Morning journal and courier., 1886-08-30
Monday, August 30, 1886,
CAMP SMITH EVACUATED.

A Gf4nO IIlum1n4I1On FT103Y Nl&hB-
 General g. K. Smith Presented With
 a Handsome Gift-The Presentation
 Speech by Governor HarrIson-A Sue.
 cessful Weeks WOrk-The Report of
 the Adjutant General.
 The State militia returned from camp Sat- urday morning. The soldiers left Mantle on a special train at 1:15 p. m. and arrived in this city at 3:30 o'clock, and immediately proceeded to the armory. The men were very tired and hot and held no street parade. Friday night, the last night in camp, was a very brilliant one and long to be remember ed one by the soldier boys. Nearly every company street was resplendent with Chinese lanterns and the white walled city was 8 blaze of light. The sky above the parade was alive with rockets, golden rain, fire bal looms and other brilliant pyrotechnics. Those who have never spent nights on the Mantle plain can form no idea of the scene. It is spent in social reunions of different compa- nies, who, headed by fife and drum, march through the company streets. In the Sec- ond regiment unusually brilliant illumina- tions were arranged in the quarters of Com pany D and Company E. In the street of Con- pany K of Hartford was an immense K. formed by candles blazing from empty apol- linaris @ bottles. The tents were all cover ed with circus posters. The Sarsfeld Guard and Grays paid several visits to each others quarters and held the annual reunion. The Grays then serenaded Cdonels Leaven- worth and Watson and visited Companies K and c of Hartford and 0 of Stamford.
 General Smith was presented with a $400 chronometer gold watch and chain and dia- mond studded locket, the most elegant that could be procured, early Saturday morning. The Governor made the presentation speech. He said:
 entered the military service of the State pri- yate soldier in the Second regiment Step by step he advanced in rank, winning as he went the con- stantly increasing respect and confidence Of his fellow soldiers until after faithful service or 19 years, he became their colonel It was largely due to his intelligence and energy that his regiment reached, under his command, standard of excel fence unsurpassed by that of any similar organza- ton in this State and hardly surpassed if at a by that of any similar & organization in tn1s @ country his commission and retired to private ife but his former comrades insisted upon his return to the service, and when, after a brief absence from it. their demand upon him was expres ed in the form of a unanimous vote of all the officers and of the regiment he yielded to the irresistible pressure thus brought to bear upon him and resumed his place as their commander.
 It inevitable that such man should in due time become brigadier general commanding the National gnard. and that under his administration the little army of Connecticut should attain it did attain, that high distinction of discipline, nor ale. efficiency and all seldierly qualities which f. nally made it model among the military forces of the states of the union.
 He is now the adjutant general of Connecticut. among the members of the National Guard itself know how numerous, how various and how i'm portant are the duties with which he is charged. am glad to stand here as witness personally knew has discharged those duties with the highest intel ligence and skill, with uneonquerabe energy and with an untiring industry which frequently occu- pies an unreasonable amount of his time by day and often encroaches upon his right to rest at night after the work of the day is done. All this he is doing quietly, unobtrusively and Loyalty not for the sake of applause knowing indeed that but doing it for the care and comfort of the dis abed veteran for justice to the memory of the sol 
 It is not surprising that the character of such man, however modest and assuming he may be: should at last become widely known, understood and honored, that the host of friends who have g1 own up around him should eagerly avail them selves of any appropriate occasion for manifest tRs tion to him their sentiments of respect and Asc Thus it has come to pass that on this eve of the anniversary of his birth the commissioned officers of the National Guard have requested 70 present to him here in their behalf and in their presence this testimonial of friendship equally honorable to bin and to themselves.
 Accept it, general. with the best wishes for your long life and prosperity, and permit me to say, as Tdeliver it into your hands that in this act am discharging one of the moat grateful duties ever imposed upon me-
 General Smith was greatly pleased and his reply evinced the pleasure he felt.
 The manner in which Governor Harrison regards the work of the week is expressed by the following order issued to the officers of the National Guard Saturday morning:
 ADJUTANT GENETAL's OFFICE,
 CAMP SMITH, NIANTIC,
 August 2s. 1886 General Orders No i5.
 The number of officers and men of the brigade who have been present during this encampment is large beyond precedent They have been prompt cheerful and faithful in the performance of their duties.
 They have visibly improved from day to day. cordial and kindly feeling among the different or anizations towards each other has been especially noticeable.
 The commander-in-chief expresses his great sat isfacton with them and his belief that the National Guard is to-day worthy las he trusts that it will al ways continue to be worthy of the respect the COR tidence and the liberal support of the people of Connecticut.
 By order of the comlnander-in-chief
 STEPHEN R. SMITH,
 Adjutant General.
 Official:
 Whita