The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-08-24
FIRST AND SECOND CONNECTICUT
INFANTRY JOINED TO FORM 102ND
/ U. S. INFANTRY UNDER COL. ISBELL

H New Haven, Aug 24.-The 102nd
United States infantry was created by
the merging of the First and. Second
Connecticut infantry today and in Or
ders of the day Col. Ernest L. Isbell of
New Haven became the commander.
The new regiment is joined with the
101st United States infantry. which is
the merged Fifth and hints Massa-
chusetts infantry regin1ents.a as the 51st
brigade under General Peter B. Traub
and attached to the 26th division I'm
der Major General Edwards, late COM
handing the Northeastern department.
BY the ceremony on the old Yale
field today two state regiments with
notable histories went out of exist
ence.
The ceremony was one of striking
| picturesqueness There were present
besides the two regiments a group OF
high officers and a few spectators in
/ the baseball stands. The ceremony
was held at 1890 and the formal taxi
ing over Of the First infantry by the
Second. and the publication of the
newly created 1O2nd was on the green
sward of the outf1eld of the baseball
diamond. The weather was perfect
green. There were in the officer
group Brig Gen. Traub, Gov. Marcus
H. Holcomb, Brig.-Gen. G., M. Cole.
f Col. Stevens and Col. Newoomb of Gen.
Traub's staff; Col Cowles, N. s. A. re-
tired. and several staff members, to-
4 gether with Col Isbel1 and Lieut. Col
HALL
Both regiments weer assembled in
their quarters at the bowl. The Sec
ond under Col. Isbell in light march,
ing equipment marched to the ball
field by the easterly entrance, and
drew up on the field in columns Of
masses with the band and colors at
Ii the extreme right. The First regi-
ment under Col. Richard Goodman
entered from the west in heavy march
{ ing order, this to signify that the reg
iment was taking its effects to the
receiving regiment. Just before the
First entered the ground the Seconds
band played Onward Christian Sol
dfers' AS the music died away the
band of the First entered, playing the
pliment, every officer Of the Second
stood with his hand at salute, and
every company at attention.
The First marched down the field
in column, then inclined by sharp
Il angle SO that it passed in review be-
fore the Second but between the reg
iment and Gen. Traub and Gov. Hol-
comb. On the extreme right flank the
First was marched to the rear Of the
Second and took position on the south
erly side Of the field. The colors OF
each command were brought to the
center of a square formed on the sides
by the regiments, the companies in
| which had closed sups and on the other
sides by the line officers of the regi-
ments.
Col. Isbell ordered attention to be
tsounded.
Brig. Gen. Traub said in part: 81
we are here today on a. momen-
tuous occasion. This marks the birth
Of a new regiment of United States
infantry, the 102nd. This new regi-
I ment is formed by taking the two Con-
! necticut regiments that were and
: merging them into the 102nd that is.
The two Connecticut regiments have
) back of them fine traditions They
2 have the tradition of esprit de corps
t that is the very spirit Of life. From
/ your traditions you make this new
!. regiment. We don't want you to for
: get the past for on the past depends
Y what we have before US in Europe
: the spirit of devotion in whatever
! comes.
f'Bear in mind every one OF you, ii
is not what we are or have been, but
what we do, and what we do in the
future depends upon the spirit with
(which we undertake our duty.
II am proud Of the 102nd United
States infantry because see in it.
I colonel, its officers and Its men tina,
spirit of loyalty. obedience and dis
ciplnie that enables a commander te
achieve the result Of victory.
I'VE do not want you to forget the
past. Think back to your state, and
through it to your ,tOWn and to your
family, and remember that when yor
do battle those whom you have left
: behind look to you to do your full duty
to your country.
There lis also the feeling of regi
mental pride, the feeling that. is bas
Z ed on patriotism, and the feeling tina,
s goes with the national flag, and
: when the flag marches with you intt
j. the trenches what you do for tina
! flag will be what you do for YOU
q i country, your state and for your HON.
. town regardless OF yourself, We mus
9 all have the spirit of self sacrifice
: with the one great thought to do oul
!. full duty
: Gen. Traub then presented Gov
r Holcomb, who said in part:
S. "Officers and men of what has here
n / tofore been the First and Second Con
r 3necticut regiments: i
q Connecticut has always beer
= proud of its national guard. 1t ha
q always served the state of Connection
! creditably It served the state will
= honor when at the border, and M
troops there conducted themselves
!, with greater credit than those from
!, Connecticut.
:, .sYou are to lose your. identity a.
: .Connecticut regiments and are to b
= merged into the 102nd United State
: infantry.
Il stAn inquiry came to me few days
= ago by telephone from someone wht
3 represented himself as a newspapers
= man on a Boston paper. He asked
] me If had seen in the paper tina
= % states were to send their Nationa
: Guard commands to camp and tina
the New England states had been lef
out. I replied that I had seen such {
statement. The inquiry was whether
I intended to resent this neglect o.
Connecticut troops. 7 told that mar
+ that I was not trying4.to run the fed