The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-09-16
SOME WAR "REMINISCENCES
DOIYGS IN BRIDGEPORT THIRTY
FoUR YEARS AGO.

The Big War Meeting and Its Resolutions
Photographs and Autographs of Soldiers
Have Not Been Preserved.
In looking over files of Bridgeport
papers published in 1861, says the
Bridgeport Farmer, one finds much to
interest, even at this late day. There
are many still living here who remem-
Der the stirring events of those times
and the all important issues at stake.
There was little talked of except the
war.
A Bridgeport paper of April u, 1861,
contains brief account of the attack
on the Massachusetts Sixth, April 10,
when passing through Baltimore and
also an account of the passage through
here Of the Massachusetts Seventh,
April 27. In Baltimore the volunteers
We're attacked savagely and some killed
and wounded. Here the volunteers
were cheered and otherwise received
with demonstrations of joy. "A salute
was fired, but that was attended with
sad results in the killing of Leopold
Schmidt and wounding of Peter Ehrard.
The same day, the German Rifles, Cap
tain j. M. Spiedel, and First Volunteer
company. Captain R, H. Fitzglbbons,
left for New Haven and were escorted
to the depot by the Wheeler & Wilson
band and large procession of societies
and citizens. The captain of each CON-
pany was presented with 500 copies
sof THE Star Spangled Banner" and
America" with instructions to dis
tribute them to the men when gathered
around the camp fires so that all might
join in and sing them.
The paper also contains an account
of the great war meeting of Saturday
evening, April 20, presided over by
Daniel H. Sterling, who was then may
or. The vice presidents of this meet
ing were Russell Tomlinson, w. H
Noble, ]. G. B!ackman, Stephen Louns-
bury, James Wilson, A, N. Benedict
C. Spooner, P. H. Skidmore, w. G
Lneburgh, j. D. Alvord, FredericR
Wood and Emory F. Strong. The sec
retaries were Frederick Fryer, S. B. Fer
guson, jr., and F. II. Hurd. THE Stal
Spangled Banner" was read by w. H
Noble and then sung by the audience
Resolutions were adopted pledging sup
port to the government and urging the
selectmen to call town meeting fol
the purpose of raising. such a sum o.
money as might be deemed advisable
to aid dependents of those who volun
teered. When subscriptions were called
for, pledges to the amount of $1,000
were received.
Resolutions We're also adopted, urg
inor tho rpinSt9fn thl
Montgomery guards and ITO have pu
under efficient discipline and drill thu
whole military force of the state.
committee was appointed to carry int
effect the objects of the meeting anC
it was further voted that photograph!
of all volunteers from Bridgeport, ant
also their autographs be obtained an(
preserved among the towns archive:
in the vaults of the town. Other reso
lutions were that doings of the meet
ing and names of the subscribers tt
the patriotic fund be preserved among
the towns archives; that guns be free
ON the arrival of the MassachUsett:
regiment; that Rev A. N. Benedict b,
appointed chaplain to the troops from
Bridgeport and that his family be pro
vided for in his absence; THAT mot les
than $4,000 be raised among the citi
zens of Bridgeport for the support o
4 the families of those who march from
this place in the Connecticut troops
and that the committee spare no pain
until at least that amount be procured
that when the troops of Bridgepor
take their departure the whole peopl
escort them to the cars. The meetin,
closed with prayer by Rev. A. N. Bene
dict
At the time this prayer was publishe,
there was little else than the wa
thought of and it is not strange tina
the papers should contain little othe
Aan war news. The great strug
gle was just beginning and but fey
believed it would assume great proper
tons The few who advised care il
preparations for meeting the issue an
were of the opinion that the struggl
would be a long and desperate ON
were laughed at. The more enthusiast
tic believed an army of $4,000 me
could subdue the rebellion in sixt
days The fact is apparent after neal
1y thirty-five years, that chaos an
uncertainty ruled at the time this meet
ing was held.
There does not appear to be any evi
dence that an effort was even made
obtain the photographs and autograph
of Bridgeport's soldiers for preserva
ton. Men voted on the spur Of tn
moment and in the excitement of tn
occasion, to do things impossible an
many who attended the meeting no'
look back to it and do not wonder VIII
some of the resolutions were neve
carried into effect.
Captain ISpeidel, mentioned in cor
nection with the German Rifle compan.
afterwards became colonel of the Sixt
Connecticut Volunteers, and Capital
Fitzgibbons became colonel of the Mint
Connecticut Volunteers. Both perform
ed gallant service all through the wal
Colonel Speidel was the we'll know
brewer, whose death occurred severe
years ago, and Colonel Fitzgibbons
the present city health officer.