The city is very proud of its military organization, and both the
Municipal and State Governments contribute liberally to its support.
This organization consists of the First Division of the National Guard of
the State of New York. The law creating this division was passed in
1862, when the old volunteer system was entirely reorganized. Previous
to this, the volunteers had borne their entire expenses, and had
controlled their affairs in their own way. By the new law important
changes were introduced.
The division consists of four brigades, and numbers about 13,000 men.
The regiments comprising it are as follows: First, Second, Third, Fourth,
Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Eleventh, Twelfth, Twenty-second,
Thirty-seventh, Fifty-fifth, Sixty-ninth, Seventy-first, Seventy-ninth,
Ninety-sixth, Washington Grays (cavalry), First Cavalry, Second Cavalry,
and First Artillery. The United States provides the arms and uniforms
when required. These, when furnished by the General Government, are such
as are prescribed by law for the Regular Army. The best regiments,
however, prefer a handsomer dress, and provide their own uniforms. The
city makes an appropriation of $500 per annum for each regiment, for an
armory. The other expenses, such as parades, music, etc., are borne by
the regiment itself. Each regiment has its armory, in which are
deposited its arms and valuable property. An armorer is in charge of the
building, and it is his duty to keep the guns in good order. A
reading-room and library are attached to some of the armories, and are
used as places of social reunion for the members of the command. Drills
are held at stated times, and a rigid discipline is maintained. The men,
as a general rule, are proud of their organizations, and are enthusiastic
in military matters. They are all well drilled, and will compare
favorably with any troops in the world, in both appearance and
efficiency. Nearly all saw service during the late war, and there is not
a regiment but treasures some smoke-begrimed, bullet-rent flag, as its
most precious possession. Out of the 13,000 men comprising the force,
9000 were in the field in active service, at one time during the war, and
the division gave the country 3780 officers for the struggle. The total
force furnished by the city of New York during the war was 100,000 men.
Of these 9000 were killed or wounded, and 37,000 were officers at some
period of the war.
The most popular and efficient regiments are the Seventh, Ninth, and
Twenty-second. The Seventh and Ninth are the best known. The latter has
the finest band in the city, and one of the best in the world.
The parade of the entire division is a sight worth seeing, and always
brings a crowd upon the streets. Every available place for viewing the
march is eagerly sought. The shop-keepers along the route of the
procession find it an easy matter to rent their windows and balconies at
large prices. Even the housetops are filled with spectators, and the
sidewalks are "jammed."
Each regiment as it passes is greeted with greater or less applause,
according to its popularity. The day is a sort of holiday in the city,
and the parade is one of the sights of the New World, for New York is the
only city in the country which can put so large and splendid a force of
troops in the field in a mere parade.
But the First Division is not a holiday force, and parades and receptions
are not the only occasions which bring it upon the streets. The city of
New York contains a population hard to manage, and which can be
controlled only by a strong, firm hand. The police force, about 2000 in
number, is utterly inadequate to the repression of an uprising of the
criminal class of the city, and the scoundrels know it. The police have
never been lacking in emergencies, but their task is wonderfully
lightened by the knowledge that behind them stand 13,000 disciplined and
well-equipped troops to support them if the task of enforcing the law
proves too great for them. The roughs of New York know that they are no
match for such an army as this, and they are influenced greatly by this
knowledge. The respectable class, the men of property, and the heads of
families find no little comfort in this certainty of protection. They
know they can trust to the troops, for the members of the National Guard
represent the best part of the population of New York, and are to a man
directly interested in preserving the peace and prosperity of the city.
The troops are always ready for duty. They are scattered all over the
city, pursuing various useful callings, but at a certain signal sounded
from the City Hall bell, they will rally at their armories, and in an
hour there will be a strong body of trained troops ready to enforce the
law in any emergency. No one can doubt that the summons will be obeyed,
for the past history of the division proves that even the men who are
careless about attending parades, etc., are very careful to be at their
posts in the hour of danger.
The employment of this force is not open to the objections that are
brought against the use of the military in a free country. These men are
not mercenaries, but are useful and honorable citizens and members of
society. They have a good record, and the history of the city contains
several conspicuous instances of their gallantry and devotion. In 1837,
when the banks suspended specie payments, they alone prevented a terrible
and destructive riot. In 1849, they promptly suppressed the Astor Place
Riot, which was brought about by a disgraceful attempt on the part of a
band of ruffians to mob the English actor Macready, who was then playing
at the Astor Place Opera House. They prevented a serious riot at the
time of the creation of the Metropolitan Police Force, compelled Mayor
Wood and his partisans to yield obedience to the laws they had sworn to
disregard, and put down the disturbances which afterward occurred. In
1863, when the famous Draft Riots commenced, they were absent from the
city, having been sent to meet Lee at Gettysburg. They were summoned
back by telegraph, and returned in time to take up the battle which had
been for two days so gallantly fought by the police. They made short
work of the mob, and soon restored order. In July, 1871, they were
called on by the City Authorities to protect the Orange Lodges in their
right to parade. An ignorant, brutal mob declared that the parade should
not take place because it was offensive to them, and made preparations to
stop it by force. The Mayor of the city tamely yielded to the threats
and demands of the mob, and forbade the parade. Fortunately for the
credit of the city, fortunately for the moral power of the law, the
Governor of the State revoked the order of the Mayor, and assured the
Orangemen of full protection in their right to parade. The city, which
had rung with indignant cries at the cowardly surrender of the Mayor to
the mob, was now jubilant. The regiments ordered on duty by the Governor
for the protection of the procession responded with alacrity, and came
out with full ranks. The mob, still defiant, still thinking themselves
masters of the situation, made an attack on the procession and its
military escort. The troops submitted in silence, until some of their
number were shot down in the ranks. Then wheeling suddenly, they poured
a fatal volley into the midst of the rioters, who broke and fled in
dismay. There was no further attempt at violence. The lesson was a
useful one, and the effect fully worth the valuable lives that were laid
down in the defence of the law.