Chapter I: Front Matter

A HISTORY
of the
SECOND DIVISION NAVAL MILITIA
CONNECTICUT NATIONAL GUARD

_By_
DANIEL D. BIDWELL

Hartford, Conn.
1911

Copyrighted 1911

By
DANIEL D. BIDWELL

The Smith-Linsley Company
Hartford, Conn.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dedicated
to
All Friends
of the
Naval Militia
Connecticut National Guard

SLIGHTLY ADAPTED

“Here’s to the land that gave us birth,
Here’s to her smiling skies,
Here’s to her Tars, the best on earth,
Here’s to the flag she flies.”

CONTENTS

PAGE

Before the Launching 1890 to 1896 11

The Launching 1896 13

THE LOG

❦

Course 1, The Cincinnati 1896 16

Course 2, The Maine 1897 18

Course 3, The War 1898 21

Course 4, The Prairie 1899 25

“Dewey Day” September 30, 1899 26

Course 5, The Prairie Again 1900 32

Course 6, Camp Newton 1901 34

Course 7, The Panther 1902 38

Course 8, At Niantic 1903 42

Course 9, The Hartford 1904 46

Course 10, The Columbia 1905 51

Course 11, The Minneapolis 1906 55

Course 12, Again the Prairie 1907 58

Course 13, And Again the Prairie 1908 62

Course 14, The Machias 1909 65

Course 15, The Louisiana 1910 66

❦

(For the Future to Reveal)

Course 16, 1911

Course 17, 1912

Course 18, 1913

Course 19, 1914

Course 20, 1915

❦

Appendix A 68

Appendix B 70

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

❦

PAGE

Frontispiece—First Commanding Officer of the Division, Lieutenant
Felton Parker

Captain Louis F. Middlebrook 10

Division Boat Race in Boston Harbor 24

Lieutenant-Commander Lyman Root 26

Camp Parker 36

Boat Crew at Charles Island 41

Furling Sail on the U. S. S. Hartford 46

Lieutenant Howard J. Bloomer 49

Lieutenant-Commander Robert D. Chapin 53

Lieutenant Carroll C. Beach 56

Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Charles L. Hogan 59

Ensign Frank H. Burns 65

Lieutenant William G. Hinckley 67

Tailpiece, Division Pin 76

JACOB’S LADDER

❦

Founding of the Division April 29, 1896

Duty on the U. S. S. Maine July 10–16, 1897

War Company Mustered In June 15, 1898

“Dewey Day” Parade September 30, 1899

First Battalion Field Day May 23, 1900

Salute to the New Century January 1, 1901

Personal Escort of President Roosevelt in Yale
Bi-Centennial Parade October 16, 1901

First Annual Indoor Meet February 21, 1902

Camp Parker Dedicated July 4, 1902

In Army and Navy Maneuvers, August 30 to September 6, 1902

Beat Champions in Eleven-Inning Game of Indoor
Baseball March 11, 1903

Duty at Camp Reynolds August 22–29, 1903

Re-stocking of the Library November 18, 1903

Elfrida in Hartford Waters June 19–25, 1904

On the U. S. S. Hartford September 6–13, 1904

Indoor Baseball Champions for Season 1904–1905

Hampton Roads August 1–6, 1907

In Bridge Parade October 8, 1908

Wall-Scaling Champions April 29, 1909

First Memorial Sunday June 13, 1909

Off Bermuda July 26–29, 1910

FIRST COMMANDING OFFICER

LIEUTENANT FELTON PARKER
]