Evening star., 1895-10-25
The Second Company, Governors
Foot Guard, j Connecticut.
IT ARRIVES HERE FROM ATLANTA
How the Membsfk Will Be Enter
d
tanned in This City.
IT'S REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY


Guard, Of New Haven. Conn. is visiting
Washington today. This famous organiza.
ton, on it's way home from the Atlanta ex-
position, rolled into the 9Th street depot
promptly at $50 o'clock this morning on
special train of eight drawing room and
sleeping cars, an observation car and two
baggage cars. At the depot the visitors
were welcomed by Maj. Burton R. Ross
Capt. John M. Miller, Capt. Charles Shreve
Lieut.. Jesse B. K. Lee and Lieut.. Andrew
Kelly of the Washington Light Infantry
Corps and Mr.. Harrison Dingman
In the party of visitors are one hundred
and nineteen line officers and men, staff
of about fifteen, a number of ladies and
Reeves celebrated band of Providence,
thirty-five pieces. After greetings had been
exchanged, the visitors marched to the Eb-
bitt House by way of Pennsylvania avenue
and 14th street, with the local reception
committee in the lead The formation was
column of companies, the Guards parading
four companies each of twelve files double
rank. They wore regulation National Guard
fatigue uniforms with lesgings, bearskin
shakos overcoats, and carried knapsacks
with blankets attached. In drill they fol-
lowed Upton's tactics.
Program of Entertainment,
Upon arrival at the Ebbitt House the
lobby and second welcome was extended by
Col. William G. Moore, who had beer to the
White House to arrange for a reception by
the President in honor of the visitors this
afternoon, and therefore was unable to be a t
the depot. AS quickly as possible rooms
were assigned and the soldiers Immediately
began removing the stains of travel and
preparing for breakfast. They then devoted
themselves to sightseeing. AS stated, there
will be reception at the White House this
afternoon, followed by a parade. Attired
in their striking full-dress uniform of red
coat, high leggings and bearskin shakos
with double silver taSses, the Guards will
form in front of the Ebbtt House at 1
O clock and await the coming of the WASH
ington Light Infantry Corps, wearing full
dress National Guard uniform. Col. Moore
is to command the Infantry, while Maj. Ross
will act as special escort to the Guards.
Maj. Ross. the staff of the first battalion,
DONG, and the honorary staff of the
Washington Light Infantry Corps are to
parade in the full dress uniform of the In
fantry, white coats and bearskin shakos.
After being photographed at the south front
of the Treasury Department, the Guard and
the Infantry. headed by Reeves Providence
Band, will parade down Pennsylvania avenue
to Sd street, countermarch to 18th street, to
Pennsylvania avenue north, to 10 IL street,
passing the Army and Navy Club to l street.
passing the Arlington Hotel, to Is 1-2 street,
to Pennsylvania avenue, to the Ebb:tt
House. There will be a reception at the
Ebbitt House this evening from to IL
o'clock. The Guards leave for home at 10
o'clock tomorrow morning.
Officers of the Guard,
The commanding officer of the second
company, Governors Foot Guard. is Maj.
Benjamin E. Brown, and the officers par
ticipating in the present trip are: Capt
Russell Thompson, ad5utant; Capt James
NJ. Townsend. chief Of staff; Lieut.. Edward
n 7 Z
Intire, Lieut.. w. s. Neeley, Lieut.. Geo. NJ.
White and Lieut.. Harvey Munsen, with F.
L. Twitchell as chaplain. The line officers
are Capt. A. NJ. johnson. Capt. E. A. Cess
rer Capt. L. A. Bostwick and Capt. T. A.
Potter. Accompanying the guards as
guests are the following officers of the sec
ond regiment, Connecticut National Guard ::
Lieut.. Joseph H. Townsend. surgeon; Lieut..
John w. Lowe, paymaster; Lieut.. Joseph
Elliott, quartermaster; Capt. ]. H. Wolf,
Lieut.. James Geddes, Lieut.. Fitzpatrick
and Capt. l.. Luddington, the latter of the
Governors Horse Guards.
Organized by Benedict Arnold.
The Second Company Governors Foot
Guard of Connecticut is in many respects
the most remarkable military organization
in tho United States. 1t was organized and
Peredict Arnold elected captain March Is,
ITS. There are few ompanies that were
formed at an earlier date. but there have
been periods of ten, twenty ard thirty
years when they were permitted to decline,
and for the time were dropped from the
militsry history of their state. 1t is the
hos. st of the Foot Guard that it is the only
military company in this country having a
&C ontinuous racCrd, holding its meetings and
elcCting it's officers annually since 11I5.
Immediately upon it's organization the
governor of the colony called special
session of the general assembly, and the
command was duly chartered as the Sec
ond Company Governors Foot Guard Of
New Haven. 1t is organized as battalion
of 15O men, with major captain, three lieu
tersnts and ensign. The commissioned
staff consists Cf seven lieutenants and a
chaplain. The discipline is based upon the
ole English custom, with enlistments for
the term of forty years. Its uniform is
that of the early English grenadiers viz.
bearskin hat, red coat, buff vest, buff knee
breeches and black velvet leggings. The
command Is subject only to the order of the
governor Of the commonwealth, and it's
present trip to Atlanta is in the capacity of
escort and body guard to his excellency.
Connecticut loses no opportunity to do
honor to this ancient organization. 1t was
an active participant in the revolutionary
the late rebellion, while it has many times
been called to arms in sudden local emer-
gencies.
It's Revolutionary History.
On the morning of April %. IT'S. four
days after the battle of Lexington, the
company. under the command of Capt
Arnold, started on it's march to Cambridge.
While passing through the town of Pom
fret, in the eastern part of the state, it was
Joined by Israel Putnam who marched
with the company to Boston, all of which
appears in the original records. now in the
possession of the guard. The incident con-
ficts somewhat with the very pretty legend
OF Putnam unhitching his horse from the
plow and galloping overland toward Bos-
ton. l. was the only uniformed organiza-
ton on the part of the colonies that took
part in the battle OF Bunker Hill. Of the
total of $50 members, all but five have a
military record either in the state or United
States service. Forty-two of these saw
hard service in the Ias:,war, and one gray
haired veteran took part in nearly all OF
the battles of the Mexican war and many
| in the war of the rebellion. In the COM
pany are five who have borne the rank OF
general, three the rank of colonel, three OF
major, fifteen of captain and sixteen OF
lieutenant. The PRESENT commissary general
| of the state Is a privata in the ranks. The
major coinmandant of the Foot Guard was
a drummer boy in the late war, and his
| former captain is now a private in his COM
pany. In the company are sixty-two
Masons, thirty-five Il of whom are knight
Templars and twenty-eight belong to the
Mystic Shrine. The present mayor of New
Haven is member of the company. as are