Veteran Corps of Artillery and Military Society of the War of 1812 records
Call Number
Date
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
The collection primarily holds scrapbooks documenting activities of the Veteran Corps of Artillery and Military Society of the War of 1812 from the 1890s to about 1921, with some earlier and later material; the enrollment and involvement of volunteers recruited by the Corps and Society for civil defense on the homefront during World War I; and lists and descriptions of the military service of the original members.
Biographical / Historical
The Veteran Corps of Artillery (more fully known as the Veterans Corps of Artillery, State of New York, or VCASNY) was formed in 1790 by veterans of the Continental Army after the Revolutionary War. It became an active militia and as such participated in the War of 1812. Subsequent to that war, a separate organization of veterans was formed, the Military Society of the War of 1812. The Corps and the Society (as the documents in the collection commonly refer to them) merged in 1848.
It appears that in 1848 and for some decades afterward neither organization was incorporated and their merger was more a practical one of administrative and membership convenience, as both organizations retained their identities and separate membership qualifications. In the 1890s, there appears to have begun an effort, credited to Asa Bird Gardiner, to revitalize the organization, and the fact that so much of the present collection originates in that timeframe can likely be attributed to that revitalization.
In 1892, the organization incorporated under the name Military Society of the War of 1812. Still, both the Corps and the Society retained separate identities, roles, and membership qualifications. Those separate identities have persisted down to the present, and may have intensified, as reflected in the separate websites of the Corps and the Society. The ambiguities are reflected in the collection as many documents, which date principally from the 1890s to about 1920, can include one or the other name, or both. A 2013 history of the organization, available at N-YHS, refers in its title to this relationship as "Veteran Corps of Artillery constituting the Military Society of the War of 1812."
(The above note was based largely on the content of the two organizations' websites: http://www.vcasny.org/ and https://www.militarysocietyofthewarof1812.com/.)
Arrangement
The collection is organized in three series:
Series I. World War I Service, 1917-1920
Series II. Member Lists and Related Documents, 1878-1932
Series III. Scrapbooks, 1880s-1946
Most of the scrapbooks and other volumes in the collection had no title and so were given a unique identifier (e.g., SN-1, SN-2) by the processing archivists as they were found on the shelves. These identifiers are intended only to facilitate reference and are not indicative of any overall numbering scheme found in the collection itself.
Scope and Contents
The collection primarily holds scrapbooks documenting activities of the Veteran Corps of Artillery and Military Society of the War of 1812 from the 1890s to about 1921, with some earlier and later material; the enrollment and involvement of volunteers recruited by the Corps and Society for civil defense on the homefront during World War I; and lists and descriptions of the military service of the original members.
Subjects
Topics
Access Restrictions
Materials in this collection are stored offsite. For more information on making arrangements to consult them, please visit www.nyhistory.org/library/visit.
Use Restrictions
Taking images of documents from the library collections for reference purposes by using hand-held cameras and in accordance with the library's photography guidelines is encouraged. As an alternative, patrons may request up to 20 images per day from staff.
Application to use images from this collection for publication should be made in writing to: Department of Rights and Reproductions, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024-5194, rightsandrepro@nyhistory.org. Phone: (212) 873-3400 ext. 282.
Copyrights and other proprietary rights may subsist in individuals and entities other than the New-York Historical Society, in which case the patron is responsible for securing permission from those parties. For fuller information about rights and reproductions from N-YHS visit: https://www.nyhistory.org/about/rights-reproductions
Preferred Citation
The collection should be cited as: Veteran Corps of Artillery and Military Society of the War of 1812 records, MS 3120, New-York Historical Society.
Location of Materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of the Veteran Corps of Artillery, March 29, 1950
About this Guide
Processing Information
In 2020, project archivist Elise Winks surveyed the collection, flagged the volumes with unique identifiers, and did baseline description. In March 2022, the collection was more fully inventoried and processed to a minimal extent by archivist Larry Weimer.
Repository
Series I. World War I Service, 1917-1920, inclusive
Scope and Contents
The series includes records related to the Corps and Society's participation in the war effort during World War I. A scrapbook in the series provides context for this, which included the enrollment of volunteers for civil defense on the homefront, initially expected to be related to anti-aircraft artillery, but which evolved into patrolling and safeguarding water supplies outside New York City. The series holds the enrollment applications submitted by the volunteers, lists of the enrollees and other members who served in the national military branches and National Guard, and related documents.
