Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-10-22
EAsrHAyEN MILITIA.

Tha Old Time Spring Training Days
Cantatn HOtchkiss and His Com
maud-GIorfOus Times at the May
parade-A Picture OF the Martial
,Scenes-East Ravens Historic Old
6 .reen.
TO he Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
o. the many military parades have
witnessed in Europe and America none
have made more lasting impression on
nv mi nd than when aboy of six or seven
street near the center, at the May muster
of the Fifth company, Second regiment,
Second bril- rade of Connecticut militia,
warned for 81 ring training from the free
men of the TOW n, aged between eighteen
and forty-fve years, and commanded by
Joseph Ives Hotch kiss, ESQ.,, captain, Mr..
Nathan Andrews, lieutenant, and Mr..
Philip Street, ensign.
These gentlemen, with red and black
plumed cooked hats, red sashes, blue
swallow-tailed coats; scarlet-faced trim
mings with gold lace q nd brass buttons.
and with pants to mi itch, and provided
with silver sheathed swords and belts as
required by law, met ca rly on the morning
of the first Monday in May, 1910, at Hem
iuqway's tavern. or Elya Thompson's
store. Drum oil was sounded, and the
battalion was ormed by First Sergeant
Lucius Lindsey on the sidewalk on the
south side of tn street, backed up against
the stone wall " est of Hemingway tavern,
all armed and @ quipped for military SER
vice as the law p rovided. The second ser
oeant. Edmond Hemingway, was then
Sent to n utify the officers that the
ssmilish" was rea dy for parade and soon
after Captain Ho tchkiss, and officers ap-
peared in front of the company to drill
the troops preparatory to their taking up
their line of march to the green, where
from the royal tt uck of the white flag
staff, surmoun TED with golden cap Of
liberty (the emblem, of sovereign people,
hoated the stars an stripes, and guarded
at the foot by one OF the six pound cannon
that Fl was said a SISTED to dispel the
British invaders OH the morning of July
4 1779 and were in peaceful attitude,
stood ready at the fin 1t stroke of the bell
in the steeple Of thu anti-revoluttonary
stone meeting house, to peal forth the
announcement that the warriors had taken
ND their line of march Here was bat
TALON composed of no blel men, every member
a sovereign of the state OF connecticut with
no mower over him but hia God and his flag,
the creators of preside1 TITS of their nation,
governors and other off 'caals of their state,
and of even the selectm. N of their town,
whom all citizens of Connecticut town
recognize as the proper me dunn, being their
own choice, through which the people of q
rural community for their uutua! benefit
in their own quiet way can T, sacn the power
that may be for their own bel let t and pro-
lection.
And it may be pertinent here TO give my
remembrance of the dress, arms an q equip
ments of the non-commissioned oM GERS ana
privates OF this band of sovereign ID, VINO
we're all armed with fint-lock musk cts and
bayonets, some of which dated back and
had done service in the colonial wars and
the war of the Revolution. All were
equipped with powder horns, carta 1dge
boxes and canteen slung over the shoui der
and each wore white belts that crossed at
the back, the whole giving, as they marched
in column, decidedly warlike appear
ance.
Each non-commissioned officer was
dressed in conformity to the military ser-
vice regulation, and some of the soldiers
who aspired at some future day to promo
diers were dressed, it being fine day, in,
their daily or Sunday meeting
clothes, and here and there the costume of
a farmer or sailor was noted in the ranks.
Some wore hats, some caps, and others
tarpaulins or oilskins. They were, how
ever, accepted at inspection and roll call
as armed and equipped for military ser
vice as the law provides.
But when Captain Hotchkiss drilled his
company then came the tug of war; then
| the time which tried mems souls, and af-
forded rich amusement to the by-standers
| and citizens who had congregated from
near and far, yea. from the remotest out
| lying districts of the towns. Especially was
the interest heightened when the order
| was given to right and left wheel in rapid
succession Shoulder arms and charge
bayonets, when the breech of a muske'
happened by accident (and when adjec,
tives were out of place. to come in contas'
with the next mans right toe. Truly the
spectacle was most sublime when the bat
TALON wheeled into East Haven's broad
and winding street, and in column, led by
the musicians, Jacob Farren drummer and
Zeba Monson fifer, took up their line Of
march for "the green"