Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1896-08-19
NEW YORK IN THE REVOLUTION.
The Part Taken by What Was Not Then
the Empire State.


the Empire State.
The population of the state of New
York at the breaking out of the Rev
dictionary war was less than $780,
900, and New York was sixth on the
list of states in respect of popula-
ton, Virginia being first with more
than 700 inhabitants, Pennsyl-
vania second, North Carolina third,
Massachusetts fourth and Maryland
fifth. After New York came South
Carolina, then Connecticut, with
New Jersey not very far behind.
Not only was New York preoluded
by the sparseness of it's population
from participating very actively in
the patriotic uprising, but other con-
ditions were also adverse to such a
course. The city of New York, the
main city of the New York colony,
was Tory in it's sympathies, and the
population of the colony was distrib-
uted along the Hudson river, the
western part of the state, remote
from the interference of the British
ships, being huge forest. Neverthe-
less and despite these disadvantages
2,075 American patriot soldiers were
enlisted in New York for service in
the war, Virginia's quota at the be-
ginning of hostilities in 1875 being
$780, North Carolina 1900 and
Georgia's 1000 The two states
which came forward most actively
with volunteer soldiers after the fir
ing of the shot at Lexington (which
was heard all around the world"
were Massachusetts with 1000
troops and South Carolina with
1000. Pennsylvania at the begin
ming of the war was very tardy in
coming forward. 1t Jagged behind
the other colonies with less than 500
recruits.
A short time ago request for the
loan of the Revolutionary muster
of New York state was made by
the Washington war department
through Governor Morton to the
state board of regents and was re-
fused. The request was made by
Lieutenant Colonel Ainsworth, who
has charge of collecting Revolution
airy data for the national govern
ment, and was referred to the re-
gents, because they are oustodians of
the states Revolutionary records.
The regents agreed to allow Lieuten-
ant Colonel Ainsworth access to
these muster rolls if he would send
corps of persons to Albany to copy
them. The regents of the New York
university are, by law passed in
1914, not only the oustodians of the
state library, but of the state mu-
scum as well, and upon them de-
ponds the protection of the states
archives.
In the second year of the Revolu-
tionary war New York's addition to
the quota of troops was 5000, and
in all there were 35, 900 enlistments
in New York. One of the most i'm
portant battles of the war of the
Revolution, the battle of Saratoga,
in October, 1777. was fought within
the boundaries of New York, and
ten days later Bu1goyne's surrender
took place at Saratoga. From that
time on much of the fighting was
done in New York, and the New
York soldiers took very active
part. The eliminating scenes of the
war, however, were in Virginia rath-
er than in New, York, and in the
subsequent legislative proceedings
taken to found the republic on a
firm basis and provide for the presi-
dential sucoe sion New York took
much less active part than either
Virginia, Massachusetts or Penn
sylvania. Several New York men,
however, distinguished themselves
as commanders in the Revolutionary
army. and before the next succeed
ing foreign war, that of 1912, New
York, with a population of 1000, 900,
stood first among the states, posi-
tion of supremacy it has never lost
Eince.-New York Sun.