This series relates only to those volunteers who joined the Corps and Society in connection with its World War I recruitment initiative. Information about historic and regular members of the organization is found in the other series.
Arrangement
The series is arranged by format.
Scrapbook of World War I service-related clippings, 1917, inclusive
Scope and Contents
This scrapbook holds clippings related to World War I and to the Veteran Corps' participation in civil defense on the homefront during the war. It provides context for the other documents in this series. See also scrapbook SN-2 in Series III, which includes related documents.
Enlistment rolls. Applicants A-R, 1917, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Paperwork for individual applicants requesting admission/enrollment to the Artillery Service Detachment of the VCA during summer/fall 1917 in connection with the U.S. entry into World War I.
Enlistment rolls. Applicants S-Z, 1917, inclusive
Service-related charts and blueprint (RESTRICTION), circa 1917, inclusive
Scope and Contents
3 rolled graphics related to service in the World War I period: Charts of "Service history, 1917-1918" of the Veteran Corps of Artillery and Military Society of the War of 1812 (2 copies); and blueprint of Camp Delafield (1917). RESTRICTION: The blueprint is brittle and torn and requires special handling by conservation staff to unroll before use.
Enrollment lists, 1916-1918, inclusive
Scope and Contents
2 enrollment lists (2 copies of each) of members serving in the military in the World War I period: 1) members who served in the Veteran Corps of Artillery Service Regiment and 2) members who served in U.S. military forces other than the VCA's Service Regiment.
Cards re: service records, circa 1917-1920, inclusive
Scope and Contents
This box holds several bundles of index cards and postcards with the service records (and some contact information) of members for the World War I period.
Series II. Member Lists and Related Documents, 1878-1932, inclusive
Scope and Contents
The series includes information about the original members of the Corps and Society, compiled likely in the early 20th century, and some related membership records from the late 19th and early 20th century. The container list provides specifics about the content.
Arrangement
The series is arranged by format and subject.
List of original members, undated, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Alphabetical manuscript list of names of original members of the Veteran Corps of Artillery and Society of the War of 1812, giving dates of birth and death, and description of service. Compiled by member Asa Bird Gardiner. Date of compilation is unknown, but indications from the documents are that it was likely no earlier than the 1890s and no later than circa 1916.
Roster for 1790-1812, undated, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Typed "Roster of the commandants and vice commandants and staff of the Veteran Corps of Artillery of the State of New York, 1790-1812." Chronological list with names and detailed description of service record.
Affidavits of recollections, 1893, 1897, inclusive
Scope and Contents
2 notarized statements of recollections about the organization by Colonel Charles Barclay Tappen and by Captain Joseph Kimber Terry (2 copies).
Letters from members, 1878, 1894, inclusive
Scope and Contents
3 letters from members: 2 sending regrets with some commentary that they were unable to attend the July 4 celebration (1878) and one acknowledging a gift of a cross (1894).
Hiram Cronk pension, etc., 1904-1905, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Letters and related documents concerning the New York State legislature's bill granting War of 1812 veteran Hiram Cronk a pension, and arrangements for Cronk's burial at Cypress Hill Cemetery in Brooklyn. Cronk was believed to be the last surviving veteran of the War of 1812 and so articles and other documents related to his final years and death are found in some of the scrapbooks as well.
Letters; Application, 1911, 1931-1932, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Folder holds the 1911 application for membership of DeWitt Clinton Falls; typed letter signed by Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt thanking the Corps for providing an escort at his inaugural ball (1931); typed letter signed by U.S. Vice President Charles Curtis acknowledging receipt of an unidentified resolution from the Corps to be forwarded to the Senate (1932); and letter from the Commission Chairman thanking the Corps for their participation in the parade and ceremonies for the 200th anniversary of the birth of George Washington (1932).
Hereditary member list and expenses paid, 1890s, inclusive
Scope and Contents
A volume, mostly blank, that holds lists of hereditary members elected in 1892, with some related notations, and list of expenses/bills paid circa 1895.
"Register of the Society of the War of 1812 in the State of New York", 1892-1902, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Appears to be a list of all Society members, historic and then current, first compiled in 1892 by then-Treasurer Gouverneur Mather Smith and maintained by him through his resignation in early 1896, then maintained by others to 1902. The register includes names, addresses, admitted date, and record of dues paid from 1892-1902. Because the register is labeled with the name Society of the War of 1812, it is unclear if it includes Veteran Corps data.
