied the Central Drill- Booms over Centre Market for military purposes, on such evenings as they were assigned to the Eegiment by the major-general. For additional drills and for business meetings the most prominent and popular quarters were St. John's Hah, the Mercer House, the Broadway House, Mihtary Hah, and Lafayette Hall. Many other places were engaged, from time to time and for brief periods, for the accommodation of the several companies, but the above named are so intimately associated with the history of the Eegiment at this time, and from 1845 to 1860, that they deserve a brief descrip tion in these pages. St. John's Hah was situated in Frankfort Street, near the City Hall Park, upon the ground now occupied by the " World " build ing. During the first years of the present century it was the Masonic headquarters of the city of New York as well as a famous mihtary rendezvous. The lower part of the building was occupied as a public house, the upper rooms by Masonic lodges, and its large hall was used for pubhc meetings and as a drill-room. It continued to be occupied for these purposes, without change or interruption, until the building yielded to the march of improvement in 1848. St John's Hall was also a noted resort for pohticians during the early part of the nineteenth century, and so continued until the more democratic Pewter Mug supplanted it in the affections of the people, and its fame was overshadowed by the magnificence and popularity of Tammany Hah, both located in that part of the city now famous as Prmting-House Square. For a period of nearly twenty years (1840-1860) the Mercer House, corner of Mercer and Broome Streets, was a popular mih tary headquarters. The drill-rooms were on the second and third floors, and a small room on the second floor over the bar-room was used for business meetings. In the bar-room might be found at ah hours of the evening the mihtary loungers and gossips of the town, discussing the mihtary topics and politics of the day. The Broadway House, a three-story building, on the corner of Broadway and Grand Street, was distinguished for a long period as the headquarters of the old Whig party. The drill-room was on the second floor, with an entrance on Grand Street, and was about 1844 LAFAYETTE HALL. 309 fifty feet square. It was a popular bah-room, and was used for pohtical and religious meetings. The front room on the second floor was used by military companies for business meetings, except during the active part of a political campaign, when it was occupied by the Whig General Committee, and the mihtary was sent to a dreary room on the floor above. The first floor front was a bar room, and a too convenient place to lounge before and after drill. Such was the famous Broadway House from this period until it was demohshed, about the year 1857. Mihtary Hah, No. 193* Bowery, had been occupied by com panies of the Twenty-seventh Eegiment from time to time since its organization, and from 1835 to 1855 was a popular military rendez vous. The drill-room was plain and unornamented, but spacious, and one of the best in the city. The lower floor was a drinking- place of the ordinary style and character. Mihtary Hall has main tained its name and number without a change for more than half a century, and at this period (1889) is a landmark of veteran mihtia men. Lafayette Hall was a large two-story building in Broadway, be tween Prince and Houston Streets, extending through to Mercer Street. The lower floor was occupied as a bar-room, with a large billiard-saloon in the rear. The drill-room on the second floor, about fifty by seventy feet, was on the Broadway front, and in the rear were several commodious rooms for company meetings and for the storage of arms and uniforms. From this period until the oc cupation of the Tompkins Market Armory, in 1860, Lafayette Hall was the most central and convenient location for mihtary companies in the city of New York. It was the scene of many military fes tivities and a favorite resort for ah interested in local mihtary affairs. To all such it was a substitute for the clubs of modern days, and veteran members of the Third, Sixth, and Eighth Com panies have many pleasant recollections of the happy hours spent within the walls of Lafayette Hah between 1845 and 1860. The building was demohshed about 1867, and a part of the site is now occupied by a more imposing structure which bore the old famihar name until 1876. The era of company festivities or balls, popularly known as " soirees," had now commenced, and these agreeable entertainments were an important feature in the social history of several of the 310 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1844 companies during the following years. They were not pubhc balls, for the expenses were paid by subscription or assessment, and the tickets were distributed by officers and members among their friends and acquaintances. No effort was made for elegant or fashionable display, but the committees in charge were successful in making these entertainments memorably social and agreeable. A supper at eleven o'clock was invariably a part of the programme, and the dancing was not continued to an unreasonable hour of the night. Niblo's Saloon, the Apollo Booms, and the Chinese and the City Assembly Booms were the more prominent places for the company soirees of the Eegiment. In 1844, the soiree of the Third Com pany was at Tammany Hall in February, and of the Fifth Company at Niblo's Saloon in December. The New York Brass Band gave a pubhc ball at the Apollo Booms in March, under the patronage of the Eegiment, being the first of many elegant and successful entertainments of this character. Some important changes were made during the year 1844 in the uniform of the officers of the Eegiment. The gray fatigue- jacket was discarded, and in its place was substituted a blue frock- coat of the United States Army pattern, with National Guard but tons. A uniform hat and trimmings similar in style to those worn by the men were adopted for both field and line officers, while the staff (except the adjutant) retained the chapeau. Upon the fatigue- cap was ordered to be placed the figures " 27," embroidered in gold on a piece of black cloth surrounded by a wreath. The service chevrons of officers were ordered to be made of double gold-lace instead of black silk ferreting. Plans for a regimental armory made their appearance from time to time. In May the proprietors of the building long known as the City Assembly Booms, then erecting in Broadway near Grand Street, submitted to the Board of Officers plans of the building, and proposed to lease to the Eegiment the entire third story for military purposes at an annual rent of twelve hundred and fifty dollars. Several of the companies approved of the proposal, but after considerable discussion it was decided to be inexpedient to lease the premises. The excitement which attended the great contest between the supporters of Henry Clay and James K. Polk for the presidency in 1844 is memorable in the political annals of New York city. 1844 THE ANTI-RENT WAR. 3H Prominent in the political machinery of the day for influencing and controlhng the election were the fighting-clubs, composed of the most desperate and notorious characters of the period. Mur derous weapons were not then in popular use, but muscle com manded a premium ; and men of courage and physical power, like Isaiah Eynders, William Poole, and Thomas Hyer, came to the front and assumed a prominence in pohtics unknown before or since. A colhsion between the organized bands of the fighting-men of the two parties on election-day seemed to be certain, and the Twenty- seventh Eegiment was notified on the morning of November 5th to be in readiness to turn out with ball-cartridges to preserve the pubhc peace. But the election passed off without the necessity of bringing the Eegiment into conflict with the pohtical fighting- clubs. The violent outbreak in Eensselaer and Columbia Counties, known as the Anti-Bent War, compelled the State authorities to call upon the militia to aid in the enforcement of the laws. In December two companies of cavalry were sent from New York and several companies of infantry from Albany to the seat of war, and the Twenty-seventh Eegiment was ordered to be in readiness to move, at short notice, against the insurgents. But the leading anti-renters having been arrested, the excitement subsided, and the Eegiment was spared the doubtful honor of a campaign among the misguided citizens of the infected district. 312 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1845 CHAPTEE TWENTY-FIFTH. 1845. Foe many years the New York Brass Band, under the leader ship of Lothian, had furnished music for the Eegiment at its pa rades, and was regarded as the leading mihtary band of the city. But Lothian had become careless, and it was claimed that he did not keep pace with the musical progress of the period, and a change was demanded. At the meeting of the Board of Officers held in December, 1844, a proposition was received from thirteen members of the New York Brass Band to organize under a new leader, and asking for the patronage and influence of the Eegiment. The music committee did not. approve of the proposition, and an engage ment was made with Dod worth's Cornet Band to furnish the regi mental music for the year 1845, at about seventy dollars per day or parade. But the music of Dodworth's Band was not adapted to mihtary purposes and was unsatisfactory, and in the following year, though strongly opposed by many officers, Lothian was restored to favor and to the musical leadership, which he retained until the year 1848. The number of musicians usually parading with the Eegiment in Lothian's Band was seventeen. The Second Company gave an exhibition drill at the Apollo Booms on March 6th, which was attended by a large number of invited guests. It was a great success, and established the reputa tion of Captain Duryee as one of the most brilhant military in structors in the city. At the conclusion of the drill a collation was served, and was followed by dancing. The only circumstance to mar the pleasure of the evening was a difficulty at the supper-table between Colonel Yermilye and Captain Waugh, of the Fifth Com pany, which originated from the latter taking exceptions to a toast offered in the course of the entertainment. The Fifth Company, by resolution, cordially approved the action of Captain Waugh in the matter, and the difficulty was referred by the Board of Officers to the " Board of Honor " for adjustment. The Board of Honor 1845 FUNERAL OF GENERAL JACKSON. 313 consisted of the major of the Eegiment as president, and the com mandants of companies as members, and its most important duty was to decide all disputes that should occur among the officers of the Eegiment. Its peaceful mission was successful in this case, and Captain Waugh announced to his company on April 18th that the difficulty between himself and the colonel had been amicably and satisfactorily adjusted. The Board of Honor was not idle during this year, so famous for wrangling, quarreling, and insubordination. In April a difficulty between Captains Brinckerkoff and Duryee was before the board for settlement, but was soon amicably disposed of ; and during the latter part of the year its sessions were frequent and protracted. It is but justice, however, to the officers of the Eegiment at this period to say that to Captain Waugh, of the Fifth Company, the Board of Honor was mainly indebted for its large amount of business in 1845. In May Lieutenant-Colonel Waters resigned his commission, and in June Major Bremner was elected his successor. Lieutenant- Colonel George G. Waters was elected captain of the Fifth Com pany in 1840, major in 1843, and lieutenant-colonel in 1844. He had not passed through the inferior mihtary grades, and therefore failed to secure distinction as a practical soldier ; but he was a man of talent, intelligence, and good judgment ; was devoted to the in terests of the Eegiment, and was influential in the Board of Officers. He was a lawyer by profession, and as a gentleman commanded the respect of his military associates. The public funeral in honor of ex-President Andrew Jackson, on June 24th, was in charge of the city corporation, and the streets were crowded with people. The procession was very large, and consisted of thirteen grand divisions, of wliich the militia was the first. The troops formed at the Battery, and the route of the pro cession was through Broadway to Union Square, and by the Bow ery to the City Hall. The extreme heat of the day made the parade the most severe and oppressive within the recollection of the oldest soldier, and many were obhged to leave the ranks completely ex hausted. Flags were at half-mast, bells were tolled, minute-guns were fired, and none of the emblems of mourning, usual on such occasions, were wanting. At the City Hall a funeral oration was delivered by Benjamin F. Butler, and a requiem was performed by the New York Sacred Music Society. 314 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1845 The Secretary of War, William L. Marcy, visited New York on June 26th, and the First Division paraded at the Battery for his reception. After reviewing the troops, the Secretary of War pro ceeded by steamer to inspect the fortifications in the harbor, accom panied by many of the officers of the Division. The adjutant's record for this parade makes the strength of the Twenty-seventh Eegiment present, including officers and musicians, two hundred and ninety-three, which was about the average number of men present at the parades at this period, except at the annual inspec tion. The regimental order for an encampment near Albany, to be known as Camp Schuyler, directed that those members who did not accompany the Eegiment should parade at Tompkins Square, at 10 a. m. on each day of the week, ending July 26th. The Eegiment made the usual parade with the First Division on July 4th, and at 4 p. m. embarked on the steamer New Jersey for Albany. The weather was pleasant, and the passage up the river delightful. At an early hour in the morning the machinery of the steamer was disabled, and the Eegiment was transferred to the steamer Boches- ter. The Eochester was crowded with German immigrants, and the sleepy soldiers, hastily turned out of comfortable quarters at an un seasonable hour, did not fancy their new and not very cleanly com panions, and were happy to reach Albany soon after sunrise. Hastily disembarking, the Eegiment was received by the Albany Eepubli can Artillery, the Yan Eensselaer Guard, and the Bine Corps, and was escorted to the camp-ground. Camp Schuyler was situated on the Albany and Troy road, at an equal distance from the two cities. The place was popularly known as " Bull's Head," or " The Bace- Course," and afforded ample room for the camp, and for a large and excellent parade-ground. The location was dry, healthy, and pleasant. On one side was a small grove, which furnished an agree able shade, and, on the other, a hotel for refreshments and the accommodation of the visitors to the camp. Sunday, July 6th. — The camp was thronged with visitors from Troy and Albany. A military encampment was a great novelty in that section of the country, and excited universal curiosity, and the evening parade was witnessed with wondering admiration. Such of the officers and members as desired to attend church in Albany and Troy were excused for the day. CAMP SCHUYLER. ALBANY, 1845. (From an old lithograph.) 1845 CAMP SCHUYLER. 3ig Monday, July 7th. — The regular routine of camp duty com menced. At sunrise, reveih6 and company drill ; after breakfast, guard-mounting and battalion drill ; at 6 p. m., dress parade and guard-mounting ; and tattoo at 10 p. m. The amusements of the day were limited to visits to Albany and Troy, and to riding in the surrounding country, and in the evening to music, social visits, and the pleasures usual and pecuhar to a volunteer mihtary camp in fine weather. The Troop arrived from New York in the after noon, and the Eegiment paraded for its reception. Tuesday, July 8th. — Many invitations from leading citizens to visit their residences were received by the officers and members of the Eegiment, and the hospitahty universally exhibited by the peo ple of the two cities was a pleasing and memorable feature of life at Camp Schuyler. In the afternoon the officers were elegantly entertained by General Stephen Yan Eensselaer, at the Manor House. The dinner was superb ; the fine house and extensive grounds were thrown open for inspection ; and no effort was spared by the Patroon in person to render the entertainment agreeable and attractive. Thursday, July 10th. — As this was the last day at Camp Schuyler, the regular mihtary duties were omitted. The Eighth Company was detailed to receive the Troy Citizen Corps and the Emmet Guard of Albany, and these companies mounted guard during the mihtary exercises of the af ternoon. The first review of the afternoon was by Brigadier-General Hall and the Mayors of Albany and Troy. The next review was by General Wool, of the United States Army, which was hardly concluded when the arrival of Hon. Silas Wright, Governor of the State, was announced by a salute of seventeen guns, fired by the Eighth Company. The mih tary exercises closed with a drill of the Eegiment. The number of visitors from the adjacent cities and from New York was immense. The camp was handsomely decorated with evergreens, flowers, and bunting, and throughout the day the scene was gay and animating. In the evening the camp was illuminated, and the display of fire works was witnessed by a multitude of people, variously estimated from fifteen to twenty thousand in number. Friday, July 11th. — At 11 a. m. tents were struck, a salute of twenty-eight guns in honor of Camp Schuyler was fired by the Eighth Company, and the Eegiment marched away to Albany. 316 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1845 The day was intensely hot and oppressive, the roads exceedingly dusty, and the march remarkably severe and fatiguing. With scarcely a breath of air, bhnded and suffocated by the dust, under a broiling sun, and overloaded by their knapsacks, many left the ranks from exhaustion, and reached the town in carriages. At the Manor House the Eegiment was met by the Burgess Corps, the Yan Eensselaer Guard, the Emmet Guard, and the Eifle Corps, and was escorted to the City Hall, where arms were stacked at 2 p. m. Officers and men were very tired and hungry, but the elegant din ner prepared by the City Corporation of Albany, at Stanwix Hall, was not ready until five o'clock. It proved, however, to be a sumpt uous entertainment, waB enlivened by speeches and toasts, and was a very gay and pleasant termination of a memorably fatiguing day. At 8 p. m. the Eegiment embarked upon the steamer Knick erbocker, the hospitable Albanians crowding the wharf to give it an enthusiastic farewell, and Captain Strain, of the State Arsenal, firing a parting salute. Without accident or notable incident the Eegiment reached New York at 5 a. m., and was dismissed. When the Twenty-seventh Eegiment arrived at the Albany City Hall, its officers and members tired, hungry, overheated, foot sore, and generally disgusted, Captain Waugh, of the Fifth Com pany, refused to await the hospitalities of the Common Council at Stanwix Hall, and marched his company to another hotel to dinner. For such discourteous, insubordinate, and unsoldierly conduct he was severely reprimanded by Colonel Yermilye, and the whole Eegiment was mortified and indignant. The Fifth Company, how ever, by resolution approved of " the conduct of Captain Waugh during the excursion to Albany and Troy, and particularly during the parade at Albany, which conduct was censured by Colonel Yer milye." The Board of Honor gave the subject due consideration, and upon its recommendation the Board of Officers, at a meeting held in October, adopted a resolution calling upon Captain Waugh " to apologize to the Board for the course of conduct pursued by him in reference to the public dinner at Albany, and, failing to do so, that the Board of Officers censure him at the next meeting, and that he be reprimanded by the presiding officer." In due time the apology was received and accepted, and the board ordered the above resolution to be expunged from its minutes. » The conduct of Captain Waugh at Albany was, of course, weh 1845 CAMP SCHUYLER. 317 known to the people of that city, and was naturally regarded as a reflection upon their hospitahty. To demonstrate that the Eegi ment appreciated and valued the attentions received from that city, cards of thanks were pubhshed in the newspapers of New York and Albany by the Board of Officers and by several of the compa nies. Among the parties gratefully remembered by the Eegiment, while in this thankful mood, were the people of Albany and Troy for divers courtesies ; the Common Council of Albany for elegant entertainment at Stanwix Hah ; the Albany Eepublican Artillery, Yan Eensselaer Guard, Bine Corps, Burgess Corps, Emmet Guard, and Troy Citizen Corps, for escort and other mihtary attentions and services ; General Stephen Yan Eensselaer, for an elegant enter tainment to the officers at the Manor House ; Dr. Green, of Albany, for valuable medical services ; Captain Hulse, of the steamer Eoch- ester ; Commissary-General Storms and his assistant at Albany, and Captain John F. Strain. To the last-named officer the board also voted a gold medal, as an evidence of their appreciation of his " efficient and valuable services preparatory to and during the en campment." The Troop arrived at Albany two days after the Eegiment, and was mounted upon horses hired at Albany for the occasion. As an integral part of an infantry regiment a troop of cavalry is necessarily a nuisance. But the men, if not the horses, were enthusiastically received, and faithfully performed the duties as signed them. Upon invitation the troop visited Troy, and was hospitably enter tained by the Troy Citizens Corps. But its crowning honor was the escort of Governor Wright and the Patroon from Albany to Camp Schuyler, on the after noon of July 10th. In the hour of its /?* /fy~ S triumph, however, the gallant Troop was jn^fcCti^ ///ifa^foc--^ overwhelmed with mortification ; for, at the review by Governor Wright, the infantry companies only were reviewed, and the Troop, by inadvertence, was not awarded the usual honor. When the infantry companies wheeled into col umn to pass in review, the Troop manifested its indignation by 318 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1845 leaving the hne and returning to its quarters, and at once com menced preparation to depart for New York. At the conclusion of the review the commander-in-chief waited upon Captain Brinck- erhoff and apologized for the unintentional military error. Colonel Yermilye and Lieutenant-Colonel Bremner also addressed the Troop in the most conciliatory terms, and finally succeeded in restoring peace and securing forgiveness. But this circumstance if forgiven was not soon forgotten by the gallant troopers of the Twenty- seventh. The Sixth Company, usuahy distinguished for its good mihtary behavior, also contributed to the manifold troubles which charac terized the tour of camp duty in 1845. While on guard duty at night, it was rumored that the mischievous members of the Fourth and Eighth Companies had conspired to leave the camp, and the officers of the Sixth and the entire company were on guard through out the night without relief. On the following morning Lieuten ant-Colonel Bremner was to drill the Eegiment, and the Sixth Com pany, having been reheved from guard duty, was ordered to take its place in the line. But at the formation the company did not make its appearance, nor were the remonstrances of the colonel and lieu tenant-colonel successful in securing the required attendance. The extraordinary fatigues of the night was the apology for this dis obedience of orders, and the order for the drill was countermanded. The weather at Camp Schuyler was delightfully clear and pleas ant, although uncomfortably warm. The military improvement from company and battahon drills was considerable, and, as the Eegiment had not been in camp for many years, and the officers and men were therefore generally ignorant of the practical duties of camp, they were greatly benefited by their brief experience. The insubordinate spirit exhibited by some officers and companies was happily not universal, and the grumbling and wrangling were con fined to the minority. Such commandants as Duryee, Eiblet, Denike, and Shumway were of course faithful to military discipline, while some officers appeared to be more anxious to consult their own pleasure and to make the encampment only a grand holiday excursion. Noticeably of this class was Captain Mount, of the Third Company, who kept the camp in a turmoil by his eccentric movements. Now away at the head of his men to Troy, or some other part of the country, under a burning sun ; now late at drill or 1845 GREAT FIRE OF 1845. 319 parade, and always intent upon sport and pleasure, this dashing and self-willed officer was constantly astonishing his more staid compeers by his meteoric nights. And so Camp Schuyler was never dull, and, though it was not in all respects satisfactory, there was much to be remembered with pleasure. The unexpectedly small number participating in the encampment of 1845 (about two hundred officers and men) was a serious disappointment to the colonel and to all concerned. One of the largest and most destructive fires that ever occurred in New York commenced on the morning of July 19th, and spread with fearful violence and rapidity over a large part of the business portion of the city situated below Wall Street and east of Broad way. Nearly three hundred large buildings, principally wholesale stores, and their valuable contents, were destroyed. In the after noon the Troop of the Twenty-seventh Eegiment was ordered out for patrol duty. On the following day (Sunday) the whole Eegi ment was on duty to guard from depredation the immense quanti ties of goods that had been thrown into the streets from the burn ing buildings, and was quartered at Castle Garden. Companies were detailed for guard, and were relieved regularly during the day and night, and, as the district to be patrolled and protected was large, the duty was laborious and fatiguing. On the following day the Eegiment was dismissed by order of the mayor, and was pub licly complimented for its activity and vigilance. In September Captain Abram Duryee was elected major, vice Bremner promoted. The resignation of Colonel Yermilye was ac cepted in September, and in November Lieutenant-Colonel Brem ner was elected colonel, Major Duryee lieutenant-colonel, and Ad jutant Joseph A. Diwer major. Colonel Washington E. Yermilye enlisted in the Eighth Com pany in 1830, was elected first heutenant of the Fifth Company in 1832, and captain in 1833. In 1834 he resigned his commission, but in the latter part of the year was induced to accept the first heutenancy, and in 1837 was again elected captain. In 1840 he was elected major, in 1843 lieutenant-colonel, and in 1844 colonel of the Eegiment. Colonel Yermilye was not distinguished as a military instructor or as a disciphnarian, but he was thoroughly familiar with military tactics, and faithfully and creditably per formed his duties both as a company and a field officer. His fine 22 320 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1845 personal appearance upon parade was noticeable, and he admirably represented the Eegiment on pubhc occasions. He was heartily devoted to the interests of the organization, and labored earnestly and successfully for its welfare. No colonel of the Eegiment has been held in higher estimation by its officers and members, or has enjoyed a more general and deserved personal popularity. As a thorough gentleman, as a respected and public-spirited citizen, and as a man of probity and honor, he had no superior. His patriotism was earnest and practical, and during the War for the Union he not only contributed liberally from his large fortune, but he shoul dered a musket and in the ranks of the Seventh Eegiment faith fully performed a soldier's duty in the campaign of 1862. In per son Colonel Yermilye was tall and well-proportioned, with a hand some face and soldierly figure ; in manner he was frank, courteous, and attractive ; and in disposition he was kind, considerate, gener ous, and confiding. Colonel Yermilye was born in the city of New York in 1810. His career as a banker and broker is a part of the financial history of the country, and the name of Yermilye & Co. has been long and widely known and respected. His liberality always kept full pace with his fortune, and to ail objects which commended themselves to the charitable and pubhc-spirited he was a hberal contributor. His devotion to the Seventh Eegiment never wavered ; to such en terprises as the Seventh Eegiment Monument in Central Park and the new Seventh Eegiment Armory he gave a generous pecuniary support ; and in divers other ways he manifested an earnest and abiding interest in its welfare. Colonel Yermilye died in Decem ber, 1876, and his funeral at Englewood, N. J., was numerously attended by distinguished officers and members, active and exempt, of the Seventh Eegiment, and by prominent citizens of New York. The annual inspection and review of the Eegiment took place at Tompkins Square on October 27th, with the following result : Present. Present. Field and Staff G Non Com. Staff 3 First Company 27 Second " 33 Third " 36 Fourth " 25 Total present, 362, Fifth Company 68 Sixth " 46 Seventh " 31 Eighth " 43 Troop 44 Colonel Seventh Be$iinent 18 4-4 -18 1-5, 1845 RETREAT OF GENERAL HALL'S BRIGADE. 321 The postponement on account of the inclemency of the weather of a brigade parade ordered by General Hah for October 7th sug gested the following article in " The New York Herald," from the pen of A. Oakey Hall, Esq., at that time a brilhant young para- graphist, although unknown to fame : City Intelligence. Latest from the Seat of War. — Retreat of General Hall's Brigade. We regret to state that one of the most disastrous and sudden retreats re corded in the annals of our citizen-soldiery took place yesterday. The splendid brigade of General Hall, numbering upwards of six hundred able-bodied men, armed and equipped as the law directs, and including that world-renowned corps, the Twenty-seventh Regiment or National Guard, was ordered out yesterday. At an early hour every man was ready to march, all supplied with blank cartridges, blankets, cheese and crackers, and many of them fortified by a strong dose of Gough's Tonic Mixture, when the heavens suddenly assumed a threatening aspect, and General Hall, who had just pulled on one of his boots, happening to look out of the window, and perceiving the alarming prospect, with that humane consid eration for the safety of his troops, and cool appreciation of the duties devolving upon him in such a trying emergency, which evinces the highest degree of mili tary genius, immediately countermanded his orders, thus completely cheating the hostile elements, and sinking to the very depths of agonized disappointment forty-three chivalric urchins and seventeen Irish chambermaids in the immediate vicinity of Tompkins Square. We trust that the signal success of this brilliant maneuvre will not be lost upon the renowned General George P. Morris, the warrior bard. How often has that intrepid but too impulsive commander withstood for hours the pelting of the pitiless storm, as he inducted his brigade, by a process entirely his own, into the sublime mysteries of " the school of the battalion " ! How often has he left his wife and little ones, the cheerful hearth, the fragrant steaming jug, and the mild Havana, to lead his invincible troops on that perilous march from the Battery to Union Square ! Let him take example from General Hall, and in all time coming act under the conviction that " discretion is the better part of valor." The Division parade, November 25th, was dispensed with at the request of a large majority of the officers of the Division on account of the inclemency of the weather on that day. But several of the military organizations of the city were disgusted by this exhibition of lack of patriotism, and made independent parades in honor of the day. Among these patriotic organizations appeared the Third and Sixth Companies of the Twenty-seventh Eegiment. Captain John S. Cocks resigned the captaincy of the First Com pany during the year, and was succeeded by Thomas Morton, a member of the Fourth Company. The Second Company, under the command of Captain Duryee, had increased in strength and 322 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1845 made rapid strides in mhitary improvement ; the vacancy caused by his promotion to the majority was filled by the election of Lieu tenant Wilham H. Williams. The Fourth Company was deprived for a period of the valuable services of Captain Eiblet by his re moval to Troy, and elected Charles W. Smith his successor. The Fifth Company increased in numbers with great rapidity under Captain Waugh, and was at this period much the largest company in the Eegiment. On the 10th day of October it proceeded to Nyack with the State Fencibles for target-practice. Captain Abraham Denike, of the Seventh Company, resigned his commission, and was succeeded by Lieutenant Wilham H. Un derbill. Captain Denike resumed his connection with the Seventh Company in 1851 by accepting the first heutenancy, and finally retired from the Eegiment in 1855. He was a man of good judg ment, thoroughly devoted to the Eegiment, successful in business, and universally respected. In 1861 he accepted a commission as captain in Duryee's Zouaves, and actively served with that organi zation during the summer of that year, and was commissioned heu tenant-colonel of the Fifty-third New York Yolunteers, which office he resigned in 1862. Captain Denike was born in New York in 1809, and was a spar-maker by trade. He died in New York in 1880. Captain John S. Cocks, long a prominent character in the mili tary affairs of New York, was elected captain of the First Company in 1838, and was an active, intehigent, and energetic officer. He was an excehent military instructor, passionately fond of the service, and ambitious to excel in every particular. But his self-will and obstinacy, and his peculiarly nervous and excitable temperament, constantly led him into difficulties, and his controversies with other officers of the militia are memorable in the military history of the period. After retiring from the Twenty-seventh Eegiment, he be came brigade inspector and brigade major of the Third Brigade, where he was in frequent conflict with Colonel Duryee and with Colonel Lyons of the Eighth Eegiment. A warm and protracted contest with General Hall ended in his discomfiture, and terminated in 1857 his connection with the staff of the Third Brigade. While a member of the State Legislature he was distinguished as the ad vocate of several new and novel amendments to the mihtary code. Colonel Cocks was born in New York in 1813, was successful in his business as a manufacturer, and died in Brooklyn in 1868. 