Historic Football History for the

1st Battalion, New York Naval Militia

and the

U.S.S. Granite State
Undate image of the U.S.S. New Hampshire as a receiving ship, location unknown. Two decks visible, painted dark.

The First Battalion of the New York State Naval Militia was organized 1889, first mustered 1891. Until 1896 they were based at Castle Clinton at The Battery. The U.S. Navy loaned the 3 masted, 84 gun warship, the U.S.S. New Hampshire, and this became the Floating Armory; the headquarters for the 1st Battalion and their training ship, moored at first at East 27th Street & the East River (In 1898 during Spanish-American War it was used as the Naval Militia Receiving Ship); then at Whitestone, finally from 1912 at West 97th Street (to W. 94th) on the Hudson River. The barracks were on the dock side. Renamed the U.S.S. Granite State in 1904 (so the U.S. Navy could christen a new battleship the New Hamphire.) Recommissioned into the U.S. Navy during the First World War to 1919, then back to the N.Y. Naval Reserves. (more history below)

First Battalion, New York Naval Militia

1894
Naval Reserve, 4th Division”
11/3   L  0-4    at Columbia Seniors, at Williamsbridge
11/6   W  4-0       U.S. Navy North Atlantic Squadron, at West Chester Country Club

1895
Naval Reserve, 4th Division”
10/30  L  4-11   at New Jersey A.C., at New Jersey Oval, Bergen Point
11/2    ?        at South Orange Field Club   
11/9   L  4-11   at New Jersey A.C. [same game??
11/28  L  0-6    at Staten Island Cricket Club, Livingston, S.I.

1896
11/7   L  6-20      U.S. Navy North Atlantic Squadron, at Livingston, Staten Island
  “Naval Reserve, 4th Division” (unsure if this was Naval Militia)
11/26  W 17-0    at Staten Island Cricket Club  (15-0)

1898
11/26   ?           New Jersey Naval Reserves, at Orange Oval, N.J. 11/24?

1899
10/                 2nd Battalion (Bay Ridge Naval Militia)

1902
10/18  L  0-22   at Englewood Field Club (NJ)
10/25  W 11-6       U.S.S. Kearsarge, at Brooklyn Navy Yard
11/4   W  5-0       U.S.S. Indiana, at Brooklyn Navy Yard
11/8   W 12-0    at Fort Hamilton  [pos. 2nd Battalion, Brooklyn Naval Militia]

1903
10/24  W 17-0       U.S.S. Texas, at Brooklyn Navy Yard
10/31   ?           U.S.S. Alabama, at Navy Yard
11/3   L  0-33   at Herkimer A.A., at Dexter Park, Woodhaven
11/4   L  0-28   at Annapolis (Navy) Scrubs
11/6    ?        at Annapolis (Navy) Scrubs

1913
  New York Navy Reserve
11/4   T  0-0    at Oritani Field Club, at Hackensack, N.J.
11/27  L  0-21      Oritani Field Club

“Training ship New Hampshire at Newport, R.I.  She was later named Granite State.” Image of receiving ship showing 3 decks, painted light color,

U.S. Receiving Ship Granite State  (United States Navy Hospital Receiving Ship).

1918 Head coach- Tom Thorpe
10/19   ?           3rd Battalion, at South Field, Columbia U.
10/30  W  6-0    at Fordham
11/6   no game      Pelham Bay Naval Reserves, at Travers Island
11/9   W 55-6       Camp Mills, at St. Paul's School Field, Garden City, NY  15,000
11/13  T  0-0    at St. John's College S.A.T.C. (Bklyn.)  (11/12?) [also 11/14 at South Field, also 11/20 practice games]
.       ?           Bay Shore N.A.S.
11/20 scrimmage  at Columbia  [no scoring allowed]
11/23  W  7-6       Newport Naval Training Station (RI), at the Polo Grounds (1st game of doubleheader)  7,000 
11/30  L  0-6       Pelham Bay Naval Reserves (N.T.S.), at Ebbets Field
Notes:
 • The U.S.S. Granite State was commissioned as the U.S.S. Alabama in 1816 by President James Monroe. Finished in 1825 but unneeded, it sat "in preservation" on the blocks.
 • Renamed the U.S.S. New Hampshire in 1863, she was launched at Portsmouth, N.H. on 4/23/1864 when it was already obsolete. No expense spared on this man o'war, it was a marvel of oak and teak and copper (forged by the Paul Revere Foundry) and Swedish wrought iron.
 • As part of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron, took part in the blockade at Port Royal, South Carolina during the Civil War (as a Store & Depot ship), then was the Receiving Ship 1866 to 1876 at Norfolk, Virginia, helping direct traffic in the harbor as well.
 • Port Royal, Norfolk again, and then on to Newport, Rhode Island (1881) where the U.S.S. New Hampshire became the flagship of the Apprentance Training Squadron.
 • Towed to New London in 1891, it was the Receiving Ship there for a year before being decommissioned. Its many cannons were never fired.
 • Loaned to the two-year old New York Naval Militia in 1893 for use as a “floating armory” and Training Ship first docked at the old New York Yacht Club at 27th Street and the East River, then for a brief time berthed at Fort Schuyler in Whitestone, finally (c. 1911) moored at the foot of West 97th Street as First Battalion headquarters, NYSNM and training ship. For the first decade or so it would go on maneuvers, to Whitestone, about the Long Island Sound and up the Hudson River.
 • During both the Spanish-American War and the Great War it was back in the US Navy. Long permanently moored on the North River, it was used as the Navy Hospital Receiving Ship during the First World War., 1918-1919.
 • By 1920 it was back in the Naval Militia as their HQ and training school again. Destroyed by fire in 1921 (caused by a leak of a Standard Oil pipeline under the river from 98th Street to Shadyside, N.J. A pool of oil had built up in the river and ignited.) Only saved from sinking by the mooring lines, it was scuttled and sold for scrap to the Mulholland Machinery Corporation. The ocean tugboat Perth Amboy was 5 days out of New York, towing the USS Granite to Eastport, Maine for salvage when it caught fire off Massachusetts, foundered near Half Way Island and sank in Massachusetts Bay 7/26/1922.
 • A new Training Ship and Floating Armory, already had been planned; a replacement was provided by the US Navy: the battleship USS Illinois, begun 1897, launched 1901, part of the great “White Fleet”. Ancient enough that it had served as a training ship for Annapolis as early as 1913; by 1924 she was reduced to an Accomodation ship.
 • Renamed the USS Prairie State in 1941 so the new USS Illinois could be named. During the Second World War, the Prairie State served as a training ship for the U.S. Naval Reserve Midshipmen Training School.
 • Following the war she was re-loaned to the New York State Naval Reserves for unit quarters. Not drydocked for 30 years, the NY Naval Reserves decided to retire the old ship in 1956. The US Navy refused its return, it was sold to Bethlehem Steel who scrapped the historic ship in Baltimore at the end of the year.
 •The New York State Nautical School training ship U.S.S. Newport moored beside the Granite State at 97th Street.

For more football records of other New York Naval Militia teams, see:
  2nd Battalion, Bay Ridge, Brooklyn & Bensonhurst Naval Reserves
  6th Separate Division, Whitestone

For many more sports lists and history, go to the Amazing Sports Lists!
This list is compiled and designed by Paul S. Luchter
  Updated 10/24/2022

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