71st New York State Volunteers
| 71st Infantry Regiment | |
|---|---|
Coat of arms
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| Active | 1850–present |
| Country |
 United States
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| Branch | New York Army National Guard |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | Battalion |
| Garrison/HQ | New York City |
| Nickname(s) | "The American Guard" |
| Motto(s) | "Pro aris et pro focis" |
| March | The Gallant Seventy-First |
| Engagements | |
| U.S. Infantry Regiments | |
|---|---|
| Previous | Next |
| 70th Infantry Regiment | 74th Infantry Regiment |
The 71st Infantry Regiment is an organization of the New York State Guard. Formerly, the 71st Infantry was a regiment of the New York State Militia and then the Army National Guard from 1850 to 1993. The regiment was not renumbered during the 1918 national reorganization, and never received a National Guard number.
In the fall of 1849, the Order of United Americans, related to the Know Nothing Party, held a meeting to organize a "distinctively American regiment."
The 71st New York was formed on October 23, 1850 and was called "The American Rifles" and later "The American Guard." Originally, the founders, J.M. Parker, Hamilton W. Fish, Sr, Hamilton W. Fish, Jr. and William Kellock, had political links to the Know-Nothing Party. Initially there were six companies recruited. One officer in A Company, Captain Parker, resigned after hearing a "foreigner" paraded with the "American Rifles."
In Spring 1852, the American Rifles had eight companies, enough to be enrolled as a regiment of the state militia, and were assigned the regimental number of 71st. Its first commander was Colonel Abraham S. Vosburgh, previously its quartermaster. Vosburgh would remain commanding officer until his death on May 20, 1861. Henry P. Martin, previously adjutant, became lieutenant colonel in 1854. He would remain with the 71st through the first years of the Civil War. Its arsenal was located at Seventh Avenue and 35th Street.
The regiment became the "American Guard" in 1853 when their Ogden long rifles were replaced with muskets, which could carry bayonets. These, in turn, were replaced with Minie rifles in 1857.
On July 4, 1857, the regiment, along with the seventh New York, served as riot control personnel during the riots in the Sixth Ward between the Dead Rabbits and the Bowery Boys. During this action, Dead Rabbit leader Mickey Free was killed and the regiment captured an 8-lb howitzer from the rioters. The regiment was called into action again during the quarantine riot of September 1858 in Staten Island.
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Wikipedia