1846 FIRST SERGEANTS INDIGNANT. 323 CHAPTEE TWENTY-SIXTH. 1846. The Bill of Dress was amended in the spring of 1846 and or dered to be reprinted. As amended, commissioned staff-officers, with the exception of the surgeons, were directed to wear the same uniform hat as line-officers. It was also prescribed that the sash and a black belt should be worn by officers when in fatigue ; that mounted officers should wear a body-beU instead of shoulder-belt ; and that field-officers and adjutant be allowed to wear a saber and buff belt instead of the sword and belt as then worn. The non commissioned staff was directed in future to wear worsted epaulets, to conform with those worn by sergeants, with a gold bulhoh figure " 27 " upon the same, and ah sergeants were directed to appear upon parade with musket, bayonet, and belt. The first sergeants or orderlies of companies, when informed of the action of the Board of Officers compelling them to appear on parade with muskets instead of swords, were filled with indignation. They went vigorously to work, however, and after petitioning the colonel to withhold the expected order, they canvassed thoroughly and successfully the several companies in opposition to the measure. Many officers gave them their support, and the men generally en hsted upon the side of the first sergeants. The result was that at the May meeting the Board of Officers receded from its position, and the first sergeants came out of the contest with flying colors. The Legislature of the State of New York passed a new militia law in May, which caused great excitement and dissatisfaction. By its provisions the uniformed militia was virtually disbanded ; for the city and State were divided into mihtary districts, and all per sons liable to military duty were attached to the company or regi ment of their respective districts. So impracticable and unpopular Was the law that Governor Wright delayed its enforcement, and, in a proclamation on the subject dated October 17th, stated that addi- 324 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1846 tional legislation was necessary to supply the imperfections of the law, and to preserve the military organizations already in existence. Meanwhile the Board of Officers of the Twenty-seventh Eegiment was discussing measures " to prevent the disbanding of the Eegi ment." It was admitted that drills and parades of the Eegiment under the new law were voluntary, and that no penalties could be enforced for non-attendance. To make as few parades as possible, and to secure brigade or division orders for the same seemed to be the wise policy, and was therefore adopted. The board appointed a committee on December 3d to represent the Eegiment in an ap plication to the Legislature for the necessary alterations and modifi cations of the mihtary code of the State. The spring parade was ordered for May 18th, but a heavy shower of rain compelled the Eegiment to take refuge in the City Hall, and the parade was informally dismissed. The Eegiment drilled at Tompkins Square on June 2d, and there was a brigade drill at the same place June 10th. The usual division parade oc curred on July 4th, the Troop of the Twenty-seventh Eegiment on this, as on many other occasions, reporting to Brigadier-General Hall as his escort. The Eegiment proceeded to the Elysian Fields near Hoboken for battalion drill on July 27th, and paraded for the last time in 1846 on the 25th day of November. The annual inspection of the Eegiment at Tompkins Square on the 19th of October resulted as follows : Present. Present. Field and Staff 8 Non Com. Staff 3 First Company 23 Second " 28 Third " 25 Fourth - 31 Total present, 370. Target-excursions were a prominent mihtary feature of the year. The First Company visited Palmo's Hotel on the Bloomingdale Eoad in October ; the Second Company went to Flushing in July ; the Third Company to the Highlands of Navesink in September ; the Fourth Company to Middletown Point, N. J., in September ; the Fifth Company to Bull's Ferry in July ; the Sixth Company to Flushing in August ; and the Troop visited Macomb's Dam in Au gust. There were also several company parades in the city during Fifth Company 76 Sixth " 51 Seventh " 39 Eighth " 35 Troop 51 1846 CAPTAIN HENRY R. MOUNT. 325 the year, among which may be noticed a parade of the Seventh Company on September 22d, and of the Fifth Company as an escort to the remains of Francis B. Tilyou, a Eevolutionary soldier. The Fifth Company distinguished itself by giving two balls during the year, one called a " soiree" at Niblo's Garden in January, and the other a '¦'¦fete" at the Coliseum in December. Captain Mount, of the Third Company, resigned his commis sion, and the Third Company during the next two years was under the command of First Lieutenant Edgar M. Crawford, who dechned promotion. Captain Gould, of the Sixth Company, resigned, and Orderly Sergeant Cyrus H. Loutrel was elected his successor. Cap tain John Gould was an amiable, refined, and intehigent gentleman, and was universally respected and esteemed. Captain Henry E. Mount was elected captain of the Third Com pany in 1843, and served in that capacity for three years, with con siderable distinction. He was an excellent drill-officer, a thorough tactician, and a strict disciphnarian. But while he exacted the most imphcit obedience from his subordinates, who followed him without a murmur, whatever the fatigue or hardship, he was distin guished for a bluff and defiant self-will bordering on insubordina tion, wliich was sometimes not particularly agreeable to his superior officers. His dashing way and hearty manners, however, made him a great favorite with his comrades, and under his active and ener getic administration the Third Company continued to prosper. He was a man of great physical powers of endurance, and his appear ance in uniform was soldierly and imposing. Captain Mount was a manufacturer of brushes, and was successful in business. He died at Stamford, Conn., in 1880. Disorganization of the uniformed militia was a natural result of the legislation of 1846. But the officers and members of the Twenty-seventh Eegiment stood gahantly to its colors and fought manfully for its continued existence. Its numerical strength main tained, its drill and discipline improved, and its activity and energy renewed, the Eegiment seemed to thrive under adverse circum stances, and promised to hve with or without and in spite of mihtia laws. The new administration was able and active, and more strictly mihtary than its predecessors, and received a hearty support from the several companies. During the year 1846 the meetmgs of the Board of Officers were held at the Mercer House. 326 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1847 CHAPTEE TWENTY-SEYENTH. 1847. Feom the battle-fields in Mexico now began to arrive the re mains of fallen heroes, and the city corporation, the mihtary, and the citizens united in honoring the distinguished dead. In Febru ary detachments from the several brigades paraded as escort to the remains of Captains Morris, Field, and Wilhams, who feh at Mon terey. A volunteer detachment of the Twenty-seventh Eegiment, under Lieutenant-Colonel Duryee, paraded and fired minute-guns from the Battery during the procession. The Sixth Company paraded in March as funeral escort to the remains of Lieutenant Blake, of Bhiladelphia, who died at Monterey. The Eegiment paraded on May 7th to celebrate the recent brilliant victories which had crowned the American arms in the war between the United States and Mexico. The Division formed at the Battery and marched through Broadway, West Broadway, Canal Street, and the Bowery, to the City Hall, and, after a marching salute to the mayor and Common Council, was dismissed. The streets were crowded, and great enthnsiasm prevailed. In the evening the hotels and pubhc buildings were illuminated, and many transparencies, with a variety of ingenious devices, displayed the names, recently made historical, of "Palo Alto," "Eesaca de la Palma," "Monterey," " Yera Cruz," and " Buena Yista." The war with Mexico created considerable excitement in mih tary circles in the city of New York, and many prominent officers and ex-officers of the militia actively engaged in raising companies and regiments of volunteers. The men enlisted were generally from that class of the city population which could well be spared, while the officers with some exceptions secured their commissions through political influences. Of the companies and regiments or ganized in New York only a few were accepted and mustered into the service, and many who had expended much time and money in 1847 RECEPTION OF PRESIDENT POLK. 327 enlisting volunteers were compelled to remain at home. Among those who secured commissions was Major Divver, of the Twenty- seventh Eegiment. President James K. Polk visited New York on June 25th, and was received by the city corporation with the usual formahties and ceremonies. The military paraded at the Battery, and, having been reviewed by the President, es corted him up Broadway to Union Square, and down the Bowery to the City Hall. The day was very hot and oppressive, yet thousands of people crowded the streets, and the President was greeted with the usual ex pressions of respect and enthu siasm. On the following day he visited the navy-yard, the public institutions, Wall Street, x High Bridge, and other noted localities, and was everywhere received with the attention due to the Chief Magistrate of the Eepublic. The Legislature of the State in 1847 was flooded with petitions from New York city for the repeal or modification of the mihtia law of 1846. The Twenty-seventh Eegiment actively enhsted in the movement, and its Board of Officers delegated Colonel Bremner to proceed to Albany to protect its interests and to secure the neces sary legislation. The difficulty of procuring any military law which would be acceptable to both the city and the rural districts was ap parent from the complete failure of the act of 1846 in its applica tion to the city of New York. The efforts of the city militia for rehef were crowned with success by the passage on May 6th, of an act entitled " An Act for the Organization of the First Division of the New York State Militia." The first section of this act made the counties of New York and Eichmond the " First Division District," and gave to the uniformed corps therein all the rights and privi leges they had ever before enjoyed. The second section provided for the equahzation of the several brigades of the " First Division 'tX*w^~€sZ Oc 328 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1847 of Artillery," and formed a new brigade of several uniformed corps of infantry, the whole to be known as the " First Division of the New York State Mihtia." The fourth section gave the command of the new " First Division " to the major-general of the " First- Division of Artillery," General Sandford. Subsequent sections provided that the brigades should be numbered from one to four, and that the regiments should be renumbered. New York city was divided into brigade, regimental, and company districts, all persons therein liable to mihtary duty to be enrohed as the ununi- formed militia. The annual number of the parades of the uni formed mihtia was fixed at not more than twelve and not less than eight. The first Monday in October was named for the annual parade of the ununiformed militia, and exemption from the same was provided for by a commutation fee of seventy-five cents, the funds collected from this source to be used for the benefit and sup port of the uniformed mihtia. The term of service was fixed at seven years, and the minimum number of men in any company was fifty, the maximum one hundred. The law contained the usual provisions for the punishment of delinquents and the collection of fines, but imprisonment for non-payment of fines was expressly prohibited. Yiolation of company by-laws was punishable by ex pulsion. Such were the prominent features of the mihtary law as enacted in 1847 for the government of the First Division. Its pro visions proved generally satisfactory, and it was not materially amended until 1862, when the great rebellion made it necessary to adapt the mihtary code of the State to the circumstances and emer gencies of that eventful period. That part of the new mihtia law requiring that the regiments should be renumbered was not acceptable to the officers and mem bers of the Twenty-seventh Eegiment. Under that numerical designation the organization had acquired an enviable reputation, and was favorably and honorably known to the people of the city and the country. Many apprehensions were gravely expressed that with a change of number the organization would lose its identity, and all were loath to surrender a name around which clustered so many pleasant and honorable associations. As it had been decided that the regiments of the new First Division should be numbered successively commencing with the unit, all efforts to retain the favorite number " 27 " were in vain. It was, therefore, intimated 1847 THE TWENTY-SEVENTH BECOMES "THE SEVENTH." 329 to the adjutant-general by Colonel Bremner that the number 7 would be acceptable to the officers and members of the Eegiment, on account of its similarity to the old number, and because no other regiment had ever borne that number in the city of New York. By general orders issued by the commander-in-chief, Governor John Young, on the 27th day of July, for the reorganization of the First Division, the Twenty-seventh Eegiment became the Seventh Eeghnent. The following is an extract from the orders : The Regiment heretofore known as the Twenty-seventh Regiment of Artillery, " National Guard," under the command of Colonel Bremner, to be hereafter called and known as the Seventh Regiment of New York State Militia. The same order consohdated and equalized the several brigades as follows : First Brigade, General Storms, to be composed of the new First, Second, and Third Regiments. Second Brigade, General Morris, to be composed of the new Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Regiments. Third Brigade, General Hall, to be composed of the new Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Regiments. The new Fourth Brigade contained all other uniformed infantry companies in the city, and its reghnents were numbered the Tenth, Eleventh, and Twelfth. In compliance with the new law, the city of New York was divided into brigade and regimental districts, and to the Seventh Eegiment was assigned the Seventh and Tenth Wards. By regimental order No. 1, dated August 7, 1847, these wards were divided into eight company districts, the boundaries of which were clearly defined, and a district was assigned to each com pany of the Eegiment. The 4th of July, 1847, witnessed the usual military parade, and a review by Governor Young at the Battery. The corner-stone of the new State Arsenal, Sixty-fourth Street and Fifth Avenue (now the " old " arsenal in Central Park), was laid on the same day, and formal possession was taken by the Washington Monument Asso ciation of its site for a monument in Hamilton Square. The Twen ty-seventh Eegiment drilled at the Elysian Fields, Hoboken, on July 21st, and paraded for the first time as the Seventh Eegiment on September 6th for drill at Tompkins Square. The Eeghnent paraded for annual inspection at Tompkins Square on the 19th day of October, and was reviewed by the commander-in-chief, Governor 330 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1847 Young. The number present and inspected was three hundred and fifty-two. At the conclusion of the inspection, October 19th, the Seventh Eegiment joined the Division, already on the march to Hamilton Square to participate in the ceremonies connected with the laying of the corner-stone of a monument to the memory of Washington. Hamilton Square, between Sixty-sixth and Sixty-ninth Streets and Third and Fourth Avenues, was said to be the highest ground upon the island of New York, and was therefore selected as the most suitable site for the Washington Monument — a monument which was expected to excel all others in beauty of design, and to be so towering that " mariners could distinctly see it when fifty miles at sea." The great expectations of that day have not yet been reahzed, and mariners still watch for the Highland Lights, and look in vain for the Washington Monument, to guide their ships to the harbor of New York. The ceremonies on this occasion were imposing, and the multitude of people and the large number of soldiers gave a lively appearance to Hamilton Square and its quiet and rural vicinity. Governor Young laid the corner-stone ; an oration was delivered by the Hon. Samuel Jones from a platform, over which floated the identical flag which Washington unfurled in New Y"ork on the 25th day of November, 1783 ; and the interesting pro ceedings closed with a patriotic ode, composed expressly for the occasion. As the Seventh Eegiment was marching in column from the ground, the Second Eegiment, New York State Mihtia, marching by the flank, attempted to pass between the Second and Eighth Companies. This unsoldierly act was resisted by the members of the Second Company, and several members of the Eighth Com pany, next in advance of the Second, left the ranks and took part in the engagement, and it was not long before the intruders were compelled to retire. Fortunately for the belhgerents, the musket was not the favorite weapon on this occasion, and the only instance in which the bayonet was used was in a bloodless but successful charge upon the bonnet of a retreating Highlander. This skirmish caused considerable excitement and amusement, and the Eegiment acquired an extensive reputation for its belligerent spirit and its prowess in the defense of its rights. In May the Second and Third Companies, on account of the 1847 COMPANY AFFAIRS. 33^ proposed demohtion of St. John's Hall, removed their quarters to the Mercer House, and during the remainder of the year five of the companies of the Seventh Eegiment were located at that place. The Second Company proceeded on a target-excursion to Bergen Point in September ; the Third Company went for the same pur pose to Navesink, N. J., and was entertained at the residence of ex-Colonel Jones ; the Seventh Company visited Newark, N. J., for target-practice, and was received and entertained by the Union Blues of that city ; and the Fifth Company visited Poughkeepsie in August, and paraded also in November to attend the funeral of one of its members. The Troop lost the valuable services of Cap tain Brinckerhoff by his resignation, and elected Lieutenant Lewis H. Watts to fill the vacancy. Although the arms of American soldiers were fast making history in Mexico, the period was not eventful to the citizen soldiers of New York. Peace and harmony prevailed in the ranks of the Seventh Eegiment, and nothing of importance occurred to disturb the even tenor of its way. The annual receipts of the regimental treasury (1841-1847) averaged about eight hundred dollars, and the annual expenditures were about the same amount. ¦'-¦¦ M ' ,i- r- ~'W- AlMiHHMJ ¦'¦¦'- *: V4E » ¦ ; vv American Flag adopted in 1777. 332 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1840 CHAPTEE TWENTY-EIGHTH 1848. The engagement with Lothian's New York Brass Band ex pired in January, and was not renewed. As no band could be obtained wliich was satisfactory to the music committee, an ar rangement was made with Peterschen for a martial corps, to con sist of a drum-major, bass drum, tenor drums, fifes, and cymbals, to be uniformed at the expense of the Eegiment with cap and coat of the same style as worn by musicians in the United States Army. But the officers and members had been so long accus tomed to the music of a brass band, that Peterschen's Martial Corps did not prove altogether satisfactory, and during the year an engagement was made with Wallace's band to play for the Eegiment when required. Wal lace's band was a part of Lothi an's band, and the legitimate suc cessor to that long-time famous musical organization, and its music was as acceptable for military pur poses as any that could be obtained at that period. Early in March the venerable and illustrious John Quincy Adams, ex-President of the United States, died suddenly in the hall of Con gress at Washington. His long and faithful public services, his eminent talents, and his purity of character, had secured the respect, veneration, and affection of the American people; and the announcement of his death produced a sensation through out the land as profound as it was universal. The 3. SL.JA as\~nj>. to* remains 1848 RECEPTION OF GENERAL SCOTT. 333 of the great statesman reached New York on March 8th, and were received at Whitehall by the city authorities. A vast procession, consisting of the mihtary, civic, and pohtical societies, and of citizens, escorted the remains through the principal streets to the City Hall. From the shipping and the public buildings, and along the route of the procession, the usual manifestations of respect and sorrow were displayed; and, from the general and unusual solemnity which prevailed among the thousands that thronged the street, it was evident that a great and good man had passed away. At the City Hall three voheys were fired by the Seventh Eegiment ; the Eighth Company was detailed as a special guard for the night at the Governor's Eoom, and on the following morning escorted the remains of the ex-President to the steamer, en route to their last resting place at Quincy, Mass. After a brilhant and successful campaign in Mexico, General Winfield Scott returned to the United States, and was received with the greatest enthusiasm. Having consented to become the guest of the city of New York, he left his home at Elizabethtown, N. J., on the morning of May 25th, and, accompanied by a com mittee of the Common Council, arrived at the Battery at eleven o'clock. He was welcomed to the city by Morris Franklin, Presi dent of the Board of Aldermen, and acting mayor, and then re viewed the troops. The First Division paraded with unusual strength, and presented a remarkably fine appearance. The steadi ness and soldierly appearance of the Seventh Eegiment particu larly attracted the attention of the veteran general, and he re marked that it was the finest regiment of soldiers that he had ever seen. General Scott had been for many years a warm friend and admirer of the Seventh Eegiment, and, on many occasions, both pubhc and private, had complimented, in the most liberal terms, its drih and discipline. The review completed, General Scott, at the head of the column, proceeded through Broadway, Astor Place, and the Bowery to the City Hah. At all points along the route he was received with tumultuous applause, and his progress was a con tinued ovation. The ladies, from windows and balconies, welcomed him with waving handkerchiefs and showers of bouquets, while cheer upon cheer from the crowded streets and house-tops greeted his approach. His reception was pronounced the most flattering and enthusiastic since the memorable visit of Lafayette in 1824. 334 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1848 In the evening, General Scott dined with the officers of the First Division at the Astor House, and, on the following day, received the citizens at the Governor's room. While honoring the returning heroes of the war with Mexico, New York city was not unmindful of the gallant dead.' Imposing funeral ceremonies took place July 12th, under the direction of the mayor and Common Council, in honor of Lieutenant-Colonel Bax ter, Captains Pierson and Barclay, and Lieutenants Chandler, Galla gher, and Forbes, kihed in Mexico. The Fourth Brigade was detailed as the military escort, and the Troop of the Seventh Eegiment was assigned to duty with that brigade. The officers of the First Division attended the funeral iu a body, and occupied a prominent place in the procession. The route was from the battery up Broadway to Fourteenth Street, and down the Bowery to the City Hall. At the conclusion of the parade an address and poem were delivered from a platform erected in front of the City Hall, General George B. Morris being the poet, and Hon. John Yan Buren the orator of the occasion. A public reception was given, on July 27th, to the First Eegi ment of New York Yolunteers, recently returned from Mexico. Upon the arrival of the regiment at Castle Garden it was officially welcomed by Morris Franklin, Bresident of the Board of Aldermen. The First Division was already in line upon the Battery, and, when the ceremonies at Castle Garden were completed, escorted the Yol unteers through the principal streets of the city. The weather was intensely hot, and so fatiguing was the march that the troops were halted in Broadway, near Canal Street, for rest and refreshment. The curiosity of the pubhc to see the heroes of so many well-fought battles filled the streets with people, and the war-worn veterans were delighted with their enthusiastic reception. Eeturning to the City Hall, Colonel Ward Burnett restored to the city the flag which had been presented to the regiment on its departure from New IXJ U*d~<^o-»^Cs From a photograph, 181*8. 1848 TARGET EXCURSIONS. 339 mihtary organizations were to rapidly decline in popular favor. After the year 1848 such excursions by the companies of the Sev enth Eegiment were rare, and soon ceased entirely. They had for a long period been a source of great pleasure and of some mihtary improvement ; for, while they gave to officers and men a delightful holiday in the country, and extended their acquaintance with each other and renewed and cemented old friendships, they also in structed them in the practical use of the musket, even if they did not make them expert marksmen. The immediate cause of the decay and death of target-shooting as a mihtary amusement was the fact that the pohticians of the city adopted it as a weapon of politi cal warfare. During the weeks preceding an election every avail able place in the vicinity of New York was daily thronged with rough men and boys, who, in semi-mihtary form and uniform and under the leadership of local politicians, engaged in target-shooting for prizes furnished by candidates for office or by their political friends. The riotous conduct of the target companies was almost unendurable ; they were a grievous tax upon all who aspired to pohtical preferment ; and the evil continued to grow and extend until terminated by the War for the Union (1861-65) and by legis lative enactments. Meantime, the citizen soldier, however well instructed in the manual of arms, rarely had an opportunity to load or fire a musket, and from 1850 to 1872, when target-practice was again resumed, under proper mihtary regulations, at Creedmoor, there were frequent instances of mihtiamen performing faithfully a full term of seven years' service without discharging a gun or firing a ball-cartridge. 340 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1849 CHAPTEE TWENTY-NINTH. 1849. At an election held at the Mercer House, January 29, 1849, Lieutenant-Colonel Duryee was chosen colonel, Major Brinckerhoff lieutenant-colonel, and Captain Thomas Morton, of the First Com pany, major of the Seventh Eegiment. In January the Board of Officers made arrangements with S. K. Dingle to furnish music for the Eegiment. Dingle had been a musician in the British Army, was soldierly in appearance, and weh qualified for the position of band-master. His band numbered about twenty men, was uniformed in red coats, and used none but brass instruments. Dingle's Washington Brass Band was one of the most popular musical organizations of the period. The expense for regimental music for each parade during the years 1849 and 1850 was about eighty dollars. In the winter of 1848-49 an extensive epidemic prevailed in New York, popularly known as the " gold fever," and thousands of the enterprising and adventurous young men of the city hastened away to seek their fortunes in the distant and then unknown regions of California. Among the pioneers was a large number of the most active members of the Seventh Eegiment. Some of the com panies lost nearly half their members, and the numerical strength and the prosperity of all were seriously impaired by this unexpected inroad upon their ranks. A few of the gold-seekers returned to the ranks of the Eegiment in after-years, and completed their term of service ; but the majority either succumbed to hardship and ex posure in the new El Dorado, or returned to New York in broken health and spirits, and without any taste for military service. An act was passed by the Legislature, April 7th, authorizing the organization of an engineer corps in each regiment of the First Division, to consist of an engineer, one sergeant, and nine sappers 1849 FORREST AND MACREADY. 