Historical note:

            The Providence Marine Corps of Artillery was founded in 1801 by members of the Providence Marine Society, a private mutual aid society for sea captains. The Artillery, however, became a part of the Rhode Island militia. It was later assigned the official designation of Battery A, Light Artillery, Rhode Island Militia, but always maintained a distinct identity as the Providence Marine Corps of Artillery. It was active through at least 1970.

            The Corps never served in active combat, but its members served as trained troops in the War of 1812, the Civil War and other conflicts.

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Scope and content:

            This collection includes minutes, membership records and correspondence of the Corps. The minutes only begin in 1830. The collection also includes records of the Veteran Association of the Providence Marine Corps of Artillery, founded as a nominally separate organization in 1874.

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Provenance:

            Most of these records were donated by the Rhode Island National Guard via Brig. Gen. Chester A. Files in 1949. The most recent minute book was donated by Files in 1973. The 1916 minute from the Veteran Association was donated in 1996 by Sophie Page Lewis. Many items are not from any of these accessions, including the four minute books dating 1830-1876; the 1843-1850 book of returns; and the loose papers in folders 1 through 3.

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Processing note:

            This collection was originally mixed in with the records of the Providence Marine Society (MSS 647), which arrived at about the same time from a different source. The two collections were separated and organized in 1997.

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Inventory:

Minutes:

In box 1:

            Minutes, 1830-1855

            Annual meeting minutes, 1855-1860

            Minutes 1860-1868; and roll, 1801-1921

            Minutes, 1868-1876

            Minutes, 1876-1970

            Index of signature and record books, prepared 1881

Membership:

In box 1:

            Membership list, 1856-1911

            Returns, 1843-1850

In box 2:

            Register, 1802-1870

            Orders and drill meetings, 1895-1899

            Morning report, 1896-1898

            Morning report, 1888-1896

Correspondence and miscellaneous:

Oversized volume. Scrapbook, 1801-1861

Oversized volume. Scrapbook, 1865-1869

In box 3:

            7 Scrapbooks of correspondence and bills paid, vols. 2-8, 1851-1871.

            Folder 1. Loose correspondence, 1866-1876

            Folder 2. Loose correspondence, 1877-1879, 1893, 1921

            Folder 3. Miscellaneous:

                        Newspaper article, 1883

                        Undated rolls and correspondence

                        Printed by-laws, 1867

                        Roll, February 1879

Veteran Association of the Providence Marine Corps of Artillery

Oversized volume. Constitution and register, 1874-1920

In box 4:

            Minutes, 1874-1915

            Annual reports (mostly necrology), 1887-1908. Indexed.

            Ledger, 1913-1919

            Cash book, 1878-1915

            Field day accounts, 1888-1920

            Miscellaneous folder:

                        Page from 1916 minutes re memorial tablet

                        Miscellaneous receipts and clippings from ledger, 1918-1920

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Subjects:

Providence Marine Society

Rhode Island Military Papers

Veteran Association of the Providence Marine Corps of Artillery

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RIHS1822