USA > New York > The first hundred years : records and reminiscences of a century of Company I, Seventh Regiment, N.G.N.Y., 1838-1938 > Part 43
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Our bard also laments the loss of Supply Sergeant Charles G. Martin who has applied for his discharge and also the transfer to Headquarters Company of Sergeant Lincoln T. Miller as Master Sergeant. He also describes the Regi- mental review to His Excellency, the Italian Ambassador, Signor Fulvio de Suvich, and after this masterly effort breaks down with the following:
Well then I vow : No more will I compose In verse that goes not well I'll simply set it forth in prose And you, dear friends, can go to Breathing sighs of relief.
Following Inspection which as usual found Company I very much on its toes, Captain Devereux was given a birthday party in the rumpus room, properly en- livened by appropriate gifts, Lieutenant Moore's recitations, songs, food, more beer, etc.
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Even the Captain's gloomy predictions (probably the conservatism of old age) that we would be lucky to win the Clark by 50 points or the Kemp by more than 25, cast no wet blanket on our spirits.
With the exception of the Rathbone (30-man) rapid-fire match to be shot the week of April 12, "I" Company has scored a grand slam in the Regimental Indoor Rifle Matches for the third consecutive year. This is all the more remark- able because of the enormous increased interest and great improvement shown by most of the other companies in trying to be the first to humble the "Old Trooper."
It will be noted that we not only held our own over the 1935-1936 season but actually improved in all but the Clark (50-man) Match. The crowning achievement was scored in the Kemp (25-man) Match, when the "I" team set new all-time records in standing, prone, and grand totals. The score of 1,129, beat that made by Company B back in 1899 by five points. It must be admitted that around late fall some of us were a "wee" bit fearful of our ability to re- tain our shooting honors. It wasn't the good shots or even the middle group that we were worried about, but rather the tail-enders, plus our recruits. Well, sir, the way those babies came through was nothing short of scandalous. Hats off to Alan and Mal Anderson, Kramer Barnhart, Alfie Bradford, Jim Bush- nell, Tom Budington, Vinne Dwyer, Joe Fennelly, Al George, Dick Halsted, Al Neverick, and Harry Tyler-you can't keep good men down!
THE VETERANS' RACKET
On Friday, April 16, the Ninth Company Society, keeping abreast of the times, announced "A RACKET" to be held at the New York Athletic Club, and presented their demands through Charles A. Slosson, Committee Chairman, as follows :
Sit-Down Strike at 7:00 p.m., at which all present will sit down and demand:
1. A square meal with songs-and everything.
2. Collective bargaining with the Active Company (who will be there en masse), for the purpose of fixing a limit at which they must stop "speeding up" our old rifle-shooting records.
3. The opportunity to get next to your old buddy of Valley Forge, Gettysburg, Brooklyn, Croton Dam, McAllen, Spartanburg, and intermediate points and talk him blue in the face once a year.
4. A closed shop on speeches-but a wide-open smile on a good story.
5. A proper celebration of our Ninety-ninth Birthday and a free discussion of the Hundredth in 1938.
The "Actives" were the guests of an unannounced Veteran, and needless to say the response was "tremendous," the doors being closed long before the appointed hour. Captain William F. Wall acted as toastmaster in place of Major Francis G. Landon, president, who was unable to attend due to illness, and at the speakers' table were Major Howland Pell (Company I, 1875-1881), Colonel Ralph C. Tobin, Colonel Arthur W. Little, Colonel Buchanan Houston,
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THE FIRST HUNDRED YEARS OF COMPANY I
Major Thomas Wiswall, Major Roeliff Brooks, Mr. George Heye, and Captain Richard A. Devereux.
After the pangs of hunger had been appeased, Toastmaster Wall announced that, in compliance with the sit-downers' demands, speeches of more than five minutes were taboo, and the notables religiously kept within the time allow- ance. Major Brooks remarked that it was the first time he had ever been so muffled, but was promptly reminded that though a Regimental Major he was still only a Ninth Company Private. The Major saw the point and, as usual, addressed his remarks with wit and accuracy.
