New York Guard
The New York Guard is the State Defense Force of New York State, and is one of the four branches of the New York Military Forces, the other three branches being the New York Army National Guard, New York Air National Guard and the New York Naval Militia. Originally called the New York State Militia, it can trace its lineage back to the American Revolution and the War of 1812.
The organization now has a unified command structure, while formerly it contained an Army Division and an Air Division. The missions of the New York Guard include augmentation, assistance, and support of the New York Army National Guard and New York Air National Guard respectively and aide to civil authorities in New York State. New York also has a New York Naval Militia which, with the State Guard and the Army and Air National Guards, is under the command of the Governor of New York, the Adjutant General of New York, and the Division of Military and Naval Affairs.
The New York Guard is one of the largest organized State Defense Forces in the United States. It is historically derived from Revolutionary and Civil War era state military units that were reorganized several times in American history in response to various international and domestic crises.
Organized under the New York State Military Law, both the New York Guard & Naval Militia cannot be federalized at any time, and cannot be deployed outside New York State without the consent of the governor.
Members of the New York Guard are entitled to many of the benefits accorded members of other components of the "Organized Militia of the State of New York", the legal collective term describing the New York Army and Air National Guards, New York Naval Militia and New York Guard. These include military leave for employees of state or local governments and many private employers.
History
The 265th New York State Militia was a small unit of the New York line and could trace its lineage to the War of 1812. The new regiment was given the designation, 14th regiment, which is one of the oldest military organizations in the United States because of its direct lineage through various separate companies, to the militia companies of the Dutch burghers of New Amsterdam.In Sketches of America British author Henry Bradshaw Fearon, who visited the young United States on a fact-finding mission to inform Britons considering emigration, described New York military service as he found it in New York City in August 1817:
Every male inhabitant can be called out, from the age of 18 to 45, on actual military duty. During a state of peace, there are seven musters annually: the fine for non-attendance is, each time, five dollars. Commanding officers have discretionary power to receive substitutes. An instance of their easiness to be pleased was related to me by Mr. —, a tradesman of this city. He never attends the muster, but, to avoid the fine, sends some of his men, who answer to his name; the same man is not invariably his deputy on parade: in this, Mr. — suits his own convenience; sometimes the collecting clerk, sometimes one of the brewers, at others a drayman: and to finish this military pantomime, a firelock is often dispensed with, for the more convenient wartime weapon—a cudgel.
Courts-martial have the power of mitigating the fine, on the assignment of a satisfactory cause of absence, and in cases of poverty. Upon legal exemptions I cannot convey certain information. During a period of three months in the late war, martial law existed, and no substitutes were received. Aliens were not called out.
Civil War era
For more detail, see List of New York Civil War Regiments.Many units of the New York State Militia saw service in the American Civil War, after being activated into federal service by President Abraham Lincoln.
The activation of state militia by President Abraham Lincoln led to some conflict with State authorities in command of the units:
With the advent of the Civil War in April 1861, the 14th regiment saw its first war service in guarding the Brooklyn Navy Yard. By mid-April of that year, the "Brooklyn Chasseurs" were ready to leave New York for Washington D.C. Colonel Alfred Wood advised the Honorable Governor Morgan that the regiment was prepared to march and had accepted a three-year federal enlistment. However, the governor would not issue orders for the regiment to leave New York. While encamped at Fort Greene Park in Brooklyn, Colonel Wood and Congressman Moses O'Dell went to see President Lincoln to secure orders for the regiment to march to Washington. President Lincoln lost no time in issuing those orders to the 14th Brooklyn. When Governor Morgan learned that the regiment was preparing to march, he telegraphed Colonel Wood and inquired "by what authority" did he move his regiment, Colonel Wood coolly replied, "By the authority of the President of the United States."
Following the Civil War, efforts were made to link the varied military units in New York under overall headquarters. As a result of this, the 3rd Brigade, New York State Militia, came into being on August 5, 1886.
