to themselves and to the town. The Sentinel in its report of the celebration, after mentioning the different local organizations that took part, goes on to say that Ashburnham also furnished a company for the occasion of about a hundred men neatly dressed in the continental uniform, whose appearance added much to the attraction of the scene. The spirit of former years was aroused; the company was reorganized and continued in a flourishing condition until the war of the Rebellion demanded its services. The new officers chosen at its reorganization were: Captain, Joseph P. Rice; first lieutenant, Addison A. Walker; second lieutenant, Jonas Morse; third lieutenant, Alonzo P. Davis; fourth lieutenant, George H. Barrett; with full ranks, sixty-six names upon its roll, and ably commanded, the company attended the division muster at West Brookfield in September following, Col. Edwin Upton being in command of the regiment.

In June, 1860, Captain Rice was promoted to be colonel of the regiment and Lieut. Addison A. Walker was commissioned captain of the Light Infantry.

In the spring of 1861 the company, under command of Captain Walker, promptly tendered service to the governor as an organization in aid of the Union cause.

When the 21st regiment was recruited in July of that year Company G was composed mostly of Ashburnham men and nearly all were members of the Light Infantry company.

Captain Joseph P. Rice, who for so long a time commanded the company, was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel of the 21st regiment, and was killed at the front of his regiment at the battle of Chantilly, September 1, 1862. He is said to have been a soldier in the best sense of the term, and to bravery and courage united manliness of character and genuine kindness of heart.

A CONNECTING LINK IN THE MILITARY

HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.

Read at a meeting of the Society, December 16, 1907.

BY HENRY A. GOODRICH.

During the War of the Revolution, about one-tenth of the population of Fitchburg were more or less engaged in military service. The minutemen were fully organized and equipped for duty when the alarm was given on the morning of the 19th of April, 1775. After the war was over, it was deemed necessary to keep up the military spirit for future emergencies. Accordingly there were three companies organized in this town, two of infantry, known as the North and South companies, and one of cavalry. These companies were in the Fourth regiment, Second brigade, Seventh division of Massachusetts militia. But little is known of the Cavalry company except that William Bacon was commissioned lieutenant March 1, 1787, and promoted captain March 1, 1791, and Asaph Goodridge was captain in 1797.

The purpose of this paper is to show a connecting link between the military of the Revolutionary period and the organization of the Fitchburg Fusiliers. Col. George E. Goodrich recently discovered, among the documents left by his father, a record of what was known as the South company of Fitchburg. The exact date of the organization of this company is not given, but the first call for inspection is dated April 24, 1794, and reads as follows:

"Worcester, ss. To Mr. Benjamin Danforth, Jr. Sir: In the name of the commonwealth you are hereby required to notify and warn all the train band in your district to appear at the train-field in Fitchburg on Tuesday, the sixth day of May next, at 1 o'clock P. M., with arms and equipments as the law directs, for the purpose of view

ing arms and other military duty as the commanding officer of the company shall think proper, and there to attend till lawfully dismissed. Fail not, and make return to me at or before said day. Given under my hand and seal this 24th day of April, 1794.

JOHN GOODRIDGE, Capt."

Capt. Goodridge was the writer's great-grandfather, was a soldier of the Revolution, and celebrated his twentyfirst birthday at the Battle of Bunker Hill. He was promoted to major April 30, 1794. The total rank and file under Capt. Goodridge numbered sixty men. Among them are familiar names, as Boutelle, Brown, Baldwin, Cowdin, Carter, Carleton, Daniels, Day, Eaton, Fuller, Fullum, Farwell, Goodridge, Houghton, Marshall, Osborn, Pratt, Palmer, Stickney, Sheldon, Simonds, Stone, Wilson, Upton. Number of muskets reported at first inspection, 49; one fife, one drum, one sergeant, one ensign, one lieutenant, John Upton. On May 18, 1794, the company met to choose a captain, in place of Capt. Goodridge, promoted to major. They chose John Upton captain and Joseph Fox lieutenant; sergeants-Nehemiah Fuller, Ephraim Osborn, Thomas Fairbanks, Asa Farwell; corporals-Jonathan Boynton, Joseph Downes, Timothy Gray, John Kimball.

At the next inspection the number of rank and file reported was 48 men, number of muskets 46. Jacob Burnap succeeded John Upton as captain. In 1798 James Cowdin was chosen lieutenant, Ephraim Osborn as ensign.

It may not be generally known that in those days the commissioned officers consisted of a captain, one lieutenant and an ensign, instead of a captain and two lieutenants, as at present. The ensign was usually the standard-bearer, but since the office was abolished in the military, this service is performed by the color-sergeant. The title of ensign is still retained in the navy, the office being next above midshipman.