THE COMPANY WINS ITS SPURS!
Colonel Tobin, in the course of his talk, announced Regimental sanction for Company I to wear spurs, thereby officially recognizing our "Trooper" ances- try. Captain Wall immediately congratulated the active Company on winning its spurs and acquiring official recognition of legitimate descent, which it seems, has been questioned more or less frequently by our defeated rivals during the past half-century. Then, with characteristic generosity, Captain Wall announced that the spurs would be his gift to the Company. This was greeted with cheers, especially from the non-coms who quickly visioned their use when acting as file-closers with some forgetful private lagging behind the line.
Captain Devereux spoke briefly on the year's activities, remarking that upon the Colonel's suggestion, less emphasis was being laid on the Company shoot- ing this year. "Instead of working to win," he said, "we are merely putting in sufficient effort to avoid finishing second." The Captain then announced the award of the Foster Medal to the "outstanding member of the active Company during the past year," Major Francis G. Landon.
Colonel Tobin presented cups to the winners of the Company "Continuous Match": Messrs. Morrissey, Devereux, Batstone, Irsay, Pfaff, H., McGuire, Bradford, Anderson, A., Fennelly, and Van Ark; and to the fifteen high men, medals emblematic of membership on the official Ninth Company Team (Mor- rissey, Devereux, Downing, Batstone, Waite, Shannahan, Irsay, Cush, Glins- man, Hallden, Pfaff, H., Adams, Baxter, Pfaff, F., and Bushnell). These handsome prizes were the gift of a Veteran whose expressed wish to remain anonymous we will not violate beyond stating that he is a valued friend of Company I with a most distinguished whisker.
A special presentation was made to Sergeant John R. Downing of the third-place, "leather medal," a beautiful, decorative, and embossed creation. which he is entitled to wear for one year. "Snatch" was speechless for the first time in his career, and after receiving his honors sat down mumbling his thanks, which sounded to the reporter like, "I'll get you yet," which, of course, must be an error.
Major General A. H. Blanding, Chief, National Guard Bureau, reviewed the Regiment on April 23, and as usual, Company I led the Battalion. Captain Devereux was presented with a Regimental fifteen-year Cross of Honor, and
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Lieutenant John K. Batstone and First Sergeant Wilson Potter with ten-year medals.
The 1936 Regimental rifle team was awarded team medals, and our men so honored were Captain Devereux, Lieutenants Moore and Batstone, Sergeant Downing, Corporal Irsay, and Privates Glinsman, Morrissey and Shannahan. In this connection it is interesting to note that all eight of these shooters made the championship 1937 Regimental team and that six of them fired one of the Regiment's two targets in the State Match. Frank Glinsman, firing as anchor man on this 100% "I" Company target, had the honor of firing a string of ten shots at 600 yards in which every point scored was above the previous match record.
Company I members accounted for two of the six individual State rifle matches held this year-Captain Devereux winning the Roe Match (49 x 50 at 1,000 yards) and "Medals" Morrissey acquiring the Thurston Trophy and a GOLD medal with a score of 96 at two and three hundred yards. "First blood" in this year's matches was drawn by the Company I pistol team, which won the MacNab Trophy with a score of 93.87% over the dismounted pistol course.
Final "Rifle Club" qualifications show Company I leading the Regiment with 28 rifle and 8 pistol, total 36 qualifications.
The long-postponed Rathbone rapid-fire match was shot on May 19 with Company I shooting the almost impossible score of 1440 x 1500-an average of 48 x 50 per man for 30 men, which beat the former record by 47 points. And fortunate it was that "I" was hitting on all cylinders, as our deadly (accurate) enemies from "L" were also "HOT" and beat our old record by 9 points.
Winning of the Rathbone completes our third year's consecutive "clean sweep" of the Regimental Indoor Matches!