New York Guard created, 1917
On 3 August 1917, the Adjutant General of New York, in order to comply with the provisions of the State Constitution requiring that troops be available to the Governor for the protection of life and property of the citizens of New York, organized a State Military Force known as the New York Guard. The new force replaced the New York National Guard, drafted in the service of the United States on 5 August 1917.Additionally, in accordance with Special Orders No. 311, Adjutant General's Office dated 11 December 1917 a Provisional Brigade of the New York Guard was created from existing units, to include a Brigade Headquarters and the 1st and 2nd Provisional Regiments which were ordered to active duty guarding public property. The Headquarters of the Brigade was located at Albany, New York. The 1st Provisional Regiment Headquarters first located at Croton Lake and later at Ossining, New York, had the mission of guarding the water supply of the City of New York, with its territory extending from the northern boundary of the city to include the entire Croton Aqueduct system. The territory assigned to the 2nd Provisional Regiment extended from Troy and Albany across the State to the International Border at Niagara Falls. The Headquarters of the 2nd Provisional Regiment was located in the State Armory, Troy, New York.
During the existence of the Provisional Brigade, a total of 9,960 men were ordered on active duty. Discipline was maintained by enforcement of Articles of War, State Military Law & Regulations. On 1 January 1919, the strength of the NYG was approximately 22,000 officers and men.
After the Armistice was signed and the Federalized New York National Guard units were returned to State status, New York Guard units were deactivated.
New York Guard during WWII
On 25 October 1940, the New York Guard was formally organized to replace Federalized New York National Guard units. The 76th Congress provided the authority for State Guards to be organized as a replacement force for the National Guard in October 1940.The approved organization established a Headquarters, New York Guard, five Brigade Headquarters and twenty Regiments. New York Guard units were distributed so that at least one unit was located in every one of the seventy-four armories in the State.
As New York National Guard units departed for Federal service, New York Guard units were organized and mustered into State service. In 1941, the units were organized and after the first year of existence unit reports indicated the average attendance at armory drills was 83%.
During the period from 1941 to early 1944, the New York Guard was issued individual uniforms and organizational type ordinance and equipment, providing the New York Guard with sufficient support to conduct both weekly home station training and annual training for periods of 10 to 12 days duration. In 1943, the NYG gained a new Commander in LTG Hugh Aloysius Drum,. By 22 February 1944, the New York Guard attained an aggregate strength of 24,722 officers and enlisted men. On 15 June 1944, the New York State Emergency Plan Field Order No. 1 was completed and issued.
On 30 January 1945, the Governor declared a State Emergency caused by extraordinary heavy snow storms and freezing weather, jeopardizing the transportation of fuel and food. The New York Guard was alerted for mobilization under the provisions of Field Order No. 1. The area involved was central and western New York State. The Governor directed the Commanding General New York Guard to order into active service such parts of the New York Guard as necessary to facilitate movement of transportation and supplies. Assigned troops were relieved from active duty on 10–11 February 1945, & 19 February 1945. The Governor, by a Statewide radio broadcast, commended and congratulated the personnel of the New York Guard for their service.
Also during 1945, the State Headquarters initiated plans to reorganize the New York National Guard, effective 1 January 1946. New York Guard units would be used as the basis for this reorganization when directed to do so by the Federal Government, as the New York National Guard was not to return to State status as organized units. During 1945, twelve days of field training was completed.
In 1946, a United States property and fiscal office was established within New York State, which subsequently determined that federal property assigned to the New York Guard would be utilized to equip newly organized National Guard units. During the transition from New York Guard to National Guard, an organization known as the State War Disaster Military Corp was established to be available to the State, to supplement the National Guard in case of domestic disaster or disturbances. The SWDMC consisted of personnel from New York Guard units and lasted a short time and was then deactivated.
On 7 October 1946, an official National Guard troop allotment was accepted, and the New York Guard of World War II was phased out of existence by the reorganization of the National Guard.