New York Militia and Opposition to the War of 1812

Abstract

New York Militia and Opposition to the War of 1812 Harvey Strum (bio) The response of the New York militia to the War of 1812 reflected the widespread opposition in New York to the war. Seven of New York's ten Republican Congressmen and one of its Senators voted against war. Of course, the Federalist members of the House delegation rejected the war as unnecessary and a threat to the safety of the people of New York. When Republican Governor Daniel Tompkins proposed loaning the federal government $500,000 to prosecute the war the Federalist-controlled Assembly blocked him. Over the course of the war, 4,000 militiamen were fined for refusing to show up for service. Historians of the War of 1812 have not emphasized the anti-war sentiment in New York and how it affected the performance of the militia during the war; instead, they stressed the anti-war sentiment in New England. The response of New York's militia, for example, at the battle of Queenston, reflected, in part, the deep divisions the war created in New York and the politicization of the state's militia. Mutual antagonism between Federalists and Republicans prevented effective use of the militia during most of the war. Predominantly Federalist militia units in the upper Hudson Valley and elsewhere refused to heed the callups of the pro-war Republican Governor Daniel Tompkins. During the War of 1812, counties dominated by Federalists tended to defy militia callups. Federalist political leaders and editors repeatedly opposed the invasion of Canada and encouraged the militia to resist calls to cross the border as both unconstitutional and a violation of the rights of New Yorkers. Militia officer appointments were not made based on skills, military training or military experience, but were political. Prominent individuals in towns and counties won their appointments due to their political and social prominence and political connections, which further exacerbated partisanship in the militia. When the Federalists won majorities in the Assembly in 1809, 1812, and 1813 it gave them partial control over the Council of Appointment; this allowed the Federalists to influence militia appointments and civil offices, such as New York City mayor, in 1810, 1813, and 1814. In other years the Republicans controlled militia and civil appointments. Partisanship, rather than unity in wartime, played a key [End Page 114] role in officer appointments. When the Federalists controlled the Council of Appointment Governor Tompkins refused to assign Federalists to official duty or to command positions, instead selecting Republicans when he had the option of selecting someone of the "correct" political persuasion. Historians John and Kathleen Kutolowski, in their analysis of the militia in Genesee County, found that the local militia became a fertile ground for political communication and partisan political activity. Officers won appointments to their positions due to political connections and used their positions to influence the political loyalties of the enlisted men under their command. In some parts of western New York, like Genesee County, enlisted militiamen brought a tradition from New England of electing their non-commissioned officers, lieutenants, and captains. This enhanced electioneering and partisanship for militia appointments and in parts of western New York created another level of political conflicts between elected and appointed officers further raising the question of political loyalties and partisanship in the militia. Under the New York state constitution, the militia was a defensive force, and militiamen did not have to participate in offensive operations requiring an invasion of Canada. Men serving in the militia expected to protect their families, their communities, and New York, and did not expect to invade Canada. Throughout the war Federalists hammered away at this point, and repeatedly discouraged militiamen, Federalists and Republicans, from engaging in offensive operations. Similarly, men in the New Jersey militia expected assignments within the Garden State and did not relish orders to serve outside of the state. Some men refused orders to go to Fort Richmond on Staten Island. Men in the militia, whether in New York or in New Jersey, expected to protect their communities and states from invasion, not to cross state or international borders. In counties dominated by the Republicans the militia would usually volunteer or heed the governor's...