Journal of dues received and bills paid, 1896-1909, inclusive
Scope and Contents
The journal is labeled with the name Society of the War of 1812, so it is unclear if it includes Veteran Corps data.
Series III. Scrapbooks, 1880s-1946, inclusive
Scope and Contents
The series primarily consists of various types of documents retained in scrapbook form. Overall, the scrapbooks trace the activities of the organization from the 1890s to about 1921, though there are some earlier and later documents.
The bulk of the scrapbooks include a mix of orders, notices, announcements, circulars, newspaper clippings, programs, dress regulations for inspection or events, etc. Orders in the scrapbooks were issued by Corps headquarters or by particular offices, such as the Office of the Secretary or Office of the Commissary. Many of these documents relate to the "annual mess dinner" of the organization (the dinner menus are in the books). The Corps participation in various ceremonial events are also well-represented, for example, at the dedication of the Saratoga Battle Monument, an Evacuation Day parade, and the inauguration of William Sulzer as New York governor.
Two of the scrapbooks primarily relate to governance of the organization and hold minutes of the meetings of the Council of Administration of the Corps and Society. One scrapbook, apparently compiled by member Howland Pell, holds many original photographs and other pictorial works. A small number of related loose items that likely either fell out of the scrapbooks or were too large for them are included in the series.
Arrangement
The series is arranged with the two scrapbooks of minutes first, followed by eight general scrapbooks related to dinners, events, etc. The series closes with the pictorial scrapbooks and miscellaneous other related documents.
Minutes, reports, etc., 1904-1911, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Primarily holds Council meeting minutes, committee reports, treasurer reports, and other governance documents, as well as letters, orders, inspection announcements, clippings, etc.
Minutes, 1917-1921, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Holds minutes of the Council and of the annual membership meeting.
Events, dinners, inspections, etc., 1893-1915, inclusive
Events, dinners, inspections, etc., 1897-1913, inclusive
Events, dinners, inspections, etc., 1908-1912, inclusive
Events, dinners, inspections, etc., 1912-1914, inclusive
Events, dinners, inspections, etc., 1914-1916, inclusive
Events, dinners, inspections, etc., 1914-1918, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Among other subjects, this volume holds documents other than clippings concerning the Corps' World War I service.
Events, dinners, inspections, etc., 1916-1920, inclusive
Events, dinners, inspections, etc., 1917-1920, inclusive
Photographs & pictorials, 1880s-circa 1936, inclusive
Scope and Contents
This volume differs from the bulk of the scrapbooks in the series in two respects: 1) it is heavily pictorial with many original photographs (there are few if any original photos elsewhere in the collection) and an emphasis in the clippings on pictures rather than text, and 2) there is an overall emphasis on individuals in the organization (e.g., portraits, camps, the members' "ladies," etc.) rather than on the activities of the organization as a whole. The volume was likely compiled by a member, Howland Pell, as indicated by, among other things, letters in the volume addressed to him. Among the photographs is a striking one of a celebration on Wall Street at the surrender of Germany in World War I.
Miscellaneous clippings, 1895-1946, inclusive
Scope and Contents
This volume holds mostly clippings and differs from the other scrapbooks in the collection in that it has no perceptible focus. Its date range is long, but there are sizable gaps and is not comprehensive. Unlike the rest of the collection, the clippings extend into the 1940s. Much of the volume consists of obituaries, presumably of members. Other clippings, and some ephemera, relate to the annual dinners and other events.
Printed material, 1845-1917, inclusive
Scope and Contents
4 items: 1845 published booklet of the "Muster roll of citizen soldiers at North Point and Fort McHenry, September 12 & 13, 1814"; Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Day exercises in Manhattan, program booklets for 1903, 1904, and 1907; and an undated handbill with the memorial exercises at the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument.
Training camp cartoon strip, 1930, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Rolled item: a series of cartoon panels drawn by George Wornerspoon about Camp Lummis in Saugerties, N.Y.
Register of periodicals, undated, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Copypress letterbook with blank, unused pages. Index at front was used as an alphabetical record of newspapers with numerical notations, for an unidentified purpose. The book was found with the collection when inventoried in 2022, but it is not evident that it was originally part of the collection.