The Lambertville press., 1860-01-11

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Bethlehem BInes, commanded by Cap
tain Peter Willevre, afterwards Major
of the second Battalion of the Hunter
don Artillery Regiment; the Bethle-
hem Rife company, commanded by
Captain John Srope and in the low
er Battalion, there was the Milford
company, some 70 or 80 strong, COM
manded by Capt Archibald Gailo, and
the Frenchtown company, about as
strong, commanded by Captain Joseph
| A. Holdren; besides the old compan-
les which, when on parade, made some
thing ofa show. The troop Of horse
attached to our regiment was com
manded by Captain Slater, and it was
a good troop. am now in the third
Regiment When it was commanded
by Colonel Peter l. Clarke, it would
we with the best regiment in the Bri-
gade- | see Colonel Clarke in the
street, and if tiyhe would permit / would
have chat with him, he is one of the
links that binds the old system with
the new. Colonel Clarke win you be
good enough to give US some of vour
military "reminiscences, and what in
your view caused the downfall of the
old militia system, and what will be
the best way to repair the damages,
and prepare the rising generation for
the defence OF our country-I know
that you can do lido it. / would
have made this application personally,
but days are short. and want to see
the Governor taking a review, as [
have not seen one since Governor
Vroom reviewed us in the field near
Cox's Hill, when General Manners had
the Brigade out. The Governor and
Adjutant General Thomas Cadwalla-
der, took the review that day. The
day may be called to mind by many, as
one in which there came up a sudden
shower and the ranks broke, and the
men run over all the clover between the
parade ground and Pennington. There
was no Brigade meeting during the
time that General Blame was Brigadier.
but when General Davis held that Of
fee he had Brigade parade. The
Governor did not review at that time.
Major General Blame and aids, Majors
Joseph Anderson and John G. Read
ing took the review This was the
last Brigade meeting / attended. 1t
took place, | think, in 1912
But here is the parade ground on
my right. Cavalry, yes, and Cavalry
that looks and performs well, too, and
by the uniform. five companies of In
fantry, neatly dressed, well drilled, and
making a fine appearance For be-
haue yourself. while I bring myself to
order, and quiet the agitation that /
find myself in. Oh, how I love to see
order, and have seen it no where as
well carried out, as in well directed
and well executed parade But yon-
der comes the reviewing officer and in
spector. The one with the yellow
plume | presume to be the Governor,
for although he is not Major Gener-
al, yet, as the COMMANDMENT Chief is
entitled to the yellow feather according
to General Jackson's order before re-
cited A Major General command
ing in Chief, plume yellow swan feath-
ers, dropping from an upright stem,
feathered to the length of eight inch
es." | see the Governors aids; but
the Major General is not there He,
like myself, is getting old ); although /
understand he still takes some interest
in military affairs | see Major A. ".
Bonnel is still the Inspector, and very
clever fellow he is, too; he is not
afraid to face the musicn | under
stood from the county papers last year
that he presented his inspectors fees
$50 90 to the different uniform COM
panies in the Brigade This was cer-
tainly a very generous act on the part
of Major Bonnell.
The review and inspection is done
up in a sprightly manner, and it looks
like it used to, except in numbers, the
line looks short, the companies looks
small, but the drill is excellent. I
find myself much at loss to distinguish
the rank Of officers, owing to the new
regulations. When | was elected en-
sign, we, as well as the Lieutenants,
wore single epaulette and that on the
left shoulder. The captains wore
theirs on the right shoulder. It was
in General Jackson's time that subal-
terms were allowed to wear two epau- I
lettes, and | think it good regulation.
Brigadier General Lilly puts them
through iii very good style and they
all obey with alacrity and precision un-
til the calls Of hunger demand truce
and "peas upon the trencher y being
beat, they go to Head Quarters to
" fill in and prepare for the afternoon
parade. Here | had an introduction
to His EXcellency and Staff, General
Perine, Colonels Herbert, Van Syckel,
and Sergeant, Major Larison, Major
Bartolette, Capt. Cramer, Capt. Eick,
Capt. Slater, &C., &c, &c. All this
was to me perfect treat, and nearly
took my appetite for dinner, but at the
call was among the respondents, that
being part of the days duties that we
were used to of old. At the table it
was announced by His Excelleney the
Commander-in- Chief, that but few
days before he had attended the funer-
al Of Major General Peter |. Stryker,
OF Someryille, the oldest Major Gener-
al in the State of New Jersey, and
probably i'll the United States. He
was as near us | can calculate, ninety
FIVE wears old, and had lived two lives.
He stood next to the Governor many
wears ever since the decease Of Major
General Vliet, Of Warren County, in
1889
AT moment when Brigade Major
Ronnell was telling US that General
Blame was now the oldest Major Gen
eral in the State, | cast my eye OBJ
liquely across the table, and there he
sat- z Major General commanding in
Chief,' and ] looked back to the time