Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1902-02-14

THE twenty-second anniversary Of B
Company, First Infantry, of the Nat
onal Guard of Delaware, falls upon Feb
ruary 10th, 1902, and that being Sun
day. its observance will be held on this,
Friday, evening, when an exhibition
drill and reception will be given. A
banquet will be served at the National
Hotel after the exercises in the Ar
mory. There will be speeches from
ex-Colonel G. w. Marshall. Col Theo
Townsend, Captain F. c. Wiswell and
others. Capt. w E. Lank started in
this company as drummer boy, and
has stuck by the company through all
these years, and claims the distinction
Of being the oldest continuous man in
the Delaware National Guard.
Company B was then known as the
Torbert Guards, and was organized by
suggestion made by local paper Of
Milford in February, 1880, and the pre-
liminary meeting and election was held
in the MILFORD CHRONICLE office on
the evening of February 18th, 1880. AT
that meeting DR.. George w. Marshall
was chosen for its first captain, the late
Captain VIM. Harris, a veteran Of the
Civil War, was its First Lieutenant,
Captain Fred Q. Wiswell, another Civil
War veteran, was chosen for Second
Lieutenant, and Theo. Townsend its
Orderly Sergeant.
The State of Delaware provided the
guns and ammunition at that time, and
the uniforms were purchased by private
contributions from the members. The
State made no provisions for Armories,
and the rent and maintenance was
raised by annual dues from members
Of the company
The largest amount ever received at a
public performance in Milford, was from
the rendering of the opera of Pima
fore" in old Dorsey Hal, over the Wind
sor House, under the management Of
Company B. or as then known, the Tor
bert Guards. After paying the ex-
penses Of an opera troupe from Balti-
more, about $4,000, and giving them
One-half the proceeds after paying for
the company cleared over
$4,000. This clearly makes evident the
enthusiasm of those who were on the
rolls of Company B during lis earliest
history. tf
This was really the beginning of the
reorganization of the militia Of Della
ware after the Civil War,and with two
rifle companies at Wilmington, and
two companies organized at Dover, in
1881 the First Infantry Of Delaware
was recognized.
In all these years, now nearing a
quarter Of a century, Company B has
formed a prominent part of the States
military force. Ithas built and equip
ped without State aid, the largest and
best armory in the State, excepting only
the State Arsenal at Wilmington.
From its ranks young men have gone
to professional and business careers,
who largely by the experience and
training Of obedience and self-reliance
there received, were greatly aided in
making a success of life.
Few people of this day realize the
lack of patriotism among the citizens
ofDelaware twenty-five years ago. The
respect due to the flag, and the few num-
bers Of that emblem Of freedom, which
floats and is now respected around the
world by all nations and all people, are
memories difficult to realize by most of
the people Of Delaware to-day; and
twenty years ago it was difficult to get
even laws for the government of the
militia enacted-much less appropriate
money for its maintenance The Ma
tionaI government came to the aid of
the citizen soldiery, by giving uniforms,
and all kinds of equippage, and by the
persistence Of few men the National
Guard laws of to-day are in existence.
Company B has been a credit to the
State's military force, an honor to the
town of its nativity; and, let the future
be bright for its influence for good on
the morals Of the youth Of this vicinity.