341 and miners. In regimental orders, dated April 17th, an engineer corps was organized by the appointment of Andrew Mather as assistant engineer and Alexander Douglas as sergeant, and in 1850 Eobert E. Launitz, long a distinguished member of the Eighth Company, was appointed engineer. At this time no particular in terest or importance was attached to this new organization, and many regarded it as a military excrescence ; but, at a later day, the Engineer Corps was a prominent feature in the Eegiment, and in 1861 it became an important part of the organization as its Tenth Company. During a professional visit to England, Edwin Forrest, the dis tinguished American tragedian, had failed to secure a satisfactory reception, and on several occasions there had been pubhc manifestations of disfavor. The friends of Forrest in America charged his unfavorable reception to the account of British jealousy and prejudice, fostered and intensified by the intrigues of Mac- ready, who at that time was the lead ing tragedian of the Enghsh stage. During the farewell visit of Macready to the United States in 1848-'49, a violent newspaper controversy was carried on by these histrionic rivals, and the friends of Forrest resolved to avenge the past and present and the real or imaginary wrongs of their favorite. The first engagement of Macready at the Astor Place Opera-House passed off quietly and successfully ; but previous to the second and farewell engagement, which was to commence May 7th, by appeals to national prejudice, and by the liberal use of money, a powerful organization had been perfected, the avowed object of which was to drive the English actor from the American stage. Monday, May 7th. — Macready was advertised to appear at the Astor Place Opera-House in the evening in the character of Mac beth, and it was rumored, though not generally credited, that he would not be allowed to perform. Long before the hour of the 342 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1849 performance to commence the doors of the opera-house were be sieged by a multitude composed of persons of a character not usu ally seen at that fashionable place of amusement. The house was crowded, and the first part of the play proceeded with the usual quiet and with apparent satisfaction. The appearance of Macready as Macbeth was the signal for disorder and tumult. With the usual manifestations of applause from a part of the audience came a tem pest of groans, yells, and hisses, and from various parts of the house eggs and potatoes were showered upon the obnoxious actor. Ma cready attempted to address the audience, but could not be heard. A yoimg man in fireman's costume displayed from the gahery a banner, on which was inscribed in large characters : " It is too late to apologize ; you have ever proved yourself a liar." The friends of the actor cried, " Go on ! go on ! " and the play proceeded to the end of the second act, but was mere pantomime. In the third act, it being apparent that there was a determination to complete the performance, the rioters resorted to more violent measures, and chairs and pieces of wood were thrown from the gahery upon the stage. At last the curtain fell, and the mob triumphed, but the noise and tumult continued. Members of the theatrical company attempted in vain to be heard, and the mob did not disperse until C. W. Clarke, a general favorite, came forward and assured the rioters that Macready had left the theatre. The pohce were present in large numbers, but no serious effort was made to preserve order ; no arrests were made, and even those who had endangered the hves of the actors by the throwing of missiles were allowed to escape unmolested and unpunished. Macready resolved to leave the coun try, and engaged his passage for England by the next steamer. But a large number of the most respectable citizens of New York, morti fied by the disgraceful proceedings of Monday night, sohcited him to remain and complete his engagement, and promised that peace and order should be preserved. It was therefore arranged that he should appear at the Astor Place Opera-House on Thursday, May 10th. Thursday, May 10th. — During the day great apprehensions of a serious disturbance were expressed, and the authorities inaugu rated measures to preserve the pubhc peace. Three hundred police men were detailed for special duty at Astor Place, and the Seventh Eegiment was ordered to be in readiness in case its services were 1849 THE ASTOR PLACE RIOT. 343 required. Meantime incendiary placards had been posted in ah • public places, appeahng to laboring-men and to the foes of English aristocracy to rally at the opera-house in " defense of their rights and in opposition to the enemies and revilers of America." Every thing portended a serious struggle between the friends of law and order and the lawless elements of society. At 7 p. m. several thou sand people had assembled in front of the theatre in Astor Place, and, before the house was two thirds full, the doors were closed by the police to prevent the forcible entrance of the clamorous and disorderly multitude. The performance commenced at the ap pointed time, and the appearance of Macready was greeted with mingled hisses and applause, but the friends of the actor were evi dently in the majority. The chief of police and the recorder, who were present, had ordered the arrest of ah noisy and disorderly persons, and one by one the rioters were taken out and confined in the basement of the building, beneath the parquette. Quiet was restored, and the play proceeded, but from within and from with out came other and more threatening dangers. The prisoners con fined in the basement had made an unsuccessful attempt to fire the building, and the rumor spread through the audience that the thea tre was in flames. Escape seemed impossible, for the doors had been barred and barricaded from within, while without an immense mob besieged the building, attempting a forcible entrance, and hurled stones through the windows, one of which struck the mag nificent chandelier suspended from the center of the dome. Fears were entertained by those within the theatre that the building would be entirely demolished. The scene in the vicinity of the opera- house was appalling beyond description. Not less than twenty thousand men and boys had assembled in Astor Place and Eighth Street and vicinity, and made night hideous with yells, groans, and imprecations. The pavement in Broadway had been taken up a few days previous for the purpose of repairing the sewer, and the piles of round paving-stones furnished ready weapons to the excited multitude. The pohce gallantly attempted to drive back the crowd, and to prevent the throwing of stones and other riotous conduct. Their prisoners were rescued, they were beaten back by showers of missiles, and they were fortunate if able to find a safe refuge from the wild fury that prevailed. The chief of police, the recorder, and the sheriff decided that the mihtary must come to their assist- 344 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1849 ance, and General Sandford dispatched an order to Colonel Duryee, at Center Market, to hasten with the Seventh Eegiment to the scene of the riot. At 9 p. m. the Eegiment arrived at Astor Place, pre ceded by its troop and a company of cavalry. The mounted men, ten abreast, made the first attempt to clear the street. They proved an excellent mark for the stones and missiles which saluted them ; their horses becoming unmanageable, their passage from Broadway through Astor Blace resembled a flight rather than a victorious march, and they were compelled to scamper away in disorder toward Third Avenue amid the jeers and laughter of their triumphant as sailants. The Seventh Eegiment, in column by company, next attempted the perilous passage, and, though jostled by the crowd, assailed by blows from sticks and stones, and greeted by groans, hisses, and opprobrious epithets, it succeeded in forcing its way through Astor Place, and halted in the open space beyond the thea tre, near Fourth Avenue. While in this position, awaiting orders, the Eegiment was pelted with stones, and several members were so severely injured that they were carried from the ground. Colonel Duryee, having been directed to clear the mob from Eighth Street, in the rear of the theatre, formed the Eegiment in column by divis ion, and the muskets having been loaded, rapidly and successfully executed the order. Lines of policemen were immediately thrown across Eighth Street at each end of the theatre, to prevent the crowd returning, which position they maintained until the performance was concluded, and the audience and actors had retired from the building by its private entrance unharmed and unmolested. Mean time the Eegiment was ordered to move through Broadway by the flank into Astor Place, which was successfully accomphshed after some delay and great difficulty, on account of the denseness and turbulence of the crowd. The mob was gradually forced back, and the Eegiment succeeded in forming line upon the sidewalk in front of the opera-house. The movements thus far had been eminently successful in protecting the theatre and preserving the hves of those within, and these facts seemed to enrage the mob, and to center upon the Eegiment its whole fury. The assault was now terrific. Yolleys of stones wounded and disabled the officers and men, and curses, threats, and profane and obscene language from a thousand tongues added to the terrors of the scene. During this perilous and trying period the admirable discipline of the Eegiment shone 1849 GALLANTRY OF THE REGIMENT. 345 forth in all its glory. With closed ranks and steady carriage the men silently and patiently awaited orders, submitted to torrents of abuse, and received wounds and blows without resistance. History records no higher bravery or more perfect discipline on any battle field. While the Eegiment was in this perilous position, General Hah appealed to Mayor Woodhull to give the order to fire upon the mob, and assured him in the most emphatic terms that it was beyond the powers of human endurance for men with loaded mus kets in their hands to submit to such violence and not be permitted to defend themselves. The only reply of the nervous magistrate was, " Wait a little — let us see." An attempt was now made, by order of General Sandford, to clear the street by wheeling half the Eegiment to the right and the other half to the left, thus dividing the mob, and forcing the two parts in opposite directions toward the Third Avenue and Broadway. The movement was unsuccess ful. After a short but severe struggle, in which General Hall, Colonel Duryee, Captains Shumway and Pond, and many officers and privates were more or less injured by blows from sticks and stones, the Eegiment was compelled to retire in some confusion to the sidewalk. An attempt to clear the street with the point of the bayonet was equally unsuccessful, for the mob crowded so closely and violently upon the soldiers that it was found impossible to use the muskets with the desired effect. These failures encouraged the assailants to greater violence, and it only remained for the Eegi ment to fire or to retreat. The mayor was sought for in vain, and Sheriff Westervelt, the highest civil officer present, after a final warning to the mob by Eecorder Talmadge, gave the long-delayed order to fire. By order of General Hall, the first volley was fired over the heads of the mob ; but, when it was perceived that no one had been injured, the leaders cried : " They are firing blank car tridges ; give it to 'em again ! " and a shower of stones was the re sponse to the efforts of the Eegiment to save the lives of the rabble. A second volley quickly followed the first, and, delivered with fatal effect, sent the mob reeling, bleeding, and panic-stricken from the street. Loading quickly, and rapidly following the flying mob, Astor Place was soon cleared of rioters, and lines of soldiers at each end of the street secured it against their return. In Lafayette Place and in Eighth Street, near Third Avenue, the leaders of the mob succeeded in rallying the fugitives, and returned to renew the 346 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1849 assault upon that part of the Eegiment holding the position at the east end of the opera-house. Several members of the Eegiment were injured by stones and brickbats thrown in this last and des perate attack ; but a third and more fatal volley of musketry dis persed the ruffians, and ended the Astor Place Eiot. A few stones were hurled from time to time by sneaking, skulking vagabonds, but from so secure a distance that no injury was inflicted. Mean time the dead and wounded of the mob had been conveyed to the neighboring drug-stores, to the hospitals, or to their homes, and the disabled members of the Eegiment had been tenderly cared for by their friends. . At eleven o'clock a battery of light artillery arrived, and the pieces were so posted as to command the principal ap proaches. Strong details of police, with companies of the Seventh Eegiment, were on duty during the night, but no attempt was made to renew the disturbance. The gloom and darkness (the lamps having been destroyed by the mob in the early part of the evening), and the death-like stillness which followed the exciting events of the night and their bloody termination, made a deep impression upon the minds of the young soldiers who mounted guard at Astor Place. At daylight the Seventh Eegiment was relieved from duty, marched down Broadway, and was dismissed at Center Market. Along the route it was greeted with manifestations of displeasure by those who sympathized with the mob, and so violent and insult ing were some of those who followed it in its march to Center Market that several of the most disorderly were arrested and handed over to the civil authorities. At a short notice two hundred and eleven officers and members of the Seventh Eegiment had appeared in line at the call of the city authorities, on the evening of May 10th. Of this number but few escaped a blow of some kind, and one hundred and forty-one were injured. Of those injured, fifty-three were so disabled that they were unable to remain on duty, and were conveyed to their homes; and it was almost miraculous that none were mortally wounded. To this day, members of the Seventh Eegiment in 1849 wear the honorable scars received at the Astor Place Eiot. The horses of the Troop suffered seriously from cuts and blows, and thirty-one muskets were broken and rendered useless by the stones of the mob. The mob did not escape so easily : about thirty were killed or mortally wounded, and between fifty and sixty were known O HO «! «O 1849 THE END OF THE ASTOR PLACE RIOT. 347 to be seriously injured. It is probable that as many more were slightly wounded, whose names did not reach the reporters of the press, and who were successful in concealing their connection with the disgraceful proceedings of the night. Unfortunately, several of those who were killed and wounded were not participants in the riot, but were idle and careless spectators. Friday, May 11th. — On the day succeeding this night of terror, the city was in a state of gloom, nervousness, and fear. It was rumored that the mob was secretly organizing, that arms and ammunition had been purchased and placed in the hands of desper ate men, and that disorderly characters were on the way from Philadelphia and other large cities, to assist in the conflict. The mayor issued a proclamation, calhng upon all good citizens to sus tain the magistracy in the preservation of peace and order, and advising the people to remain as much as possible within their houses, and on no account to help by their presence to swell the numbers of any pubhc assemblage. A thousand special police men were sworn, several mihtia regiments were ordered out, and other precautions were taken to prevent further disturbance. A flaming handbih had been placarded in the streets, calling a public indignation meeting in the Park, on Friday evening, at six o'clock, and thousands responded to the call. A series of inflammatory resolutions were adopted by acclamation, and the speeches of Isaiah Eynders and Mike Walsh, violently denouncing the authori ties and the military, were enthusiastically applauded. The meet ing having adjourned, the crowd moved off by various routes to ward the Astor Place Opera-House, but found all approaches to it strongly guarded by the military. The rioters were obliged to content themselves with building bonfires in the streets above and below, obstructing the railroad-cars, insulting the passengers, and occasionally skirmishing with the police and the mihtary. Over sixty disorderly persons were arrested during the evening. Soon after midnight, finding all attempts to excite a riot un availing, the mob dispersed, the bonfires were extinguished, and the military and police remained in quiet possession of the field. On Saturday, May 12th, the public mind was more confident and hopeful. The Seventh Eegiment was again on duty at Astor Place, and having a reasonable notice, paraded in larger numbers 348 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1849 than on the night of the riot. On Sunday, a large military force was under arms, and all assemblages in the streets and public places were promptly dispersed by the police. On Monday the Seventh Eegiment was assembled at 8 p. m., the Third, Sixth, and Eighth Companies at Lafayette Hah, and the other companies at the Mercer House, and awaited orders until midnight ; but, all danger having apparently passed away, the Eegiment was dismissed. The following extract from the adjutant's order-book is inter esting and valuable, as the only official account of the movements of the Seventh Eegiment in the Astor Place Eiot : Seventh Regiment, National Guard. New Yobk, May 10th, 2% p. at., 1849. Special Order. This Regiment will meet this afternoon at 6 o'clock in full fatigue dress at the Centre Market Drill Rooms. By order of A. Duryee, Colonel : F. Millard, Adj't. In pursuance of the above order the Regiment assembled at the Centre Market, having nine front, under the command of Col. Duryee, and there awaited further orders. At 8-J- p. m. orders were received to march to Astor Place for the purpose of quelling the riot there existing, and the men were furnished with six rounds of ball cartridge. On arriving on the ground they were marched through Astor Place, company front and closed in mass, through a dense crowd occupying the entire street, and were received with loud hooting, howling, and hissing. On reaching the corner of Lafayette Place they received a volley of stones and brickbats, which wounded several officers and privates, who were carried from the ground. The Regiment was then ordered to load for the first time and form division, and was marched through Eighth street. Having cleared the mob from Eighth street, it was directed to march by the flank down Broadway to Astor Place. On reaching Astor Place and marching through, it was pressed on by the crowd and forced against the Opera House, and partially thrown into confusion, but immediately rallied and charged on the mob, who were driven back, but im mediately attacked with stones and other missiles, and a great number were wounded. Orders were then given by Gen. Hall to fire over the heads of the mob, which producing no effect, the mob continuing to assail, the right wing was directed to fire low, which being done the mob partially dispersed, when the Regi ment formed with the right wing facing the Bowery, the left Broadway, and en deavored to clear Astor Place, but the mob having again assailed the right wing, it was ordered to fire, which dispersed the populace. The following extracts from orders issued soon after the Astor Place Eiot deserve a place in these pages : 1849 HOSTILITY TO THE REGIMENT. 349 From Division Orders. The Major-General returns his thanks to the several Corps ordered on duty on the 10th and 11th inst., for the prompt manner in which they assembled upon short notice, and their good order and discipline while under arms ; and particu larly to the Seventh Regiment for their steadiness, firmness, and forbearance under the most trying circumstances on the night of the 10th inst. From Brigade Orders. To the Seventh Regiment the Brigadier-General accords his especial thanks for the efficient support of the authorities on the night of the 10th of May, under duties the most trying our citizen soldiers have ever been called upon to perform. From Regimental Orders. The Colonel desires to express his thanks to the officers and men under his command for their unflinching determination and fidelity to duty in maintaining their position on the night of the 10th of May. The bearing and example of many of the officers and men, which came under his personal observation, not only contributed to maintain the supremacy of the laws, but has added greatly to the reputation of the Corps. For a long time after the Astor Blace Eiot a feeling of bitter hostility existed toward the Seventh Eegiment among the reckless and disorderly classes of the New York populace. In some parts of the city it was unsafe for officers or members of the Eegiment to appear in uniform, and even in more respectable streets it was not uncommon for them to be hailed by the rising generation as "old gray-backs," a sobriquet not designed or understood to be friendly or flattering. An effort was even made by certain politi cians to secure from the grand jury indictments against the officers of the Eegiment, but Hon. John McKeon, then district attorney, was instrumental in preventing all such action. Among respect able citizens, however, the Eegiment gained reputation and popu larity by its connection with the Astor Place Eiot, and its character for discipline and bravery was firmly established. From that day to this it has been pre-eminently a New York favorite, and has on all occasions received from the corporation and leading citizens the highest honors and the most valuable privileges within their power to bestow. The Fifth Company was well represented by officers and men at the Astor Place Eiot, although Captain Waugh, who strongly sym pathized with the Forrest party, refused to order out his command. But this was his last act of insubordination in the Seventh Eegi ment, for Colonel Duryee at once preferred charges against him 350 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1849 for disobedience of orders, and he resigned, to escape the inevitable result of a court-martial. In 1861 Captain Waugh entered the service as a captain in Duryee's Zouaves ; but time had not modified his character, and he soon resigned his commission. He is repre sented to have been a kind-hearted and well-meaning man, but of a fiery, impetuous, and ungovernable temper — quick to take offense, and rash and inconsiderate in his actions. He was a good soldier, and, although not a favorite with the officers of the Eegiment, was popular with his company, and received from its members a gener ous support. Among those who were prominent at the Astor Place Eiot was Charles S. Storms, an adjutant of one of the city regiments, and, at that time, acting as an aide-de-camp on the staff of the First Bri gade, of which his father, General Henry Storms, was the com manding officer. Standing conspicuously between the Seventh Eegiment and the mob, his violent and exciting language attracted general attention, and Colonel Duryee was resolved that such con duct on the part of an officer of the militia should not pass un noticed. He therefore preferred charges against young Storms for using " seditious and opprobrious language to the civil authorities and the troops on the night of the Astor Place Eiot," and a court- martial was ordered to assemble at the Mercer House in September ; but Storms surrendered, and, having made satisfactory apologies to Colonel Duryee, the charges were withdrawn. The exasperation of the dangerous classes, as well as the indig nation and excitement which prevailed among a considerable por tion of the people that could not properly be thus classified, toward the military of the city, and especially the Seventh Eegiment, on account of the Astor Place Eiot, rendered a parade on the 4th day of July, in the opinion of many, dangerous to the pubhc peace ; but General Sandford in due time issued the order for the usual parade of the First Division on that day. The Asiatic cholera was prevaihng with great severity at the time in New York, and afforded an apology for the more timid or discreet to secure a countermand of the order. The Sanitary Committee of the Common Council officially requested that the parade on the 4th of July should be omitted on account of the danger to the public health from any un usual excitement, fatigue, or exposure, and on the 2d of July the order for the parade was countermanded. This was the second 1849 FIRST PARADE AFTER THE RIOT. 354 time since the organization of the Eegiment that the military of the city had failed to celebrate the national anniversary — the first, in 1832, on account of the prevalence of Asiatic cholera, and the last ostensibly for the same reason. Yiolent threats had been publicly made that the Seventh Eegi ment should never parade again in the streets of New York. Wagers were even made by the betting fraternity to the same effect, and many of its friends and the better class of citizens gen erally entertained grave apprehensions in respect to its first appear ance. When it was announced that the Eegiment would parade on September 10th, there was a variety of opinions as to the wisdom of the act and the result. Some called it brave, some foolhardy, and all were excitedly anxious and expectant. The formation of the regimental line in the Park was witnessed by a multitude of peo ple, in which the rough and hostile element was well represented. No violent demonstration was made, although hissing, hooting, and opprobrious epithets were heard on every side. While the Eegi ment was on the march it was saluted by a volley of stones at the corner of Chatham and Orange Streets and at the corner of Bayard Street and the Bowery ; but, as no damage was inflicted, the Eegi ment proceeded steadily on, and completed its parade without any further annoyance than an occasional storm of hisses from the peo ple who thronged the streets in the more ignorant and degraded localities. The Eegiment was ready and amply prepared to resist any attack, and its successful and peaceful parade was a decided triumph. It is unnecessary to state that the friends of law and order thoroughly sympathized with the Eegiment in this vindication of its rights, nor were they silent in their expressions of approval. The long-mooted and hotly contested question as to the propri ety of first sergeants appearing upon parade without muskets was finally decided. Colonel Duryee took the responsibility of cutting the Gordian knot by a positive order upon the subject, admitting of no hearing, petition, or appeal, and on the 10th day of Septem ber the sergeants paraded with musket, bayonet, and belt. They continued, however, to carry the same short, straight sword as before, and have retained it since, though it has been always re garded as more ornamental than useful in the mihtia service. The Astor Place Eiot was the last occasion the first sergeants of the Seventh Eegiment appeared with drawn swords. 24 352 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1849 The yearly enrollment and parades of the ununiformed militia, as provided for by the law of 1847, proved a lamentable failure. As the officers of the uniformed companies could not give the neces sary time to the proper enrollment of their mihtary districts, other parties were employed to do the work, and finally the whole busi ness devolved upon adventurers, politicians, and other irresponsible persons. The enrollments were therefore imperfect, and the amount- collected from fines and commutation fees for the mihtary fund was inconsiderable, as a large part of it persistently adhered to the pockets of the collectors. Those who failed to pay the commuta tion fee were duly notified to appear, armed and equipped, upon a certain day in October at a place named in each company district, to answer to roll-call and for military exercise. To call the rolls and superintend this parade in the several districts one or more commissioned officers and several non-commissioned officers of each company of the Seventh Eegiment were annually detailed. At the annual muster of ununiformed militia only the free and independ ent citizens paraded who had no other business to attend to. The halt and the lame and the bhnd were there, and small boys and de- crepid old men rallied in full force, all belonging to that class popu larly known as the " rag tag and bobtail." Old and broken fire locks, rusty horse-pistols, and swords of antique pattern were the weapons of war borne by the more aristocratic of the ununiformed, while the majority were content to appear without arms or with wooden guns or broomsticks. Belts and hats of the style of 1776 or 1812, relics of heroic ancestors in heroic times, sometimes ap peared, to take the air and sunlight. Occasionally the wags of local notoriety would array themselves in military fantastics and dehght the ununiformed by their grotesque appearance and demeanor. To form these very raw recruits into line would have worried the gal lant Falstaff, and the curb-stone was the providential guide and assistant to the young officers of the Seventh in their task. The roll was then cahed, a lengthy and laborious undertaking. Military evolutions and instruction were, of course, impossible, and were not attempted, and after roll-call the motley crowd was dismissed. Such were the parades of the ununiformed militia from 1847 to 1865. With each successive year the number in attendance diminished, until in some districts not a single militiaman answered to roll-call. A court-martial in due time followed the parade, and the whole 1849 THE WORTH FUNERAL. 353 Present. Field and Staff 9 Non Com. Staff 4 First Company 20 Second " " 33 Third " 36 Fourth " 27 farce concluded with the collection of the fines imposed, another rich placer to military marshals, but of no material pecuniary benefit to the mihtary fund, for in the years 1849 and 1850 the treasury of the Seventh Eegiment only received three hundred dollars per annum as the result of all this cumbrous machinery and the dis agreeable and uncongenial labor attending it. The annual inspection took place on October 29th, at Tompkins Square, with the following result : Present. Fifth Company 30 Sixth " 43 Seventh " 33 Eighth " 46 Troop 29 Band 24 Total present, 334. The pubhc funeral of General Worth, Colonel Duncan, and Major Gates took place in New York on the 15th day of November. The remains of these distinguished soldiers arrived from New Orleans on November 10th, and were deposited in the trophy-room of the City Arse nal, and the several companies of the Seventh Eegiment successively mount ed guard according to seniority. At 7 p. m., November 13th, the Second Company commenced its tour of guard duty, and at 1 a. m. escorted the re mains to the City Hall. At 5 a. m. the same company proceeded to the Hudson steamer to receive the Worth Yolunteers, and escorted them to the Astor House, where the two com panies breakfasted. The arrangements for the funeral on Novem ber 15th were in charge of the Common Council, and the display was unusually imposing. At 11 a. m. the procession, with the First Division at its head, and the Eighth Company of the Seventh Eegi ment as the guard of honor to the remains of General Worth, moved up Broadway to Astor Place, and returned by the Bowery to the City Hall. The streets were crowded, stores were closed, flags and 354 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1849 buildings were draped in mourning, and, while the procession was in motion, minute-guns were fired by the Yeteran Corps of Artil lery at the Battery. The remains were placed upon a platform in front of the City Hall, an ode composed by General George P. Morris was sung by the New York Sacred Music Society, and the oration was delivered by Hon. John Yan Buren. Three voheys of musketry were then fired, and the remains were deposited in the Governor's Boom. On the following day the Seventh Eegiment paraded at 10 a. at., and escorted the remains of General Worth to Greenwood. Arriving at the cemetery, the Eegiment was drawn up in a semicircle around the receiving-vault upon the high ground, and fired the funeral volleys with great precision. In July the Board of Officers adopted white leather belts and a new pattern knapsack, and submitted them to the several com panies for approval. They were adopted with great unanimity, and first worn at the annual inspection in October. As it was a very stormy day, the superiority of the leather belts to the white web bing long time worn was firmly established, and their popularity has steadfastly continued to the present time. The new knapsack was of the square box pattern, surmounted with a false roll, to re semble a blanket or overcoat. Belts and knapsacks of this pattern had been previously adopted by the Eighth Company, and worn at a company parade in the spring of 1848. With the change in the general administration of the Eegiment occurred many changes in commandants of companies. To the captaincy of the First Company was elected Lieutenant Isaac Amerman, vice Morton promoted. Ex-Captain Eiblet returned to the command of the Fourth Company, in place of Captain C. W. Smith. Upon the resignation of Captain Waugh, Lieutenant Franklin Mihard was elected captain of the Fifth Company. In the Sixth Company Lieutenant Benjamin M. Nevers was elected captain, vice Taylor resigned. The Seventh Company, after a dili gent search for a successor to Captain Underhill, elected Simon Yan Winkle, adjutant of the Ninth Eegiment, to fill the vacancy. Of the retiring officers Captain Eobert M. Taylor, of the Sixth Company, was distinguished for his handsome person and genial character. He was a fluent and captivating speaker, a man of great wit and humor, and was very popular with his company. He was one of the victims of the " gold-fever," and an early emi- 1849 THE STATE OF THE REGIMENT. 355 grant to California, where he became distinguished in pubhc hfe, and was a judge in the Supreme Court of the State. Captain Charles W. Smith, of the Fourth Company, was a man of sterhng worth and a rehable and faithful officer. He was a gentleman of easy and unassuming manners, of good personal appearance, and was popular in his company and in the Board of Officers. He was a soap and tahow chandler, and accumulated a large fortune. Under the new administration the mihtary disciphne of the Eegiment was continued, and efforts for military improvement were vigorously renewed. There were two regimental drills during the year at Tompkins Square, and Colonel Duryee inaugurated at Centre Market evening battahon drihs — at that time a novelty, but since useful and popular. The soldierly and gahant behavior of the Eegiment at the Astor Place Eiot gave it a commanding position among that class of citizens from which recruits were ex pected and desired ; and before the end of the year it was evident that that memorable event, instead of endangering its future, was the harbinger of good fortune. The energy and ambition of its new commandant were boundless ; his superior military abihty was unquestioned; from the oldest, ablest, and most faithful officers and members he received a generous support ; and a new era of prosperity seemed about to dawn upon the Eegiment. 356 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1850 CHAPTEE THIETIETH. 1850. Among the extraordinary characters, who have from time to time made their appearance in the ranks of the Seventh Eegiment, was Adjutant Wihiam H. Allen, who was appointed to that office in 1849. Ahen had been a lieutenant of some distinction in the Second Company, and the attention of the colonel was attracted to him by his remarkable activity, coolness, and bravery at the Astor Blace Eiot. In appearance he was soldierly and imposing, being large, muscular, and well-proportioned, and he possessed that frank, easy, and confident address which is likely to captivate. But he had not been long in the prominent and important position of adjutant when he developed qualities and characteristics which made him extremely disagreeable to the officers of the Eegiment and a burden to the commandant. He proved to be overbearing, conceited, willful, and imprudent; he defied superior rank and authority, and made himself generally offensive. He was also won derfully illiterate, and in his official communications exhibited the most supreme contempt for the simplest rules of grammar. Dur ing the Worth funeral various circumstances occurred to produce a crisis, and, at the meeting of the Board of Officers in December, there was a general and violent protest against his official and mihtary conduct. But Allen was a fluent speaker and good debater, and being a bold, courageous, and vindictive man, he hurled defiance at his enemies and accusers. He fought his battle right vahantly and against superior numbers, and did not yield until charges were preferred against him, and he was hkely to be dismissed from the service. In February, 1850, he was unanimously expelled from the Board of Officers. Having retired from the Seventh Eegiment, Allen led the life of an adventurer until 1861, when he became the colonel of the First Eegiment, New York Yolunteers, which he was active and instrumental in organizing. But his wild and in- . 1850 HUNGARIAN EXILES. 