As the record of the old South company proceeds, nearly every old familiar name in Fitchburg will be found on its list of officers, rising by regular promotion from corporal to captain. The sergeants under Capt. Burnap were Joseph Downe, Solomon Day, Joshua Stickney, Oli

ver Fox. In 1801 James Cowdin was captain, and the rank and file was given as 54, muskets 47.

May 5, 1802, Capt. James Cowdin's company met, and after he received his discharge they chose Oliver Fox captain, and Aaron Eaton, Jr., lieutenant.

The return of Oliver Fox's company in May, 1802, gives the rank and file as 45 men, and number of muskets 41.

In 1803 the names of the officers of the South company were: Oliver Fox, captain; Aaron Eaton, lieutenant; Joseph Farwell, ensign; sergeants-Ephraim Davis, clerk, George W. Chaplin, Moses Farwell, Joseph Carter; corporals-James Farwell, Thomas Harris, Verin Daniels, Elisha Carter. Return of Capt. Fox's company, May 3, 1803, shows enrolled men in cloth uniform, 48; cartridges with balls, 1320; knapsacks, 55; wires and brushes, 55; flints, 165; bayonet belts, 55; ramrods, 55; cartridge boxes, 55; bayonets, 54; muskets, 55; total rank and file, 51; drums and fifes, 5.

Capt. Fox was a noted man in his day and lived where the Whitney Opera house now stands. All the land between Prichard and Grove streets was known as Fox flat and all between Prichard and Mt. Vernon streets as Fox hill. Two well-known streets, Oliver and Fox, perpetuate his name.

May 7, 1805, Capt. Fox's company met after he received his discharge, to choose a captain and fill the vacancies made by promotion. Lieut. Eaton was chosen captain, Ensign Farwell lieutenant, Philip Cowdin ensign; sergeants-William Kimball, clerk, Aaron Houghton, James Farwell, Samuel Kimball. Return of Capt. Eaton's company, May 7, 1805, shows men in cloth uniforms, 62; muskets, 65; total rank and file, 65. The roll of the company at this time shows many familiar names still common in this locality. Capt. Eaton was succeeded, April 14, 1806, by Joseph Farwell, with Philip Cowdin as lieutenant and James Farwell as ensign; sergeants-William Kimball, George F. Putnam, Samuel Kimball and Samuel Putnam. The return of Capt. Farwell's company, May 6, 1806, gives men in cloth uniform, 45; muskets, 53; total rank and file, 59.

May 5, 1807, Capt. Farwell's company met to choose an ensign in place of James Farwell, discharged, and George F. Putnam was chosen to fill the vacancy. Return of the company, May 5, 1807: Men in cloth uniforms, 55; muskets, 53; total rank and file, 60.

March 1, 1808, Philip F. Cowdin was elected captain, George F. Putnam lieutenant, and Samuel Putnam ensign; sergeants-Joshua Phillips, Joseph Carter, James Stewart, William Carter. May 2, 1808, Samuel Putnam was chosen lieutenant, and Leonard Burbank ensign. Return of Capt. Cowdin's company, May 3, 1808: Men in cloth uniforms, 58; muskets, 54; total rank and file, 58. Return of Capt. Cowdin's company, May 2, 1809: Men in cloth uniforms, 50; muskets, 50; total rank and file, 50. The officers elected, April 4, 1810, were as follows: Captain, Samuel Putnam; lieutenant, Joshua Goodridge; ensign, Webster Cole. The return of Capt. Putnam, May 1, 1810, gives men in cloth uniform, 45; muskets, 52; rank and file, 55.

At a meeting of the company, May 7, 1811, the following officers were elected: Captain, Joshua Goodridge; lieutenant, Webster Cole; ensign, James Stewart. The roll of Capt. Goodridge's company, May 4, 1812, shows: Sergeants-Martin Newton, Jonathan Whitcomb, Ephraim Osborn, Jr., Samuel Hale. Men in uniform, 50; rifled guns, 2; muskets, 61; total rank and file, 64.

May 24, 1812, the two infantry companies were called together for the purpose of a detachment. The names detached were as follows: From Capt. Joshua Goodridge's company, Joseph Cowdin, Natt Cowdin, Bush Fitch, Levi Pratt, Aaron Derby, Jr., Samuel Taylor, Joseph Kemp, William Derby and Samuel Miller. From the North company, Capt. Thurston, one drummer, Lyman Garfield, and nine men-George Wood, Amos Daby, Simeon Gibson, Edward Burnap, Jr., Nathaniel Sawyer, William Carlton, Simon Marshall, Joseph Haskell, Joseph J. Souther.

Capt. Joshua Goodridge lived on a farm in South Fitchburg, a short distance this side of the Leominster line.

On May 4, 1813, the company was in command of Lieut. Webster Cole, with men in uniform 43, rifle guns 3, muskets 48, rank and file 51. The other officers at