Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-09-30
A QUARTER OF A CENTURY.

sary of the company, and the celebration
was one of the most successful ever held
by this organization. ..
Among the guests were Patrick Nc
Govern, Edward F. McKiernan and Police
Commissioner Quinn of Hartford, Colonel
John g. Healey, City Attorney Daley,
City Auditor Lake and other city officials.
Others about the tables were Captain
Sheridan, Captain Clarity, Captain Gala
han, Captain Lathrop, Lieutenants Finne-
gan, Kennedy, Plunkett, Carberry and
Lynn, James Reilly, John Shannahan,
William F. Shannon, G. T. Driscoll, J. T.
Mullen, James D. Plunkett, D. Colwell,
Edward Downs, David Callahan,
E. Boyhan, M. Fahy, M. Dillon, B: J.
T. J. Fox, M. Cremin, J. A: Hurley,
Frank McHugh, George Faulhaver, M. J.
Walker, B. J. Lynch, L: Hurley, Frank
Gaffney, Jake Mullen, 7. j. Campion,
Frank II. Kelley, James B. Martin,
James McGann, Joseph Taylor, John
Carney, J. P. Manning, : P. H.
Quinn, City Auditor John w. Lake,
Town Agent James Reynolds, William
R. T. Tracey, Patrick WEIGH, J. H. Good
win, J. M. Kehoe, William Smith, T. P.
Rourke, James Brennan, John Reynolds,
IM P. Donohue, J. F. Foster,
w. L. Green, John ellison, G. Harvey, T.
brennan, Thomas Ahearn, John Ford,
James Cook, B. Herman, J. T. McGrath,
| James Fitzsimmons, T. P. Flood, William
Gaffey, William M. Geary, ]. J. Hogan,
NJ. T. Keegan, J. F.. Kennedy, J. Gala
CHER, James Howard, T. Heating, John
Leary, William Mcdonnell, John Rourke,
nan, F. J. Duffy, D. T. Reynolds,
NJ. Sniggs, John Killoy, D. 7. Moore, Will
liam Regain, iE. T. Regain, j. Il. Finnegan,
Joseph j. Carroll, John Carroll, J. J. Null
10y, j. J. Dennis, D. Cummings, J. H. Law
| lor, j. T. Render, j. E. Hihey, E. P. Cas-
| sidy, D. T. T. Flynn, M. T. Campbell,
Peter McKiernan, Samuel Flynn, William
Sullivan, Richard Barrett, M. E. Stokes,
DR.. W. P. T. Burke, J. J. Burns, T. F.
Birmingham.
The repast of Caterer Prokasky was
| complimented by all. After it had been
| finished Captain McCreed welcomed the
guest and introduced the POSTMASTER,
Colonel John G.. Healey.
The colonel after few felicitious re-
marks introduced Major Joseph H. Keefe,
who, he said, first brought the Sarsfel d
guard together.
| My memory carries me back to 1916,
said Major Keefe, when an old Mexican
veteran stood with me on q street corner
as the Sarsield guard marched off to
camp. These are good men," said the
veteran, sturdy, stalwart, powerful sold
iers. Why should they be disbandedg''
This was directly after the order was is
sued to disband Catholic companies.
A.
and the Emmett guards during the
consulted with few of my
friends, and a committee of five went to
work and secured the names to a petition
to Governor Buckingham. In reply to
this petition for permission to organize
ourselves into company Governor Buck
ingham on the 18th of September granted
our request, and we organized immediate:
ly. The colonel here read the original
order of Governor Buckingham granting
the petition for organization. The name
of Sarsfeld Guard was adopted on the 21st
of the same month. The guard was given
quarters at the state house, drilled upon
the green and went to camp. The COM
pany Immediately was recognized as one
of the best companies in the state militia.
But it had enemies because of its Catho-
licity.
The same year flag was offered to that
company of the Second regiment standing
first in competitive drill. The regiment
assembled in Bridgeport and the Sarsfelds
won the flag. They were then but one
year organized General Kellogg present
ed the flag in the presence of the whole
regiment. Shortly afterwards there was a
national competitive drill in New York.
The Sarsfelds challenged the winning
company and they refused, leaving the
Sarsfields the champion company of the
United States was succeeded in COM
mand of the company by Captain Cum
ningham. Captain Brennan succeeded
him and l again took command after him.
Captain Clarity was the next captain,
Captain Callahan succeeded him, and Cap
tain Creed, the present commander, sue
ceeded him.
'The Sword OF Bunker Hill' was sung
at this point by Michael Dillon. 1t was
enthusiastically applauded, and he re-
sponded with II Dreamed of Marguerite. y
"The Sarsfield Guards" was responded
to by Daniel Colwel. l am proud to see
SO many here whom I used to associate
with and drill with twenty-five years ago.
I am also glad to see they all have good
sized waist bands. 1t speaks of good liv-
ing. He spoke very pleasingly of many
of his old comrades. T. o. Cook,
he said, could only be surpassed
as soldier by Billy Sherman when he
had his shoulders at half-mast. But, he
continued, the company has been of such
a high order of excellence that its fame has
gone all over the United States. The old
veterans left to the present company a
reputation second to none, and right well
has this been sustained. The company has
been enlarged and one of the most beauti-
full of the new ceremonies is the annual
custom of decorating the graves of the de-
parted members. It proclaims you men
with hearts and soldiers fit to live.
| David Callahan sang Father O'Flynn,"
a comical Irish song, which was received
with much applause.
James G. Reilly, veteran of the COM
pany, read short history of the company
from its organization twenty-five years
ago to the present time. The many mill
tary events and triumphs of the company
were entertainly pictured and extracts
read from the daily papers of the time
showed with what success the company ap-
peared in the cities where they gave exhi-
bition drills and the like. The number of
i enlisted men in the Sarsfelds since their
organization was given at $50 and there
has been ffty-four deaths in the company
during this time.
Patrick McGovern of Hartford was the
next speaker. He said he had agreat re-
spect for the Sarfeld guard long
before he met one of its members.
The name does honor to the guard,
said he, and the guard does honor to the
name. He referred feelingly to the late
Captain Smith of the First regiment. I
can't forget, said he, that Connecticut, with
her small territory and population, has
furnished in both wars more soldiers, in
proportion, than any other state in the
Union, save Massachusetts. am glad the
day has gone by when men were afraid to
say they were Irishmen. We have been
prominent in all great movements for the
prosperity and life of this country, and
| we have now become staid part of it, I
am glad the day has passed when, as in
1854, such an order as that to
disband an Irish military company
] could be passed. I know the Sarsfelds
are good soldiers, good friends, good en-
tertainers and good citizens. These are
the great requisites of manhood. hope
in time we may give as valuable assistance
to our land beyond the sea as we have to
this republic, and that we may see through
| our efforts the freedom of our Emerald Isle
John II. Goodwin, an ex-member of the
Sarsields, sang "Old New England" and
| all joined in the chorus.
Ex-senator j. D. Plunkett spoke for
'Irish Soldiers in Every Clime;" Captain
| D. s. Lathrop for the &c. N. G;" Edward
Downes for the getty of New Haven"
Thomas J. Campion for "The Press
THE I,aach fraa in 4ha cxa.<aos,