New York Guard
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The New York Guard is the name of the State Defense Force of New York State. Now with a unified command structure, until June 2006 it contained an Army Division and an Air Division. The mission of the New York Guard is to augment, assist and support the New York Army National Guard and New York Air National Guard respectively and 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 and New York's Division of Military and Naval Affairs. The New York State Guard is one of the largest and best organized State Guards in the United States and 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.
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[edit] Civil War Era
For more detail, see List of New York Civil War Regiments
Many units of New York State militia saw service in the American Civil War, after being activated into Federal service by President Abraham Lincoln.
[edit] Chain of Command
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 Edwin Morgan Governor of New York 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."[1]
[edit] 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.
On January 1, 1919, the Guard numbered 22,000 in active service. After the Armistice Federalized New York National Guard Units were returned to State control.
[edit] New York Guard, 1940
With the advent of World War II, New York National Guard units were Federalized and the New York Guard was created for service to the State.[2]
[edit] New York Guard, 2001
The New York Guard, experienced a resurgence after the September 11, 2001 attacks. The organizational structure now includes Air Guard units in addition to Army Guard units.