We are pleased to announce the graduation of Corporals William J. Baxter and, Stephen S. Irsay from the Regimental Candidates School, giving us ten "commissioned non-coms."
PINE CAMP, 1937
An Unofficial Critique of the So-Called "Watertown Campaign" by a High Private in the Rear Rank-Gordon Van Ark (old 61)
We left for camp at midnight, but the weather was just as hot as high noon ! Blouse, serge, may have felt hot to the others; and shirt, wool, may have stuck to some backs; but breeches, elastique, stretched by temperature to the burst- ing point as "I" donned them for the march to the depot.
Marching to Grand Central, we took over two long trains and transformed them speedily into a conductor's nightmare. Indoor amusements of various kinds kept the boys cheerful as the long night wore on. A few slept.
Late the next morning we clambered down the train steps at Great Bend and marched determinedly up to Pine Camp to take over the 7th Regiment camp site-which wasn't plain and simple-just plain and sandy.
Pine Camp, Watertown, N.Y., 1937. Company I with all its buttons
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Arrival at Great Bend, July 25, 1937
We marvelled at the fortitude of the advance detail and were thankful we hadn't been there-even for an extra two-and-a-quarter. We hadn't been at camp long when the li'l red beetle pulled up with a roar and disgorged Miller and The Count. Corporal Shannahan took the first ride in the beetle, that is, as much of him as got into the thing.
Hats off to the chef, who produced a meal from "no perishables" and "no meat." Lesson No. 1 was principally one in "how to get along without it in the field" and "legerdemain for Mess Sergeants." Fortunately for us, Sergeant Porter dragged rabbits from hats and had them made into hasenpfeffer before you could say "meat strike."
We next learned the importance of transportation-when you don't have it. That half-trunkful of small personal possessions began to look mighty im- portant before it actually arrived, along about sundown.
Meanwhile we learned to drink chlorine water from canvas cows, build out- door tables for our banquets, and dress tents knee-deep in sand. In fact, camp was largely just that-little drops of water and little grains of sand.
Next morning, field training began in earnest, with scouting and patrolling details wearing themselves to a frazzle. Frantic tin-pan beating followed the brave soldiers over hill and dale, thereby conserving valuable blank ammuni- tion. Then we discovered the blueberries. Sweet respite! It wasn't that one cared for the blueberries so much, but the sitting down to pick them was fun.
Attack and defense problems were carried out over excellent terrain-in fact, over lots of excellent terrain. Cover was good, but blank ammunition was scarce, so that ten or fifteen shots might mean a squad-or a battalion. Oh -- the mighty surge of battle!
The middle Sunday was a treat. Most of the boys went to the Thousand Islands and saw some water, land, etc. But from this point on, most of the men were "Borrowed-dough Boys."
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THE FIRST HUNDRED YEARS OF COMPANY I
C. J- 107th INF. 7 - 185
Shooting group, Peekskill, 1935
We played some baseball games ("I"-15, "K"-8; "I"-12, "L"-6; "M"-7, "I"-2). And we drank beer with "M" after the last game-at our expense. Another athletic event was the Regimental relay race. We came out a puffing seventh, having dipped a lot of sand at the corners.
We broke camp in the rain and in the dark-and lived through a long re- turn to the city. The Regiment returned happy, healthy, and hot.
First Platoon, Pine Camp, Watertown, N.Y., 1937
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THE BOAT RIDE
On Sunday, August 29, the Entertainment Committee sounded "Assembly" for a Ninth Company "boat-ride-beach-party" to be held on Fire Island. The call was answered by forty-odd members, but then, let Sergeant Charles Petin report it in his own inimitable way:
The day dawned mostly grayish, and a slight haze persisted about the hori- zon. In short, things were hazy, things atmospheric and psychic ... for it was the Sabbath morn. The Committee, after much huddling and conferring, chose Sayville-in-the-Sand-Dunes, L.I., as the port of embarkation.
The "Societé of Quarante Hommes et Huit Cheveux" would certainly be envious of some of the automobiles used in reaching the "Theatre of Opera- tions."
