Arthur, Chester

As a judge advocate in the New York State Militia, Chester Arthur played an active role in that unit’s reorganization. With the start of the Civil War, the governor appointed him as New York’s acting quartermaster-general (today’s logistical officer) of the State Militia. In January of 1862, Arthur submitted a report detailing the condition of the national forts defending New York harbor. He was promoted to brigadier general and inspected the New York troops at Fredericksberg and on the Chickahominy River. Arthur was called from the Army of the Potomac to serve as secretary for the meeting of the governors of the loyal states. On July 10th of that same year, he was officially appointed to the post of quartermaster-general. Arthur’s annual report stated that in one four-month period, his office in New York had “completely clothed, uniformed, and equipped, supplied with camp and garrison equipage, and transported from this state to the seat of war, sixty-eight regiments of infantry, two battalions of calvary, and four battalions of artillery.” Chester Arthur became the 21st president of the United States in 1881.