357 subordinate conduct soon led him into difficulty, and he was cash iered. When peace was restored he was a constant and persistent apphcant at the War Department, in Washington, for the adjust ment of his claims against the Government. He died in that city in destitution in 1867, and was buried at the expense of the Seventh Eegiment. Ex-Major Divver succeeded Ahen as the adjutant of the Eegiment. The great revolutionary movements in Europe in 1848-49 were a topic of interest in the New World, and New York city deeply sympathized with the efforts of the people to secure more liberal forms of government. Success, however, did not generally crown the efforts of the revolutionists, and many of the exiled patriots sought refuge in this country, where they were heartily welcomed. Among those who were active in their behalf was Major-General Sandford, and he earnestly endeavored to enhst the First Division in the same direction. But there was a strong conservative ele ment which beheved that the pohtical troubles abroad, however much they might interest individuals, were a subject in which the military organizations of the city had no lot or part, and that any official action which directly or indirectly referred to the affairs of foreign nations was unnecessary and impohtic. The arrival of some exiles from Hungary at the Astor House in December af forded an opportunity for this strong undercurrent of opinion to develop itself. At a meeting of the officers of the First Division, convened by order of General Sandford at the Central Drill-Eooms in December, 1849, an attempt was made to procure the approval of the officers present for a ball to be given at Niblo's Garden for the benefit of the exiled Hungarians. After a long and excited dis cussion, a majority voted against any such action. Early in Janu ary, General Sandford issued an order to the officers of the Division to meet him at Centre Market for the purpose of officially waiting upon the Hungarian exiles at the Astor House. This order pro voked a hvely discussion in the Board of Officers of the Seventh Eegiment. No action, however, was taken in the matter, but there was a strong expression of opinion that it was good pohcy for the Eegiment to mind its own business, accompanied by the apprehen sion that certain parties were attempting to use it for pohtical purposes, a specter at which the Seventh Eegiment always takes alarm. A part of the officers met the major-general, and were 358 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1850 escorted by the Light Guard to the Astor House, where the official reception took place in the large dining-room. The election of officers of the Seventh Eegiment from other mihtary organizations has, with few exceptions, proved unfortunate, and for obvious reasons. The comparatively high standard of the Eegiment in drill and disciphne, the talent of every variety in its ranks, and the peculiarities and traditions of the organization, have always made it difficult for any such officer to maintain a comfort able position in the Eegiment, unless he possessed extraordinary tact and talent. Such, unfortunately, was not the case with Cap tain Yan Winkle, of the Seventh Company. Deficient in mihtary knowledge and soldierly quahfications, unable or unwilling to learn, and indifferent to the opinion of his comrades, this officer persisted in retaining his commission in the Eegiment. Finally, when for bearance ceased to be a virtue, the Seventh Company resolved upon forcible measures, and appointed a committee, on April 2d to pre pare charges against him for incompetency. The Board of Officers also requested the colonel to prefer the same charges, and ex pelled him from membership in the Board. Captain Yan Winkle was placed under arrest, and a court-martial for his trial was or dered to meet at the Mercer House on May 21st, but he reluctantly surrendered, and resigned his commission. Evening battalion drihs of the Eegiment at the Central Drill- Booms were held in the early part of the year, and in May and June regimental drills took place in the afternoon at Tompkins Square and at the arsenal-yard. The Eegi ment proceeded to the drill-grounds near Fort Hamilton for mihtary exer cise hi June. The spring parade was on May 27th, and the Eegiment visited Brooklyn, where it was reviewed by Major-General Duryea. The usual division parade occurred on the 4th of July, and the troops were reviewed by Governor Fish, and the feu-de-jjoie was fired by the Seventh Eegiment. The Eegiment assembled in the City Hall Park, July 8th, for an excursion to Newport, and left New York at 5 p. at. It num- 1850 EXCURSION TO NEWPORT. 359 bered two hundred and thirty-one officers and men, only six com panies being represented. The Seventh Company had earnestly opposed the trip and was absent, while the First Company was at this time almost too weak and demorahzed to exist, much less to engage in a mihtary excursion. The Eegiment arrived at New port at 3 a. at. and proceeded to its quarters, the Bellevue House and adjacent cottages. A bath in the waters of Newport Bay at sunrise was fohowed by a battalion drill at nine o'clock. The parade- ground was situated north of the hotel, and was well adapted for the purpose. During the stay of the Eegiment at Newport morn ing drills were held regularly at nine o'clock, and the dress-parades, which attracted a large number of spectators from the hotels in the vicinity, took place at 5 p. at. About noon on Wednesday, July 10th, news was received of the death of General Zachary Taylor, President of the United States. In respect to his memory, a review by General Wool was indefinitely postponed, the evening parade was omitted, and minute-guns were fired at sundown. During the evening a vote was taken upon a proposition to visit Boston on the fohowing day, which resulted unanimously in its favor. The Eegiment left Newport at 1 a. m., July 11th, and reached Boston at seven o'clock. The visit was entirely unexpected, and it proceeded without escort to its quarters at the United States Hotel. After breakfast the Eegiment was reviewed by Major-General Ed- mands, of the Massachusetts mihtia, on Boston Common, and an immense crowd witnessed with great pleasure its mihtary manoeu vres. Before leaving the Common the New England Guard ar rived, and escorted the Eegiment through the principal streets of the city ; and it was welcomed to Boston by the leading officers of the mihtia, with speeches and comphmentary toasts, at the dinner at the United States Hotel. During the afternoon the members visited the various objects of interest in Boston, and at 6 p. at. the Eegiment paraded to return to New York. Its departure was in striking contrast with its quiet and modest arrival, for the entire uniformed mihtia of Boston was now under arms, and with music and banners escorted'the Eegiment to the depot, and bade it adieu with noisy and enthusiastic demonstrations. In addition to the performance of the usual mihtary duty at Newport, on the following day the members amused themselves 360 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1850 trtT7€^-^iyryarrt^~) . by visiting the famous old fort and the town, and by fishing, sail ing, and bathing. In the evening the Eegiment, escorted by the Newport Artillery, marched through the city, and, having passed in review before General Wool, embarked for home. At an early hour, on July 13th, the steamer reached New York, and the Eegiment was dismissed at the Park. The excursion to Newport was entirely successful and satisfactory. The weather was fine, the mihtary duty agreeable, the location attractive, and harmony and good fellowship prevailed. The Board of Officers acknowledged by a vote of thanks its indebtedness to Newport and Boston for many atten tions and favors. Band-master Dingle was also officially compli mented for the efficient and satisfactory manner in which he per formed his duties during the excursion. Whether this unusual recognition filled the cup of his existence to overflowing with hap piness, or whether the honor was too weighty to be borne, is not known ; certain it is that poor Dingle soon thereafter killed him self, and Adkins reigned in his stead. The great military novelty of the year was the new drum-major of the Seventh Eegiment. Drum-major Teller belonged to the United States Army, and was at this time stationed at Governor's Island. He was a master of his business, having served as drum- major in the Brussian Army, and with General Scott from Yera Cruz to the city of Mexico. He was six feet and six inches in height, and when in uniform measured exactly nine feet from the ground to the top of his plume. A fine figure, a splendid step, and a graceful carriage completed the attractions of this wonderful phenomenon, and it was confidently asserted that he was the most superb drum-major in the world. When he gracefully waved his baton in front of the musicians of the Seventh Eegiment young New York was enraptured, and on parade in Broadway he was the observed of all observers. Even staid and sober Boston confessed its admiration of this imposing personage as he appeared at the head of the Seventh Eegiment during its fly- 1850 FUNERAL OF GENERAL TAYLOR. 361 ing visit to that city. The Boston "Evening Herald" photo graphed him thus : The drum-major excited unusual admiration by his majestic tread, command ing figure, and numerous and extensive plumes and top-knots in his cap, and his manner of handling his baton was decidedly unique. The city of New York honored the memory of President Taylor, on July 23d, by the usual funeral ceremonies. The successful career of General Taylor in the war with Mexico, and the integrity and abihty which he had displayed as Chief Magistrate, had secured for him the respect and affection of the people. The display on this occasion has rarely been equaled, and there was a general observ ance of the orders of the day. Places of business were closed, flags were at half-mast, public and pri vate buildings were draped in mourning, bells were tohed, and from the forts in the harbor min ute-guns were fired from noon to sunset. The streets were thronged, and the procession, which was di vided into sixteen grand divisions, was over three hours in passing any point. The route was from the Battery up the Bowery to Union Square and down Broadway to the City Hall, where the pro cession was dismissed, and the ceremonies terminated with an oration by Hon. David Graham and a requiem by the Harmonic Society. On the 2d day of August General Jose Antonio Paez, a distin guished South American patriot and ex-President of Yenezuela, and at this time an exile from that country, was officially received by the Corporation of the city of New York. By invitation of Gen eral Hall, the officers of the Seventh Eegiment accompanied the committee of the Common Council to Staten Island, and escorted him to the city. Arriving at Castle Garden, a procession was formed, and, under the escort of the Troop of the Seventh Eegi ment, General Paez proceeded to the City Hall, where he was wel comed by Mayor Woodhuh and the Common Council, and was l^-c^Lcxsr^/y&^y-i 362 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1850 introduced to the military and civic officials and many prominent citizens. The Boston Lancers reached New York on October 7th, and were received by the Seventh Eegiment Troop and escorted to Fifth Avenue and Twenty-third Street, where their tents were already pitched. Their elegant horses were ,^5=^v^ picketed for the night in a field in the rear of Corporal Thompson's fa mous cottage. On the fohowing day the Lancers were escorted by the Troop to Bond Street, where the Seventh Eegiment was in hne, and gave them a formal reception, and, after a march through the principal streets, enter tained them at the Apollo Saloon. The dinner arrangements were perfect, the speeches unusually good, and the great est enthusiasm prevailed. At the con clusion of the entertainment the Lan cers were escorted by the Troop to the City Hall for review by the mayor, but his Honor did not arrive until about five minutes after the indignant troopers had left the Park. The Troop also accom panied the Lancers, on October 9th, on a visit to the Croton reser voirs, the Deaf and Dumb Asylum, and other interesting localities in the upper part of the island, and entertained them at Burn- ham's, on the Bloomingdale Eoad. The Eegiment paraded, on October 11th, to escort them to the depot on their departure for Boston. During the entire visit of the Boston Lancers to New York the attentions of the officers and members of the Seventh Eegiment to their popular and distinguished guests were without intermission. Surgeon William B. Eager resigned his commission in August, 1850, to enhst as a private in the Eighth Company, in which he performed a full term of service with great fidelity. He was en thusiastically devoted to the Eegiment, was active and prompt in the performance of every duty, and possessed the entire confidence and respect of his associates. Surgeon Eager was a gentleman of fine personal appearance, genial disposition, and pleasant and quiet manners. 1850 MAJOR THOMAS MORTON. 363 The annual inspection of the Eegiment took place on October 29th at Tompkins Square. The First, Second, and Third Brigades were ah inspected on the same day, and the inspections were fol lowed by a review by General Paez in Fifth Avenue. The result of the inspection of the Seventh Eegiment was as follows : Present. Field and Staff 6 Non Com. Staff 4 Band 24 First Company 19 Second " 45 Third ' " 39 Present. Fourth Company 30 Fifth " 85 Sixth " 57 Seventh " 26 Eighth " 54 Troop 39 Total present, 428. In November Major Thomas Morton resigned his commission. He enhsted originally in the Fourth Company, was elected captain of the First Company in 1845, and major in 1849. He was an active, energetic, and spirited offi cer, and was always deeply inter ested in the affairs of the Eegi ment. He was a man of fine nat ural abilities, excellent judgment, and great decision of character. Major Morton was an Enghsh inan by birth, and was for many years a partner of Colonel Brem ner in business, and accumulated a large fortune. After retiring from the Eegiment he resided at Newburg, N. Y., where he was a prominent and distinguished citi zen, and died in 1886. After many unsuccessful ef forts, the vote of the necessary number of the companies of the Eegiment was obtained in favor of the adoption of the overcoat as a part of the Bill of Dress. The Eighth Company, which had been the pioneer in the movement, yielded its preference as to pattern as soon as it was ascertained that a majority favored the " tight-fitting overcoat," and paraded February 25th in new overcoats, being the first company in the Eegiment to appear in that important part of From a photograph, 1883. 364 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1850 a soldier's uniform. No other company procured overcoats during the year. The overcoat, as adopted in 1850, is described as follows : Sky-blue, army kersey, with cape, single-breasted, to button from the waist seam up with seven large N. G. buttons ; to be cut large, and . extend two inches below the bend of the knee. For a man five feet eight or nine inches in height : length of waist, twenty-one inches ; full length of coat, forty-three inches ; back to be cut sack fashion ; width of each back at the hip, four inches ; at the bottom, ten inches, and opening up the back seam two thirds the length of the skirt ; two large N. G. buttons on the hip ; the side edges in the plait to be pointed and ex tend downward two thirds the length of the skirt, with a large N. G. button on and near the bottom and on centre of side edges ; frock skirt, with waist seams ; the width around the bottom of the skirt, thirty-three inches; the skirt to lap over in front at bottom about five inches ; the height of collar, three and one half to four inches, to extend up to the ear, and inclose the chin, lap over in front, and button with two small N. G. buttons, the button-holes to be worked through the collar ; the cape to be three fourths of a circle, length behind, four inches less than waist, to button up the front with five small N. G. buttons ; a button-hole in the cape behind, and a small N. G. button sewed on the back seam of the coat, and button through the cape ; the sleeves large, to have a pointed, turh-up cuff, two and one half inches deep, with a small N. G. button on the point, the whole width of the sleeve at the hand to be thirteen inches ; two pockets in the plaits behind ; the body of the coat to be lined with red flannel ; the sleeves to be lined with brown linen. No hair, wadding, or padding to be used in any part of the coat. For Commissioned Officers. — Sky-blue, army kersey, with cape ; double-breast ed ; to button from the waist seam up, with seven large N. G. buttons ; to be cut large, and extend two inches below the bend of the knee. . . . The sleeves large, the cuffs or turn-ups to be five inches, the whole width of the sleeve at the hand to be thirteen inches. The cape to be cut three quarters of a circle, and lined with scarlet cloth ; the length of cape to be determined by the waist seam ; the bottom edge of cape to meet the waist seam all around ; the cape to button up in front with ten small N. G. buttons. In other particulars same as overcoats of privates. The back skirts of the Mounted Officers opened up to the waist seam. In October a proposition to erect a regimental armory in Broad way, north of and adjoining Grace Church, was entertained by the Board of Officers, and a committee was appointed upon the subject. The companies generally favored the proposition, but after mature consideration it was decided that it was inexpedient for the Eegi ment to assume any large pecuniary obligation, and the project was abandoned. A proposition to erect a regimental armory at the corner of Broadway and Fourth Street shared the same fate, for the same reason. The arsenal-yard, which had long been used for military drills, now yielded to the demands of commerce, and was leased by the city for business purposes, but not without an earnest 1850 THE "FEU-DE-JOIE." 365 remonstrance to the Common Council from the officers of the Sev enth Eegiment. Captain Pond, of the Second Company, resigned his commission in January, and- was succeeded by Lieutenant Alexander Shaler. In the Seventh Company, Captain Yan Winkle was succeeded by Kiernan B. Daly, formerly a lieutenant in the Third Company. Captain Millard, of the Fifth Company, also resigned, and Lieuten ant Frederick Creighton was promoted to fill the vacancy ; but be fore the end of the year the office was again vacant, and Henry B. Melville was elected captain. Captain Franklin Millard was adju tant of the Eegiment at the Astor Place Eiot, and an officer of the Fifth Company for nearly twelve years. During his long term of service he performed his military duties creditably and satisfac torily. The feu-de-joie, a discharge of musketry at the close of a parade, had, from time immemorial, been a favorite institution with the mihtia of New York. The mihtary parade of the 4th of July would have been considered especially tame and incomplete with out the burning of powder, and the noise and smoke attending that operation. On the day preceding parade, requisition was made upon the commissary-general for the necessary number of blank cartridges, which were distributed to the men on the following morning. After passing the mayor in review at the City Hah, the troops were drawn up in hne within and around the Park, facing inward, and the fire by file commenced, and was continued until the cartridges were exhausted. For several years the popularity of tins time-honored custom had been on the wane. The muskets were soiled by the practice, lazy soldiers were careful not to load or discharge their pieces, but simply performed the motions as pre scribed by the manual of arms, while raw recruits would occa sionally fire off a ramrod, to the great disgust of veteran soldiers and the terror of spectators in the vicinity. The noisy enthusiasm which had characterized the celebration of the anniversary of national independence was rapidly disappearing, and the feu-de- joie was finally numbered among the traditions of the early years of the repubhc. The last feu-de-joie of the militia on the anniver sary of American Independence in the city of New York, of which any record appears, was in the year 1850. The annual receipts and expenditures of the Eegiment (1846-'49) 366 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1850 averaged about eight hundred dollars, but its disbursements in 1850 were unusually large, amounting to two thousand and sixty-five dol lars, including the entertainment of the Boston Lancers. An assess ment of two dollars and fifty cents per man was levied upon the Eegi ment by the Board of Officers to pay the expenses of the entertain ment of the Boston Lancers. The power of the Board to levy assess ments for such purposes was not questioned in this case, although the proceeding was a novelty ; but it was not long before it became a grave and formidable subject of discussion whether the companies could be taxed without their consent for any purpose whatsoever. The principles involved in the Declaration of Independence as to taxation without representation, or power duly delegated, have since been frequently and earnestly discussed in the Seventh Eegiment. ,.,r,flnW Old Mill at Newport. 1851 FIRST PARADE IN OVERCOATS. 367 CHAPTEE THIETY-FIEST. 1851. The celebration of the 22d day of February, the anniversary of the birth of Washington, originated in 1851, and was the military fashion of the next decade. By division orders, volunteer detach ments of the several brigades were directed to report to the divis ion inspector at Centre Market in the morning, to escort the Light Artihery to the Battery, and to pay a marching salute to the mayor and Common Council at the City Hall, and the officers of the Divis ion were ordered to assemble at the Governor's Eoom in the after noon, to accompany the mayor and Common Council to Niblo's Theatre, to attend the patriotic exercises of the day. The pro gramme of the celebration was successfully carried out, under the direction of a committee of the Common Council. The great mihtary feature of the celebration was the parade in overcoats of the detachment of the Seventh Eegiment, consisting of the Second, Third, Sixth, and Eighth Companies. A mihtary parade in the severe weather of December or February without overcoats had never been the subject of particular comment or criti cism, and in the early history of the Seventh Eegiment it was the practice to parade at ah seasons of the year in white trousers. The novel appearance, therefore, of the Seventh Eegiment battahon, as it passed down Broadway on the 22d day of February, 1851, in heavy blue overcoats, attracted unusual attention. To the unreflect ing, this innovation seemed absolutely ridiculous, and the battalion was frequently greeted with the announcement that "the stage- drivers are on a strike." But the comfort and usefulness of the new garment were irresistible arguments in its favor, and the jocose remarks upon its odd appearance neither chilled the hearts of the well-clad soldiers, nor prevented its achieving, in due time, perma nent popularity. After the parade of the day the battahon was reviewed by Colonel Duryee, in Broome Street, and proceeded 25 368 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1851 thence to Lafayette Hah to partake of the hospitahty of the Eighth Company. The new overcoat was the burden of speeches and toasts, and there was a unanimous expression of satisfaction at its successful introduction. On the 17th of February, Marshall Lefferts, a private in the Eighth Company, and brigade quartermaster of the Third Brigade, was elected major of the Seventh Eegiment, vice Morton resigned. In the early part of the year Captain Amerman resigned, and Augustine E. Pressinger succeeded him as captain of the First Company ; Captain Melville of the Fifth Company resigned, and ex-Captain Creighton was elected to fill the vacancy ; and Captain Daly resigned the command of the Seventh Company, and First Lieutenant John Monroe was elected its captain. Of the com mandants retiring in 1851, Captain Isaac Amerman was a quiet, rehable, and laborious officer, and a good mihtary instructor ; and Captain Kiernan B. Daly served with considerable distinction as an officer of the Third and Seventh Companies, and was an agreeable, intelligent, and popular gentleman. The evening regimental drills, in the early part of the year, were held at the Apollo. On account of hmited space and increas ing numerical strength it was impossible to drill the whole Eegi ment at once, and thus originated the famous wing-drills (battahons of four companies), which for many years were useful, entertaining, and popular. The Eegiment was constantly and thoroughly in structed by these drills without taxing the business hours of officers and men, and they also enabled its friends to be present without inconvenience, and thereby encouraged efforts for mihtary improve ment. The Eegiment drilled in Tompkins Square in May, and proceeded to Union Course, Long Island, in September, for mih tary exercise and practice in street-firing. The Eegiment paraded at the City Hah Park on May 12th, to receive a stand of colors from the Boston Lancers. A committee of twenty-five members from that corps was present at the presen tation ; Quartermaster Brastow, as their representative, dehvered an address, and Colonel Duryee accepted the elegant color with suit able acknowledgments. A review by General Sandford was fol lowed by a parade in the Bowery and Broadway, and the proceed ings closed with a collation at the Apollo. The color presented by the Boston Lancers was unique in design and elegantly executed. 1851 THE COLLATION AT THE APOLLO. 3(59 On one side of the flag was the arms of the State of Massachusetts, flanked by a squad of lancers, and by a lancer, fuh size, pointing to the Lancers' motto, " Union, Liberty, and the Laws," inscribed over the State arms. The other side of the flag bore the coat-of-arms of the State of New York, flanked by Seventh Eegiment soldiers on parade. The collation at the Apollo was insufficient in quantity and inferior in quality, and caused great dissatisfaction. The officers and members of the Eegiment were mortified and thoroughly disgusted with this part of the otherwise creditable proceedings of the day ; for, in addition to their guests from Boston, many dis tinguished mihtary gentlemen of New York had honored the occasion with their presence. So much indignation needed and must find a victim, and Quartermaster Allen was the unfortunate party whom all desired to crucify. At a meeting of the Board of Officers, held in June, a committee was appointed to demand an explanation from the quartermaster as to the unsavory food which made the Apollo cohation memorable. The quartermaster failed to satisfy the irascible committee, and at the July meeting resolu tions were adopted strongly censuring that officer. But in due course of time wiser counsels prevailed, justice triumphed, the quartermaster was exonerated, and the resolutions of censure were expunged from the minutes of the Board. The unfortunate collation at the Apollo was fruitful of trouble, for it developed a wide-spread dissatisfaction among the rank and file as to expenditures by the Board of Officers for other than strictly mihtary purposes, and the assessment of the same upon the companies without their consent. In July the Fifth Company adopted resolutions denying the right of the Board of Officers " to assess the members of the company for collations given by the said Board without previously consulting the company," and in several other companies there was more or less disposition to question the action of the Board in this particular. The fact was not then so generally admitted as in later years, that the company officers are the representatives of the enhsted men, and are jealous of their rights as weh as loyal to their interests, and that the Board of Offi cers, which is practically controlled by the company officers, is not hkely, except by error of judgment, to do anything which is detri mental to the welfare of the Eegiment or any part of it. Not until 370 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1851 all the companies were gathered under one roof, and company in terest, feeling, and pride gradually yielded to the higher claims of the Eegiment, did this jealousy of the action and power of the Board of Officers diminish in its strength and influence. President Millard Fillmore was publicly received by the city authorities at Castle Garden on May 13th, and the First Division paraded in his honor. The Seventh Eegiment Troop was detailed and paraded as the special escort of the President. The streets were thronged with people, and the mihtary display was admirable, but, on account of the heavy rain, the programme of the day was not completed. In the evening the President was enter tained at a corporation dinner, and was serenaded at his quarters at the Irving ^OU^O tiZ^J House' and on the following morning left for Dunkirk to attend the celebra tion of the completion of the Erie Eailway. The fame and glory of the Battery as a military parade-ground were now on the wane. On the 4th of July, 1851, the First Divis ion formed in Fourteenth Street, and with each succeeding year the Battery became less and less familiar to the militia of the city. The change in the place of formation of division hne necessarily involved a change in the hne of march, and from this time forward for many years the usual route was from Fourteenth Street down Broadway to the City Hall for the marching salute to the mayor or the Governor of the State. Since the organization of the Seventh Eegiment in 1826 the City Hall Park had been its usual and favor ite place for assemblage and formation. Notwithstanding the grad ual and constant migration northward of the people and of its mem bers, the Eegiment adhered right loyally to its old and famihar stamping-ground, and not until the First Division and the Third Brigade had followed the people up-town did it relinquish its an cient rendezvous and its pre-emption claim thereto, and seek accom modations elsewhere. On the 4th of July, 1851, the Eegiment formed in Canal Street. In August a circular was issued, signed by two members of each company, recommending the organization of a " Board of Privates." 1851 . FUNERAL OF ADJUTANT DIVVER. ^71 It proposed that this Board consist of one sergeant, one corporal, and three privates from each company, to be chosen annuahy, to meet monthly, and the meetings to be public to the members of the Eegiment : The duties of this Board shall be to consider any written suggestions that may be made to it by members of the Regiment and any other matter of general inter est ; to endeavor to ascertain the true state of feeling in reference to any subject in agitation in the Regiment, and transmit their knowledge of the same to the Board of Officers ; to promptly circulate any information that may be transmitted to them by that Board, and thus prevent any misunderstanding that might arise from an incorrect conception of the wishes of the Board of Officers ; to reconcile all difficulties that may arise between the various companies ; and to aid and encourage any movement that will promote harmony, uniformity, and increased military knowledge in the Regiment. The origin of this association may be traced to the jealousy which extensively prevailed of the power assumed and exercised by the Board of Officers and the secrecy of its proceedings, and many heartily entered into the movement, with the belief that it would be permanently useful in advancing the welfare and pros perity of the Eegiment. But they were disappointed in the result ; for, after a few meetings indifferently attended, and without accom plishing anything of interest or importance, the Board of Privates quietly ceased to exist. On the 17th day of October, Adjutant Joseph A. Divver, while laboring under temporary insanity, occasioned by domestic and pecuniary difficulties, died from the effects of prussic acid. A special meeting of the Board of Officers was held on the same day, at which it was decided to remove the remains to the Mercer House, that the Eegiment attend the funeral on Sunday, October 19th, in citizens' dress, and that the Board pay the expenses of the funeral. When the action of the Board of Officers became known to the personal friends of the deceased, and particularly to the United States Dragoons and others who had served with him in Mexico, they were extremely indignant ; and, believing that military honors should be paid to his memory, they took possession of his body, and refused to deliver it to the care of the Seventh Eegiment. At that stage of this unpleasant affair the Fifth Company took the responsi bility of volunteering a military escort, and the remains of Adjutant Divver were therefore dehvered to the company on Saturday after noon, and were removed from his residence in Yarick Street to the 372 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1851 Mercer House. At a meeting of the friends of Adjutant Divver who served with him in Mexico, held on Saturday evening, resolu tions were adopted approving of " the spontaneous and independent course of action of the Fifth Company, Seventh Eegiment, in step ping forth alone and rendering mihtary honors to the remains of Adjutant Divver." On Sunday the funeral was attended at the Mercer House. The Fifth Company paraded as the military escort, and thirteen dragoons who had served under Adjutant Divver in Mexico acted as pall-bearers. The other companies, in citizens' dress, joined the procession, and proceeded with it to Greenwood. The funeral ceremonies were appropriate, the military dis play creditable, and a large and most respectable proces sion of citizens and friends honored the memory of the brave and unfortunate sol dier. Major Joseph A. Diwer first enhsted in the Fifth Company, but became sec ond lieutenant of the Third Company in 1841 and first lieutenant in 1843. During the latter year he was ap pointed adjutant, and in 1845 was elected major of the Eegiment. In 1847 he accepted a commission as first lieutenant of United States Dra goons, and proceeded with the army to Mexico. After the siege of Yera Cruz he was promoted, and as captain of dragoons accom panied General Scott to the city of Mexico, was in nearly all the important engagements preceding the capture of that city, and be haved on all occasions with distinguished gallantry. In 1849 he was again appointed adjutant of the Seventh Eegiment, which position he held at the time of his death. As a thorough, practical soldier Major Diwer had few equals in the Eegiment, and his record as a line, staff, and field officer was an enviable one. In the position of adjutant he was particularly distinguished for his devo- Major Joseph A. Diwer. 