Governor Edwin Denison Morgan and the Recruitment of the Union Army in New York State

Morgan Prepares for War

In New York, Republican Governor Morgan was moved by economic reasons and preservation of the Union. Immediately after the election of President Lincoln, New York suffered a financial panic due to the secession crisis in the South. Within ten days $3.5 million in gold had moved to the South. Morgan took action through the newspapers and as a director of the Bank of Commerce. The papers reported the move of the Bank of Commerce to take exchange from foreign banks on Western produce. This measure reassured investors and abated the panic.⁽¹⁾ When the State Legislature convened on January 2, 1861, the Governor gave a moderate and conciliatory speech in which he stated that "New York should set the example.... Let her stand in an attitude of hostility to none; but extending the hand of fellowship to all..."⁽²⁾ The Governor felt that in order to create unity in the North and show moderation towards the South, the Northern States should repeal the Personal Liberty Bills that granted trial by jury to fugitive slaves. He believed that this action would bring the States into agreement with the Fugitive Slave clause of the Federal Constitution. The idea was put forth at governors' conference held New York on December 21, 1860 where it found widespread approval, with the exception of Governor Andrew of Massachusetts. It failed to pass in the state legislatures, however, except in Democrat controlled Rhode Island and Vermont, and became a dead issue.⁽³⁾

While working towards a compromise, Morgan also took steps to ensure the readiness of the State in case Civil War became unavoidable. In late January 1861, at the beginning of the 100 day session, the Legislature introduced a bill to appropriate $500,000 for equipping the State Militia. A lack of harmony between the Governor and the Legislature left the bill tabled on February 15. Morgan took what limited action he could, reviewing the State Militia's First Division on Washington's Birthday. Although the State had a Militia of 20,000 men, they only had 8,000 rifles.⁽⁴⁾

The morning after the surrender of Fort Sumter, Governor Morgan decided to act in support of the Union. Members of the Governor's staff met with the Military and Finance committees of both houses of the State Legislature. A four-man committee drafted a bill for the enrollment of 30,000 volunteers and a tax of $2,000,000. Morgans vision for the bill was altered before it went before the legislature. A provision was added to create a Military Board that would share authority with the Governor. The new provision was challenged, but to no avail - the entire act passed on April 16,1861 with $3,000,000 appropriated to equip and enroll 30,000 two-year volunteers, funded in part by the $2,000,000 tax. An expected Federal Government reimbursement secured the remainder of the appropriation. The new Military Board was comprised of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Comptroller, Attorney General, State Engineer, and State Treasurer. The Legislature simultaneously approved Morgan's earlier request for $500,000 to equip the Militia, which was outside the scope of the Military Board's power. The Legislative session ended, leaving the Governor and the Military Board to raise the volunteers.⁽⁵⁾

A power struggle ensued between the Military Board and the Governor to fill Lincoln's first call for troops, made on April 15,1861. As the most populous state, New York was ordered to raise the most men, seventeen regiments worth. In accordance with General Order 13 from Secretary of War Simon Cameron, the volunteers would be organized as companies and approved by the Governor before forming into regiments. The Board wanted the authority to approve companies, and refused to follow Cameron's request. Several days later, the Board partially reversed its own decision after Morgan pointed out that there were three depots of embarkation for the volunteers to Washington. It was improbable that all the members of the Board would be able to leave Albany to review every company. The Board retained the power to form the companies into regiments.

While the political bickering continued, Morgan, on April 16, ordered the Seventh Regiment of the New York State Militia to march to Washington. The following day, three additional Militia Regiments received orders to report to Washington.⁽⁶⁾ The Military Board's influence was limited only to the first quota, but it tried to extend its influence as broadly as possible. Due in part to communication problems and confusion in the War Department, Morgan distributed a proclamation on April 25 calling for 21 additional regiments of two-year volunteers, the remainder of the 30,000 volunteers approved in the Act of April 16. The Governor made the proclamation while communication with Washington was limited and the threat to the city seemed great.

By April 29, New York had sent ten of its seventeen regiment quota to Washington, nine regiments of State Militia and one volunteer regiment, Colonel Elmer Ellsworth's "Fire Zouaves." Secretary Cameron telegraphed that the immediate danger had passed and that no further call for troops would be made. With this news, the Governor started countermanding marching orders and suspended the call for the additional regiments. The suspension of recruiting caused a public outcry, and Morgan was unsure whether the Federal Government would accept additional troops. On May 1, acting on the orders of the Military Board, the State Attorney General offered Secretary Cameron New York's proposed 38 regiments instead of the seventeen in the original quota. The Military Board had overlooked the one volunteer and nine Militia regiments already in Federal service. Cameron accepted the offer for 38 new regiments on May 3, the same day the President issued a second quota to New York State for 42,000 three-year men. Morgan now had raise 37 regiments instead of the original seventeen, not including the 42,000 men from Lincoln's new call. Once the first call was filled, the Military Board was no longer a threat. Dealing with the War Department, however, was more difficult.⁽⁷⁾

1. James A. Rawley, Edwin D. Morgan 1811-1883 Merchant in Politics ( New York, 1955), 120-121.

2. Ibid., 123.

3. Ibid., 124-25.

4. Ibid., 130-31.

5. Ibid., 134-35.

6. Ibid., 136-37.

7. Ibid., 140-42.

Confusion in the War Department

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