OLD VOLUNTEERS.

  -

OLD VOLUNTEERS.

EIGHTEEN YEARS AGO.

THE LAST TRIENNIAL PARADE OF THE NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS.

There are hundreds of old fire vamps not only in the city of New York, but throughout the United States, who look back with no ordinary degree of pride to the palmy days of the Volunteers. Notwithstanding the ups and downs that they passed through while in active service, there were many pleasant re-unions, the recollections of which cannot but recall old friends, many of whom have “gone to that bourne from whence no traveler returns,” while others are scattered over various sections of our country. We have therefore concluded to recall those many interesting ovents, some of which will appear in each number of the JOURNAL.

Among the rank and file of the old Department could be found statesmen, judges, hankers, and merchants; in fact, no Department in the world ever had so many prominent citizens. Thirty years ago one would have been looked upon as of little or no account if he did not belong to a Fire Company, and it was a pride to have hanging upon one’s walls one of those neat little Fire certificates, executed by that veteran Fireman, Samuel Maverick. A Fireman’s life, while it was then attended with many arduous duties, embraced many pleasant events, which are still fresh in the memory of hundreds of New Yorkers. Could the walls of old Tammany Hall (now the Sun building), the Apollo, or City Assembly Rooms, speak, they could “ many a tail unfold” of such re-unions. All that now remains of the old Department is the mammoth silk banner, which hangs up in an old, dingy looking glass case, on the top floor of Fireman’s Hall. It was the gift of the city, the presentation taking place on the occasion of the last triennial parade, over eighteen years ago. October 17, 1859. The gift was made in front of the City Hall, while the parade outdid any thing of the kind ever known in New York before. Full seven thousand men were in line, and such a display of fancy carriages, engines, and trucks was never witnessed. Full one hundred and fifty companies constituted the procession, the men all uniformed in red shirts. As early as six A. M. companies were out receiving guests from other cities; the banner presentation taking place at nine o’clock, in the presence of several companies and the officers of the Department, the Mayor, and Common Council. Among those that took part were such men as David Milliken, of Hose 40, and President of the Department; A. F. Ockenhausen, the great sugar merchant; Albert J. Delatour, of Wall Street; ex-Mayor Win. H. Wickham, of Hook and Ladder 15; old Uncle Dave Theall (deceased); Robert McGinnis, now of the Building Bureau; James Baromore, Fire Commissioner; Tom Lawrence (deceased); John R.Platt, the glass merchant; ex-President Henry Wilson, of the Board of Fire Commissioners; the present Fire Commissioner, John J. Gorman; Robert C. Brown, Engine 8; Alonzo and Daniel Slote, Commissioner Edward Bronnell; R. P. H. Able, of Engine 28; Ralph Trembly; John Gillehan; President V. C. King, of the present department, and of old 23 Hose; John Carland; Henry A. Burr; William Haw, Jr.; Sam Thomson; exChief Engineers, Uzziah W. Wenman, Alfred Carson, and James Gulick; Judge A. A. Philips, of Engine 40 (deceased); ox-Comptroller Matthew T. Brennan, of Engine 21, and his brother, Owen Brennan; ex-Sheriff Wm. Conner; ex-Coroner Robert Gamble, of Hook and Ladder 16; Samuel Conovor, now President of the Produce Bank, then Foreman of Hose 38; A. P. Moriarity, the painter; John Creighton, and many others of note that we might name had wo the space. Mayor Tiemann presented the banner, which was duly received by David Milliken. Harry Howard, Hook and Ladder 11, having been selected to carry the banner throughout the parade.

After the presentation, Columbia Engine 15 escorted the banner company to the line of march on Fifth Avenue. As it passed the companies a perfect ovation greeted it. In size it was the largest ever presented on the street, being full twenty feet in height, and requiring eigh t men to carry it. The veteran Harry Howard was then Chiof Engineer; John H. Cregier and John Baulch, the latter now Chief Enginoer of the Fire Department at Fortress Monroe, acting as chief aids. There were eleven Divisions, the First being under command of ex-Chief Engineer John Decker, which was composed of tho following companies ; Massachusetts Hook and Ladder, of Charles ton, Mass.; Nepture Hose, of Newburg Union Hose, of Philadelphia; Hook and Ladder 2, of Brooklyn; American Engine Co., of Newark; Damper Engine 4, of Hartford; Eagle Hose, 1, of Paterson; Reigngold Hose, of Nowburg; Engine 8, of Boston; Engine 1,of Roxbury, Mass, Hook and Ladder 2, of Newark; lloso 40, of Philadelphia; Engine 2, of Roxbury and David Crockett nook and Ladder, of Newark.

