New York State Governor Edwin Morgan Abstracts of Vouchers Certified by the Governor

Arranged by type of account and therein chronological by date of voucher.

This volume contains abstracts of vouchers submitted to and certified by the Governor's Office between May 1861 and December 1862. The abstracts deal with the following five distinct accounts.

Vouchers authorized by Chapter 277, Laws of 1861: The bulk of the series deals with these vouchers. This act appropriated three million dollars in order to raise and equip 30,000 men to be mustered into federal service. The act also created a military board, of which the governor was a member, that was responsible for all expenditures necessary to arm, supply, and equip the troops raised. Each entry provides date, voucher number (usually), description, and amount. For the most part the vouchers usually pertain to rations, bedding, eating utensils, uniforms, arms, equipment, accoutrements, and transportation costs incurred under the initial mobilization. The abstracts date from May 2, 1861 through December 13, 1862.

Vouchers authorized by Chapter 292, Laws of 1861: This statute, passed two days later than Chapter 277, appropriated an additional $500,000 in order to provide arms and equipment to the state's Militia. Expenditures made pursuant to this act could be paid only upon the certificate of the governor, lieutenant governor and comptroller. Each abstract provides date, voucher number (usually), description, and amount. Examples of expenditures made include the purchase of Enfield rifles, swords, cartridges, fuses, primers, artillery shells, powder, and expenses incurred in testing cannon and powder. The abstracts date from January 7 through December 29, 1862.

Vouchers authorized by Chapter 458, Laws of 1862: This general appropriations statute appropriated $30,000 for the transportation, care, and hospital supplies for sick and wounded soldiers from New York State for which no provisions had been made by the federal government, as well as for the removal of the remains of officers slain in battle. Expenditures could be paid only after they were certified by the governor. Each abstract provides date, voucher number (usually), description, and amount. The abstracts date from May 29, 1862 through December 31, 1862.

Vouchers authorized by General Orders #78, 1861: The fourth set of abstracts concerns vouchers turned over, for the most part, by the state's Quartermaster General's Office to the federal government for payment. The vouchers deal with expenses incurred in the organization, transportation, subsistence, and quartering of an additional 25,000 troops requested by President Lincoln on July 25, 1861. The bulk of these abstracts deal with expenses involving the operation and maintenance of the rendevous camp at New York City. The abstracts provide date, voucher number (occasionally), description, and amount.

Vouchers pretaining to the New York State Militia: The final set of abstracts deals with vouchers certified by Governor Edwin Morgan for expenses incurred by the state's officers, clerks, messengers, aides-de-camp, secretaries, and other personnel in the military bureaucracy. The abstracts date from July 2, 1862 through December 31, 1862. Each abstract provides date, voucher number, description, and amount.

Table of Contents and Accounts.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.