Seventh Regiment

Military Historian and Park Avenue Armory Chairman Elihu Rose will present an overview of more than 200 years of New York City military history through one hometown regiment. Once nicknamed “The Silk Stocking Regiment” due to the high social status of its members, New York’s Seventh Regiment has a long history dating back to 1806 when a British ship’s firing upon a New York merchant vessel and the killing of an American seaman led to the formation of a new militia in New York to help guard the harbor. It was the first American militia to call itself “National Guard” and it played a vital role in New York City through the riots and violent labor disputes of the 19th century. It was famously known as the first militia to each the capitol when the South seceded in April 1861, though their role would be short-term guard duty until the US Army arrived. The Regiment’s moment of greatest military service was on the fields of France in World War I where the members of the Seventh were instrumental in the breaking of the Hindenburg Line.

Elihu Rose graduated from Yale University. He received his Ph.D. in International Relations in 1978 from New York University and shortly thereafter started teaching military history. He has taught at Yale University, Columbia University, and the University of Maryland and recently retired after 29 years as Adjunct Associate Professor of History at New York University. He has also lectured at several other institutions nationally and internationally, including the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis. In 2002, he received The Outstanding Teaching Award from NYU. Mr. Rose has published articles on military history and sociology.