Lieutenant Moore, the only aristocrat among us, chose to use the "Long Island." He was warmly received by the Company at the station. The slightly fascist demonstration which greeted him startled some hundred Long Islanders on the 10:03, but "Mussolini" instantly came into play, to the delight of all.
The twin-screwed, double-Dieseled, super-modernistic ferry ($20 per day) putt-putted along majestically so long as Van Ark, "Junior" Pfaff & Co. kept beer out of the mechanism and everyone sat perfectly still.
After landing at Fire Island, cries of "Food, Food," filled the air on all sides. When produced, "Food" consisted of juicy steaks which were broiled over charcoal embers, shrouded in rolls, and washed down with beer. At this point a zippy game of "20-o'cat" was in progress.
Casualties were, revived in the briny Atlantic. To date no additional "finds" have been reported for our Winter's ball team.
It is always a pleasure to announce graduations, and we therefore take great pleasure in announcing the graduation from mere Privates, etc., to full-fledged non-coms of Frank H. Pfaff, Sergeant; William J. Baxter, Supply Sergeant; Edward C. Shannahan, Henry C. Pfaff, Charles H. Jones and James Bushnell, Corporals. Not to be outdone, Charlie Wieboldt and Charlie Green (with the able assistance of Miss Mary Lynch and Miss Hazel Corsa, respectively) de- cided to "graduate" from bachelors to benedicts. Diplomas were accordingly awarded on July 10 to Charlie Wieboldt and September 18 to Charlie Green. Congratulations and the best of luck.
GOVERNORS ISLAND AGAIN
Saturday, September 25, we were again invited to put on a formal guard mount as a part of the program arranged by the Army Relief Society at Gov- ernors Island. The day was bright, the ladies brighter, and all in all a more pleasant affair we haven't seen in many a day. It makes a feller feel like
i
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THE FIRST HUNDRED YEARS OF COMPANY I
Company I's Guard Mount, Governors Island, 1937
SOMEBODY to get out once in a while and show himself in summer dress uniform. Besides, as Joe Adams says, for some of us ugly ducklings it's the only time the GOOD LOOKERS will give us a second glance.
Yes, sir. It's great to get out there on the field and have the band strike up that stirring march "Hail to 'I' Company, the Flower of the Gallant 7th." Da-da-da-da-da-dee-before you know it, your chest is "a swellin' wisibly," as the elder Mr. Weller's phrase went. The Company never put on a finer per- formance, evidenced by the enthusiastic applause and compliments received. After the guard mount some fifty couples went to historic Fraunces' Tavern and enjoyed a company "dinner-dance" until the wee small hours.
RIDING TO HOUNDS! WHOOPS!
The "chosen few" of Company I had been restless and uneasy ever since the coming of the Autumn season, and when Corporal Baylis voiced an invitation to inspect his Huntington, L.I., estates, it was immediately and enthusiastically accepted. "We'll have a fox-hunt" was the cry-another definite proof of our Trooper ancestry-and it was a jolly crowd that finally assembled to follow the hounds and call "tally-ho."
The chase was soon under way, and among the first off were Corporal Baylis, Sergeant Pettinato, Miss Mary Ruenzler, Lieutenant Batstone, Corporal Shan- nahan, Miss Jerry Bennett, Sergeant and Mrs. Waite, Captain and Mrs. Devereux, and Lieutenant and Mrs. Huber, while among those out-distanced were Sergeants Downing, Irsay and Pfaff, all of whom were unable to stand the rigorous pace and became lost. The fox escaped, but it was a jolly, hungry
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Armory Review, 1937, Company I in foreground
group that gathered around the huge campfire to consume luscious venison steaks, roast ducks, etc., all sizzling hot, also to quaff hundred-year-old wines to the merry accompaniment of story and song lasting long into the night.