Tho second Division was in charge of Engineer Peter V. Cornnell, in which was tho ex-Chief Engineers, the exempts, tho Commissouors, and the new Banner. Engineer Elisha Kingsland commanded tho third Division, and Wm. T. Mawby the fourth. Engineer Timothy L. West led the fifth; and Engineer Edward Jacobs the sixth. Pheonix Hose, 22, made a very neat appearance in this division, commanded by Col. W. R. W. Chambers. Engineer Joseph Rush marshalled the seventh. ExAlderman John Brice the eight, Daniel Donovan the ninth, little Billy Ilackett the tenth, and Stephen Mitchell the eleventh. Among those that paraded new apparatuses were Engines 2, lo, and 28, the latter costing ovor 82,000; also Hose 10, 11, 19,42, 50, 51, and 58; and Hook and Ladder 8. Most every apparatus was repainted and overhauled, it being estimated that not less than 850,000 Was expended for this purpose alone. Fifty bands of music were in line, some of the apparatuses being drawn by Adams Express horses. Among those who paraded were Police Commissioners Samuel E. Edmonston, of Engine 53, now of Hoboken, and Foreman Arnot Spence, Frank Raymond, Engine 47; Fire Commissioners Joseph R. Perley, Engino 44; Chief of Batallion Gilbert J. Orr, of Engine 42; Michael Shaunessy, Foreman Engine 39; the renowned bell ringer, George Beven, Engino 38; Charles Miller, and Andrew Holley, of Engino 34; ex-Alderman Peter Mastorson, Engino 33; the noted restaurateur, C. Delmonico, of Engino 30; Chief Engineer of the present Fire Department. Eu Bates, of old Engine 29; John W. Pettegrew, tho wealthy contractor, of Engino 28; Geo. Henderson, Engine 24, James McCullough Engine 21; ex-Coronor John Wildey, Engine 11; Assemblyman James Hayes, Engine 9; James M. MacGregor, of Engine 8; Lewis Hopps Hose, 1; James E. Morris, and the Kirby Brothers, of Hose 7; Billy Spear, Hose 11; Anthony C. D’Osevillo aud ex-Register John McCool, of lloso 24; A. M. C. Smith, of lloso 29; Superintendent of tho Post Office, Anthony Vooman, and Johnny Craft,of Hose 33; Joseph B. Harriot, Hose 55; Deputy Sheriff Martin J. Keese, Hose 60; Douglass Cairns, Hook and Ladder 1; ex-Assistant Fire Marshall Henry O. Baker, Joseph R. Wheeler, James Decker and Augustus Hamilton, of Ilook and Laddor 6; John H. Foreman, Hook and Ladder 9; ex-Assistant Engineer Thomas Sullivan, Hook and Ladder 12; ex-Coroner Robert Gamble, Hook and Ladder 16; ex-Alderman John T. Henry and George W. Quackenbush the latter now Foreman of Hook and Ladder 13. The streets were lined with people, who came from all parts of the State to see the display; many of the houses were richly decorated, and numerous were the collations that closed the day’s enjoyment. This was the last regular parade tho Department made; it was the talk for months before it took place, and for months after it occured. To-day finds a few of the old Volunteers in the present organization—some of them having been in active service for twenty to thirty years looking as lively as ever, and, no doubt, intending to die in harness.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

OLD VOLUNTEERS.

1

OLD VOLUNTEEKS.

Lafayette Hook and Ladder Co. No. 6.

By a special resolution of the Common Council Lafayette Hook and Ladder Company No. 6 was organized on the 27th of July, 1829. Among its first members were David G. Winkle, Jacob L. C. Roome, Laurence Crumb, John C. Franklin, Henry Johnson, Ed. Moore, and John Leander Spinella. They were located on Mercer street, between Prince and Houston, which location they maintained until disbanded by the overthrow of the Volunteer Department. They ran a rather oldfashioned truck until they could have a new one built.

