Conscription, Charity, and Citizenship in the Early Republic: The Shaker Campaign for Alternative Service

The War of 1812 ignited a fierce debate in New York about the rights, duties, and responsibilities of citizens in wartime. Two counties in the Upper Hudson River Valley (Rensselaer and Columbia) openly revolted against Governor Daniel D. Tompkins's draft of local militiamen. In September 1812,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Church history
Subtitles:Forum on Christian Minorities in the Early American Republic
Main Author: Dorsey, Jennifer Hull 1969- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Cambridge Univ. Press [2016]
In: Church history
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B New York (State) / War of 1812 / Shakers / Military service / Discussion / Geschichte 1812
RelBib Classification:CG Christianity and Politics
KBQ North America
KDG Free church
TJ Modern history
Online Access: Volltext (Verlag)
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Summary:The War of 1812 ignited a fierce debate in New York about the rights, duties, and responsibilities of citizens in wartime. Two counties in the Upper Hudson River Valley (Rensselaer and Columbia) openly revolted against Governor Daniel D. Tompkins's draft of local militiamen. In September 1812, opponents of the war met in a countywide assembly where they declared the federal draft of the New York militia an “assumption of power, unwarranted by the constitution, [and] dangerous to the rights and privileges of the good people of this state.” The assembly further resolved to defy the governor's detachment order, and as a result, less than a third of the 860 militiamen drafted from Columbia and Rensselaer Counties appeared at the designated rendezvous points. Within weeks, the governor convened the first of three courts-martial to prosecute militiamen “who failed, neglected or refused to obey the orders of the commander in Chief of the said State.” As late as 1818, the New York State legislature insisted upon making a “salutary example” of men who “disregard the voice of duty and the requisitions of law.”
ISSN:1755-2613
Contains:Enthalten in: Church history
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1017/S0009640715001389