The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1916-06-30
MASSACHUSETTS IN 81
WAS PREPARED FOR
WAR WITH SOUTH

Guard last week wildly recalled the
last days of April 1901. The militia
company OF which | was afterwards a
member was cons dered one of the
best in the state, but the regiment to
which it was attached, was not as a
whole so viewed; consequently other
regiments which were fully armed
and equipt", well organized and drill
ed. were first called; among them was
the Eighth regiment, most of the COM
panies of which came from towns and
cities near the fishing ports of Marble
head, Salem and Gloucester; the same
region from which the crews of the
old frigate Constitution, "Old Iron
Sides" had been recruited, and Gro
ver's regiment" in the Revolutionary
army, the men who manned the boats
which took Washington and his men
over the ice-flled Delaware river on
Christmas Eve. '7o. This regiment so
largely composed of sailors who were
used to respond imme diately to com
mand, rallied at once to Lincoln's call
after the attack of Fort Sumter, and
was the first regimental organization
to reach Boston ready to go to Wash
ington. In the general shake up"
which followed my company finally
became incorporated in this historic
regiment. The Sixth Massachusetts"
reached Boston few hours later; they
came from the region surrounding
Lexington and Concord, where the
first Revolutionary fight had occur
red, and the ancestors of many of the
man had been in that outbreak April
19,l775. In one small matter of equip
ment they were better prepared than
the eighth regiment, and so were hur-
ried off through New York, and Phil
adelphia to meet their experience with
the Baltimore mob on the anniversary
when their fathers had met the Brit
ish &c years ago.
My company responded to the
Presidents call four different times,
going to the state capital upon call,
and three of those times left for the
front, serving from four months to a
year, as the need then demanded. Re-
spending to that first call the gov
ernor ordered them to report in Bos-
ton April 10. How we'll l recall that
April day; the crowd on Main street
last week was vivid reminder of that
scene of 1861; the women and chill
dren, fathers and citizens, the farewell
addresses, the entertaining; the train
pulling out. and Immediately another
came in with the afternoon papers
telling how the "o7th" had been as
saulted in Baltimore. Perhaps my read
ers can imagine the excitement which
followed, and this bringing of real
strife home to our region, making the
home people anxious and fearful And
quickly there went from mouth to
mouth, "Why, this is the 10Th; Lexing-
ton and Concord Day." and it was like
pouring oil on flame; if the evil genius
of the South had selected a day for
the attack on troops marching to the
support of the National government,
It could not have possibly chosen a
day which would more unite and fire
the patriotism of the North. If many
of the war speeches" which abound
ed in the succeeding days favoring en-
listment in the new regiments, were
of the spread eagle" variety, it was
the eagle of freedom" and his flight
prompted by the memories of the
deeds of the grandfathers and great
grandfathers of men now enrolling
Almost every native born man of my
company had ancestors in the Co.
lonial and Revolutionary wars. Three
of my great-grandfathers responded tc
the Lexington alarm. My mothers
grandfather had been in what my boy
hood was still called the last French
war;, 1854 to 1902; the British gov
eminent accepted the offer of the
New England colonies to supplement
the British troops and finally settle
the disputes between France and Eng
land and put stop to the Indian
forages from Canada; and to show
her determination and willingness in
1850, Massachusetts had one-hfth OF
her entire able bodied men enrolled
and when the supreme test came that
ended with the capture of Quebec, one
third of her men were under arms. Ex-
perience had taught her the lesson Of
preparedness" In the Revolutionary
war she furnished many more soldiers
than any other colony, and although
a majority of her population abhor-
red the war of 1924. yet she sup
piled large quota of soldiers anc
sailors, the latter being especially will
ing and successful in the sea fights