David G. Winkle was elected their first foreman, and on the night of the first election they had a grand jubilee at Lafayette Hall. There were present over one hundred delegates from other companies, to wish them success as a new company. The following year they added to their roll Archibald Reid, William Sherwood, George and William Cowen and Jacob Lozaba. At the great fire in 1835 the members to a man never left their post—in fact they were the last truck to take up and go home. The citizens gave them great credit for their efficiency, and the proprietors ol the Astor House entertained them by furnishing them a sumptuous collation. The first new truck they ever brought out was with the new patent running gear of Pine & Hartshorne, which was adopted by many of the other companies afterward.

It was certainly a great improvement on the former style, as men upon the rung and tiller could buck the sidewalk with impunity, and not be thrown. About the time they received their new apparatus, Henry Hardenbrook, William H. Smith and Alfred A. Judah joined, and were followed by James M. Murray, formerly clerk of the Jefferson Market Court ; James L. Kellogg, Tunis Miller, George Boyd, Samuel A. Moore ; then came Mortimer Marsh, George Lightbody, George L. Mather, Charles P. Haviland, John.Creighton and Ed. Portinger. At the fire in 1845 the company again distinguished itself by saving thousands of dollars’ worth of property. There was probably no company in the Department that was more particular in the selecting of members than No. 6. They never aspired to full rolls, and were contented with small numbers ; but those they had were, however, solid Firemen, men who gave respectability and dignity to the Department.

We need but add that along in ’48, ’49 and 50 were found such men as David Underhill, Silas S. Furbush, Stephen Tederick, Eugene Kirbyl, John K. Evans, Washington Barton, C. A. W. Ryerson, David Brower, Ellis N. Crow. Then in ’52 comes James P. Decker, John J. Ferris, James Kellock, George W. Williams, and Charles H. Egbert. At the laying of the corner-stone of Fiieman’s Hall many will remember the grand reception No. 6 gave. A large platform was erected over the sidewalk, and here the ceremonies took place. When the building was completed, Hook and Ladder No. 6 took the north side of the first floor for their location, and Hose Company No. 5 quartered themselves on the south side.

About this time Gus Hamilton, Jacob Larrick and Mr. J. Hawkins joined. Then came the organization of the celebrated ” Knights of the Round Table,” composed of all the members of Hook and Ladder 6, and many of the leading members of the Fire Department and theatrical profession, among whom were Lester Wallack, “Dolly ” Davenport, Blake, Nelse Seymour, Jerry Bryant, Ed. Lamb, Harry Benson, the Buckley Brothers, Bob Hart, Tom Pendegrast, Charley Parslow, together with Inspector Daniel Carpenter, Captain Turnbull of the Eighth Ward Police, Sandy Spencer, Campbell Gould, Thomas Parker and Charles Dobbs. They held an annual feast every Christmas Eve at the Truck-house, which commenced after all the theatres were closed at night.

In 1859 the company visited Albany in a splendid new yacht, and had a most delightful visit. They were gone about a week, but took no apparatus with them. Upon the breaking out of the war there were added to the roll James Timothy of Wallack’s theatre, Harry W. Peck, George W. Wilson of Winter Garden, Howard O’Hara, Joseph R. Wheeler, F. W. Melvin. James Moffat, C. K. Bills, Henry O. Baker, Assistant Fire Marshal Charles H. Nesbitt, and, toward the closing up of the organization, Jacob Zimmerman of Niblo’s Garden, Fernando Wood, Jr., and John Reilly, who was the last man.

About 1862 they brought home one of the handsomest trucks ever connected with the old Department. It was gold-plated from tongue to tiller, while the signal was of new style, bearing a shield on four sides—two with the stars and stripes on glass plates, and the other two with the figure and name of the company. The following gentlemen commanded the company as Foremen from its organization: David G. Van Winkle, Lawrence Crumb, Jacob Lozaba, James N. Murray, John Lightbody. John Creighton,George Boyd, S. F. E. Kirby, John K. Evans, Washington E. Barton. James K. Kellock, Augustus Hamilton, Frederick Melvin and the writer. Among the Assistants were George W. Williams, James Timothy and C. A. W. Ryerson, while among (he most efficient Secretaries and Treasurers were Charles H. Egbert, Mortimer Marsh, John Underhill and George W. Blanchard.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR