Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-05-22
THE ORIGINAL GUARDS
Organized Twenty-0ne Years
Ago by Captain Wood.
CUPID GETS in HIS WORK
Why the Colored People VIII mot Enlist.
His Wife Decided to GuToo. L
Deaths Quick Work
Friday. IL. ..

the company which marched away
from this city Friday afternoon in the
midst of a blaze of glory, the impress
siveness of which was deeply intens-
fed by mingling of tears. Went out
bearing name of which the people
of Hampton are proud. The original
PeninslHa Guards We're organized
| twenty-one years ago by captain Sam
uel B. Wood, now the obliging and eff
ficient clerk of the circuit court OF
Elizabeth City county. The company.
embracing, it is stated, the names of
many of the leading men OF the town,
at once sprang into popularity. anu
there was nothing that people were
not ready and willing to DO to advance
it to the highest point of distinction
among the military CARNATIONS of
the State.
1t is an interesting fact that the for
nation of the company was the out
growth Of a Well mussled base ball
club which ruled the diamond in this
section prior to January Il. 1877. at
which time the first meeting of the
Guards took place. 1t was held in the
old courthouse. but adjourned without
effecting an organization. Another
meeting was held a few days later.
however. at which time Samuel b
Wood was chosen as captain. w. r.
Daugherty as first lieutenant, +. W.
Holt as second lieutenant, r. r. Ashe
as junior second lieutenant, r. II.
Watson as orderly sergeant. w. P.
cambridge as second sergeant, J. M.
Sclater as third sergeant and George
r. Wood as fourth sergeant. f. G.
McWiliams was ensign and George A.
Schmelz filled the cftice of quartermas-
ter's sergeant. The other members Of
the company were H. c. Marrow A.
c. Garrett. H. r. Booker. E. B. Chiles,
A. A. Patrick. F. S. Collier. j. r. Oar
den, w. T. Dardcn. Walker Watts. G.
NJ. Richter. J. w. Saunders. John Sey-
mour ". F. Turnbull, r. S. Turnbull
T. J. Turnbull, T. w. Keaton, A. T..
Ransone. Wesley Cunningham, V. P.
Holt, Charles Ashe, Samuel Watts. ].
b. Roberts, ST.. G. NJ. Peek. Harry
Booker. John Booker. William Cam
mel. lessee S. Segar, William J. Wey-
mouth, w. j. Stores. J. w. Wheeler
c. w. Hickman, Charles Ost Samuel
Harris, w. w. Roche. Richard How
ard and F. w. Cunningham. These
gentlemen We're the original members
of the company and participated In Ito
organization. 1t was not long, how
ever before other prominent citizens
enrolled their names, among them be-
Ing William S. Vaughan. S. s. Cum
ningham A. D. Wallace. w. A. Wood,
Jesse Sheetz and others The name
Peninsula Guards was adopted without
a dissenting voice and the company at
once entered upon an era of dazzling
prosperity.
For months Captain Wood. then en-
gagged in an extensive mercantile bus
mess on Queen street. devoted the
greater portion of his time to the
Guards. Having seen service In prac-
teal soldier life for nearly five years,
he was thoroughly versed In the mill
tary tactics of that time, and therefore
it was not long until the new company
began to be looked upon as experts In
the manual Of arms. Costly uniforms
were purchased and the appearance of
the Guards upon the streets was the
signal for general turnout of the pop
ulace.
But the popularity Of the Guards was
not confined to their home. Their fame
quickly spread to other towns and In
VitationS poured in upon them to at
tend fairs and other large gatherings.
Norfolk was the first city Visited by
them. the occasion being the celebia-
ton of Confederate Memorial Day,
May 20, 1877. at which time Mr.. w. F.
Adams honored them with splendid
banquet at his residence. On the 2Sth
of October following they were called
to Richmond to participate In the mill
tary exercises arranged for the State
Fair. Here an unlocked for compli-
ment awaited them. The Hon. Ruth
erford Il. Hayes. then President OF the
United States. was present and. seated
by the side of his esteemed wife. re-
viewed the great parade Of the State
troops There were many we'll drilled
and handsomely uniformed companies
in the long line of men and they were
cheered to the echo by their friends as
they passed the decorated stand In
which the. President and Mrs. Hayes
sat. But conspicuous honor of the
day was resNAed for the Guards, who
shortly after X$y marched by the dis
approach Captal1ANyoo and hurriedly
deliver a messageNNt came from the
Presidential party Nsa after praising
the men for their sAendid bearing In
the line, requested that the company 9
banner be brought to the stand. 1t
was promptly obeyed. The banner.
still in Captain Woods possession, was
then one Of the prettiest In the State.
The President and Mrs. Hayes. after
the captain had handed them the flag
for examination, renewed their compli-
ments to the company and passed Cap
tain Wood their cards.
In 1879 the Guards acted as an escort
to General Joseph E. Johnston from
Old Point to Magnolia Springs, Nan
semond county, where the famous
Confederate general addressed large
assemblage at a fair held for the bene-
fit Of the Confederate veterans. Tkei.
last important visit occurred on the
18th of October. 1881. when they went
to the Yorktown Centennial. Shortly
| before setting out they had do. nee
new uniforms. gorgeous in gold lace
and buttons of brilliant hue. Their APP
pearance on the historic ground causGe
| somewhat OF a. sensation. They were
admired, courted. fiattered and in some
| instances made The victims OF love ans
matrimonial traps set by the mutt
tude of girls who were there 10 see thu
soldiers. But they came away withou
losing either their heads or thei
hearts, but not until they had had I
| first-class time.