Instituted March 7, 1805. Revised February 24, 1807.
PREAMBLE.
At the present crisis, when war is spreading its ravages over the European world, and states and empires are buried in its ruins, and whilst all Governments must depend upon their military strength for their existence, it becomes indispensably necessary to every young man to make the art of war a study, that he may be ever ready to turn out in defence of the honour and independence of his country.
WE the undersigned Non-Commissioned Officers of Infantry of the third Brigade, first Division, Massachusetts Militia, impressed with a sense of the above remarks, have associated for the purpose of meeting and practising the Manual Exercise, and all such Company Manœuvres as we can unitedly collect, that are necessary for us to understand; thereby forming a Military School, which we hope will ever be a source of improvement to its members. We have, therefore, subscribed to the following articles as our Constitution, and do most solemnly pledge our honours to abide and be governed by them in every respect.
Article I.
This Association shall be styled “The Soul of the Soldiery.”[B]
Article II.
No one shall be a member unless he actually holds a Warrant in the Infantry of the third Brigade, first Division, Massachusetts Militia.
A splendid non-armorial and naval plate is the bookplate with the name “Stephen Cleveland” under the engraving of a fine man-of-war of the old time in full sail.
Stephen Cleveland went to sea in 1756, being seized in Boston, and pressed for a British man-of-war. His father, a clergyman, founded, in 1750, at Halifax, the first Presbyterian church in Canada. On the Declaration of Independence Stephen Cleveland was given a captain’s commission, and brought over from Bordeaux valuable munitions of war. His commission is said to have been the earliest issued by the American Government.