1851 THE DAUGHTER OF THE REGIMENT. 373 tion to the interests of the Eegiment, his prompt and intelligent performance of every duty, and his mihtary enthusiasm. His amia ble disposition, pleasant and conciliatory manners, and admirable social qualities made him a universal favorite. He was a man of good address and genteel appearance, and had a fine, soldierly figure and pleasant countenance. Previous to the Mexican War, Major Diwer was in a prosperous business as a wholesale liquor-dealer in Front Street. He was active as a Democrat in politics, and was elected assistant alderman of the Fourth Ward in 1844, and alder man in 1845, by a very large majority. So ardent was he in his pohtical predilections that about the time of the famous "Dorr Eebellion " in Ehode Island, while in command of the Third Com pany, Lieutenant Diwer ordered out that company to escort Gov ernor Dorr in this city. The remonstrance of prominent officers of the Eegiment, however, induced him to countermand the order. After his return from Mexico he was unsuccessful in business, and finally became despondent and melancholy, and died as above related. The death of Adjutant Divver left his little daughter a home less, helpless, and unprotected orphan. Mary Diwer, at that time about nine years old, was a child of intelligence and promise, and her destitute and friendless condition aroused the sympathy of the officers and members of the Seventh Eegiment. At a meeting of the Board of Officers held in November, on motion of Major Lef- f erts, it was voted that a subscription be raised for the support and education of Mary Diwer, that commandants bring the subject before then companies, and that the colonel act as her guardian. All the companies responded favorably, and it was decided that an assessment of one dollar per annum should be paid by each officer and member to the " Divver fund " for a period of nine years or for such time as the guardianship should remain with the Eegiment, and thus Mary Divver became by adoption the Daughter of the Eegiment. Her education was carefully superintended by Colonel Duryee, and, when not at boarding-school, his house was her home. There was a hvely interest throughout the Eegiment that the new protegee should thrive and prosper, and by her virtues and accom plishments reflect honor upon the organization. The annual inspection of the Seventh Eegiment took place on the 21st of October. The Eegiment assembled for the first time 374 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1851 in Lafayette Place, and the locality was found so clean, quiet, and convenient that it henceforth became the estabhshed and accepted place for the companies to meet and regimental hne to form when ever the brigade or division hne formed in the upper part of the city. The inspection at Tompkins Square in the forenoon was fol lowed in the afternoon by a parade of the First Division and a review by Governor Hunt. The result of the inspection of the Seventh Eegiment was as follows : Present. Present. Field and Staff 7 Non Com. Staff 8 Band 21 First Company 25 Second " 44 Third " 53 Fourth Company 30 Fifth " 66 Sixth " 49 Seventh " 57 Eighth " 67 Troop 37 Total present, 470. Louis Kossuth, the Hungarian patriot, reached New York on December 6th, and was pubhcly received by the city authorities at Castle Garden amid a throng so dense and an enthusiasm so intense that it was impossible to complete the programme of arrangements for his reception. Escorted by the First Division, he proceeded to the City Hall, and at every step was greeted with deafening applause and with the most extravagant expressions of welcome. At the City Hall the division passed in review before the distin guished guest of the city. The Seventh Eegiment paraded in over coats, and on this occasion excelled itself. Its splendid marching and magnificent appearance drew from Kossuth the most comph mentary remarks, and Colonel Pulzsky and other members of his staff clapped their hands with dehght and admiration. When the review was ended, the noise, confusion, and mad excitement were so overwhelming in extent and character that all further ceremony was dispensed with, and Kossuth, weary and almost bewildered, retired to his quarters at the Irving House. If ever New York was crazy upon any subject, it was upon the wrongs of Hungary and of its fugitive governor. The great Kossuth meeting took place at Castle Garden, on De cember 16th, and was attended by the First Division in full uni form, and by the leading citizens of New York, Mayor Kingsland presiding. In compliance with division and brigade orders, the Seventh Eegiment assembled in the Park in full uniform, with side- 1851 THE KOSSUTH EXCITEMENT. 375 arms, at 7 p. at., and marched to Castle Garden. The scene within the walls of that famous old building was beyond description. The immense amphitheatre was profusely and tastefully decorated, and was crowded almost to suffocation by an excited multitude ; and when Kossuth appeared upon the stage the tremendous cheers and other demonstrations of enthusiasm threatened to shake the walls from their firm foundations. The regiments were severally intro duced to Kossuth by their brigadier-generals, each regiment rising and saluting. When the Seventh Eegiment was presented, Kossuth led in the hearty applause. The speech of Kossuth was a master piece of oratory, and his eloquent prayer for American interference in behalf of his native land was received with great applause. His appeal to the citizen soldiers of New York overflowed with compliments, and the fine appearance of the Seventh Eegiment on the day of his pubhc reception and its distinguished services at the Astor Place Eiot were particularly noticed. At the conclusion of the speech resolutions of sympathy with Hungary were adopted, and a committee was appointed to raise money in aid of the patri otic cause. The meeting was in ah respects one of the most re markable ever witnessed in the United States. While ah New York seemed to be crazy over Kossuth, there was a sober and conservative element in the community that neither by thought, word, or deed encouraged the great commotion. In some of the public journals, and in not a few military and private circles, the action of General Sandford in ordering the First Division to attend the Kossuth meeting at Castle Garden was indignantly condemned. It was claimed to be an unwarrantable attempt to commit an important mihtary organization to the interest of one of the parties in a foreign controversy, and that to encour age any interference in foreign affairs was unjustifiable and danger ous. In the Eighth Company of the Seventh Eegiment there was a long and animated discussion upon the subject, the members protesting against being used for purposes pohtical, either foreign or domestic, and resolutions censuring the officer who had ordered the First Division to attend the meeting at Castle Garden were only lost by a small majority. The great Kossuth excitement was too violent to be lasting and rapidly disappeared, with no important or practical result in aid of the eloquent exile or his suffering country. 376 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1851 The Eighth Company celebrated, on July 17th, the anniversary of the enlistment in 1829 of its veteran commandant Captain Shum way, and continued for many succeeding years to commemorate the event by a dinner, a parade, an excursion, or in some other ap propriate manner. The fifth and last annual soiree of the Second Company took place at Tripler Hall in January, and was a success ful affair. But entertainments of this kind were expensive ; they were becoming unfashionable and common; and the time had arrived for the " grand annual soirees " to disappear from the cata logue of amusements of the companies of the Seventh Eegiment. In June the Sixth Company proceeded to Bath, L. I., for a day's target-practice, and on the 19th day of September the Fifth Com pany marched through the streets with its target, its prizes, and all the paraphernalia of the target-excursion of the olden time, and proceeded to Snediker's on Long Island for a day's amusement. The Fifth Company is entitled to all the honors of the very last target-excursion of the Seventh Eegiment. At the close of the year the First, Third, Sixth, and Eighth Companies were quartered at Lafayette Hall, the Second and Fourth at the Broadway House, the Fifth at the Mercer House, and the Seventh at American Hah. American Flag between 1795 and 1818. 1852 A RIOT THREATENED. 377 CHAPTEE THIETY- SECOND. 1852. The memorable divorce case of Forrest vs. Forrest, resulting in a verdict against the distinguished American tragedian, created a great excitement among all classes of the community. Upon the announcement that Mrs. Forrest would make her debut upon the stage of Brougham's Lyceum on February 2d, fears were entertained that the friends of Forrest would create a disturbance, and possibly a riot. Great care was taken to prevent the tickets of admission from f alhng into the hands of the opponents of Mrs. Forrest ; a strong pohce force was detailed for the occasion ; and the Seventh Eegiment was ordered to assemble and be in readiness for any emergency. At 6 p. at. the companies assembled at their armories, were supphed with ball-cartridges, and awaited further orders. At an early hour the theatre and the streets in its vicinity were crowded. The debut of Mrs. Forrest was a great success, and while her friends, who were in a large majority, were able to drown ah opposition, the pohce roughly handled those who were disposed to create a disturbance. Happily, the services of the Eegiment were not required, and after the danger was over it was dismissed, with the thanks of General Sandford for its promptness in respond ing to the cah of the authorities. The Seventh Eegiment paraded in honor of the birthday of Washington, February 22d, and, after a review by the mayor at the City Hall, proceeded by invitation to Governor's Island, where it was received with a salute of twenty-one guns, and was reviewed by Colonel Gardner. The review was memorable, from the fact that the snow and water were at least a foot deep. The officers were invited to a collation by the officers of the Fourth Artillery, stationed at Governor's Island. Upon returning to the city, the Eegiment proceeded to the City Assembly Booms, where it was entertained by the Second Company. The day was very stormy, 378 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1852 the streets were filled with melting snow, and the march was un usually fatiguing. In May Lieutenant-Colonel Brinckerhoff resigned his com mission, and in June Major Lefferts was elected lieutenant-colonel. The majority remained vacant until 1856. Captain Watts, of the Troop, resigned in June, and was succeeded by Lieutenant Isaac Tomlinson. Ex-Captain Wilham A. Pond was appointed adjutant, vice Diwer deceased; and Aaron Kemp was promoted to quartermaster, vice Ahen re signed. Quartermaster John T. Allen served with distinction up on the staff for a period of twelve years. He was indefati gable in the performance of the duties of his important office, was ardently devoted to the interests of the Eegiment, and was a thorough business man. His great decision of character and strong self-will occasionally brought him into conflict with the company officers, who are proverbially jealous of unauthorized ac tion and assumption of power by the regimental staff. Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew B. Brinckerhoff was born in the city of New York in 1815. He first enlisted in the Cadet Lancers attached to the Ninth Eegiment, and with twenty other members of that corps organized the First National Guard Troop, now the Ninth Company of the Seventh Eegiment. He was elected cornet of the Troop in 1839, second lieutenant in 1840, first heutenant in 1841, and captain in 1842. In 1848 he was elected major of the Eegiment, and in 1849 lieutenant-colonel. In announcing his resig nation, Colonel Duryee noticed " his long and faithful service, his promptness on duty, and his prudence and moderation in council, and the sincere and deep regret of all at his withdrawal from the Eegiment." Colonel Brinckerhoff was a fine cavalry-officer, of commanding presence and soldierly bearing, and the Troop during 1852 THE NEW SEVENTH REGIMENT BAND. 379 his administration was a large and well-disciplined mihtary organi zation. His election as a field-officer of infantry was due to his general popularity, genial disposition, and urbanity of manner, but he creditably maintained his position, and performed his new duties satisfactorily. At the Astor Place Eiot he received serious inju ries, from which he never entirely recovered. Colonel Brinckerhoff was a successful merchant, but on account of poor health was obliged to retire from business in 1852. He lived a respected citi zen of New York until 1877, the date of his death. In January, 1852, the engagement of Adkins's Washington Brass Band with the Seventh Eegiment expired, and was not re newed. As there was no band in the city entirely satisfactory to the Eegiment, it was proposed to organize a new mihtary band, which should be furnished with a complete and appropriate uni form, and should play for no other military organization. Fortu nately, the very best material for the purpose was to be found among the professional musicians of the German Musical Society, and at a meeting of the Board of Officers in March the captains were directed to ascertain whether their companies favored the project, and were willing to pay pro rata the expense of new uni forms and equipments. In April it was reported that all the com panies except the Fifth had pledged their proportion of the neces sary expense, and the music committee was authorized and directed to make arrangements for a new band of forty-two musicians, and to contract for suitable uniforms and equipments. Thus originated the famous Seventh Eegiment Band, the only band exclusively regimental at that period in the country. The leader and musical director was Noll, a distinguished musician, and the members were professional musicians carefully selected, and the new band used both brass and reed instruments in due proportion, and performed only modern and popular music of the highest order. The uniform of the new band was blue with red facings, but, to identify the organization more closely with the Eegiment, it was afterward changed to gray. The Seventh Eegiment Band at once secured fame and popularity, and held the first place among musical organi zations of the city. When the Fifth Company learned that the Board of Officers had contracted for uniforms for the new band without its consent, it was very indignant and voted not to pay its proportion of the 380 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1852 expense, and appointed a committee to draft a memorial to the Board of Officers on the subject of " taxation for the band, and taxation for collation to Boston Lancers, and various other taxa tion." At a meeting of the Board of Officers, in May, it was reported that all the companies except the Fifth had paid their assessments for uniforming the band, and the Board voted to assess the amount due from the Fifth Company upon the officers of the Eegiment, the officers of the Fifth Company excepted. This action of the Board increased rather than mitigated the indigna tion of the Fifth Company, which claimed throughout that the amount of money was no consideration, but that an important prin ciple was involved. At a meeting of the Fifth Company in June, resolutions on the subject were submitted, wliich were so violent and denunciatory in their character that they were only adopted by two majority, and Captain Creighton positively refused to present them to the Board of Officers. But they reached their destination through another channel, and the Board appointed a committee, of which Lieutenant-Colonel Lefferts was chairman, to confer with the Fifth Company upon the subject-matter of the resolutions. A protracted interview and conciliatory counsels were without re sult ; the Fifth Company adhered to its resolutions and refused to pay the assessment. That the Board of Officers acted with wis dom and discretion in respect to the uniforming of the band, and that the Fifth Company was unreasonable, willful, and obstinate beyond endurance, there can be no doubt; for, without modera tion, concession, and acquiescence on the part of minorities in matters of this kind the Seventh Eegiment could not successfully exist. The wing-drills of the Eegiment took place at the City Assem bly Booms, and it drilled in May at the Elysian Fields, Hoboken. On the 15th day of June it assembled at the City Hall Park, and was reviewed by Mayor Kingsland. The City Hall plaza had re cently been widened, upon petition of the Seventh Eegiment, and corresponding entrances to the Park made on Broadway and Chat ham Street. Each company for the first time marched from its armory to the parade-ground with a drummer at its head, and the review was distinguished by the first appearance of the new regi mental band, which attracted great attention. After the review the Eegiment joined the Third Brigade at the Battery, and was 1852 CAMP TRUMBULL. 381 reviewed by General Hall and by General Sandford. ' There was a parade of the First Division on the 21st day of October. The anniversary of American Independence was celebrated on Monday, July 5th, and it had been arranged that the Seventh Eegi ment should leave for New Haven, for a week of camp duty, im mediately after the parade. The small number that reported at the hour of departure caused considerable surprise and disappoint ment. The First Company, being in a chronic state of weakness, was absent ; the Second was represented by only thirteen men ; and the Fifth Company, besides being in an angry and mutinous mood, had early in the year made arrangements for an excursion to Boston, and wholly ignored the encampment. The six compa nies, exclusive of the troop, averaged only about twenty men ; but they pluckily slung their knapsacks and shouldered their muskets and marched away to the steamer. After a delightful sail the Eegiment reached New Haven at 5 p. at., and was enthusiastically welcomed by the immense crowd assembled to witness its arrival. The New Haven Grays and National Blues received the Eegiment and escorted it through the principal streets of the city and to the camp-ground. Camp Trumbull was beautifully situated about a mile from the city of New Haven. In front of the encampment was a splendid carriage-road, with a row of fine old poplars on either side, and in the rear was the Bay of New Haven. Extensive and level grounds afforded an excehent parade ; f acihties for bathing and fishing were abundant ; and the highly cultivated surrounding country, and the fine, prosperous city adjacent, with its public- spirited and hospitable citizens, were attractive features of this encampment of the Seventh Eegiment. Tuesday, Juty 6th. — The regular routine of camp duty com menced and was uniform throughout the week. Guard was mount ed twice a day ; in the morning, battahon and company drills, and at 6 p. at. the dress-parade. The afternoons were spent in riding about the country, visiting the city, or in aquatic amusements upon the neighboring waters. At evening parades the grounds were thronged by ladies, who were delighted with the elegant and mar tial appearance of the young soldiers. A large party of officers and members of the Eegiment were hospitably entertained in the evening of Tuesday, at the armory of the New Haven Grays. Wednesday, July 7th. — The event of interest was a review of 382 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1852 the Eegiment by ex-Colonel Stevens and by the Mayor of New Haven. The extreme heat rendered the duties of the day exceed ingly severe and fatiguing, and from the burning sun many mem bers carried to New York unmistakable evidence of their service in camp. Thursday, July 8th. — In the afternoon the Eegiment paraded in New Haven, and a review upon the Green by General King, commanding the Connecticut militia, was witnessed by a large num ber of spectators. At its conclusion arms were stacked at the armory of the National Blues, and the members attended a concert of the Seventh Eegiment Band at Brewster's Hall, which was a great success, and was hberally patronized by the fashionable peo ple of the town. The Eegiment welcomed to Camp Trumbull in the evening a number of its members from New York under the command of Captain Pressinger, of the First Company. Friday, July 9th. — The camp was thronged from morning until night with the friends of the Eegiment from New York and visitors from New Haven and the neighboring towns. At 6 p. at. the arrival of Governor Seymour, of Connecticut, was announced by a salute fired by a detachment of the Second Company, and a review and battalion drih completed the mihtary exercises at Camp Trumbull. The tents had been neatly decorated during the day, and in the evening the camp was brilliantly illuminated. The main avenue, leading to the colonel's marquee, blazed with light, and was the scene of a grand ball, at which Governor Seymour, General Hah, ex-Colonels Stevens, Yermilye, and Bremner, and the first ladies and gentlemen of New Haven, were present. Saturday, July 10th.— Tents were struck at 10 a. at., and the Eegiment marched under a burning sun and through clouds of dust to the city, and, having paraded through the principal streets, em barked for New York. Camp Trumbull would have been one of the most successful encampments of the Seventh Eegiment had the officers and members given it a united support. Those present were active and enthusiastic ; the week was one of genuine pleas ure, and the mihtary improvement was entirely satisfactory. The Fifth Company left New York, on July 12th, for Boston, and numbered seventy-two men, including musicians. It was re ceived and entertained by the Boston National Lancers, and various courtesies were extended to the company by other organizations. CAMP TRUMBULL. NEW HAVEN, 1852. (From an old lithograph.) 1852 FUNERALS OF CLAY AND WEBSTER. 333 The excursion was claimed to be a very pleasant and successful one ; but the company received neither notice nor approbation from the Eegiment upon its departure or return. The opinion was general that the Fifth Company, by its absence from Camp Trumbull and by its excursion to Boston, had shown a selfish disregard of the in terests and welfare of the Eegiment, and a spirit hostile and dan gerous to its harmony. Henry Clay and Daniel Webster, the great statesmen and ora tors of the generation which succeeded the founders of the Ameri can Eepublic, both departed this life in 1852. They were favorites of the hterary, professional, and mercantile classes of New York, and in no part of the country did the announcement of their de cease produce a more profound sensation or more universal expres sions of sorrow. Arrangements for the obsequies of the lamented dead were made by the Common Council of the city. The funeral ceremonies in honor of Henry Clay took place on July 20th, and were very imposing. The procession consisted of fifteen grand divisions, of which the First Division and the mihtary from neighboring cities were the first. Long before the left of the procession could leave the Park the right had passed through the Bowery, Union Square, and Broadway, and returned to the City Hah. The whole front of the City Hall was draped with mourning, and stores and dwellings along the route exhibited in profusion the same symbols of sorrow. The solemnity which prevailed among the people was a remarkable feature of the day, and respect for the memory of the great orator and statesman was the universal senti ment. The ceremonies concluded with an oration by Hon. Nathan iel B. Blunt, delivered to an immense assemblage in front of the City Hah. The funeral of Daniel Webster, on November 16th, was similar in character though not equal in extent to that of Henry Clay — the same mihtary display, the same symbols of sorrow, and a vast pro cession ; but the public heart did not respond so earnestly in honor of the great statesman of the East as to the memory of the brihiant and favorite orator of the West. An oration by Hon. James T. Brady, at Metropohtan Hall, concluded the ceremonies of the day. The annual inspection of the Seventh Eegiment took place on October 12th at Tompkins Square. After the usual review by Gen eral Hah, the Eegiment escorted the Boston Light Artillery to the 26 384 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1852 City Hall, where the two commands were reviewed by Mayor Kingsland. The Eegiment was detained by the mayor for nearly two hours, in anticipation of its services being needed to assist the police in quelhng a riot among the riggers and stevedores in South Street, and was dismissed with orders to be in readiness for active service at a signal of twelve strokes of the City Hall bell. The re sult of the annual inspection was as follows : Present. Present. Field and Staff 5 Non Com. Staff 4 Musicians 45 First Company 32 Second " 46 Third " 59 Fourth Company 36 Fifth " 64 Sixth " 63 Seventh " 45 Eighth " 62 Troop 40 Total present, 501. This was the first time in its history that the Eegiment had paraded five hundred men for inspection or on any other occasion, and was a subject of general congratulation. The Fifth Company was jubilant over the fact that it paraded the largest number of men, thereby demonstrating its importance to the Eegiment, and apologizing for its vagaries. The expenses of the Eegiment during the year were unusually large. In addition to the assessment upon the several companies for uniforming the band, there was collected, on account of the en campment at New Haven, the sum of $2,823.75. The receipts of the regimental paymaster from all other sources during the year were $2,142.22, and the expenditures were $1,961.62. The expense of music for parades materially increased at this period, the amount paid to Noll and Eeitzel for the services of the regimental band and drummers on each parade in 1852 and in the fohowing years averaging about one hundred and eighty dollars. 1853 THE NEW CITY ARSENAL. 385 CHAPTEE THIETY-THIED. 1853. In March the Seventh Eegiment drilled for the first time at the New City Arsenal, corner of Ehn and White Streets. The drill- room on the second floor was the largest and most commodious in the city, and accommodated the whole Eegiment, and drills by 'The New City Arsenal, 1852. wing were unnecessary for a brief period. It was a cold and cheer less room, dimly hghted, and destitute of the most common orna mentation. The City Arsenal continued to be the favorite rendez vous of the Seventh Eegiment until the completion in 1 859 of the New State Arsenal, Seventh Avenue and Thirty-fifth Street, and was the scene of many interesting events in its history. At the regimental drill of March 24th, at the New City Arsenal, Colonel Duryee introduced the " Daughter of the Eegiment," this 386 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1853 being her first appearance since her adoption. She was dressed d la militaire, in a dark-green habit, with black buttons, arranged Mary Divver, the Daughter of the Regiment. in the same style as upon the uniform coat of the Eegiment, but toned high in the neck, with small white standing cohar. The dash ing and jaunty costume, modest manners, intelhgent face, and hand some figure of the petite young girl took the Eegiment by storm. After a few appropriate remarks by Colonel Duryee, Miss Divver passed down the hne from right to left, taking the hand of each officer and member, and receiving a kindly and hearty welcome. The Eegiment paraded on February 22d, and was reviewed by Mayor Westervelt at the City Hall, and after a short parade was entertained by Colonel Duryee at Lafayette Hall. In May it proceeded to the Union Eace-Course, on Long Island, for a field day, and it paraded as usual on the 4th of July. In October it accompanied the Third Brigade to East New York for exercise in 1853 NEW UNIFORM HAT. 387 the School of the Brigade. East New York was at this period a smah, stragghng hamlet of German proclivities about five miles from the Brooklyn ferries. A large, level meadow, in the immediate vicinity of the small hotels and lager-beer saloons, was used for the mihtary movements, and was well adapted to the purpose. The place was a popular resort for the New York city militia from 1853 to 1866, and the visits of the Seventh Eegiment to East New York were many, pleasant, profitable, and memorable. Captain Creighton, of the Fifth Company, resigned his commis sion in April. In a letter to that company he referred with com mendation to its opposition to the Eegiment on several occasions, and particularly in respect to the encampment of 1852. "Up to the present time," he said, "I have not heard of the frst member of our corps being present at the encampment, even as a spectator. The regimental encampment, as might have been expected from the spirit in which it was conceived, was a failure." That the Fifth Company held a higher place than the Seventh Eegiment in the heart of Captain Creighton is evident. There is no question, however, as to the mihtary abihty, executive capacity, and personal popularity of that officer in his own com mand, for the Fifth Company during his ad ministration was the largest in the Eegiment, was active, enterprising, and ambitious, whether in the right or wrong direction, and was not inferior in mihtary accomphshments. In May the Eegiment adopted a new uni form hat of a pattern recommended by a committee of the rank and file. The new hat differed slightly from the one proposed in 1851, and urged for adoption in 1852, arid was said to be " more in conformity with the State regulations and the prevailing style." It was described as follows : Body. — Black felt or beaver, 6| to 7 inches high in front ; 8 to 8| inches high behind. Tip. — Patent leather. Top, 5f to 6-J inches. New Uniform Hat. Chin-Strap. — Patent leather. Visor. — 2£ inches wide, inclining slightly downward ; rounded at corners ; made of heavy patent leather. Lining. — Black roan. 388 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1853 Ornament of fine gilt in the centre of cap, medallion-raised figure 7, 1-fe inches long on flat black surface, If in diameter, enclosed by raised ring f inch wide, with " National Guard " in raised letters i inch long, surrounded by 8 rays f£ inch wide at outer end, -fg inch at base, | inch long, ends curved inward J inch. Total diameter of ornament, 3-f inches. Pompon. — White wool, 3f inches long ; diameter, \ inch at bottom, 2J inches at top, with ornament, viz., shield and coat of arms of Regiment. Sabers of the pattern used in the United States Army were adopted at this time for the officers and non-commissioned staff officers of the Eegiment, and staff-officers were allowed to wear the pompon instead of the plume. The Seventh Eegiment paraded on July 14th with the First Division for the reception of Frankhn Pierce, President of the United States, and the inauguration of the Crystal Palace. The Crys tal Palace, though built by a stock company, was designed for the " exhibition of the industry of ah nations," and possessed a national character and reputation. President Pierce was received at Castle Garden by Mayor Westervelt and the Common Council, and, after reviewing the troops at the Battery, in company with Jefferson Davis, his Secretary of War, proceeded up Broadway at the head of the military procession. Thousands of strangers from the West and South and from foreign lands, who had waited impatiently the opening of the Crystal Palace, and the crowds of people from the city and neighboring towns, gave Broadway a remarkably gay and animated appearance. The President was received at all points with the respect due his rank. During his progress up Broadway he was overtaken by a thunder-storm, which compelled him to protect the presidential head with an umbrella. Upon his arrival at the Crystal Palace, the ceremonies commenced. After prayer, an address was delivered by Hon. Theodore Sedg wick, which was followed by a speech from President Pierce, officially announcing the opening of the exhibition to the public. The Crystal Palace was the most ele gant and extensive edifice which had ever been erected in America, 1853 DEATH OF CAPTAIN TOMLINSON. 