Queens County, New York
in the Civil War

The following is taken from Third Annual Report of the Bureau of Military Statistics of the State of New York, Albany: [The Bureau], (C. Wendell), 1866.

The people of Queens county, in common with the other inhabitants of this noble State, were suddenly roused from their usual quiet and repose by the insult offered by the rebels to the flag of the Union. And when the, call for 75,000 men was made by the President, they promptly and with great unanimity responded to the call. Nor did this patriotic action on their part slacken or grow cold during any period of the long and stubborn struggle for the maintenance of the Government and the preservation of the Union. Neither men nor money were wanting, to make good the demands of war. And in every way and at all times that a generous and effective support could be given to the repeated appeals for men on the part of the Government, Queens county was ever found ready. With an agricultural population of 58,000, and an assessment roll of $21,500,000, it had both the men and the means, with the loyalty to Vender them effective, in the common defense. In order to accomplish the work allotted to the share of its people, the county, the towns, and individuals freely contributed a portion of their wealth to place the soldiers promptly in the field. All seemed desirous to prevent a draft, and that united sentiment furnished the means to make good its demands. All were volunteers that went forth from the county to do battle for the country. By the aid of societies, in which the ladies of the county were ever foremost, liberal provision was made for the sick and wounded soldiers, and for the families of those who had gone from home at the call of their country. Large sums besides were collected and transmitted, in money and materials, to the great fairs held in the cities of New York and Brooklyn, for the use of the Sanitary Commission. And in most of the towns of the county, adequate provision was made at their annual town meetings for the wives and children of the soldiers. All that a free and prosperous community could do to support the Government in its vital conflict, and to assuage the hardships and sufferings of war, was done by the citizens of Queens county, thus furnishing to the general and noble record of this great and loyal State its full share and proportion of the men and the money re-quired for the public defense, and the final and complete extinction of the rebellion. The amount contributed and paid for filling the quotas on all calls for troops during the war, by the county and towns of Queens, is $1,731,109. The number of volunteers can-not just now be precisely given.

The following tables are taken from Fourth Annual Report of the Bureau of Military Statistics of the State of New York, Albany: Week, Parsons & Co., 1867.
Thank you to Paul Stambach for transcribing this information.

See also The Communites of New York in the Civil War

Back to the New York Counties in the Civil War Main Page