New York (State). Militia. Regiment, 1st. American Rifles

found: NUCMC data from Rutgers Univ. Libr. for Demarest, A.G. Civil War papers, 1853-1893(name not given; 71st regt. N.Y. State Militia)

found: Whittemore, H. History of the seventy-first regiment N.G.S.N.Y., c1886:p. 2, etc. (as a result of the org. of rival military organizations of native Americans and foreign born Americans, a society of American citizens was org., known as Order of United Americans, with various chapters throughout N.Y.C.; agreed to org. a regiment exclusively of Americans; 1st meeting June 2, 1850; four companies org.; company of riflemen designated as American Rifles, in the First Regiment of New York State Militia, authorized 4 Oct. 1850; eventually 8 companies though some only skeleton companies; col. of regt. elected and companies elevated to regt. and named Seventy-first Regiment, Aug. 2, 1852; in 1853 regt. decided to adopt use of muskets in lieu of rifles and chgd. name to American Guard)