The Veteran Corps of Artillery (VCA or VCASNY) is an active federally-and state-recognized military command established as an independent artillery unit in 1790 at New York by veterans of the Continental Corps of Artillery. It is the oldest military unit in New York State and one of the oldest in the United States. In 1848, it consolidated with the Military Society of the War of 1812 (formed in 1826 by American veterans of the War of 1812).

The Veteran Corps of Artillery was mustered into federal service for three months in September 1814 and attached to the 3d New York Artillery Regiment. During World War I, the corps offered its services as a home guard to the governor of New York.

The Militia Acts of 1792, 1903 and 1908, Revised US Statutes in the 1870s, National Defense Acts of 1916 and 1956, the Volunteer Act of 1914, 10 US Code 311, three separate New York State statutes, and a Supreme Court decision (Maryland for the Use of Levin) combine to impart both federal and state status to the VCASNY. It is considered a Reserve unit of the United States Army, although it may be called to active duty as part of the US Army, Army National Guard or New York State Guard depending on the circumstances of its activation.

Membership In 1917, the Veteran Corps of Artillery regulations for membership were amended. Today, in order to apply for the Corps, prospective members must be a U.S. citizen and be 18 years of age or older. Additionally, while prior military service is not a condition for membership, those with prior or active service enter as privates regardless of previous or current rank. In spite of the name, the corps is not a veterans' organization like The American Legion or the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S.

Background At the time of the American Revolution, the British Colonies in North America did not have a regular standing army. Instead the colonies depended on an independent militia made up mostly of civilian farmers, with few weapons and controlled by the individual colony.The American Revolution: First War for Independence GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved August 29, 2014. While the Continental Congress established a regular army in June 1775, this was more of a formality rather than a reality. In 1776 George Washington wrote "I am wearied to death all day with a variety of perplexing circumstances, disturbed at the conduct of the militia, whose behavior and want of discipline has done great injury to the other troops, who never had officers, except in a few instances, worth the bread they eat"Washington blames militia for problems. This Day in History. Retrieved August 29. 2014. In other words, while the success of the militia itself is debatable, both the regular army and local militia were used to win American Independence.

The official end to the American Revolutionary War did not occur until 1783 when the Treaty of Paris was signed. Until then, British troops, ships and Tories were present and active in New York City, and in fact, Britain would maintain a presence in the United States until 1815 when the War of 1812 ended.

... Nationalists, most of them war veterans, worried that the new nation was too fragile to withstand an international war, or even internal revolts such as the Shays' Rebellion of 1786 in Massachusetts. (see American Revolution)

History Formation The Veteran Corps of Artillery is the oldest military organization in New York State.The State Department Reports of the State of New York, Opinions of the Attorney General, by New York State, page 413, 1913 It was formed in Manhattan on Evacuation Day (New York), November 25, 1790 , by Veterans of Washington's Continental Army Corps of Artillery. The founders met at the City Arms Tavern located off Broadway near Trinity Church, to establish an independent artillery company of exempts in the event of a return invasion by the British. Exempts were males beyond serving military age and thereby exempt from regular militia service.Major Norman F. Cushman's History of the V.C.A. and Major General Asa Bird Gardiner's Legal History of the V.C.A. including the Roster of the original members of the Corps and Society (Archives), Annals and Regulations and Roster, Military Society year books, 1896, 1897, 1898, 1900, 1901 (NY Historical Society). They are currently headquartered at Manhattan's 7th Regiment Armory in the City of New York. Under federal law, they are part of the Organized Militia of the State of New York, and under state law it is an Independent Military Organization and an Historic Military Command.Andrews v. Gardiner, NYS Appellate Division, 2nd Dept., 1918;Opinion, NYS Attorney-General, February 1913;Militia Acts of 1792 and 1795, codified in the Revised Statutes of the United States in Title 16, Revised Statutes of 1874;Militia Act of 1903; Amendments to the Act in 1908;National Defense Act of 1916;National Defense Act of 1956; Private, Federal and State records indicate that there has been, and may still be a lot of debate on this question even since the early days of the corps. Some government authorities, have considered them an Organized Militia, while others still refer to them as an unorganized militia. In either case, it seems that regardless of their legal definition, the corps has enjoyed fruitful relations with the United States Army, the New York Guard, New York Division of Military and Naval Affairs, and others. This appears to be especially true during the timeframe of World War I, when the corps volunteered for several missions, and received federal, and state backing. In the foreword to The Minute Men of '17,A WWI history of the Ninth Coast Artillery of the New York Guard, and the corps Colonel George W. Burleigh of the NY Guard thanks Major General Leonard Wood United States Army "... for his foresight in giving encouragement and approval to the whole plan. His successor commanding the Department of the East, Major General J. Franklin Bell, continued this support for the Corps ..."