389 and was inaugurated under the most favorable auspices ; but it proved, from various unfortunate circumstances, a failure to its pro prietors, and, after passing through many vicissitudes of fortune, and being used for a variety of incongruous purposes, was finally destroyed by fire. The insubordination and perverseness of the Fifth Company were certain, sooner or later, to culminate in demorahzation or dis cord, and the resignation of Captain Creighton hastened that result. The company could not agree upon his successor ; the election was postponed until August 10th, and was then hotly contested. The two candidates, Wilham A. Speaight and Wilham P. Bensel, were active, talented, and popular, and each had warm adherents. The election resulted in favor of Sergeant Speaight, and Lieutenant Bensel and twenty members of the company forthwith made appli cation for a transfer to the First Company. The application was speedily approved, and the First Company welcomed this large re- enforcement, and celebrated the event on August 31st with a col lation at Lafayette Hah. The Fifth Company at once adopted a change of pohcy. Its first act after this large secession from its ranks was to officially notify the Board of Officers that it deprecated the late waywardness of the company, and had no sympathy with those who had placed it in opposition to the Eegiment, and that in the future it would in all things abide by the action of the majority. As an appropriate act of good faith, the company paid into the regimental treasury its proportion of the assessment for uniforming the new band in 1852. This sensible action was mainly due to the influence of its new commandant, Captain Speaight, and during his long and successful administration the Fifth Company maintained an excehent reputation for discipline and good order, and was second to none in loyalty to the Eegiment. The death of Captain Tomlinson, of the Troop, was announced in November. Captain Tomhnson was an excellent cavalry-officer, and much respected and beloved by his company. Ex-Captain Lewis H. Watts succeeded Captain Tomhnson in the command of the Troop. The annual inspection of the Eegiment took place on the 2d day of November at Tompkins Square. The Eegiment paraded for the first time in the new uniform hat and with knapsacks, and overcoats rolled. At the conclusion of the inspection the Eegiment marched to Fourteenth Street, and was reviewed with the First 390 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1853 Division by Governor Seymour. The result of the inspection of the Seventh Eegiment was as f ollows : Present. Present. Field and Staff 9 Non Com. Staff 11 Musicians 69 First Company 47 Second " 51 Third " 58 Fourth Company 39 Fifth " 43 Sixth " 50 Seventh " 37 Eighth " 68 Troop 37 Total present, 519. A notable feature of this inspection of the Eegiment was its band, which numbered sixty musicians, being the largest band that had ever paraded in the city of New York. In November a committee was appointed, of which Lieutenant- Colonel Lefferts was chairman, to devise ways and means for stimu lating enhstments. The committee reported in favor of presenting a medal to the non-commissioned officer or private of each company who enhsted the largest number of men between the annual inspec tions of 1853 and 1854 ; the medals to be worn for one year, and to be reawarded at the end of each year to the successful competitors. It also recommended that a regimental medal be awarded by a com mittee composed of the first lieutenants of the Eegiment, to the com pany having the largest pro rata increase in numbers in each year, to be worn by such person as the successful company should desig nate. The Board of Officers adopted the report of the committee. The Eighth Company paraded on a moonhght night in May for a drih in the streets of the city, and devoted a day to militay exer cise at Hamilton. Square, and it celebrated the twenty-fourth anni versary of Captain Shumway's enlistment in July by an excursion to Fairfield, Conn. In September the First Company paraded with the- City Guard as escort to the Boston City Guard. The Fifth Company presented a flag to the Boston Lancers at a ball given in Boston in February. Since May, 1852, the meetings of the Board of Officers had been held at Lafayette Hall, but in November, 1853, and for some time thereafter, they were held at the New City Arsenal. In Jan uary, 1853, a committee of the officers of the Eegiment attended a mihtary convention at Syracuse, at which a State Military Associa tion was organized which has continued to exist from that date to this. 1854 REGIMENTAL ARMORY PROJECTS. 391 CHAPTEE THIETY-FOUETH. 1854. The year 1854 was a dull and uneventful one in the history of the Eegiment. The drills and parades were numerous, but were of the ilsual routine character. All projects for excursions or other mihtary amusements failed, and the Eegiment was content to per form its mhitary duties in a modest and quiet way, with no demand upon pubhc attention. The Eegiment celebrated the 22d day of February by a parade ; its spring parade was on the 5th day of June ; and it proceeded to East New York on June 13th for brigade drill. The Eegiment paraded with the First Division on the 4th of July ; in October it drilled at the City Hall Park, in the manual of arms, loading and-firing, and street-firing ; and on the 25th day of November it celebrated the anniversary of the evacuation of New York by a parade with the First Division. In 1854 various projects to obtain a regimental armory were seriously considered by the Eegiment. A memorial to the Legisla ture, for the incorporation of the Eegiment as an association to be called the " National Guard Mihtary Institute " for the purpose of erecting a new armory was strongly supported, and so confident were the officers and members of the passage of the necessary law that committees were appointed by the several companies to co operate with the Board of Officers, and a site was selected and plans for the new building were drawn and carefully considered. The site selected was bounded by Astor Place, Lafayette Place, and Fourth Avenue, the lease to extend for ninety-nine years at a ground rent of twelve hundred dollars per annum. When every thing promised the success of the enterprise, a misunderstanding occurred as to the terms of the lease, and the Eegiment was com pelled to abandon the project. In May a proposition was received from the " Metropolitan HaU Association " to lease to the Seventh Eegiment for mihtary purposes two floors of a bmlding to be 392 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1854 erected on Broadway and Mercer Street, nearly opposite Bond Street, at an annual rent of twenty-five hundred dollars, provided the Eegiment would subscribe or guarantee the sum of fifty thou sand dollars to the capital stock of the association. The proposition was favorably received by all the companies except the Sixth and Eighth, but, after due consideration by the Board of Officers, was not accepted. In December the Board of Officers appointed a committee to draft a petition for a regimental armory, secure signatures, and present the same to the Common Council, and this movement resulted in securing for the Seventh Eegiment the Tompkins Market Armory. The regulations in respect to the wearing of the uniform at this period were in some respects peculiar. While sergeants were re quired to wear both the cross and waist-belts with overcoats, pri vates were directed to wear only the cross-belts. A more complete device to secure a slovenly and unsoldierly appearance of the Eegi ment could not be imagined. The wearing of the uniform hat with the fatigue-dress at the evening regimental drills at the City Arsenal was also a regulation which would offend the mihtary taste of more modern times. The order for the annual inspection in October was counter manded, but a portion of the Eegiment paraded under Captain Shumway, and was hospitably entertained at Lafayette Hall. The Eegiment was inspected on the 15th day of November at Tomp kins Square, with the following result : Present. Field and Staff 8 Non Com. Staff 14 Musicians 44 First Company 48 Second " 50 Third " 58 Present. Fourth Company 37 Fifth " 39 Sixth " 63 Seventh " 48 Eighth " 50 Troop 38 Total present, 497. In the original contract with the Seventh Eegiment Band it was agreed that the band should not play for any other mihtary organization ; but upon application, and in the interest of the band, this restriction was removed, provided the uniform furnished by the Eegiment was not worn except in its service. The Eighth Company voted in July to employ and to equip and uniform a drummer at its own expense, and to place him at the service of the 1854 PERCUSSION MUSKETS. 393 Eegiment on all drills and parades. This liberal action of the Eighth Company was duly recognized by the Board of Officers, and the good example was soon followed by the other companies. The large increase in the expenses of the Eegiment, particularly for music, now threatened pecuniary embarrassment. The annual expenses were about fifteen hundred dollars, of which nearly one thousand dohars was for music, while the receipts from the com mutation fund, regimental fines and dues, and assessments of officers was estimated at only about eight hundred dollars. To meet this deficiency the Board of Officers proposed a regular annual assess ment upon the officers and members of two dollars per annum, to be called the " Music Assessment," and all the companies promptly and cheerfuhy voted in favor of the assessment. The flint-lock musket had done good service on many a famous battle-field, and since the Eevolution had been the familiar weapon of American militiamen. The time had now arrived when it must yield to the march of improvement, and in 1853 the Board of Offi cers resolved to exchange the flint-lock for the new " percussion musket." In October, 1854, the captains of the Seventh Eegiment received orders to make requisitions for a full stand of arms of the new pattern for their companies, and to adopt the system of drih prescribed for the percussion musket, and in November the old flint-locks were shipped to the mihtary store-keeper at Albany. The arm received at this time was the United States musket, altered from flint to percussion lock, and was very inferior to the new and improved weapon soon afterward manufactured at Springfield. It was not without some sentimental regret that the officers and mem bers of the Eegiment, who were familiar by long practice with the old manual of arms, relinquished the superannuated flint-lock. The Third Company visited, by invitation, the National Guard of Hoboken, in June. In July the Eighth Company celebrated the twenty-fifth anniversary of the enlistment of Captain Shum way by an excursion to Bath, L. I. The Second Company lost one of its most active and valuable members, Sergeant Andrew C. Schenck, who, while on duty as a member of Hook and Ladder Company No. 1, at a fire in Broadway near Barclay Street, in April, was buried beneath the ruins of the burning building. 394 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1855 CHAPTEE THIETY-FIFTH. 1855. ToatPKiNS Maeket, situated on Third Avenue, between Sixth and Seventh Streets, was erected in 1830, and at this period was an unsightly place, the wooden market-house and the adjoining sheds being old and dilapidated. The rapid advance of the city in this direction demanded improved accommodations for this important branch of city traffic, and the butchers were the first to agitate a project for rebuilding Tompkins Market. The Seventh Eegiment, long on the alert for a regimental armory, at once recognized the dawning opportunity, and hastened to improve it. The following are extracts from the minutes of the Board of Officers of January 4, 1855 : Lieutenant Bensel moved that the Common Council be petitioned to provide this Regiment with a suitable building for a regimental armory. Carried. Lieutenant Bensel moved that a committee of three be appointed to draw up a petition and to solicit signers to the same. Carried. The Chair appointed Captain Riblet, Quartermaster Kemp, and Lieutenant Bensel as such committee. Captain Shaler moved that the colonel, lieutenant-colonel, and Captain Price be added to the committee. Carried. The petitions of the officers and members of the Eegiment and of the butchers, for rebuilding Tompkins Market, were presented to the Common Council in February, there being a mutual and satisfactory understanding that the new edifice should be three stories in height, the lower story for market purposes and the two upper stories for the use of the Seventh Eegiment. The petition to the Common Council was carefully worded, so as not to attract the attention of other regiments, and to avoid their possible inter ference in the matter, and was as follows : The undersigned, officers and privates of the 7th Regiment, National Guard, respectfully petition your honorable body to grant them suitable rooms for armo ries in some part of the city, and in support of this, their petition, would present for your consideration the following statement of facts : 1855 TOMPKINS MARKET. 395 The Regiment is composed of eight infantry companies, whose aggregate expenses for room hire are $ 1,800 Amount paid annually for insurance on muskets, armorers' wages, print ing, stationery, and gas 1,394 Amount paid for music for eight parades, made compulsory by law. ..... 1,280 Average depreciation of uniforms, allowing them to last seven years, the same costing about $60 per man, for 600 men, at $8 4,800 $9,274 Amount paid for ferriages to and from Hoboken, and to and from Long Island, our city having no spot appropriated to military purposes sufficiently large to drill a regiment 100 $9,374 Your petitioners would merely mention, incidentally, that computing their services at the rate of laborers' wages — say $1.50 per day — for eight compulsory parades, and allowing an average muster of only four hundred men, would amount to $4,800, while in return they receive, as their proportion of the militia commu tation-money, never over $500, or about 84 cents a man per annum, and the loan of a musket. Without arrogating to themselves any particular merit, your petitioners feel they have at all times been ready to aid the city authorities in the protection of property and sustaining law and order, for which they have never asked or ex pected any remuneration. Nor do they now, save and except so far as they may be justified in expecting such encouragement from the city government as will enable them to maintain their organization in efficiency and discipline. Your petitioners respectfully request the privilege of waiting upon your honor able body, through their committee, at such time as you may name. In March the Common Council passed a resolution to rebuild Tompkins Market upon the general plan proposed, and the resolu tion was approved by the mayor in April. So adroitly, rapidly, and successfully was the whole movement managed, that before the attention of the mihtary public was attracted to the subject, or any jealousies aroused, the Seventh Eegiment had secured full authority for the erection of a large and commodious regimental armory. In August the Board of Councilmen approved of the plans and speci fications for the new building, and in September the Board of Aldermen concurred and the mayor approved. An unexpected obstacle occurred in the refusal of the comptroller to be present at the opening of the estimates for the work, but in November both Boards, with the approval of the mayor, directed the Committee on Eepairs and Supplies to open the bids. The committee on regimental medal reported in January that the Seventh Company was entitled to the same, having received 396 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1855 between the annual inspections of 1853 and 1854 eighteen recruits, and it was decided to award the medal to the successful competitor on the 22d of February. The Eegiment paraded on that day, and after a review by Mayor Wood at the City HaU marched to the City Arsenal, where Lieutenant-Colonel Lefferts presented the medal to the Seventh Company, and the ceremonies were followed by a collation provided by the Seventh company. The regimental medal, although magnificent in gold, proved to be neither a popu lar nor a permanent institution. In the following year it was award ed to the Fourth Company, but was not presented with appropriate honors, and thereafter it was numbered among the unsuccessful de vices which have from time to time been adopted for maintaining or increasing the strength of the Eegiment. In 1853 James MacGregor, an expelled member of the Fourth Company, had been elected second lieutenant of the Fifth Com pany. The officers of the Fourth Company earnestly protested against his admission to the Board of Officers, claiming that his election, under the circumstances, to a commissioned office in the Eegiment was an insult to their company, which the Board of Officers could not ignore. Against the exclusion of one of its chosen representatives the Fifth Company as earnestly remon strated, and it was not until 1855 that the Board finally reached the decision that it had a right to determine who were qualified for and entitled to membership, and resolved that thereafter members should be elected by bahot, and three negatives should be suffi cient to exclude an officer from membership. The Fifth Com pany continued to claim its right to full representation in the Board, and Lieutenant MacGregor maintained a resolute and gallant contest for recognition. When hard pressed by argument, the Board of Officers was, by resolution, transformed into a " Council of Officers," and, under that title, continued to represent the Eegi ment as its legislative body until 1863. In January of that year, by a change of by-laws, the principle was established that the sev eral companies, being entitled by law to select their own officers, were also entitled to be represented by them in the transaction of the business affairs of the Eegiment ; too late, however, for Lieu tenant MacGregor, as he had long before wearied of the contest against superior numbers, and in 1857 had resigned his commis sion. 1855 THE "NATIVE AMERICAN" EXCITEMENT. 397 At this period the " Know-Nothing " or " Native American " ex citement was at its height ; and so general was the prejudice against citizens of foreign birth, and particularly of the Cathohc faith, that the peace of the city was often endangered. Secret societies, based upon this popular feeling, had been extensively organized, and ex erted an immense influence upon the politics of the country. So excited was the public mind that a serious riot was anticipated from the parade of the Irish societies on St. Patrick's-Day, March 17, 1855, and precautionary measures were taken by the authorities for the preservation of peace and order. The several companies of the Seventh Eegiment were ordered to assemble at their armories in the morning, and to be in readiness to march at a moment's notice to the scene of any disorder. Except some trifling disturbances, which the pohce succeeded in quelling, St. Patrick's-Day passed off quietly, and when the Irish parade was over the mihtary was dismissed with the thanks of the authorities. While Native Americanism was creating dissension and disinte gration in organizations pohtical, religious, literary, and social, the Seventh Eegiment, composed almost entirely of citizens of Ameri can birth, bravely withstood the storm of proscription. In some companies apphcants for membership were rejected on account of their nativity ; for the by-laws enabled five negative votes to ex clude any one from admission. But such candidates for member ship as were in every respect worthy and unobjectionable and were rejected by any company on account of place of birth were sure to obtain admission in some other company of the Eegiment, and the loss to one company by the proscriptive action of a small minority resulted in a gain to those companies of more broad and liberal views upon the subject of American citizenship. From the organi zation of the Seventh Eegiment to the present time a great element of its strength has been its absolute freedom as an organization from religious and pohtical prejudice. The character of a candidate as a citizen and a gentleman has been the test for membership, and, although at least nine tenths of the members have at all times been of American birth and of the Protestant faith, it has always numbered among its members Catholics and Hebrews, and men born in foreign lands. Pohtics and religion have always been forbidden subjects of discussion at the regimental and company armories, and every man has been respected and treated accord- 398 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1855 ing to his merits, without regard to his politics, rehgious faith, or nativity. Eegimental drills were held at the City Arsenal in the early part of the year, and at a drill in April the Daughter of the Eegiment was again introduced to the officers and members. In the latter part of the year the drills at the City Arsenal were by wing, on ac count of the increase in the numerical strength of the organization, and since that time no building in the city has been able to afford proper accommodation for the military exercise of more than one half the Eegiment. On the 11th of June the Eegiment proceeded to East New York for brigade drill ; it paraded with the First Di vision on the 4th of July and the 25th of November ; and it driUed with the Third Brigade at Tompkins Square, on December 27th. It having been decided to encamp at Kingston, the Seventh Eegiment left New York by steamer for that place at 9 a. m. on Monday, July 9th. At 4 p. at. it reached Wilbur, on Eondout Creek, where a large number of people had assembled for its recep tion. General Smith, in behalf of the mihtia and the village of Kingston, expressed to Colonel Duryee the pleasure anticipated from the visit, and tendered to the Eegiment the hospitalities of the town and surrounding country. The National Grays of Kings ton, a company of twenty-five young men, paraded, with fife and drum, as an escort, with a body of mounted citizens. An hour's march, over a fine plank road, brought the Eegiment to the camp ground, over the entrance to which an arch of welcome had been erected. Tents were soon pitched and guard was mounted, and when the shades of evening gathered around that beautiful place the Eegiment was comfortably estabhshed in Camp Worth. The camp was handsomely situated near the pleasant village of Kings ton, and was surrounded by charming rural scenery. To the northward extended the fertile meadows which border the Esopus, beyond which, and westwardly, were gradually rising hills, dotted with neat and comfortable farm-houses, while in the distance the blue Catskihs sketched their bold outline upon the sky. Upon the south and east the hills shut out from view the broad Hudson with its active commerce, and contributed to the delightful quietness and seclusion of the encampment. At the rear of the camp was a wild ravine through which flowed a stream of the purest water, and forest trees in the vicinity afforded a grateful shade. The camp 1 y ^ '|^^i^*^^?^i^f^l^^^ it CAMP WORTH. KINGSTON, N. Y., 1855. (From an old lithograph.) 1855 CAMP WORTH. 399 itself was in a broad, dry meadow, affording an extensive and mag nificent parade-ground. Tuesday, July 10th. — The routine of camp duty had been officially promulgated, and was strictly in accordance with the United States Army regulations. In addition to the prescribed duties, some of the more ambitious companies devoted an hour daily to target-practice, and acquired considerable proficiency. As the village hard by afforded few attractions, the members were obliged to provide for their own entertainment, and, with the fertihty of genius peculiar to the Eegiment in this particular, there was no lack of amusement. The camp was enhvened by the presence of many friends of the members from New York, and the people from the neighboring towns also flocked to Camp Worth to witness the novelties and curiosities of military hfe. In the evening Noh's Seventh Eegiment Band gave a concert at the village hall, wliich was numerously attended by the citizens of the town and by the members of the Eegiment. Wednesday, July 11th. — The morning battalion drill was in terrupted by a violent storm, which without warning suddenly burst upon the Eegiment while in hne, and all were thoroughly drenched before they could reach their tents. In the afternoon the Eegiment marched to Kingston village and paraded through the principal street, and was everywhere received with great favor. Thursday, July lftth. — In the morning the Eeghnent was re viewed by Major-General Edmands, of Massachusetts, and in the afternoon it was reviewed and thoroughly inspected by Inspector- General Bruce, who dehvered a brief and eloquent address comph mentary to the Eegiment. A large number of the members of the Eegiment paraded in the latter part of the day to receive a detach ment from New York under Lieutenant Bensel. In the evening the regimental band gave another concert in town, and at a late hour of the night serenaded the principal citizens of the village. Friday, July 13th. — This being the last day in camp, great preparations were made for the festivities of the afternoon and evening. The sisters, wives, and sweethearts of the members were expected in large numbers, and the young ladies of Kingston and the surrounding country had been invited to the grand ball. A serious accident in the early part of the day indefinitely postponed the anticipated pleasures. At battahon drill, while the Eegiment 27 400 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1855 was exercising in loading and firing, an unusual excitement was noticed in the crowd of spectators, and it was immediately an nounced that a woman had been shot. The unfortunate subjects of the accident were the wife and child of Jeremiah Castle, a farmer residing about ten miles from Kingston. The bullet passed through the breast of the mother, and shattered the bone of her left arm near the shoulder, and fractured the skull of the infant in her arms. The sufferers were at once cared for by the regimental surgeon, and, after ah possible immediate relief had been afforded, were removed to the hotel in the village. As the woman was directly in front and in range of the muskets of the Second Company, it was at once conjectured that the fatal ball had been fired by one of its members. The company was, therefore, ordered to the front, and every musket and cartridge-box was carefully examined, with out, however, obtaining any confirmatory evidence. After a long and fruitless examination of the other companies, the Eegiment was dismissed. The " New York Herald " of July 14th, in stating the particulars of the sad occurrence, remarked : It is surmised that the bullet came from the Second Company (Captain Shaler), which was directly opposite Mrs. Castle when she fell. It further appears that the Second Company had been shooting at a target in the morning, and it is sur mised that a ball-cartridge by some mistake was mixed with the blank cartridges, and in the excitement of loading the difference was not noticed by the person who sped the fatal bullet. The officers state that all the muskets were carefully exam ined, and they can not understand how the disaster occurred. The above extract expresses the opinion which generally pre vailed, and it was not until a later period that the mystery was privately explained. The Second Company had been firing at a target in the ravine during the morning, and, upon returning to camp, immediately paraded for battalion drill. The muskets were carefully examined, and one that had not been discharged was laid aside for future attention, and another piece substituted. As the company was marching to take its place in line, one of its members arrived in camp from New York, and, in his haste to secure his place in the ranks, seized the loaded musket, and joined his com rades. The musket which had failed in target-firing was discharged with fatal effect. Camp Worth was shrouded in gloom. Large numbers of people arrived during the day from the surrounding country and from New York, and were greatly disappointed at the suspension of all 1855 THE ACCIDENT AT CAMP WORTH. 401 amusements. The elements also frowned upon the Eegiment, for the afternoon parade was interrupted by a tremendous thunder storm, which sent soldiers and citizens and ladies and children flying to the tents. In the evening the camp was illuminated, a few fire works were exhibited, and the band performed in the mess-tent, which was to have been the bah-room. Saturday, July llfth. — The Kingston National Grays escorted the Eegiment to Eondout, and it reached New York in the after noon, and was received by the Seventy-first Eegiment. Apart from the unfortunate circumstances already referred to, Camp Worth was one of the most successful encampments of the Seventh Eegiment. The location was admirable, the discipline excellent, the mihtary duties and exercises accurately and cheerfully per formed, and the greatest harmony prevailed. The attendance was larger than at any previous encampment of the Eegiment, the total number present being three hundred and eighty-three. The child of Mr. Castle which was wounded at Camp Worth died on the 17th of July. The expenses of the funeral were paid by the Eegiment, and an appropriate monument was erected over the grave ; and no effort was spared to secure the comfort and the recovery of the mother. Surgeon Cheeseman remained at Kingston for some time in professional attendance upon the wounded woman, and, as soon as it was possible, she was removed to New York, where she was under his constant care, and had the best medical and surgical advice and attendance. Her recovery was rapid, and early in the autumn she returned convalescent to her home. Before leaving Camp Worth nearly fifteen hundred dollars was raised in the Eegiment for the relief and benefit of Mrs. Castle, and this lib erality seemed to be appreciated by the unfortunate woman and her husband ; but mischievous counselors and advisers were busy, and prevailed upon them to claim large damages. A reasonable amount to be paid by the Eegiment, in addition to all expenses, was finally agreed upon ; but when the regimental committee vis ited Kingston in November to close the matter, the agreement was repudiated, the sum was dechned, and amicable negotiations termi nated. During the year 1855 a new corps of drummers was engaged, and became an important part of the regimental organization. At the suggestion of Keifer, the accomphshed dram-major, the several 402 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1855 companies in the early part of the year voted to uniform two drum mers each, one to be paid for services as heretofore, and the other to be an enhsted man, to serve without pay. The drum corps of the Eegiment thenceforth numbered sixteen men, and, with its new and handsome uniform and with regular musical instruction, it became an attractive feature of regimental parades. The necessity of a corps of drummers to relieve the band during a lengthy march had for a long time been fuhy realized by the officers and members of the Eegiment. The annual inspection took place on the 18th day of October, at Hamilton Square, with the following result : Present. Present. Field and Staff 9 Fourth Company 42 Non Com. Staff 12 Fifth " 39 Band 36 Sixth " 78 Drum Corps 16 Seventh " 59 First Company 37 Eighth " 77 Second " 64 Troop 46 Third " 69 Engineers 10 Total present, 594. The percussion caps had heretofore been carried in a small side- pocket of the coat of each soldier. In January, 1855, leather cap- pouches to be worn on the body-belt were introduced and adopted, and the cap-pouch continued to be a part of the equipment of the Eegiment until the introduction of breech-loading rifles. In June Colonel Duryee asked to be relieved of the guardianship of Miss Divver, the Daughter of the Eegiment, and Lieutenant-Colonel Lefferts, and Captains Shumway and Nevers were appointed a committee to take charge of her education and maintenance. In November, the several companies of the Eegiment contributed hberally to the fund for the relief of the widows and orphans and sufferers from the yellow-fever epidemic at Norfolk and Ports mouth. The resignation of Captain Pressinger, of the First Com pany, was accepted in December. The expenses of the Eegiment for the year amounted to twenty-three hundred dohars, being nearly double the expenditures in 1853 and 1854. 1856 NEW FATIGUE CAP. 403 CHAPTEE THIETY-SIXTH. 