Gen. Samuel H. Leonard had removed from Worcester to Boston for business reasons, and had thereby lost his brigade in the former county. Becoming associated with Boston military men who were ambitious for a new and highly efficient regiment, he placed himself at the head of the movement. Ex-Gen. Leonard presently succeeded Capt. Clark B. Baldwin in command of the Boston Artillery, and proceeded to transfer that company from Col. Cowdin’s 2d Regiment to a new battalion. The City Guards had disbanded Dec. 26, 1859, and most of the members went into the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company; now former members of the City Guards were reenlisted and consolidated with the Boston Artillery. Indeed these City Guardsmen were the instigators of the movement. Capt. Augustine Harlow (a printer in civil life), formerly in command of the National Guards, the 9th Company of the 2d Reg., joined in the movement and organized a new company. On Dec. 15, 1860, Capt. Leonard’s as Co. A, Capt. Harlow’s as Co. D, and two new companies designated B and C were associated as the 4th Battalion. At length the much desired numeral was in use,--and by men of large military ability and soaring ambition. Since “rifles” took precedence over other branches, the new battalion became “Rifles”; and wore gray Zouave or chasseur uniforms. We have seen elsewhere how this movement became deflected by the call for volunteers, and ultimately issued in the splendid 13th Mass. Inf. If the 4th Battalion of Rifles did not become a “crack” regiment--it achieved a nobler destiny. On March 11, 1861, the New England Guards became independent of Maj. Ritchie’s 2d Battalion; and expanded their organization into a two-company battalion, for which they claimed the coveted numeral, becoming the 4th Battalion of Infantry; Capt. Thomas G. Stevenson of the New Englanders became Major, and was in fact the leader of the movement. The ensuing month brought war and put an end to the militia dreams. On April 25 Maj. Stevenson’s battalion entered upon a one-month tour of volunteer garrison duty at Ft. Independence, the men serving without pay. It was at this time that they achieved the distinction of “bringing out” the most famous band-leader of the generation, Patrick S. Gilmore. Gilmore’s music and the fine marching of the New England Guards battalion immediately brought Maj. Stevenson’s command a high degree of popularity.