19th century

When the Veteran Corps of Artillery was formed, it consisted exclusively of officers and soldiers of the American Revolutionary War.American Orders and Societies and Their Decorations, By Jennings Hood, Charles James Young, Bailey & Company (Philadelphia, Pa.), Page 98, 1917 Few historical records exist to document their activities for the periods between their formation and just prior to the beginning of the War of 1812. It is known however, that the active part of the corps was the Artillery Service Detachment. This section was uniformed and it participated in drills.The Minute Men of 17, "A History of the Service Rendered during the Recent World War by the Ninth Coast Artillery Corps-New York and the Veteran Corps of Artillery State of New York. Published by Memorial and Property Committee of the Ninth Coast Artillery Corps, Pg. 11, 1922. When hostilities with Britain became imminent, they became the first independent military organization in New York State to volunteer their services for the field. At this time they entered service on June 25, 1812, until July 2, 1812, and then again from September 2, 1814, until March 2, 1815.The American almanac, year-book, cyclopaedia and atlas, New York American and Journal, Hearst's Chicago American and San Francisco Examiner, 1902

In 1814, and then again in 1890, the Veteran Corps of Artillery amended their regulations to include descendants of both the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. This was most likely due to their decreasing numbers and the advanced age of its members.

The Military Society of the War of 1812 was formed 03 January 1826 by officers of the War of 1812 to press for pensions and bounty land legislation. The Military Society of the War of 1812 and the Veteran Corps of Artillery of the State of New York on 08 January 1848 merged as a sole organization. Since that time there has been a changing role between the two organizations. At present the Veteran Corps of Artillery of the State of New York operates under the leadership of the Military Society of the War of 1812 .

20th century

Records indicate that the Veteran Corps of Artillery volunteered as an organization for federal service on various occasions in the early part of the 20th century. As in its origin, the corps at the time consisted of men that were exempt from military service due to age or some other reason; however, given the fact that the United States was at war, "The men of the Corps felt that not only their personal inclinations but the traditions of the organization demanded of them that they serve their country in some definite military capacity.". Tradition also demanded of course that they take up the defense of New York City.The Minute Men of 17, "A History of the Service Rendered during the Recent World War by the Ninth Coast Artillery Corps-New York and the Veteran Corps of Artillery State of New York. Published by Memorial and Property Committee of the Ninth Coast Artillery Corps, Pg. 13, 1922.

Militia Act of 1903 Present day United States Code Title 10, Section 311 states that:

(a)The militia of the United States consists of all able-bodied males at least 17 years of age and, except as provided in section 313 of title 32, under 45 years of age who are, or who have made a declaration of intention to become, citizens of the United States and of female citizens of the United States who are members of the National Guard. (b) The classes of the militia are - (1) the organized militia, which consists of the National Guard and the Naval Militia; and (2) the unorganized militia, which consists of the members of the militia who are not members of the National Guard or the Naval Militia.United States Code, Title 10, Section 311

This definition is derived from the Militia Act of 1903 which was specifically passed by United States Congress to address the issues of the Militia Act of 1792, as well as the readiness of the existing state militia forces. On the face of it, it appears that the Veteran Corps of Artillery is part of the unorganized militia; however, The National Defense Act of 1916Also referred to as the Defense Act Public No. 85, 64th Congress (H.R. 12766) clarifies this in Section 63:

... Any corps of Artillery, Cavalry, or Infantry existing in any of the States on the passage of the Act of May eighth, seventeen hundred and ninetytwo, which by the laws, customs, or usages of said States has been in continuous existence since the passage of said Act, under its provisions and under the provisions of section two hundred and thirty-two and sections sixteen hundred and twenty-five to sixteen hundred and sixty, both inclusive, of title sixteen of the Revised Statutes of eighteen hundred and seventy-three, and the Act of January twenty-first, nineteen hundred and three, relating to the militia, shall be allowed to retain its ancient privileges, subject, nevertheless, to all duties required by law Of militia: Provided, That said organizations may be a part of the National Guard and entitled to all the privileges of this Act, and shall conform in all respects to the organization, discipline, and training of the National Guard in time of war: Provided further, That for purposes of training and when on active duty in the service of the United States they may be assigned to higher units, as the President may direct, and shall be subject to the orders of officers under whom they shall be serving.National Defense Act 1916