From this it is clear that the officers were chosen by a vote of the men in each company. The subsequent "establishment" of the rank of officers by the Connecticut Assembly was but a ratification of what had already been done by vote of the men.
It was more than a year after the action of the town meeting asking for the legal organization of a regiment before the legislature acted upon the subject. At May session, 1775, it enacted "That the town of Westmoreland shall be one entire regiment distinguished and called by the name of the Twenty-fourth regiment and shall be under the same rules and orders, and have the same powers, privileges and advantages as other regiments of this Colony by law have."[6]
One of these advantages was the promise of six pence for half day training and twelve pence for whole day training, and this to be paid out of the Colony treasury.
The regiment was assigned to the sixth brigade, Connecticut State Militia, commanded by Brig. Gen. Oliver Wolcott. The organization was begun by the "establishment" of the regimental officers at the same session. Zebulon Butler was made Colonel; Nathan Denison, Lieutenant Colonel; William Judd, Major.[7]
Zebulon Butler, the newly elected colonel, born at Lynne. Conn., 1731, was no novice in the military service. In the French and Indian war he was Ensign in Captain Andrew Ward's 2 company of the 4 Conn. Regt. in 1755-6-7. He was Lieutenant in Captain Timothy Mather's company of the 3 Regt. in 1758. He was Captain in the 4th and 1st regiments in 1759, 1760 and 1761.[8] He had served seven enlistments. The territorial range of his service extended from Crown Point on the north to Havana on the south. When elected Colonel his home was in Wilkes-Barre.
Nathan Denison, the newly elected Lieutenant Colonel, born in Conn., 1741, had seen service in the French and Indian war as a private in Col. Eleazar Fitch's 3d Conn. Regt. His services extended from May to November, 1758. His home was in Kingston.
Speaking of these two men Miner says: "Nature never formed two excellent men in more distinct contrast. Butler polished in manner, quick in perception, vehement and rapid in execution: Denison, plain though courteous, slow to speak, as careful to consider, cool and firm, if not alert in action. They were the two great and acknowledged leaders in Westmoreland."[9]
William Judd, the newly elected Major, does not seem to have had any military experience outside of the militia.
The accessible records are silent about the progress made with the regiment during the summer of 1775, but it is fair to assume that the newly commissioned field officers did not neglect their duty in perfecting their organization and in training their men.
At the October session of the Connecticut legislature the election of the officers of nine of the companies were ratified. They were as follows:[10]