Evening star., 1936-08-23
By John Clageh Proctor.

Il the private military organiza-
tions of the District of Columbia that
preceded the present National Guard,
and which turned out upon nearly
all special occasions when there was
q parade along Pennsylvania avenue,
greatly to the delight of every kid
in town and the grown-ups as well.
Indeed, no pen will ever adequately
picture the old Avenue, the soldier
boys and the enthusiasm that reigned
upon such occasions, whenever so
many mothers, sweethearts and wives.
and Just admirers, turned out to swell
the dense crowds that banked both
sides of Washingtons most noted
thoroughfare from The Capitol to the
White House, to applaud the expert
military maneuvers of the soldier
boys as each company We'd with the
others in line for the approval and
applause OF the multitude of spec
tators.
Tinsel, brass buttons, epaulets and
braid always had an appeal for the
public generally-both the young and
the old, the proletariat and the elite
and probably always will. Every
body seems to like spectacular drill,
likes the snowy excitement of
parade, with a Sousa march thrown
in now and then. And it was the
best type of these parades that We
look backward to-. in the days when
the drill teams of Washington were
known far and wide, and it was a
rare occasion, indeed, when they did
not return home, after attending some
drill meet, with the coveted prize.
Although there were several such
companies within the recollection of
many, yet it is quite likely that nearly
every one will agree that the out
standing organizations Of the city,
during the 80s and COS, were
the Washington Light Infantry Corps
and the National Rifles, both of
which are now only pleasant recol-
lection. Friends socially, rivals and
antagonists for military honors, these
two bodies of gentleman soldiers will
long be recalled and fittingly praised
by those who knew them in bygone
days, and when they were at the
zenith of their glory.
THE Washington Light Infantry
Corps was the older of these two
crack military organizations, the idols
of the Nations Capital. The pioneer
Of these companies had its birth in
1886, just 100 years ago. The exact
day when it was first organized. as
shown by the bylaws, was August
81, 1886, and as indicated by the
following item, copied from the
Metropolitan of August 81 of that
year:
washington Light Infantry. - A
company of soldiers has just been
organized in this city, to be denom-
mated the Washington Light Infantry.
We understand that the number
amounts at present to 40 members,
who are all of them gentlemen of re-
spectability and good standing. This
company will be handsomely equipped
and uniformed, so as to make a re-
spectacle and soldierly-like appear
ance on the 18th of September, when
they expect to meet and join their
Baltimore companions in arms. The
following gentlemen have been elected
officials Of the Washington Light In
fantry:
"A. B. Blake, captain.
''Richard France, first lieutenant.
wv. H. Mauro. second lieutenant.
John Mills, third lieutenant"
The first public appearance of the
company was made on September II
following, when it paraded the streets.
Unfortunately. the earlier records
Of this well-known organization can
not be found, but the minutes of the
meeting of March 9, 1910, aid many
of those subsequent thereto, are in
the possession of Capt. E. w. Zea of
Company c, who, together with Maj.
S. Porter House, saved them from the
junk pile when the corps disbanded
In February, 1902.
Perhaps the most interesting part
Of the book of 1840 is that giving
list Of some of the members and their
autographs, which begins the volume.
These are Of special importance to old
District families, since they are, in
many instances, the ancestors of a
great number of the present Washing
tonians, who will, no doubt, recognize
their names. Some are not very plain
ly written, and it is possible mistake
or two may be made in deciphering
them, but an intelligent effort at least
has been made to do so correctly.
THE first autograph in the book is
- that of Francis Lamb, and then
follow John w. Mead and James E.
Wise. Thomas w. Jones, William
Hebrund and. Richard Brown are
listed under date of 1840, while under
184l appear the names John L. Marll,
Charles Roe, Francis A. Dunn, Edw.
Doniphan, John w. Joyce, william
Noell, Charles Venerable, Thomas Col
Inns, Benjamin B. Wright. William
Morgan, Henry G. Ruhl, James Cor
don, Isaac .Croggon, William H. Clark,
William H. Baum, Abraham Cook,
Thomas Downey, John Bridget, Charles
Baum, Jamees Y. Davis, William
kAlQQ duQ OOllll WIlU was
elected f1fer of the company.
Those whose signatures appear un-
der date of 1912 were: J. H. Winn,
Charles Kimbel, Christian Weber,
Philip Zimmerman. Joseph r. Mas
soleler. Thomas Sessford, James E.
Powers, Samuel Benton, Andres j.
Joyce. william Hill, Marcellus Wilson
and George Recker
Nicholas I. Henderson signed in 1843
and the other signatures appearing
that year include those Of John w.
Hodgson, John Jarboe, Daniel Quigley,
William Traray, John S. Baum, VIII
liam j. Harris, William E. Morocco,
William L. Burch, D. H. King, M. B.
Mauger, James Donaldson, Joseph
Marteni, Edwin H. King and Michael
Kelley.
In 1874 those who signed the by
laws were: M. E. Bright, James P.
Ellis. James w. Allen, william Gaver;