THE COMPANY COLLECTS A FEW MORE
The Veteran Military Rifle Association held its Fall Tournament on Sun- day, October 24, at Camp Smith, Peekskill, N.Y., and, as the New York Times aptly put it, "the results were of distinctly 'I' Company flavor":
All Comers Off-Shoulder Match: 1-Captain R. A. Devereux, 94 x 100; 2-Private J. B. Morrissey, 93; 5-Private F. H. Glinsman, 88; 9-Corporal E. C. Shannahan, 87; 11-Lieutenant T. A. Moore, 87.
VMRA "Members" Match: 3-Franklin H. Glinsman, 71 x 75.
All Comers Pistol Match: 1-Captain R. A. Devereux, 295 x 300; 6-Pri- vate F. H. Glinsman, 282; 11-Private J. B. Morrissey, 272. In addition to these match scores, the following regular qualification scores were made: Ex- pert-Private J. B. Morrissey, 241 x 250; Corporal E. Shannahan, 231; Pri- vate A. A. Neverick, 227. Sharpshooter-Sergeant W. J. Baxter, 221; Private J. N. Miller, 216. Marksman-Private E. Klaussmann, 204; Private M. Head, 199; Private J. Morrell, 197. Special mention and commendation is made to
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THE FIRST HUNDRED YEARS OF COMPANY I
Messrs. Neverick, Miller, Klaussmann and Morrell who fired their first out- door course and made qualifying scores.
VETERANS' NIGHT
Wednesday, November 17, was the second of what is hoped will develop into a Ninth Company tradition. The present plans, originated by a group of younger Ninth Company Veterans, call for a monthly Veteran meeting on the third Wednesday of each month, as follows: Meet 6:15 p.m. in Company Room for cocktails; dine with Actives 6:45 to 8:00; observe Company drill 8:00- 8:30; meet at a designated place for a half-hour discussion of "I" affairs-past, present and future.
About thirty-five Veterans answered the call at this first meeting, and the enthusiasm displayed speaks volumes for its future success. A snappy bat- talion drill won loud applause from the spectators, and needless to say, warmed the "cockles of the hearts" of the participants, spurring them on to greater efforts. Later in the evening an "I" basketball team beat "L" by a 15 to 6 score and displayed much promise of a successful try for the Regimental title. The starting five were J. Batstone, R. Shaw, L. Kay (Capt.), J. Moffitt, and A. Anderson, with substitutes R. Halsted, R. deRaismes, J. Fennelly, A. Neverick, F. Albanese, and J. Hollmeyer.
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The annual Rifle Club turkey shoot was held on November 19 and as usual Captain Devereux, Sergeant F. H. Pfaff, Corporal C. H. Hallden and Private A. A. Neverick came home with the goods and thus supplied their respective Thanksgiving Day dinner tables.
A GORDON GRANT CHRISTMAS CARD
Christmas was properly celebrated by the Company on Veterans' Night, December 15. The Vets turned out in such numbers that the Appleton Mess Hall was almost completely preempted-to the pretended discomfiture of some of our green-eyed rivals.
After a bang-up drill the festivities continued in the Company Room until a late hour with much joyous hilarity around the Christmas tree.
As a proper souvenir of another remarkable year in Ninth Company history the Actives were privileged to send to members, veterans and friends a beau- tiful Gordon Grant Christmas card. It is in his best vein and something to keep, together with those inimitable menu cards which G.G. has been con- tributing to "I" Company banquets for many years. This distinguished knight
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of the palette and brush, whose marines are famous the world over, has always been more than generous of his time and talent whenever it was a question of the old Ninth. His stories have entered into the traditions of the organization and. -
a dinner without one of his Scotch yarns is like an egg without salt.
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A MERRY CHRISTMAS and A HAPPY NEW YEAR SAYS
1938
THE OLD GUARD HONORS THE NINTH COMPANY
The celebration of our Centennial really began, as previously announced, at the Old Guard Ball on January 28 at the Hotel Commodore. As usual, it was the outstanding social event of the new year and one of the most colorful parties ever given by that distinguished organization.