1856. In January the officers of the Eegiment adopted a blue fatigue- cap of the French chasseur pattern, and the companies adopted a gray fatigue-cap, which were described in the Bih of Dress as follows : For Commissioned Officers. — Dark blue cloth ; sunken tip, four and three- quarter inches in diameter ; height at back, six inches, and two inches in front ; black silk braid around band and up-quarters ; plain double japanned solid leather visor, without binding, one and three-eighths inches in depth ; elastic chin-strap and N. G. buttons at sides ; in the front and centre of head-band, a figure " 7 " embroidered in silver, encircled in a laurel wreath, two and one-quarter inches high, embroidered in gold. For Privates and Non-commissioned Officers. — Gray cloth body with black cloth band ; sunken tip, four and three-quarter inches in diameter ; height at back, six inches, including band, and two inches in front ; black worsted braid round band, tip, and up-quarters ; plain, double jappaned, solid leather visor, without binding, one and three-eighth inches in depth ; elastic chin-strap and N. G. but tons at side ; three-quarters of an inch gilt figure 7 in front ; silk glaze cover with button-holes. In January the Common Council adopted a resolution request ing the Legislature of the State to authorize the issuing of city bonds to an amount sufficient to rebuild Tompkins Market. A committee of the officers of the Seventh Eegiment at once proceed ed to Albany to urge the passage of the necessary act, and in due time their efforts were crowned with success. In December the Common Council awarded the building contract, and with the close of the year there was great rejoicing in the Seventh Eegiment over the bright prospect for a new regimental armory. The several companies at once commenced raising money, by monthly assess ments upon their members, for the purpose of properly fitting up and furnishing their rooms in an armory the foundation of which had not yet been laid. In January Mrs. Castle commenced an action against Colonel 404 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1856 Duryee for damages for injuries received at Camp Worth in July, 1855. The Board of Officers immediately instructed the colonel to make a vigorous defense, and pledged the faith of the Eegiment to pay all expenses. General Sandford was engaged as attorney and counsel, and all were confident that the result would be favor able to the Eegiment. Public opinion in New York encouraged resistance to what seemed to be an attempt to extort money from the regimental purse, and the newspapers and people of Kingston loudly denounced Mr. and Mrs. Castle as greedy, mercenary, and ungrateful, and their attorney as a contemptible country pettifog ger. That the mysteries of the law are inscrutable, and that its uncertainties are wonderful beyond measure, were fully demon strated to the officers of the Seventh Eegiment before the termina tion of the famous case of Castle vs. Duryee. The office of major of the Eegiment had now been vacant for more than four years. Among the many able captains at this period there were no aspirants for promotion, nor was there any disposition to confer the honor upon any one not prominently con nected with the Eegiment by long and faithful service. At a meeting of the Board of Officers in April, Captain Shaler, of the Second Company, was unanimously nominated for major, but de clined the position, and in May Edgar M. Crawford, formerly a lieutenant of considerable distinction in the Third Company, was elected to the vacant office. The Eegiment proceeded to East New York in May for bat talion drill, and it drilled with the Third Brigade at Hamilton Square in June and in November. The usual spring parade oc curred in May, and a parade by moonlight took place in September, line forming in Lafayette Place. The Eegiment paraded with the First Division on November 25th, and the troops were reviewed in Fourteenth Street by Governor Clark. The 4th of July was distinguished by the inauguration of the Washington equestrian statue in Union Square, for which New York was indebted to the munificence of a few wealthy and patri otic citizens. The Seventh and Twelfth Eegiments and the Eighth Eegiment Troop were detailed from the First Division to partici pate in the ceremonies of the inauguration, and formed a square surrounding the statue. A multitude of people had assembled to witness the proceedings, and, when the statue was unveiled and the 1856 COMPANY ANNIVERSARIES. 495 military presented arms, the shouts and cheers and the waving of hats and handkerchiefs were evidence of the general enthusiasm. General Hall, who was in command of the troops, so overflowed with patriotic emotion that he improvised an order before unknown to military tactics, though creditable to his patriotism, and shouted in stentorian tones, " Three times three cheers for our illustrious Washington ! " An oration was dehvered by Bev. Dr. Bethune, and at the conclusion the First Division, which had meantime formed in Fourteenth Street, marched around the statue, and then proceeded down Broadway for review by the mayor and Common Council at the City Hall. The era of target-excursions had passed away; soirees or balls had maintained for a brief period a moderate popularity ; and now the custom of celebrating the anniversaries of the organization of com panies, by excursion, dinner, or parade, was successfully introduced. The Fourth Company celebrated its fiftieth anniversary on the 25th of June, and dined at the Broadway House, in honor of the day ; the Second Company, on the 19th day of September, by an excur sion to New Eochelle and a dinner at the Neptune House ; and the Fifth Company, by an excursion to Flushing on the 11th day of August. An unfortunate mania, peculiar to the adolescent and inexperi enced, has from time to time afflicted, with more or less violence, a few of the young men of the Seventh. It is developed whenever any of the newspapers of the city unfavorably notice the Eegiment, or criticise its military character, its drills and parades, or any of its pubhc movements. Then it is that this peculiar madness seizes upon the neophytes, and nothing but the immediate and rapid use of pen and ink will relieve the peculiar symptoms. Eeplies to the offensive articles are dispatched forthwith to the offending news papers, signed " A Member of the Seventh," or with some title or phrase equally significant, gallantly defending the Eegiment against the assaults of the professional knights of the quill. The folly of replying to any unfavorable or disparaging comments of the press upon an organization holding so prominent a position as the Seventh Eegiment would appear to be self-evident, and for any individual to directly or indirectly assume to speak for the organi zation in this anonymous manner would seem to be the extreme of thoughtlessness. So aggravating had this nuisance become that 406 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1856 the Board of Officers adopted, on June 7, 1856, the fohowing resolution upon the subject, which was pubhshed in regimental orders : Resolved, That this Board most decidedly condemns the practice on the part of any member of this Regiment of replying to, or commenting upon, any pub lication in relation to the Regiment which may appear in the public prints. Communications signed "an officer,'' or "a private,'' or in any manner identifying the writer with the Regiment — although published as the opinion of an individ ual — do, nevertheless, compromise the entire corps to a greater or less degree, besides keeping the Regiment before the public in an ostentatious manner, ill-befitting the modest and soldierly discharge of duty, which has, and always should, charac terize it ; and every member who has at heart a due regard for its reputation and welfare as a military body will recognize the impropriety complained of and ab stain therefrom. But neither resolution nor regimental orders could entirely cure the mania for newspaper scribbling, for in 1858 it was necessary to republish the above resolution ; and on many occasions since, anony mous effusions, purporting to emanate directly or indirectly from the Eegiment, have been a source of annoyance to its officers and members. The National Grays of Kingston arrived in New York on Octo ber 16th, and were received by the Seventh Company, and escorted to the International Hotel. The annual inspection of the Eegiment took place in the afternoon, and the National Grays were present ; and in the evening they attended Wallack's Theatre with the Sev enth Company, and were entertained at its armory. On Friday they were the guests of the Fourth Company, and the two compa nies made a parade through Broadway and other streets of the city, and in the evening they dined with the Eighth Company at Del- monico's, and the two companies visited Burton's Theatre in Cham bers Street. On Saturday, October 18th, they were escorted by the Fifth Company to the City Hall Park, where they were re viewed by Mayor Wood ; after which they were entertained at the Florence Hotel, and in the evening left New York. The National Grays of Kingston numbered about forty men, and were a fine company of provincial soldiers. At Camp Worth, in 1855, they had placed the Seventh Eegiment under great obligation by their modest but hospitable attentions, and no effort was spared to make their visit to New York agreeable and pleasant. The annual inspection took place at Washington Parade-Ground Present. Fifth " 55 Sixth Company 81 Seventh " 61 Eighth " 101 Troop 39 Engineers 11 1856 INCREASING PROSPERITY. 497 October 16th, and the Eegiment was reviewed by Governor Clark. The following was the result of the inspection : Present. Field and Staff 9 Non Com. Staff 12 Band 37 First Company 35 Second " 80 Third " 89 Fourth " 49 Total present, 659. At no period in its previous history had the Eegiment paraded so large a number of men for inspection, and the Eighth Company numbered over one hundred men. The ranks of the Eegiment were swollen by the presence, in all the companies, of a consider able number of exempt members, who paraded rarely, except at the annual muster, and the inspection returns exhibit a fictitious strength in this and the fohowing years. There were no muster- rolls at this period, the men were simply counted, and no questions were asked. Discord had for a long time reigned supreme in the First Com pany, and the war of its factions threatened its existence. The troubles culminated in April, when twenty members withdrew from its ranks and apphed for admission to the Fifth Company. But that company refused to receive any who had in 1853 seceded from its ranks and joined the First Company, and only fourteen of the twenty apphcants were admitted. With this grand stampede the long-pending difficulties of the First Company terminated : Lieu tenant William P. Bensel, an able and ambitious officer, was elected captain, and the company was thenceforth harmonious and pros perous. The Eighth Company paraded on the 24th of April with the City Guard, as funeral escort to the remains of its distinguished commandant, Captain McArdle. It also celebrated the Shumway anniversary by an excursion to Glen Cove on July 17th, and received various hospitable attentions from the great comedian, Wilham E. Burton, who at the time resided in that village. During the year the First and Seventh Companies removed to No. 600 Broadway, where they obtained moderately respectable accommodations for drills and meetings. The Second and Fourth Companies remained 408 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1856 at the Broadway House ; the Fifth Company and the Troop at the Mercer House; and the Third, Sixth, and Eighth Companies at Lafayette Hall. A novel and useful military innovation was the appointment by the colonel of a lance or color corporal in each company, to constitute a permanent color-guard at regimental drills and parades. A committee was appointed by the Board of Officers to obtain new and suitable designs for certificates of membership and of discharge, to which were subsequently added committees from the several companies. Many beautiful designs were secured. During the following years they were often submitted to the several companies for their action, and the whole subject was as thoroughly canvassed and discussed as if the fate of the Eegiment depended upon the result, until the matter finally became absolutely stale and tiresome, and, by common consent, was abandoned. The only change in company commandants during the year was caused by the resignation of Captain Watts, of the Troop, and Alexander Lytle was elected to fill the vacancy. Captain Lewis H. Watts served as an officer of the Troop with great distinction for nearly ten years. He was an active, energetic, and intelhgent offi cer, popular with his command and universally respected. Faneuil Hall, Boston. 1857 COMPANY DESIGNATIONS. 409 CHAPTEE THIETY-SEYENTH. 1857. The battalion wing-drills of the Eegiment were held at the City Arsenal in the early part of the year, and, when open to the pubhc, attracted a large number of spectators. At the spring parade, on April 9th, the Eegiment was reviewed at the City Hall Park by General Hall, and it paraded by moonhght at Washington Parade- Ground for drill, and in Fifth Avenue for street-firing, on the 2d day of September. It paraded with the First Division, on July 4th, and with the Third Brigade, at Newark, N. J., in October, and at the Battery, in November, for brigade drill. From the organization of the Eegiment the companies had been known by their numerical designations — First, Second, Third, etc. — and all attempts to substitute the letters of the alphabet for that purpose had been unsuccessful. A positive order from general headquarters on the subject was received at this time, and in April, 1857, in regimental orders, it was announced that — to comply with the law, in all returns to General Head Quarters the companies will be designated by letter, and the several companies are hereby designated as follows : First Co., A ; Second Co., B ; Third Co., C ; Fourth Co., D ; Fifth Co., E ; Sixth Co., F ; Seventh Co., G ; Eighth Co., H. But this designation by letter is made only for the purpose above stated, and is not intended to do away with the present numerical arrangements of the infantry companies. Since that date the companies have been designated by letter in all official mihtary papers, but otherwise have retained their original numerical titles. It is not probable that the latter will ever be dis carded, for they are traditional and historical, and are more familiar and distinctive than the letters of the alphabet. The Broadway House was finahy closed on the 1st of May, 1857, and the Second and Fourth Companies migrated to the corner of University Place and Thirteenth Street. The rooms occupied were over a stable — a drill-room, about fifty feet square, and two company rooms adjoining, for business meetings, gun- 410 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1857 racks and lockers. To the new quarters the Second Company formally escorted the Fourth, on the evening of April 30th. A cohation had been prepared in honor of the occasion; speeches were made by General Hall, Colonel Duryee, and by the officers and members of the two companies ; and the inauguration of the National Drill-Boom was a pleasant event of the season. The Seventh Eegiment visited Boston in June, to participate in the inauguration of the Warren Monument, upon the anniversary of the battle of Bunker Hih. No effort was spared to make the trip successful and creditable. After two attempts, which failed on account of the inclemency of the weather, the Eegiment paraded for preparatory drill on June 11th, at Governor's Island. General Scott had accepted an invitation to accompany the Eegiment to Boston, and in the order for the parade it was announced that " im mediately after the formation the Eegiment will march to the quarters of Lieuten ant-General Scott, where he wih be received with all the honors due to his distinguished rank, and be escorted to the boat." But the veteran general was prevented, by serious indis position, from participating in the excursion. At 2 p. at., on June 16th, the Eegiment assembled in Lafayette Place, and marched down Broadway to take the steamer at Pier 3, North Eiver. At the City Hall Park it was halted, by order of General Hall, its services being required to aid in the suppression of a serious riot. The pohce of the city of New York it was claimed had become inefficient, partisan, and corrupt, and the Legislature of the State, at its session of 1857, enacted a law, known as the " Metropolitan Pohce Act," which transferred the control of the pohce of New York and Brooklyn from the mayors to a board of commissioners, appointed by the Governor. The law was pronounced unconstitu tional by Fernando Wood, the Mayor of New York, and he pro claimed his intention to resist its enforcement. While a large majority of the members of the old police adhered to the opinions and fortunes of Mayor Wood, the pohce commissioners proceeded to organize a new force, agreeably to the provisions of the Metro politan Pohce Act. Collision between the two organizations was carefully avoided while the constitutionality of the new law was being tested in the Court of Appeals. But the refusal of Mayor Wood, on the morning of June 16th, to admit to his presence an officer, who was instructed to serve him with a warrant issued by 1857 THE POLICE RIOT. 414 the recorder, was the immediate cause of a fierce conflict. The " Municipal " force on duty at the City Hall forcibly resisted and ejected the " Metropolitan " officers, and both parties having been strongly re-enforced, a bloody and desperate contest followed, which resulted in the discomfiture of the Metropolitans. This public defiance of a legal tribunal could not be tolerated, and Major-Gen eral Sandford was cahed upon to aid with mihtary power in assert ing the majesty of the law, as weh as preserving the peace of the city, now seriously endangered by these revolutionary proceedings. Meanwhile Mayor Wood gathered his trusty forces at the City Hall, to resist all efforts for his arrest, and, with the entrances well secured, his armed followers prepared for an attack or a siege. The news of the events of the day had spread through the city, and the disorderly classes assembled in large force in the Bark and the neighboring streets, to watch the progress of affairs and partici pate in any disturbance that might occur. A more noisy, riotous, and desperate mob has rarely been seen in the city of New York. Such was the state of affairs as the Seventh Eegiment passed down Broadway, en route to Boston. By order of General HaU, it marched by the flank into the Bark, and soon forced its way though the mob to the steps of the City Hall. A space was cleared in front of the building, knapsacks were unslung, a strong guard was mounted, and the Eegiment quietly awaited orders. From the windows of the City HaU pohcemen frowned upon the soldiers, and the mob in the Park stood ready to co-operate in the expected conflict. Curses, threats, and vulgar abuse greeted the members of the Eegiment from every side, but it was evident that there existed a wholesome fear of the bright and bristling bayonets, and that the lesson taught the mob at Astor Place, in 1849, had not been forgot ten. At length General Sandford appeared, and, accompanied by the sheriff and coroner, entered the City Hall, to remonstrate, for the last time, with Mayor Wood upon his revolutionary conduct. General Sandford stated to the mayor that " the Seventh Eegi ment was at hand to assist in his arrest, that other regiments were on the march to its support, that artillery would soon arrive, and that unless he submitted to the process of the court the whole mihtary force would be used to secure his arrest." He urged him " to. spare the blood which must necessarily be shed if he remained obstinate, and, for the sake of humanity, to yield quietly to the 412 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1857 law, which would be enforced at all hazards." After reflection and consultation with his friends, Mayor Wood formally submitted to arrest, and the danger which threatened the peace and fair fame of the city was over. The Seventh Eegiment, having been relieved from further duty, proceeded to the steamer Plymouth Eock, and at 7 p. m. embarked for Boston. At 2 A. at., June 17th, the Eegiment reached Stonington, and took the cars for Boston. At Providence a salute was fired by the Providence Light Artillery, and an accident occurred by the prema ture discharge of a cannon, by which a member of that corps was seriously injured. At 7 a. ai. the Eegiment reached Boston, and, escorted by the Boston Lancers, marched to the Eevere House. At 9 a. at. line was formed, and escorted by the Lancers and the Second Massachusetts Eegiment, it proceeded to the State-House, and, having taken the position assigned it in the procession, paraded in the principal streets of the city and then marched away to Bun ker Hill. The day was bright and beautiful ; business was entirely suspended ; and the patriotic Bostonians thronged the streets on this their favorite holiday. The Seventh Eegiment was received at all points with great enthusiasm, and never appeared to better advantage. The procession had arrived at Bunker Hill, and the inauguration ceremonies had commenced, when a dispatch was received from General Hall requesting the immediate return of the Seventh Eegiment to New York, on account of a renewal of the disturbances of the preceding day. It therefore hastened back to the Eevere House, and was preparing to leave for home, when an other dispatch arrived, stating that affairs were more quiet, and that the immediate return of the .Eegiment was unnecessary. In the evening the members enjoyed the hospitality of the citizens and of the military, and attended the places of amusement. The following morning, June 18th, was dark, cloudy, and un promising ; but at eleven o'clock the Eegiment marched to the Common, and was reviewed by the Governor and the mayor. The review was splendid, but the battalion drill was interrupted by a violent shower, much to the disappointment of Governor Gardner and the large concourse of spectators. The day continued unpleas ant, and in the afternoon the members visited the armories of the various mihtary companies, or amused themselves at the hotel with music, dancing, and gymnastics. At 7 p. at. the Eegiment bade 1857 THE "DEAD RABBIT" RIOT. 413- adieu to the fine old city of Boston and its hospitable people, and departed for New York. Upon its arrival in the morning, June 19th, it was escorted by the Fifty-fifth Eegiment, through a drench ing rain-storm, to Lafayette HaU. The excursion to Boston in 1857 was one of the most satisfactory in the whole history of the Eegiment. The arrangements were perfect, the hotel and steam boat accommodations were excellent, and the enthusiastic reception and hospitable entertainment of the Eegiment and its members by the people of Boston was memorable. The disorganized condition of the pohce department of the city encouraged the disorderly classes to indulge in various acts of vio lence and lawlessness. On the 4th of July a fierce combat took place in Mulberry and Bayard Streets and the Bowery between two desperate factions known as the " Dead Babbits " and the " Bow ery Boys." No particular cause was assigned for this outbreak, except the absence of the usual pohce restraint, which afforded a favorable opportunity for the denizens of the Sixth Ward and the neighboring districts to settle their old grudges and disputes by force of arms. With stones, clubs, and fire-arms of every descrip tion the two parties rushed to the encounter, and, the police failing to restore order, the fight ended by mutual consent or from physi cal exhaustion. No record was preserved of the killed, wounded, and missing ;" but those who visited the seat of war after the battle discovered ample evidence of the severity of the conflict. On Sun day, July 5th, the contest was renewed with increased violence, and the famous locality known as the " Five Points " was the scene of the riot. All attempts of the police to quell the disturbance were in vain. Desperate characters from all parts of the city hastened to the Sixth Ward, and, without any apparent cause or provocation, participated in the conflict. Fire-arms were freely and effectually used, and the wounds and bruises from clubs and stones were too numerous to attract attention. At 4 p. at. orders were issued for the Seventh Eegiment to assemble, and at seven o'clock the several companies were at their armories. At eight o'clock line was formed at Lafayette Hall, and the Eegiment marched to the City Arsenal in Elm Street ; but the riotous belligerents had either completed the performances of the day to their mutual satisfaction, or had taken advantage of a timely notice of the preparations to curtail their amusements ; for, when the Seventh Eegiment reached the 414 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1857 arsenal, the " Dead Babbits " had disappeared, and the streets had assumed their usual quiet appearance. In the evening of July 13th the Eegiment was called upon to aid in the suppression of a riot at Mackerelvihe, in the Seventeenth Ward. A desperate attack had been made upon the Metropolitan Police, and several lives had been lost and many persons had been seriously injured. At 10 p. at. the Eegiment assembled at La fayette Hall, but, its services not being needed, it was dismissed soon after midnight. On the 14th of July the Eegiment was again ordered to be in readiness to suppress an anticipated disturbance, and the companies assembled at their armories ; but they were dis missed at a late hour of the night, without having left their quar ters. The Court of Appeals having decided in favor of the consti tutionality of the Metropohtan Police Act, quiet was gradually restored in the disorderly districts of the city, and from 1857 to 1863 mihtary assistance was not required in preserving the pubhc peace. The last will and testament of General Andrew Jackson directed that a gold snuff-box, which had been received from the Corpora tion of the City of New York, should be presented to the officer or soldier of the New York Yolunteers who was most distinguished for bravery during the Mexican War. The Common Council hav ing decided to award the snuff-box to Major Dyckman, a commit tee was dispatched to Tennessee to procure the valuable relic. Dur ing the absence of the committee a violent personal controversy arose among the officers and soldiers of the New York Yolunteers as to the justice of the decision of the Common Council ; and when the committee, accompanied by Andrew Jackson, Jr., returned to New York, the excitement in circles immediately interested was at its height. Arrangements had been made for the presentation to take place on September 15th, the anniversary of the capture of the city of Mexico, and the Seventh Eegiment, in compliance with division and brigade orders, paraded in honor of the occasion. At the appointed hour it appeared at the City Hall, but was informed that the ceremonies had been indefinitely postponed. Mr. Jackson, having learned that great dissatisfaction existed in respect to the award of the Common Council, had regained possession of the snuff-box, secured it carefuhy in his vest-pocket, and departed for his home in Tennessee. The Eegiment was reviewed by the mayor 1857 REBUILDING OF TOMPKINS MARKET. 415 in the Park, and, not being able to appreciate the honor of being connected with this ludicrous affair, hastened to its quarters and was dismissed. The newspapers ridiculed the whole transaction, and a broad smile illumined the visage of the public at the serio comic termination of the presentation by the Common Council of the Jackson snuff-box to " the bravest of the brave." The rebuilding of Tompkins Market commenced in the summer of 1857. About the same time the Seventh Eegiment was astounded by the information that Colonel Cocks, commanding the Twelfth Eegiment, had petitioned the Common Council for a part of the new building for that organization, and was making a vigorous effort to accomphsh that result. Neither time nor labor was spared to defeat this unexpected attack and unwarrantable intrusion. On the 10th of September the regimental committee submitted to the Board of Aldermen a complete statement of the reasons why the upper part of Tompkins Market should be devoted exclusively to the use of the Seventh Eegiment ; a petition signed by Generals Sandford, Hall, Spicer, and Yates, and all the colonels of the city regiments, except the Second, Tenth, and Twelfth, in support of its claim ; and a letter from the architect, against the alterations in the plans of the building, which would be necessary in ease it should be occupied by more than one regiment. After a vigorous and protracted contest, the city authorities decided to make no change in the plans of the building or in its use and occupation. The courtesy and fairness of nearly all the city regiments in this matter were greatly appreciated. Jealousy of the Seventh Eegiment among the mihtary organizations of New York has always been exceptional, and they have generally manifested interest and pride in its fame and its prosperity. The annual inspection took place on the 19th day of October at Tompkins Square, with the fohowing result : Present. Field and Staff 10 Non Com. Staff and Color Guard. . . 20 Band 39 First Company 70 Second " 101 Third •' 98 Fourth " 76 Present. Fifth Company 73 Sixth " 115 Seventh " 88 Eighth " 108 Troop 34 Engineers 18 28 Total present, 850. 416 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1857 The increase in the apparent strength of all the companies as exhibited by this inspection was remarkable. But, exclusive of the large number of exempt and honorary members in the ranks on this occasion, the real active strength of the Eegiment at this period was about seven hundred men. This fact is estabhshed by the amount (one dollar per man) paid to the Diwer fund in 1857, and by the number reported to the colonel at the end of the year by the captains of the several companies. The serious accident to Charles E. Lincoln, a gunner of the Marine Corps of Artihery of Providence, E. I., while engaged in firing a salute in honor of the Seventh Eegiment as it passed through that city in June, was not forgotten by the officers and members of the Eegiment. Upon its return to New York a com mittee was appointed to ascertain the extent and nature of the in juries and the circumstances of the unfortunate young man, and, if necessary, to afford him relief. The result was a subscription in the several companies in behalf of young Lincoln, and a purse of one thousand dollars, which was presented to him at Providence, on November 9th, by a committee, of which Lieutenant-Colonel Lefferts was chairman. The committee was entertained by the officers of the Marine Artillery in an elegant manner at the City Hotel, and Governor Dyer, Mayor Eodman, and other distinguished citizens of Ehode Island were present. John H. Brower, formerly captain of the Eighth Company, and at this period a prominent and successful shipping-merchant, had named a fine new ship the "National Guard," in honor of the Seventh Eegiment. The necessary amount was raised by subscrip tion in the several companies to present the ship a set of colors, and on the 25th of November a committee from the Eegiment per formed that agreeable duty. Sergeant Dunning, of the Fourth Company, presented the colors with an appropriate speech, and they were received by Captain Brower, and the ceremony terminated with an entertainment in the cabin of the vessel. The flags were nineteen in number, and no ship in the harbor of New York could make a more elegant display of bunting. During the great rebell ion the ship was purchased by the Government and used as an armed transport. A monument having been erected at the corner of Twenty-fifth Street and Fifth Avenue to Major-General Worth, the remains of 1857 THE WORTH MONUMENT. 417 that gallant soldier were removed from Greenwood on November 24th and deposited in the Governor's Boom at the City Hah. On the fohowing day the monument was inaugurated, and the remains were escorted from the City Hall to their last resting-place. At an early hour the First Division assembled at the Battery, and were reviewed by Governor King. The weather was bitterly cold, and the wind was strong and piercing, and during the long delays at the Battery and the City HaU and on the march to Twenty-fifth Street the soldiers suffered severely. The procession was large and the mihtary display imposing, and the streets were crowded with interested spectators. With the large accessions to the Eegiment at this period came also apphcations from organized military bodies for admission. In November the State Guard, an old and respectable company, at this time attached to the Fifty-fifth Eegiment, applied for admission in a body. At the same time an application was received from Lieutenant Feely and associates for permission to be attached to the Eegiment as an artillery company. The Board of Officers was unanimous in the opinion that the Eegiment would not be strength ened or its harmony promoted by the admission of nhlitary bodies already organized, and the apphcations were denied. Eecognizing, however, the importance of an artillery corps to the Eegiment, the Board of Officers in December resolved " to organize as a part of the Eegiment an artillery corps for the use and practice of the mountain howitzer, to be called the ' National Guard Light Artil lery.' " The artillery corps was not organized, but the Engineer Corps of the Eegiment was instructed and exercised in the use of the howitzer. A most earnest and persistent effort was made by the managers of the ball in December in aid of the Nursery and Child's Hospital to secure the patronage of the Seventh Eegiment and the official support and aid of its officers and members. The Board of Officers resolved to attend the ball in full uniform ; but, when the attention of the several companies was called to the subject, it was ascertained that there was an overpowering conservative element in the Eegi ment which protested against the use of its name in favor of any particular charitable object. It argued that the Eegiment could not afford to be partial or invidious in its favors ; that, if it officially supported one good charitable institution, it could not refuse its 418 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1857 patronage to others ; and that, by lending its name for purposes entirely foreign to the objects of its organization, the welfare of the Eegiment would be more or less endangered. While ah the companies recommended their members to support the great Charity Ball of 1857, none were willing to give it official support, and some companies protested against their members attending the ball in the uniform of the Eegiment. At the celebration of the anniversary of the Fourth Company, on the 25th day of June, a testimonial was presented to its veteran member, Wilham H. Curtis, who had completed his thirty-fifth year of active service. So long a period of faithful and devoted service was rare in any mihtary organization at this period. The Worth Monument. 1858 HARDEE'S TACTICS. 419 CHAPTEE THLETY-EIGHTH. 