The sun., 1890-03-30
History or the Seventh Regiment,

1t happens not unfreQuently that when n
good soldier gets n pen into his hand he turns
! out to be q good chroncler The Seventh Regi-
| ment OF this city is to be congratulated that its
most famous commander has also been its his
torian. This regiment Is an organization Of
such age. and 1t has been so conspicuous in
the community during its career, that a record
Of its affairs goes good way toward being n
history OF the city. The History fhe Seventh
Regiment Of NeD York, by EMMoNs CLARK. pub
lished by the regiment, fills two large Volumes
and numbers 1000 paGos. II is handsomely
printed and copiouslv and attractively illustrat-
ed Its illustrations include portraits OF distin-
guished members Of the regimentfrom the year
1906 to the present time. many other portraits
Of men notable In other lines OF usefulness In
the course OF that long period, ana pictures Of
camps, buildings. monuments. uniforms, and
other pertinent things. as we'll as OF stirring
events in tho regimental experience. 1t is in
cidentally a record OF the public celebrations
in the city since tho close OF the Revolutionary
war. and u history OF tho entire body OF city
militia up to the war OF 1912. Any New Yorker,
whether OF military turn or not, will be likely
to find in 1t great deal OF interesting reading.
1t has been the work OF COL Clarks leisure
during thirty years. Its construction has been
a pastme and pleasure to him. he declares.
and in no wise irksome. Naturally. 1t is In
great part work OF compliment and congrat-
ulation: still 1t Is neither coorless nor one
sided. There is comment in It. and the stric-
lures OF the author. though never bitter. are
sufficiently explicit. Col. Clark has also tho
pleasant facuty-sbared largely. we believe.
by the rank and file of the regiment he 20 long
communicated seeing the humorous side Of
things. The amusing aud whimsical expert
ences OF the Seventh find a place in these vol
umes. and they are skilfully and sympatheu-
cally recorded.
Col. Clark likes the beginning OF the Seventh
Regiment In 1906 There we're organized In
that year four companies, which have existed
ever since and are at present the first four
companies OF tho Seventh Regiment For
many years after the close of the Revolution
the entire militia OF the city was artillery The
four companies formed in 1906 were OF that
branch OF the military service. Their organi-
cation was the result Of the odious British claim
OF tho right OF search OF American vessels,
which brought about the war Of 1912. The
Second Company OF the seventh Regiment still
preserves the original parchment roll OF its Or
ganizaton which was effected on May 6. 1906
In St Johns Hall in Frankfort street. The
four companies constituted part Of the Elev-
enth Regiment until 1924. when they withdrew
to form an infantry battalion. They took the
title OF the National Guards, n name derived
from tue HllIltlb ORGANIZATION Ol FRANCE La
fayette. who visited this country in 1924. was
the commander OF the French militia. and the
name was suggested at the time Of his landing
at the Battery. The new infantry battalion
afterward became the Twenty-seventh Regi-
ment Of the National Guard Of the state. and
later the seventh Regiment.
The uniform OF the Seventh Regiment has
frequently been criticised. Tho gray. OF which
it is in great part made up. has been called an
insipid color by some. and others have OBJ
jected to tho elaboration in trimmings as
finical and unsoldierly. OF course the courage
OF brave man will hardly become impaired
under any amount Of braid and buttons. 1t is
well known that some OF the most gallant
soldiers in Europe to-day, men covered with
scars and decorations. are decked out like
popinJays. They strut about with corsets.
single eyeglasses, and dolls caps that have to
be secured upon the head with elastic bands.
Certainly any military organization which
wishes to wear fine trumpery has plenty Of
distinguished company 10 keep 1t in
countenance. For the gray. TOO. there
is ample precedent 1t was worn by
Gen. Winfield SCOTS brigade on the
Niagara frontier in the war Of 1912. and it has
been the color OF the cadet uniform at West
Point since 1875 The fashion. or perhaps the
degree OF its relief through the employment OF
it agreeable. There is strong effect undoubt-
edly in the broad collars OF spotless linen worn
by the West Pointers, and tho white summer
helmets Of The regular army which the Sew
enth Regiment adopted in 1880, are considered
by many to be one OF the most pleasing touches
ever bestowed In military decoration.
The way In which the Seventh Regiment
came by its gray coat is an illustration OF the
occasional power OF accident in the shaping Of
human affairs. Tho coat sprapG into being
something after the fashion Of Minerva. in the
year 1924. On Aug. l6 OF that year there was
to be a parade in honor OF Lafayette. who had
arrived on the day previous from France. The
town was in n tumult OF agitation Sergeant
Philetus H. Holt OF the Fourth Company of the
Eleventh Regimont-the prandparent of the
present Seveuth-lssued from his home in
Beaver street bright and early on an errand OF
importance. He had left his uniform coat with
tailor in Franklin square to have button
sewed on. and he was going after it. The Ser
geant was a strapping and shapely young fell
low who followed the civil occupation OF a flour
merchant lie Was clad in fu-dress regi-
mentals with tho exception OF the garment
which he was going after. In place OF that ho
wore tight fitting gray cloth coat with short
tails and metal buttons-a cont which
he was accustomed TO wear about his
business, and which was calculated not to
show flour. Brigade Major Prosper NJ. Wet
moro was standing in front OF his store at 244
Pearl street In company with Major John ID.
Wilson. Tho gray coat OF Sergeant Holt
caught the eye and the fancy OF those dis
tnguished officers. They halted the Sergeant
and looked him critically over and the result
was that Major Wilson caused gray military
coat to be made after tho pattern Of the gar
ment which young Holt had chosen for its
suitability to the -four business that the new
coat leaped into instant popularity. and that
the Seventh Regiment fonily and proudly and
altogether approvingy continues to wear the
coat to this day. Only once In sixty-six years
has the allegiance to the Philetus ii. Holt coat
wavered. That was Just after the war OF the
rebellion. whom the regiment adopted
French chasseur uniform, including coat
with a short skirt running ali the way around.