The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-05-14
REV. ARD FOR MERIT.
Company A Gives Capt. Bumsted
a Timepieee 81 News
From the Armory.

Five years ago last night Lincoln Guard,
| Company a, Fourth Regiment, elected
as its c~ommandant Captain ]. Howard
Bumsted. Jr., and when the company
assembled for the battalion drill last
evening 1t was evident from the mystic
rious conferences held by the members
that something was going to happen.
| Captain Bumsted was the only one igno-
rant as to "the something" but he was
let into the well kept secret as soon as
the compan filed into its room after
the drill. First Sergeant Maxon brought
in the command in a column of twos
and gave the order, uncover" BY
this time Mayor p. II. Wanser, Colonel
Abernethy, Lieutenant Colonel Mason,
Major Robert Smith, Lieutenant A. L..
Christie, Lieutenant John T. Pringle, Adj
jutant r-s B. NJ. Gerardin and other
prominent officers of the regiment made
theirN appearance. Although wondering
why the First Sergeant did not dismiss
the company, Captain Bumsted had not
yet the slightest inkling of what was
about to take place, and when Major
Smith called him to the front and CEN
tire" he obeyed with a puzzled whats,
up-now'' expression. He sized up the
ompany but found no clue there.
FIVE YEARS IN COMMAND.
"a few days ago. began Major
Smith before the Captain had time to
clear the mystery, 81 heard that you
were about to complete your fifth year
as Captain of Lincoln Guard, Company
A; in fact, you complete that service
tonight. / was unexpectedly called upon
to be present tonight, and I assure you
that / never experienced a happier mo.
ment. During the five years that you
have been in command of this company
you ave brought it up to a higher
state of efficiency than it has ever en-
joyed. 1t is true that Lincoln Guard
was organized many years ago, and was
the first company to join the Fourth
Regiment, yet to you belongs the credit
of placing it in the high position it now
holds. Not only have the officers of the
regiment looked to you and Lincoln
Guard with pride, but the officers Of
the State have also ooked to you and
your gallant What the COM
| pany is today it owes to you and you
alone,
MY words of praise are as nothing
when we turn to the company and see
how highly you have been esteemed by
those who have drilled under you.
A HANDSOME TOKEN.
so as we look in the past and mark
the time by ticks the member of Com
pany A lave seen fit to look forward to
the future. and that the ticks may also
record the flight of time. they present
you with a token of their esteem. which
will tick in symbol Of the heart beats
and esteem in which you are held.
Therefore. Captain. I command you
about face and behold the token pre-
scented to 0 with loving renembrances
by the members of your company"
AS the Captain obeyed the order, he
saw resting on a table. which had been
covered with overcoats. a handsome
Mexican onyx clock, s~urmounted by a
pretty solid bronze urn. The mystery. at
last cleared. Captain Bumsted was so
surprised that he was speechless for
some time. When he recovered he
said
This is indeed q surprise to me. When
the officers and their friends began to
crowd into the room, L thought that they
had come toinspect our new mantel. So
I must admit that for once you have
taken me by surprise. My five years as
Captain of Company A have been the
v 0ld VI ILL., LIZ AS ~ Lie MID
jorss crediting me with making this COM
pany. l must say that no one man ever
made a mpa The high place Occur
pied by Company A today was reached
only because l was backed UP in every
step by the members. They by their
faithful work made the company.
gentlemen. for this handsome gift. l
will treasure it, and every time l look
upon the bright gold face ! will remem-
Der the men who stood by me and made
the ompany what it is today. 1 hope
you will excuse me. now, gentlemen, SO
that I may recover from the surprise"
three cheers for Captain Bunsted, and
they were given with a will that made
the root trusses jingle, The company
sted was Immediately surrounded. His
right arm was kept going like a pump
handle. and the most conspicuous part
ties in the operation were the Mayor and
the officers.
THE CAPTAINS RECORD.
Captain Bumsted's popularity in Com
first enlisted on April /, 1884, as a
private. He earned his first chevrons
on December e. 1885, when he was
1886, he was elected sergeant and his
marked ability SO manifested itself that
on December 10, 1887, he was elected first
chosen for the highest Office in the gift
of the company. AS a commander Cap
tain Bumsted demonstrated his great
DiliI L ! . IIE4beAitfy lOOAGQ 10 LOT
information by officers much higher in
rank, and as a result he is not only
popular among the officers OF the regi-
ment out among the higher officers of
the State as well. He has brought his
command to a state of proficiency that
earned for it special commentator from
the Adjutant General. In 1893 and 1894
he earned for the compan the highest
honors in the State AT the last few
nnu inspections the compan received
the mark of superior in drill, discipline,
military appearance and manual of
arms. In 1888 the company was the only
infantry company Of the State that
has only been made possible through the
efforts OF Captain Bumsted.
ON THE SKIRMISH.
The First Battalion again demonstrated
it's right to the title of the banner bat
talon of the regiment last evening in
the battalion drill. The assembly was
and each of the four companies paraded
the largest percentage OF its member
ship seen. ct a battalion drill in some
its Commissioned officers. The forma-
ton of the battalion was SO well execut-
ed that Major Robert Smith Immediately
pared the battalion to pass in review.
In the marching the boys of Companies
A, B, G and did themselves proud, the
-alignments being perfect In nearly every
instance. Mayor p. F.. Wanser and Col.
Abernethy reviewed the battalion from
drill shed.
Orders for. the review and presenta-
ton of marksmen badges, which Is to
take place Friday evening. were issued
to the companies last night. Tickets for
the big event were also distributed to
1hn nnn. M ntnr VI AAA III " Ax0 = ~