1858. In comphance with regimental orders, the instruction of com panies was commenced, in January, in Hardee's Light-Infantry Tactics. The new drill was attractive and popular, and as there was no change in the manual of arms, as taught in Scott's Infantry Tactics, the members soon acquired a more than respectable pro ficiency. The book known as " Hardee's Tactics " was an indif ferent translation from the French, and Lieutenant-Colonel Hardee, at that time Commandant of Cadets at West Point, gained considerable reputation by connecting his name so prominently with the introduction of hght-infantry tactics in the United States Army. He visited New York in March to witness a battahon drill of the Seventh Eegiment, and was dehghted with its perform ance in the new tactics. During the War for the Union, Hardee became a major-general in the Confederate service, but failed to secure a remarkable reputation as an officer. The Eegiment paraded through snow, mud, and water, Feb ruary 22d, and was reviewed by Mayor Tiemann at the City Hall, and in March it paraded as funeral escort to the remains of Com modore Matthew C. Perry, from Thirty-second Street to St. Mark's Church. In May there was a regimental field-day at Fashion Course, Long Island ; in June, a brigade drill at Hamilton Square, and a review by Adjutant-General Frederick Townsend ; and in October a regimental drill at Hamilton Square. The right wing, under Lieutenant-Colonel Lefferts, paraded on November 9th, to receive a detachment of the Fifty-fifth Eegiment returning from guard duty at Quarantine, Staten Island ; and the left wing No vember 15th, to receive another detachment of the same regiment. On the 25th of November the First Division paraded in honor of the day, and was reviewed by Governor King in Fourteenth Street, and passed in review before the Governor and mayor at the City Hah. 420 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1858' On Saturday, the 12th of June, the Boston Light Infantry ar rived in New York, and on Monday was entertained by a detach ment of eight files from each company detailed to represent the Eegiment. At 10 a. at. the company was escorted to the City Hall, where it witnessed the presentation by General Sandford of an elegant stand of colors to the Scott Life Guard. After a review by Mayor Tiemann, which attracted great attention, the Seventh Eegiment battalion entertained the Light Infantry at the Lafarge House, and on the fohowing day escorted its guests to the Boston steamer. In the year 1831 the Seventh Eegiment (then the Twenty- seventh Eegiment) escorted the remains of ex-President Monroe from the City Hall to the Second Street Cemetery, where they rested undisturbed until July 2, 1858. In April a resolution was unanimously adopted by the General Assembly of Yirginia, to re move the remains of the ex-President from New York to Eich mond, and a committee was appointed to co-operate with the authorities of New York for that purpose. On the 26th of June the Common Council selected the Seventh Eegiment as the escort, "provided it bear its own expenses of travel, maintenance, etc." The steamer Ericsson was at once chartered by the quartermaster, and preparations were made for the departure of the Eegiment on the 3d of July for Eichmond. Friday, July 2d. — -At an early hour in the morning the remains of ex-President Monroe were removed from the cemetery in Second Street to the Church of the Annunciation in Fourteenth Street. At 4 p. at. the military, consisting of a detail from each of the brigades of the First Division, and a large and imposing civic pro cession, escorted the remains to the City Hall, where they were deposited in the Governor's Eoom. Saturday, July 3d.—AX 10 a. at. the Seventh Eegiment as sembled in Lafayette Place, numbering five hundred and sixteen officers and men, and marched to the City Hah, where it received the remains with due ceremony and escorted them to the steamer Jamestown, at the foot of Liberty Street. One file from each company having been detailed as a guard on board the Jamestown, the Eegiment proceeded to the foot of Beach Street, and embarked upon the steamer Ericsson. As the vessel moved from the pier, cheer after cheer followed the departing soldiers, and, during the 1858 EXCURSION TO RICHMOND. 421 passage down the bay, salutes were fired by the ocean-steamers and by the forts in the harbor. The accommodations upon the Ericsson were very limited and unsatisfactory. The tables in the smah dining-room and upon the quarter-decks seated less than half the Eegiment, and the coarse fare, often wearily waited for, was far from attractive. The berths, numbering less than two hundred, were divided among the companies and then distributed by lot, making it necessary for a large number of members to seek a rest ing-place upon the floors of the cabin or upon the deck. But all were resolute in the determination to be good-humored, and the various unpleasant features of the voyage were only subjects of amusement. Sunday, July Jfth. — At daylight all turned out to witness a beautiful sunrise at sea. The wind had increased during the night, and the rolhng of the vessel soon affected those susceptible to sea sickness. Divine service was attended, Eev. Dr. Weston, the vol unteer chaplain, officiating, and the fine vocal music of the members of the Eegiment was an attractive feature. At noon a national salute was fired by the Engineer Corps, and the national anniver sary was celebrated by the reading of the Declaration of Independ ence, and with patriotic airs from the band. In the afternoon the steamer entered Chesapeake Bay, and in the evening passed Fortress Monroe, and about midnight ran hard aground on Goose Hih flats, about thirty miles below City Point. Monday, July 5th. — At 4 a. at. the steamer Glen Cove, with a committee of the Common Council of Eichmond, reached the Ericsson, and the sleepy soldiers, aroused by a terrific beating of drums, hastened to transfer themselves to its commodious decks, and at ten o'clock Eichmond was in sight. Arriving at Eocketts, the Eegiment quickly disembarked, and was received with appro priate honors by the military of the city. A great crowd of spec tators, largely composed of negroes, had gathered upon the bluffs near the landing, and the members of the Seventh Eegiment were considerably disappointed in the character and manners of those who welcomed them to the capital of Yirginia. The appearance of the military also provoked criticism among those accustomed to the parades of the large, handsomely uniformed, and well-drilled regi ments of the Northern cities. At eleven o'clock the procession moved from the landing, and proceeded up Main Street to Second, 422 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1858 and through Carey Street and the outskirts of the city to HoUywood Cemetery. The appearance of the town and of the people removed, to some extent, the first unfavorable impressions, but there was an apparent want of interest, which strongly contrasted with the curi osity and enthusiasm common in the cities of the North on great public occasions. But the colored people were wild with excite ment, and so charmed by the New York soldiers, and by the music of the Seventh Eegiment Band, that they literally danced attend ance from Eocketts to Hollywood. The excessive heat and sultri ness of the day rendered the long march to Hollywood extremely fatiguing, and, when the Eegiment reached that part of the ceme tery selected for the grave of Monroe, the men were thoroughly exhausted. A square was formed about the grave ; the remains of Monroe were lowered into the vault ; an oration was dehvered by Governor Wise ; and the funeral ceremonies closed with a discharge of artillery. The procession again formed, and marched to Capitol Square, and the Eegiment was escorted thence by the Yirginia mihtary to dinner at Warwick Mill. The Warwick Mill, in which Eichmond entertained the Seventh Eegiment on this occasion, was situated near the James Eiver and on the bank of the great basin of the Kanawha Canal, was eleven stories high, and was said to be the largest flouring-miU in the world. The fifth floor, where the arms were stacked, was used as a reception-room, and was adorned with immense punch-bowls, one said to contain fifty gallons, which were hberally patronized by the weary and thirsty soldiers. The dining-room, on the floor above, was one hundred and sixty feet in length and one hundred feet in width. National, State, and city flags were displayed on every side to the best advantage ; the walls and ceilings were ornamented with drapery of red, white, and blue, and with sabers, muskets, and military accoutrements, tastefully grouped and arranged ; and the columns were adorned with holly and cedar and festoons of flowers. The president's table, at which sat the invited guests, was located at the south side of the room, and at right angles with it seven long tables extended to the opposite side of the building. Over twelve hundred citizens and soldiers sat at dinner, and, though the labors and fatigue of the day had sharpened every appetite, the supply of delicacies and of substantial food proved inexhaustible. When the cloth was removed, the regular toasts were drunk and responded to, 1858 REVIEW BY GOVERNOR WISE. 423 and the speeches of Governor Wise and Hon. John Cochrane, rep resenting the great States of Yirginia and New York, and of Colo nels August and Duryee, in behalf of the Eichmond and New York mihtary, were received with great applause. At dusk the several companies marched to their quarters, which were provided by the city authorities, and were the best the town afforded. The First, Second, Third, and Fourth Companies were quartered at the Ex change Hotel ; the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh at the St. Charles ; and the Eighth at the Powhatan. During the evening, Capitol Square was the center of attrac tion, and was visited by thousands of ladies and gentlemen, and by the soldiers of New York and Eichmond. Beautiful arched trans parencies, with patriotic mottoes and devices, illuminated the entrances to the square, and thousands of red, white, and blue Chinese lanterns were suspended along the walks, upon the trees, and from the southern portico of the Capitol. At midnight the Seventh Eegiment Band serenaded Governor Wise and Mayor Mayo, who acknowledged the compliment with appropriate speeches. During the night and the following day, all parts of the city were visited, and the citizens, now convinced that the Eegiment was not a horde of Northern barbarians, displayed the most remarkable hospitality. The police winked at all violations of the stringent regulations of the corporation, and the shopkeepers refused payment for their wares. Tuesday, July 6th. — At 10 a. at. the Eegiment paraded for review, by Governor Wise, in Capitol Square. The coldness and indifference so apparent on the previous day were now succeeded by decided enthusiasm, and the Seventh Eegiment had evidently achieved a brilliant victory in conquering the hearts of the people of Eichmond. The review was excellent, and the short drill that followed astonished and delighted the spectators. At the conclu sion of the drill, the Eegiment was invited to a collation, spread beneath the fine old trees of Capitol Square, and around the im mense punch-bowl, which had been on duty at Warwick Mill, New York and Yirginia soldiers renewed their assurances of eternal friendship. At 6 p. at. the Eegiment formed in Capitol Square, and, after an hour's drill, which was witnessed by the Governor, mayor, City Council, and an immense number of ladies and gentle men, it departed for the steamboat landing at Eocketts. The en- 424 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1858 thusiasm of the people can hardly be described or imagined. Cheers followed cheers ; handkerchiefs waved in every fair hand ; and " Good-by," " God bless you," and " Come again," seemed to be upon the lips of every son and daughter of Yirginia. Embark ing upon the Glen Cove, and taking a last fareweh of its large civil and mihtary escort, the Seventh Eegiment left Eichmond at 9 p. at. A few miles below the city the Glen Cove was hailed by the barge Old Dominion, which came alongside and quietly fast ened to the steamer. The Eichmond Grays had chartered the barge and loaded it with refreshments, and had quietly dropped down the stream in advance of the Glen Cove, to claim the honor and pleasure of the last act of hospitality. The members of the Seventh were not slow to appreciate the compliment, and swarmed upon the Old Dominion, until it cast off and returned to Eich mond. Before daylight all were transferred to the Ericsson, which lay at anchor near the place where she grounded on Sunday night. Wednesday, July 7th. — About noon the Ericsson passed Old Point Comfort and turned her prow toward Washington. During the afternoon dancing and gymnastics were popular amusements ; card and chess parties occupied every quiet nook and corner ; and the evening was enlivened by the mock trial of a Dutch drummer. It was expected that the Eegiment would reach Washington at an early hour the next morning, and great disappointment was ex pressed when, at 10 p. at., the Ericsson cast anchor, the pilot alleg ing that, on account of the darkness of the night, and the narrow and difficult channel of the Potomac, it would be unsafe to proceed until dayhght. Thursday, July 8th. — At reveille the Ericsson was again in motion, but soon ran aground on Kettle-Bottom Shoals. Efforts were made at intervals, during the forenoon, to relieve the ship from her unpleasant position, but without success. The quarter master at an early hour had taken passage upon a propeller for Washington, for the purpose of chartering a steamer to convey the Eegiment to that city. At 5 p. at. the steamer Thomas Colyer, of Washington, arrived with a party of gentlemen on board, who had expected to meet the Ericsson at Mount Yernon, but, learning that she was aground, had come to her relief. They brought the agree able intelhgence that the quartermaster had secured the steamer 1858 REVIEW BY PRESIDENT BUCHANAN. 425 Mount Yernon, and would return in the evening. The owner of the Thomas Colyer kindly consented to take three of the companies on board, and the Third, Sixth, and Eighth Companies left the Ericsson and reached Washington at 11 p. at. The remaining com panies embarked upon the Mount Yernon about midnight, and reached Washington at an early hour in the morning. It had been the intention of the Eegiment to return to New York by sea, but so much time had been lost by delay, and the members were so completely disgusted by their long confinement on the Ericsson, that it was unanimously resolved to re turn home by railroad. Friday, July 9th. — The Eegi ment was quartered in Washing ton at the National and Brown's Hotels. During the. leisure hours of the morning the members vis ited the pubhc buildings and other objects of interest, and at eleven o'clock the Eegiment marched to the Executive Mansion for review by President Buchanan. The re view was remarkably good, and the President and the army officers present were unqualified in their expressions of admiration. After the review the Begiment was invited to the East Boom of the Ex ecutive Mansion, and each officer and member was honored with a personal introduction to President Buchanan. Mr. Eichard Wahach, of Washington, having kindly tendered the use of the steamers Mount Yernon and Thomas Colyer to con vey the Eegiment on a flying visit to the tomb of Washington, nearly all the members availed themselves of the opportunity, and at 4 p. at. embarked for the Mecca of American patriotism. The steamers landed at a dilapidated wharf, and the members of the Eeghnent proceeded by an old plank-walk to the tomb, situated upon a smah hiU, facing the river, and about a hundred yards dis tant. Gathered about it, ah reverentiahy uncovered their heads and hstened to a few appropriate and patriotic remarks by the chaplain and by Mayor Mayo, of Eichmond. The interesting visit 426 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1858 to the tomb was concluded with prayer, and the young soldiers proceeded to the Washington Mansion. The Mount Yernon estate had not yet become the property of the Ladies' Mount Yernon Association, and its proprietor, John A. Washington, was active on this occasion in exhibiting to the officers and members of the Eegi ment all that was curious and interesting. The rooms occupied by the illustrious Washington, and remaining in the same condition as at his death, were thrown open, and various works of art and care fully preserved mementos were exhibited. While the mansion itself and its contents seemed to be in a fair state of preservation, the neglect of the shrubbery and the want of care in the cultiva tion of the estate were painfully apparent to those accustomed to the thrifty and prosperous agriculture of the North. Even at the tomb of Washington, the rank vegetation and untrained shrubbery betrayed the absence of proper care, and the dust of years which had gathered upon the sarcophagus rendered the inscription almost ihegible. The shades of evening hastened the departure from Mount Yernon, and at 11 p. at. the Eegiment reached its quarters at Washington. It was on this occasion that Mr. J. Cruchett, pro prietor of the factory for the manufacture of Mount Yernon memen tos, notified Colonel Duryee that he should present the Eegiment with something com memorative of this visit, which promise he subse quently fulfilled by for warding to each mem ber a walking-stick, manufactured from material procured from the Mount Yernon estate. Saturday, July 10th.— The Eegiment left Washington at 7 A. at. for New York. At Baltimore it was received and escorted to the Philadelphia depot by a company of hght artillery from Fort McHenry, and by the Baltimore City Guard. The sultry and suf focating atmosphere, and a burning, broiling sun, after a week of fatigue and sleeplessness, were too much for human endurance, and before the Philadelphia depot was reached fully half the Eegi- Mount Vernon, 1858 DEATH OF HAMILTON. 427 Tomb of Washington. at. the Eegiment reached New ment had succumbed to heat, thirst, and exhaustion. Best and refreshments during the passage to Philadelphia served to recruit the strength and spirits of the men, and no permanent injury re sulted to any one from the famous march through Baltimore. Exten sive preparations had been made by the military of Philadelphia for the reception and entertainment of the Seventh Eegiment, but the de termination of Colonel Duryee to reach New York before Sunday compelled him to reluctantly but peremptorily dechne the hospitah ties of the Quaker City. At 2 a. York. The elaborate reports of the progress and adventures of the Seventh Eegiment, which had appeared in the New York daily journals, had produced a great excitement, and a hearty welcome awaited its return. The Seventy-first Eegiment and the City Guard paraded on Saturday afternoon for its reception, and thou sands of people thronged the streets, rendering them almost impass able, to join in the grand ovation. AU were disappointed at its non-appearance, and, though many wearied with waiting, large numbers were present at its arrival. Fire-works illuminated the streets and rendered brihiant its triumphant march up Broadway, and at all points along the route the members were greeted by the salutations and congratulations of enthusiastic friends. At 3 a. at. the Eegiment was dismissed at Lafayette Hall. A shadow was cast upon the brilhant events of the trip to Eich mond by the untimely death of Private Laurens Hamilton, of the Sixth Company. In the darkness, confusion, and excitement which prevailed when the Eegiment left Eichmond, he accidentally fell overboard and was drowned. On the fohowing day his body was found in the James Eiver, near Eocketts, and removed to the Capitol, and was forwarded with a mihtary escort to New York by the city authorities. The funeral was attended at Trinity Church by a large concourse of friends and relatives, and the Eichmond mihtary received from the Sixth Company the most 428 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1858 hberal attentions. Laurens Hamilton was a grandson of Alexander Hamilton, and a young man of fine abihties, correct habits, and rare promise. He was a graduate of Columbia Cohege, and died at the early age of twenty-three years. No event in the history of the Seventh Eegiment accomphshed more in extending and nationahzing its reputation than the trip to Eichmond in 1858. Its patriotic errand endeared it to the whole country ; its martial bearing and the gentlemanly deport ment of its members charmed the citizens and the authorities of the cities visited ; while New York, viewing with pride its progress and success, renewed its aUegiance to its old favorite. The report ers of the New York press furnished their respective journals with the most minute details of the excursion ; the pictorial weeklies were crowded with illustrations of its adventures ; and the Eich mond and Washington papers sounded its praises in terms most complimentary and flattering. To the principal Northern cities it had long been favorably known, but its name now became as famihar as a household word at the South and in all parts of the country. Upon the bright and sunny fortunes of the Eegiment the trip to Eichmond, fruitful of troubles as well as honors, cast some im portant shadows. While en route, Colonel Duryee refused to except John A. Hah, the right general guide, from the regulation requiring non-commissioned staff-officers to wear the knapsack, and soon after received from him an insulting letter. Young HaU was a son of General Wilham Hall, commanding the Third Brigade, and it was supposed by some that on that account his insubordination would be overlooked and forgiven. But he was immediately reduced to the ranks, and in regimental orders, dated July 29th, was dismissed from the service, "for conduct unworthy of a soldier and gross disrespect to a superior officer." To the right of the colonel to dis miss from the Eegiment a non-commissioned staff-officer, Hah took exceptions. He appealed to the commander-in-chief, and was sup ported vigorously by the officers and members of the Third Com pany, of which he was a member at the time of his appointment as right general guide. Thus commenced a controversy pregnant with important results. Another trouble during the Eichmond trip was the mutinous conduct of Band-Master Noll and his musicians. The fatigues of 1858 MONTREAL FIELD BATTERY. 429 the journey, the heat of the weather, and perhaps the free flow of wine and lager-beer, had demoralized the band, and Noh, who was a poor disciplinarian, could not control his subordinates, even were he so disposed. During the night at Eichmond, Colonel Duryee sent an order to the band to parade and serenade Governor Wise and Mayor Mayo, but no attention whatever was paid to the order, and it was not until he went personahy to the quarters of the band and gave the order that it was obeyed. During the remainder of the trip the musicians were distinguished for their indifference, sul- lenness, and constant grumbling. Thus, in a brief week, the Sev enth Eegiment Band, which since its organization in 1852 had been petted, praised, and patronized, fell from the height of popularity into disfavor and disrepute. No sooner had the Eegiment returned to New York than the subject of a new band was agitated, but Noll at length made an apology for the conduct of his band while in Eichmond, and he was continued in the service of the Eegiment. John D. Bailey, the mihtary reporter for the New York " Sun day Mercury " at this period, was a member of the Fourth Com pany, and was in its ranks during the excursion to Eichmond. Taking offense at some trifling circumstance, he forthwith com menced a fierce fusillade through the columns of that paper against the Eegiment and its commandant. In August the Fourth Com pany expelled him, and, though he protested and appealed, and quoted the Constitution and the law, and made a terrible commotion generahy, he was never able to reverse its action. But for a long time his assaults upon the Eegiment were as regular as the arrival of the first day of the week, and, though he did not have the power to materially injure the organization, he had ample facilities to annoy its officers and members. But Bailey died soon after the War of the Bebelhon, and the Eegiment continued to hve. The Second Company received the Montreal Field Battery of Artillery on August 31st, and escorted its guests to the Stevens House. In the afternoon the two companies visited the public institutions on Eandah's and Blackweh's Islands, and were enter tained by the ten governors. After speeches from several distin guished gentlemen, ah heartily joined in drinking the health of the Queen and the President, and in singing the national airs of America and Great Britain. It was late in the evening when the companies reached the armory of the Second Company in Thirteenth Street, 430 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1858 where a collation awaited their arrival. On the following day the Montreal corps paraded with the Seventh Eegiment. The completion of the Atlantic Cable and the successful trans mission of telegrams between the two continents created great ex citement and enthusiasm. The 1st day of September was selected for the celebration throughout the United States of this important event in the history of the world. New York, as the commercial metropohs of the country, fully appreciated the importance of this new bond of peace and commerce, and prepared with unusual ex travagance to commemorate it. At an early hour the streets were thronged with citizens and strangers, and business was entirely sus pended. At 1 p. at. Cyrus W. Field, the active American manager of the Ocean Telegraph Company, and the officers of the Niagara, Gorgon, and Indus, the vessels engaged in laying the cable, were officially received at Castle Garden by the city authorities, and at 3 p. at. the grand procession moved from the Battery. Broadway was magnificent beyond description. Flags of aU nations, a count less number, floated from the buildings ; costly decorations, ingen ious devices, and appropriate mottoes everywhere met the eye; sidewalks and house-tops were crowded with people, and every win dow was a bouquet of beauty. All were in high spirits, and cheered for everybody and everything in the procession. The johy tars from the Niagara, as they rolled along, were overwhelmed with applause ; an immense coil of cable on a large truck was an object of general interest ; and the productions of a printing-press and a telegraph instrument in the procession were sought for as eagerly as if they had been bank-notes. The great attraction, however, was the First Division, and the chief and central military figure was the Seventh Eegiment, doubly famous from its recent trip to Eich mond. Its approach was welcomed at all points in Broadway and Fifth Avenue by cheer upon cheer from the streets and house-tops, and by clouds of waving cambric from the windows. The Eegi ment was strong in numbers, and marched with a grace and steadi ness never excelled, and September 1, 1858, was one of the proud est and most memorable days in its history. In the evening the firemen's procession passed down from Forty-second Street to the City Hall, and Broadway was a river of hght. Nearly every build ing was illuminated or adorned with an elaborate and costly trans parency, innumerable Chinese lanterns were suspended from trees 1858 NEW SPRINGFIELD MUSKETS. 431 and lamp-posts, fire-works were exhibited in extravagant profusion, while the torches of many thousand firemen completed a scene of brilhancy such as New York had never witnessed. The failure of the Atlantic Cable soon after this celebration was doubly aggravat ing, but hope hngered with the behef in the ultimate success of the great enterprise. The annual inspection took place at Hamilton Square, on the 18th day of October. The Eegiment was reviewed by General Hall, and, after the conclusion of the mihtary exercises of the day, proceeded to the Battery to receive the Seventy-first Eegiment returning from guard duty at Quarantine. The result of the in spection was as f ohows : Present. Field and Staff 10 Non Com. Staff 12 Band 40 First Company 83 Second " 107 Third " 94 Fourth " 80 Total present, 856, Present. Fifth Company 90 Sixth " 104 Seventh " 90 Eighth " 99 Troop 29 Engineers 18 In November the Eegiment received from the United States Government one thousand new Springfield rifle-muskets, fifty-eight cahber, with Maynard attachment, in exchange for its percussion muskets altered from flint-locks. This new stand of arms was not secured without a long and vigorous effort. In February a com mittee of officers proceeded to Albany and ascertained that Gov ernor King was not authorized to make any further requisitions upon the United States Government for arms, the quota for 1858 having already been received. The adjutant-general, however, made a requisition upon the Secretary of War for arms for the Eegiment on account of the quota of the State of New York for 1859, and, fortified by letters from Governor King, Lieutenant- General Scott, and thirty-three of the most distinguished citizens of New York city, the committee proceeded to Washington to urge its claim. It was met by a prompt and positive refusal, on the ground that the law prohibited the issuing of arms to the several States in advance of the annual distribution. The members of Con gress from New York city earnestly advocated the claims of the Eegiment, but without success, and it was not until the Hon. Will- 29 432 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1858 iam H. Seward, United States Senator from New York, accompa nied the committee to the War Department, and, in the most ear nest and peremptory manner, demanded that the new arms should be provided for the Seventh Eegiment, that the Secretary of War, John A. Floyd, discovered the ways and means of accomphshing the object. Before the committee left Washington it was arranged that one thousand of the new muskets should be exchanged with the State of New York for old muskets in sufficient number to be equivalent in value. It is an c_^^. y, the men only needed this change in the weather to complete 1861 AT ANNAPOLIS JUNCTION. 497 their misery. When halted to repair the track, those not engaged would f aU asleep in an instant, and it was often with great difficulty that they could be aroused to resume the march. In several in stances sleeping men rolled down the railroad embankment ; and, when on the march, they trudged along, half conscious, half dream ing, many exhibiting the symptoms which are ascribed to those who perish from hunger, cold, and exhaustion. It was not uncom mon to notice men marching forward with their eyes completely closed, their heads falling forward or from side to side, and with a staggering gait indicating the muscular relaxation of the profound sleeper. Between three and four o'clock the Eegiment arrived within a mile of the Junction, and halted to await a report of the state of affairs at that point from Lieutenant Farnham. So intense was the cold that the men hastened to build large fires with the rails of the neighboring fences, thus inaugurating the principle, afterward extensively adopted, that the health and comfort of the soldier are of primary importance, especially in an enemy's country. In this case, however, the damage to property was paid by the offi cers of the Eegiment before leaving the vicinity. Captain Clark, anxious to ascertain the whereabout of that part of his company in advance with Lieutenant Farnham, and to aid them if necessary, soon left the warm and cheering fires, and with his company ar rived at the Junction at daylight. A short time previous Lieuten ant Farnham had dashed into the little village and found it unoccu pied, except by its sleeping inhabitants. Hostile troops had visited the place during the previous days, but the extravagant reports which had spread through the country in respect to the numbers and prowess of the Seventh Eegiment had frightened away ah opposition from the Junction and from the entire line of railroad between Annapolis and Washington. The proprietors of the half- dozen hotels, stores, and groceries of Annapolis Junction were at once aroused, and, when they were satisfied that they were not to be robbed or murdered, they paraded their scanty store of provis ions and prepared breakfast for the hungry soldiers. As there was no armed force in the vicinity, the men were allowed to visit tl neighboring farm-houses, and, by these foraging expeditions, ajj the accommodations at the Junction, all succeeded in obtaining tolerable breakfast. Having ascertained that a train of cars been sent from Washington to the Junction on the previous * 498 HISTORY OF THE SEVENTH REGIMENT. 1861 to meet the Seventh Eeghnent, and that it would probably come again during the forenoon, information was sent to Colonel Lefferts to that effect, and he allowed the other companies of the Eegiment to rest and make themselves as comfortable as possible at the place where they had halted, about a mile from the Junction. The green sward by the railroad-track and in the adjoining fields afforded ample accommodations for a bivouac, and officers and men, in over coats and blankets, were not slow to avail themselves of long-needed repose. A few, more hungry than sleepy, scoured the surrounding country in search of food ; but the farm-houses were few and far between, and only in rare instances were these foraging expeditions completely successful. Meanwhile the members of the Second Company stretched their weary hmbs upon the railroad platforms at the Junction, and the morning was resonant with their efforts to obtain the largest amount of sleep in the shortest space of time. A small hand-car having been discovered, was at once maimed and dispatched toward Washington to meet the expected train, or to hasten it forward in case it had not left the city. After a laborious ride of six miles, the party met the train, in charge of the National Bifles, Captain Smead, and returned with it to the Junction. While Colonel Lefferts was being notified of the arrival of the train, and the Eegiment was marching from its bivouac to the Junction, Captains Smead and Clark succeeded in communicating by telegraph with the city of Baltimore, and learned that ah was quiet there, and that there was no danger of an immediate attack from that direction. About ten o'clock the Seventh Eegiment left the Junction in a train crowded almost to suffocation, and at noon, April 25th, safely reached the city of Washington. END OF VOL. I. '