Amid scores of brilliant uniforms of patriotic and military units and the beautiful gowns of the ladies who graced the ball, the Ninth Company of the 7th Regiment held the place of honor. The Company attended in full strength carrying its original standard of the First Troop National Guards, founded March 6, 1838, while the boxes were filled with Veterans whose enthusiasm knew no bounds.
CENTENNIAL DINNER OF I COMPANY
7TH REGIMENT; N. G. N.Y.
VANVERSITY CLUB
BELA
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The Centennial Dinner at the University Club, March 5, 1938
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NINTH COMPANY CENTENNIAL DINNER MARCH 5-6, 1938
O N Saturday, March 5, more than two hundred members and friends of the Ninth Company assembled at the University Club to celebrate the One Hundredth Anniversary of the organization of the "First Troop, National Guard," now Company I, 7th Regiment.
Portraits of seven former Captains of Company I looked down upon a scene which only a hundred years of 7th Regiment background could produce. From the two brass howitzers guarding the entrance (mementos of Major Landon's Volunteer Battery of 1892) to the display of the 7th's shooting trophies, all now held by the Active Company, the setting typified a century of tradition and achievement. Menus by Gordon Grant in 7th Regiment grey; a pair of silver cups presented by the troop to its first Captain, Andrew B. Brinckerhoff; the Brooks Brothers Bowl, won by Company I at the Armory Fair in 1879; and a dozen other bronze and silver trophies all contributed to the transformation of the magnificent dining room of the University Club into the Ninth Company Mess Hall.
Major Francis G. Landon, President of the Society of Ninth Company Veterans, presided over the postprandial entertainment. After outlining the history of the formation of the "First Troop" the Major spoke eloquently of the days of the great Captain Casey under whom he enlisted.
Mr. John Hance, 1875, then took up the train of reminiscence and in a most interesting manner told of the building of the Armory; the railroad riots of '77, the origin of "Who was George Washington ?"; the famous trip to the Centennial in Philadelphia, 1876, and the Fourth of July parade at that time with the thermometer registering 100° in the shade.
"Many of our men were prostrated," said Mr. Hance, "but we noticed that their prostrations generally occurred when they were opposite some stoop occu- pied by a group of attractive young women, and that our warriors were quickly revived by proper care and attention.
"There was one outstanding incident of the Fair. I was passing through a building when one of my comrades hailed me: 'Have you been up in that gal- lery and talked over the wire? Go up and pay your twenty-five cents.' It was the first telephone just perfected by Professor Bell who had gotten his patent for this great invention in 1876."
Other speakers were Chaplain Major Roeliff Brooks, Captain William F. Wall, Colonel Buchanan Houston, Captain George P. Nichols, Captain Gordon Grant and Mr. Harry H. Bottome.
Thus in pleasant comradeship and reminiscence the Company and its friends passed the last four hours of the "First Hundred Years of Company I," in- cluding a pre-view of some of the illustrations from the memorial book of that title, edited by Captain Claude G. Leland.
Dinner in celebration of the entennial
Company 7th Beat. puonn
1838
TOUJOURS
PRET
University Club March 5 - 1938
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1930-1938
At midnight, the Company greeted its birthday with "Reveille" and a toast to the next hundred years of Company I. Speakers were Colonel Ralph C. Tobin, General Wade H. Hayes, and Captain Richard A. Devereux.
A message of congratulation was received from Mr. Isaac T. Comstock, 1873, the Company's oldest living member, who was prevented by ill health from joining the "old timers" table of John A. Hance, 1875; George W. Vanderhoff, 1874; Charles Le Boutillier, 1878; and John N. Stearns, 1881. In contrast to the 241 years of association with Company I represented by these four members was Lieutenant Colonel David Chavchavazde of the Knick- erbocker Greys, who attended the dinner with Mr. Le Boutillier.
Greetings were also received from Captain T. T. Johnson and from "The Machine Gun Company" wishing "The Rifle Company" another hundred years of success.
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