New Britain herald., 1919-09-18

that Go. F was the first company in the Connecticut regiment to take up the signal work that has proven so advantageous in military tactics, and also the first to have hugle work. Among the original members of Co. K. alive at present is Harry Latham, who served for a number of years as QuartermaSter sergeant. In speak ing of the record of MT. Latham, re- gently Colonel Thompson paid him tlatterng tribute for his service rec ord
 Co. I Formed In 1890.
 In the early part of 1890 1t was rumored among prominent military men of the city that another com pany was to be organized and at tached to the First Regiment, Con- necticut National Guard; and the New Britain officers of the regiment, Col. Chas. B. Erichson, Lieut.. Col Alfred l.. Thompson and Capt. Geo. o. Mclean of Go. F with other en- thusiastic military men, immediately circulated a petition for signatures of those men willing to form a new com pany This was presented to His EX- cellency Morgan c. Bulkeley, then governor of Connecticut, requesting
 he proposed company be located in
 New Britain. The petition was finally approved; and on August 9th, 1890, the signcrs were warned to assemble at the armory to organize. This was done, and Lyman S. Burr was chosen captain; Chas H. Moore, first lieu tenant, and Joseph R. Andrews, sec ond lieutenant. The company was thus organized but something else was required to make even the ap- pearance of military company, and that was constant study and drill. One can but imagine the enormou amount of work attached when it is realized that none of the officers and very few of the men had any mili- tary experience whatever. Colonel
 Erichson, Lieut.. Col. Thompson, Cap
 tain Mclean and others proffered
 their services which were gladly ac- cepted, and combined with the in ! terest taken by the men, soon brought Co. I to a state of proficiency almost l equal to that of the older units. First to Camp at Mantle. The first encampment of the Con- ncctiCut National Guarl attended by the new Go. I (Camp Watson( was an experience which will never be forgotten by most of the rockies. The old tricks of the more experienced militiamen were practised on the new company but the men took them all in good part with few exceptions, particularly a sergeant who essayed to paddock his tent and for obvious reasons, ''he got his
 However, the first camp was splendid success and of inestimable value to the men of tho new com pany, and under the able leadership of Captain Moore, who had succeeded Judge Burr in command, the company made an enviable reputation. This reputation was always maintained aft erwards Co. I being one of the com
 panies which could be depended upon in any emergency, ever ready for fight or frolic at any and all times. For several years the company continued it's tireless training, with very few changes, the only ones be- 1 ing due to the discharges or enlist ments, though some change was made 1 in the officers personnel: First Lieu tenant J. R. Andrews was promoted l to be captain of Go. E Theodore A. | Stanley was advanced to first lieu l tenant, succeeding Captain Andrews, and Sergeant Rollin c. Wooster was
 advanced to second lieutenant. Later l Lieut.. Stanley resigned and Sergt. 1 William J. Rawlings was advanced to I a commission.
 Volunteers for Spanish War.
 When the Spanish war broke out 1 Co. I almost to man volunteered
 its services, and under the leadership
 of Captain Chas. II. Moore; First Lieut.. Rawlings and Second Lieut.. | Samuel E. MagsOn the war company l maintained the record and upheld the ] traditions and high standing of the
 peace company
 | Through the long monotonous days 1 in the fever-laden camps the boys of 1 Company I still maintained the rec ! ord of their previous years of train | ing and proved themselves to be a i credit both to their city and their state.
 | When the company returned to civil | life Captain Moore resigned his com ! mission. Lieut. Rawlings also left the company. Lieut.. Magson was
 chosen as commander at d time when 1 the company was passing through the
 most trying period of it's existence; | namely, the reorganization from a war
 company to a peace company. Sergt
 Alfred H. Griswold became first lieu
 tenant and Sergt. William Monta- | gue second lieutenant. Two years l later Captain Magson resigned, leav-
 ing the company in excellent shape for | his successor. Lieut.. Griswold was then 1 made captain, Lieut. Montague first 1 lieutenant and Frank l.. Traut second l lieutenant.
 Roster of Old Company I. Some of the original members oi l the company:
 Joseph R. Andrews, Dr. F. B. Abbe ] Charles F.. Andruss, Jr. Lyman S | Berr, Jesse J. Broadbent, l.. D. Butler l Charles A. Cobb, Willard J. Dyson 1 Harry c. Dolan, Charles F. Erichson