SINCE 1878
Col. Wales’ regiment, when he received his commission on Dec. 30, 1878, consisted of the following twelve companies:
- 1, The Roxbury Artillery or City Guard.
- 2, The Boston Light Infantry.
- 3, The Taunton Light Guard.
- 4, The New Bedford City Guards.
- 5, The Standish Guards of Plymouth.
- 6, The Massachusetts Guards of Cambridge.
- 7, The Pierce Light Guard of Boston.
- 8, The West Roxbury Rifles.
- 9, The Taunton City Guard.
- 10, The Cunningham Rifles of Brockton.
- 11, The Maverick Rifles of East Boston.
- 12, The Fall River Rifles.
The Fusiliers and the Chelsea Rifle-Veterans were temporarily detached from the regiment, and the Claflin Guards were gone, never to return so far as we now know.
The 1st and 8th Companies were directly from the 1st Regiment. The 2d, 6th, 7th and 11th Companies came from the 4th Battalion; the 3d Company came originally from the 4th Regiment and immediately from the 3d; the 4th, 5th and 9th Companies were from the 3d Regiment; the 10th was originally from the 3d and immediately from the 1st. A new 12th Company was organized on Dec. 12, 1878, with Capt. Sierra L. Braley in command. The new company speedily forged to the head in efficiency and has always been one of the three or four leaders in the entire regiment.
Boston celebrated the 250th anniversary of its settlement on Sept. 17, 1880, and along with other features included a magnificent military display. Everyone conceded that, while other bodies presented a fine appearance, the feature of the parade was the twelve-company 1st Regiment. That day, for the last time, the companies wore their original uniforms—old 1st Regiment, gray with towering bearskin shakos; 4th Battalion, a semi-Zouave costume with low shakos, double breasted blue coats, light blue bloused knickerbockers, and high leather leggins; and the 3d Regiment, low shakos, short blue coats, single-breasted but with three rows of buttons, and blue trousers. The regiment was received enthusiastically by the people of Boston and the day was one long to be remembered.
But changes were projected in the interests of efficiency, and first of all, in that very year, 1880, it was decided to adopt the 4th Battalion uniform for the entire twelve companies. So satisfactory did this prove that the Commonwealth utilized the same costume as a state uniform, and issued it to all the organizations of Massachusetts in 1884. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery; but it can scarcely be said that the 1st relished sharing their distinctive uniform with all the militia,—they felt that they had paid dearly for this flattery.
Thereafter the regiment was to be subjected to a continuous and intensifying process of military improvement, at the hands first of the state authorities, and presently of the “Department of Militia Affairs” or “Militia Bureau” in the War Department. While it was inevitable that there should be a deal of experimentation whose results were not always satisfactory, it remains true that constant progress was made thruout the ensuing years. National Guardsmen, since they are human, are prone to complain; certainly they greeted almost every innovation with a chorus of “kicks.” But as soon as a change had demonstrated its usefulness, it was heartily welcomed. More and more time was demanded of the men; and on the other hand part of this increased service was rewarded with increased pay by the State or Nation. The four days of camp duty required in 1873 had stretched to fifteen days in 1916, the twelve armory drills of early days to forty-eight. State and Federal pay were not an adequate recompense for the labor performed; the service was still one of unselfish patriotism. But the money invested by the authorities in camp and “rendezvous drill” pay did unquestionably testify to the higher esteem in which, with the passing years, the Guard came to stand. One noticeable consequence of the increasing military strictness was the gradual lowering of average age amongst the companies. Older men cannot be away from their business or families for so many hours and days, under ordinary circumstances. American armies have always been made up of very young men; and under the stress of increased requirements, the National Guard came to be similarly constituted.
One company participated in the exercises connected with the funeral of Pres. James A. Garfield at Cleveland in 1881.