[49]

Civil War[edit]
In 1861, Arthur was appointed to the military staff of Governor Edwin D. Morgan as engineer-in-chief.[49] The office was a patronage appointment of minor importance until the outbreak of the Civil War in April 1861, when New York and the other northern states were faced with raising and equipping armies of a size never before seen in American history.[50] Arthur was commissioned as a brigadier general and assigned to the state militia's quartermaster department.[50] He was so efficient at housing and outfitting the troops that poured into New York City that he was promoted to inspector general of the state militia in March 1862, and then to quartermaster general that July.[51] He had an opportunity to serve at the front when the 9th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment elected him commander with the rank of colonel early in the war, but at Governor Morgan's request, he turned it down to remain at his post in New York.[52] He also turned down command of four New York City regiments organized as the Metropolitan Brigade, again at Morgan's request.