Guide to the Records of the New Jersey Militia, Second Regiment 1814-1815 MG 635

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Descriptive Summary
Historical Note
Scope and Content Note
Arrangement
Restrictions
Access Points
Related Material
Administrative Information
Bibliography

Series Descriptions and Container List

Series 1: Muster Rolls, 1814

Series 2: Financial Records, 1814-1815


Guide to the Records of the New Jersey Militia, Second Regiment
1814-1815
MG 635
The New Jersey Historical Society
52 Park Place
Newark, New Jersey 07102
Contact: NJHS Library
(973) 596-8500 x249
library@jerseyhistory.org
https://www.jerseyhistory.org
© 2004 All rights reserved.
The New Jersey Historical Society, Publisher
Inventory prepared by Stephen Yautz as part of the “Farm to City” project funded by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

Finding aid encoded by Danielle Kovacs. September 2003. Production of the EAD 2002 version of this finding aid was made possible by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Finding aid written in English.


Descriptive Summary

Creator: New Jersey Militia, Second Regiment
Title: New Jersey Militia, Second Regiment Records
Dates: 1814-1815
Abstract: This collection contains the records of the Second Regiment of the New Jersey Militia from the years 1814 to 1815, including muster rolls, pay rolls, receipt rolls, and other financial records pertaining to the regiment.
Quantity: 0.08 linear feet (61 items)
Collection Number: MG 635

Historical Note

The Second Regiment (Infantry) of Brigadier General William Colfax’s brigade of the New Jersey Militia was mustered into service in September 1814. Until December 1814, the Second Regiment was a detached militia unit in service of the United States in its war effort against Great Britain during the War of 1812. The Second Regiment was stationed in Paulus Hook, New Jersey (now Jersey City, New Jersey).

Hostilities between the two nations were at a stalemate by 1814, however, Great Britain went on the offensive when it attacked and burned Washington, DC that summer. Fearful of a subsequent attack on New Jersey by the British, Governor William Pennington called out the state militia.

Especially important to the country’s protection was to hold key geographical positions throughout New Jersey, such as Sandy Hook, which protected the entrance to New York’s harbor. Since British warships were sighted maneuvering off the New Jersey coast, a portion of the Second Regiment was reassigned to Sandy Hook as the year 1814 drew to a close.

Upon the return of peace between the United States and Great Britain in 1815, the Second Regiment, along with other militia units, was mustered out of service.

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Scope and Content Note

This collection contains the records of the Second Regiment of the New Jersey Militia from the years 1814 to 1815, including muster rolls, pay rolls, receipt rolls, and other financial records pertaining to the regiment.

The commanding officers of the regiment that are mentioned in the records are John Seward (Lieutenant Colonel), John Anderson (Major), Jonathan Brown (Major), and Benjamin Rosenkrans (Major).

The company commanders within the regiment that are mentioned in the records (all with the rank of captain) are George Beardslee, Joseph Budd, Benjamin Coleman, John Darcy, William Dunn, Daniel Kilburn, Vancleve Moore, Robert Perrine, Alexander Reading, Charles South, William Swayze, Thomas Teasdale, William Vliet, and Abraham Webb.

Other officers mentioned in the records are Hampton Dunham (Surgeon), David Heath (Ensign), John Hull (Ensign), Peter Measurrall (Ensign), Benjamin Ogden (Lieutenant), Reuben Randolph (Ensign), Samuel Roub (Ensign), Ebenezer Smith (Adjutant), Moses Stiles (Lieutenant), Safety Stout (Ensign), David Thompson (Paymaster), and Silas Young (Lieutenant).

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Arrangement

The records are divided into two series:

Series 1: Muster Rolls, 1814

Series 2: Financial Records, 1814-1815

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on this collection.

Photocopying of materials is limited and no materials may be photocopied without permission from library staff.

Use Restrictions

Researchers wishing to publish, reproduce, or reprint materials from this collection must obtain permission.

The New Jersey Historical Society complies with the copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code), which governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions and protects unpublished materials as well as published materials.

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Access Points

The entries below represent persons, organizations, topics, and forms documented in this collection.
Subject Names:
Colfax, William, 1756-1838.
Darcy, John S. (John Stevens), 1788-1863.
Kearny, Lawrence, 1789-1868.
Pennington, William S. (William Sandford), 1757-1826.
Scott, John M., d. 1839.
Vroom, Peter Dumont, 1791-1873.
Subject Organizations:
New Jersey–Militia–Essex Brigade.
Subject Places:
New Jersey–History–War of 1812.
New York Harbor (N.Y. and N.J.)
United States–History–War of 1812.
Washington (D.C.)–History–Capture by the British, 1814.
Document Types:
Military records.
Muster rolls.
Payrolls.

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Related Material

For an abridged version of the records in this collection, see:

Records of Officers and Men of New Jersey in Wars 1791-1815. Trenton, New Jersey: State Gazette Publishing Co., 1909.

For collections related to the War of 1812 and New Jersey, see:

Manuscript Group 57, Lawrence Kearny Papers

Manuscript Group 234, William S. Pennington Papers

Manuscript Group 246, Essex Brigade of Militia Records

Manuscript Group 947, Morris County Brigade, New Jersey Militia Records

For collections related to soldiers (listed after entry) in the Second Regiment, see:

Manuscript Group 20, Peter D. Vroom Papers (John Darcy)

Manuscript Group 1202, Stiles Family Papers (Moses Stiles)

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

This collection should be cited as: Manuscript Group 635, New Jersey Militia, Second Regiment Records, The New Jersey Historical Society.

Acquisition Information

This collection was donated to The New Jersey Historical Society by Dr. Lawrence M. Thompson on June 26, 1965.

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Bibliography

Records of Officers and Men of New Jersey in Wars 1791-1815. Trenton, New Jersey: State Gazette Publishing Co., 1909.

Strum, Harvey. “New Jersey Politics & The War of 1812,” New Jersey History, volume 105, numbers 3-4.

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Series Descriptions and Container List

Series 1: Muster Rolls, 1814

Scope and Content:

This series consists of company muster rolls raised by each commander for the last quarter of the year 1814. The muster rolls are arranged chronologically, using the dates that each document was certified. Within each date, the muster rolls are in alphabetical order by company commander.

Box Folder Title Date
1 1 Muster Rolls 1814 Nov 8
1 2 Muster Rolls 1814 Nov 9
1 3 Muster Rolls 1814 Nov 24
1 4 Muster Rolls 1814 Nov 26

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Series 2: Financial Records, 1814-1815

Scope and Content:

This series contains pay rolls, receipt rolls, subsistence account receipts, and account statements for the regiment. The pay rolls, receipt rolls, and subsistence account receipts date from 1814, and are arranged chronologically. Within each date, the documents are arranged alphabetically by company commander. The account statements for the regiment, spanning the years 1814 to 1815, are in chronological order.

Box Folder Title Date
1 5 Pay Rolls 1814 Dec 4-1814 Dec10
1 6 Receipt Rolls 1814 Dec 4-1814 Dec 10
1 7 Subsistence Account Receipts 1814 Dec 7-1814 Dec 10
1 8 Account Statements 1814-1815

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