A History of the Second Division Naval Militia Connecticut National GuardBidwell, Daniel Doane
History
A History of the Second Division Naval Militia Connecticut National Guard
Bidwell, Daniel Doane
Connecticut. Militia
Mr. Chapin’s cruise was on the Minneapolis, sister ship to the Columbia,
and it started on August 25, 1906, from New Haven harbor. The ship
steamed down the Sound and by Race Rock Light and anchored off Block
Island in the evening with the port anchor, in seventeen fathoms, sixty
fathoms of chain out. A protected cruiser, the Minneapolis did not rate
a band, but she carried one till the Dolphin came along and commandeered
the musicians. The next day the ship steamed out to sea for a hundred
miles and then after a diversity of courses came to anchor in Menemsha
Bight. Target practice, while the Minneapolis was steaming at a rate of
ten knots, made one afternoon’s work. In it the division’s team struck
hard times, but in the signal contest later the division redeemed
itself, Quartermaster Palmer being an easy first among the signal force
of the battalion in the Ardois branch and Quartermaster Ferris making an
especially fine showing with the semaphore work. The division has for
several years been strong in the signal branch.
When Governor Woodruff chose a naval aide it was Mr. Chapin who was
selected for that high honor, and when the next commanding officer of
the Second was nominated, Dr. Beach moved up to a lieutenant’s stripes.
Beginning in the ranks Dr. Beach went upon the staff as assistant
surgeon and then back to the Second as ensign.
For a number of years the division had combined with other commands in
the Elm Street Armory to attend an annual military service in a Hartford
church, but in the following December it decided to attend a separate or
sailors’ service, and the church of the Rev. Dr. Main was selected. It
is a question why this was chosen, but a legend has it that the choice
was on account of the nautical hint in the pastor’s name and that in the
denomination, the Baptist. In a sermon on intelligent patriotism Dr.
Main interspersed a number of sailorlike yarns to illustrate several
points. He told the story about Nelson’s disregard of Parker’s signal at
the battle of Copenhagen; and that of John Paul Jones’s answer in the
fight with the Serapis.
[Illustration:
LIEUTENANT CARROLL C. BEACH
]
One of the most loyal and faithful members the division ever included
had enlisted a short time before in the United States Navy, Seaman John
J. A. Connor, and was now on the battleship Connecticut on the always
memorable trip around the world, bombarding friends with welcome post
cards.
The eleventh anniversary banquet was enjoyed in the Hotel Garde in
conjunction with Admiral Bunce Section, Navy League of the United
States. Admiral Caspar F. Goodrich told about his personal interest in
the Naval Militia, an adjunct necessary to the Navy, as he declared, and
Corporation Counsel Arthur L. Shipman talked as an attorney to the
gathering, telling about the influence of the navy in Guam and Samoa,
where the Navy was still administering the government.
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Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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