National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-02-21
THE ANCIENT AND HONORABLE.
Sketch OF the Veteran Military Or
ERnizatlon OF Massachusetts.


ERniZNtlon OF Massachusetts.
Tho Ancient and Honorable Artillery,
of Massachusetts,, which arrived in the
city yesterday, ranks all the rest Of the
visiting militia organizations both in
honors and years. 1t was chartered in
1888 by the general court of Massachu-
setts, the paper being signed by John
Winthrop, first governor Of the common
wealth. Originally, the company was
intended as a school for officers and this
character it distinctively maintained for
fully half the period of its existence.
During the early fights with the Indians
and the war of the revolution. many of
tho most distinguished officers were from
the ranks of the Ancients-Maj. Con.
Winslow. Maj. Gen. Brooks, Maj. Gen.
Hull and Maj. Gen. Lincoln (the latter
subsequently the first collector of the
port OF Boston, soverally serving as COM
mander of the company.
! With o membership of nearly 700, and
appearing us n battalion, it, retains its
ancient designation of a company" its
commanding officer ranking as captain.
| The mpany had no distinctive uniform
in the first years of its history. In 1857
the uniform was ordered to consist Of
!
yellow buttons; buff breeches and vest,
with same buttons as coat; plain black
hat, with black buttons, iloop and cock
ade; white linen spatterdashes, to fasten
under the foot and come partly up the
thigh. with black buttons aud black
garters to buckle below the knee; white
stocks; the hair to be queued; white
shirts, rutlled at wrist and BOSOM"
In 1920 tho desire of many officers in
the militia to also belong TO tho Ancients
led to vote that members who held or
had held commissions in tho militia
might wear on parade their respective
uniforms and insignia Of rank. Since
1864 this has been broadened to include
the union army and navy, and the COM
pany is now divided into two wings-the
right or infantry wing is composed en-
tirely Of the above classes of officers, who
carry muskets; the left wing, denomi-
mated the artillery, for which a distinct.
i've uniform of dark blue. with chapeau
and plume, has been adopted. is made up
of the members who have not seen SER
vice in other organizations, and these
carry sabers, The color company, be-
tween the two wings, wears the full con
tinental uniiorm--bun vest, buffaced
coat, knee brGeches, cooked hat, and re-
dundant shirt rufiles. This varie-
gated and various 'uniform" puzzles
many. On parade in tho same company
may be seen, side by side, the dark blue
coat, chapeau, plume, and stars of major
general; tho yellow trimmings and plume
of n cavalry captain; u white-coated cadet
Of the lst corps; a relocated cadet OF the
I'd corps; an infantryman with shake,
aud an artilleryman with helmet aud
red plume-all carrying muskets. and
s,,,. a col, lad lNF
Instead of swords, the commissioned
officers carry espontoons, and the SER
geants halberds. On parade each wing is
divided into five or six companies, each
in command of sergeant who is prac-
tcally captain; the commander wears
at the throat an ancient silver gorgct,
which is annually transmitted to his sue
CessOr.
Tho election, anniversary celebration,
and other usageS are decidedly unique.
They are kept by us with religious regu.
larity, and the instgator of new de-
parture would DO deemed guilty of an
unpardonable sin. There are only three
honorary members, President Arthur is
one, the others being the Prince Of Wales,
commander Of the Honorable Artillery Of
London, and eK-Gov. John d. Long. The
officers and members of the company,
WHO aIIlNCu ysntSIuaJi arc'
Commissioned oH!ccB-Captain, Augustu,
Whiucmore; first lieutenant, lieut. Col. Il, D.
Baslund second lieutenant, Lieut., q. Ii, Glib
son; adiutant, First Lieut.. j, l.. Frost
Commissioned Stali-Surgeon, Lieut., John
Sullivan; uuartermastcr, sergt. q. y. May
assistant surgeon, Lieut.. Thomas RCstiCauX
jr.' assistant paymastor, Lieut. q, II. Allen
chaplain, Rev A, IL. Quint,
Mont commissioned Stati-Sergeant major
Lieut., H. 4. Wells; quarIormnster sergeant, j
fNaN aNaa HuWI 4 lNUHUT
commissary sergeant, +. j, Hutchinson cOlOl
sergeant, SGrgt W, r. Bacon color sergeant
Sergt II. u, Emersoni band guide, William .
plailj markers, Capt, g. O., Noyes and Private
Edwin Warner; hankers, Capt. q. +, Hall RnC
sergt. !, D; Dana general guides, MAJ Johr
Honorary stah-Maj, Charles W, Stevens
renee, Coils, Isaac Hull Wright and Edwart
Wyinan, Mai Ben: Porley Poore, Col, II. 4
Rockwell, Capts, A. A, Folsom, J. l.. steven
son, and John Mack, Col T., j. Trull, Capt
John Thomas and n. :. Wilbur
sergGants OF iniantry-Brig, Gen. !. y. Pat
terSon Capls II. r. Wade aud O.. A, keeler
Lieut. W. II. Jones, Capt. W. ii. Cundy (pas
commander detailed 10 command color com
pany), and Col. Henry Walker.
Sergeants Of artilery-rhOmas Savage, $, NJ
Hedges T., f. snow f. II. Nudge AbiJal
Thompson, and c, 7. ilough.
Prvgtes--lohn III. Ammon, Frederick
AttcauX, Edwin Adams, Fred II. Adams
Wilbur e, Baboock, Charles Il. Brown, Lyman
liOynton, Aaron u. BabcOck, Jacob Bcnsemoll
=. II, BagulGy Lyman a. Belknap Charles Is
Barrett, Wilder bennett William p, Blaney
James J.. Burditt, j. Herbert Bowen, Howard
J. Byrno Joshua VI. Cushing Caleb Chase, II
NJ, Cross, William A, Cromwell, David Q
Clark Alexander Ceppi Thomas /. Churchill
} Thomas W, CartOr, Homer NJ DAggett, Osca
NJ. Draper, Lorenzo NJ, Dyer, a, S. DrskO, JOIN
&. Dalton, james W. Druy, k0ndall H. Damon
Charles q, Davis Charles II, Dunham, Em
mons n, Ellis Arthur Fuller Jacob Fottler
Edwin Il. Frost, William) ii. .-Ford Moses j