DAYS ON THE BAY - Public Draft Stones Ranch Military

DAYS ON THE BAY:
5,000 YEARS AT CAMP NIANTIC
Camp Niantic, East Lyme, Connecticut
Camp Niantic, 1907.
Connecticut National Guard’s Camp Niantic commands 86 acres in East
Lyme along the southeast coast of Connecticut on the western shore of the
Niantic River near the bay. The idyllic site has been an iconic gathering
place of men, horses, bicycle brigades, and cheering families for generations.
Annual encampments provided critical training and fostered military
skills. Here, men and women of the Guard now practice shooting, tackling
obstacle courses, marching in formation, and other skills needed if called
into action. In use since the 1870s, the camp served as a mobilization site
for the Spanish-American War, both World Wars, and the Korean War.
Camp Niantic was home to Native peoples long before it became a military facility, and long before the state
became what we now know as Connecticut. Archaeologists have conducted test excavations at Camp Niantic
on multiple occasions from 1986 onward, before sewers were installed, new buildings were constructed and
parking lots were graded. These archaeological “digs” have found vast evidence of Native American habitation
sites, including stone tools, shell middens, fire pits, and post-holes from wigwam frames. The types of stone
tools found and radiocarbon dates from wood charcoal in excavated hearths reveal that the site was repeatedly
occupied from at least 5,000 to 2,500 years ago.
H
H Established in 1881 as Camp
Bigelow for Connecticut National Guard; 2011 renamed Camp Niantic
H Encompasses 86 acres on Niantic Bay in East Lyme
H Men AND horses arrived by train
H Troops mobilized here during the Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, and the Korean War
H Plays a vital role in the training of CT’s Citizen Soldiers
H Native Americans lived at the site as early as 5,000 years ago
Machine gun practice, Connecticut State
Camp, Niantic, CT. 1907
History and Archaeology 1
DAYS ON THE BAY:
5,000 YEARS AT CAMP NIANTIC
NATIVE AMERICANS AT CAMP NIANTIC
For at least 13,000 years before Europeans
reached the coastline of what is now
Connecticut, Native Americans were thriving
throughout the region. As the environment
changed and stabilized through time, Native
peoples continually adapted and modified
how they lived. By about 2,000 years ago,
the coastline of Connecticut was much as
it is today. Where fresh water rivers met
the saltwater of Long Island Sound, a lush
resource-rich environment was created. These
ecologically diverse zones were abundant
with edible plants and wildlife that fostered
the growth of Native populations, providing
stability in the diet with predictable, seasonally
available food sources. Edible grasses, shellfish,
fish, birds, and large and small mammals drew
people to the coastal area to capitalize on
nature’s grocery store.
Early Evidence
Archaeologists have come to understand that
Native populations were in New England
as early as 12,500 years ago (or 12,500 BP,
meaning Before Present). These earliest Native
Americans, known as Paleo-Indians, moved
into the area as the environment grew more
stable. Paleo-Indian sites in the Northeast date
roughly between 12,500 BP and 10,000 BP.
By 9,000 BP, sea levels had risen and Long
Island Sound had been flooded, but the
coastline was further south than it is today.
Any camp sites and fishing stations that
may have been along the coast at that time
are now under water. During the Archaic
period, roughly 9,000 to 2,700 BP, Native
Americans shifted the way they lived to adapt
to the continually warming environment.
Populations grew as hardwood forests became
established and the environment stabilized.
During the subsequent Terminal Archaic
period, about 2,700 to 2,000 BP, people began
carving heavy stone bowls out of steatite
(soapstone) for cooking.
The earliest ceramics by Native peoples were
simple and undecorated pots molded out
of clay, and are found on the Connecticut
coast as early as 4,200 BP. Clay pots were far
lighter and more portable than ones carved
from steatite. These molded pots, which were
hardened by firing, appear more frequently in
the archaeological record during the Woodland
period, which spans the years between about
2,700 BP and 1,650 BP.
Connecticut’s coastline
bears signs of shellfish
2 Days on the Bay: 5000 Years at Camp Niantic
Pottery
The earliest Native American pottery found in
Connecticut is called Vinette I, with undecorated
exteriors and interiors shaped by a small wooden
paddle wrapped in
grass cordage. This
early ceramic type
has been found
along coastal areas
of southern New
England as early
as 4,200 BP. Later
Middle Woodland
Windsor ceramic
styles in coastal
Connecticut are more
complex in design.
Many coastal and estuarine sites have produced
ceramics and botanical remains, suggesting longterm settlements in one location, made possible
by the lush environment and abundant plant
and animal sources. At the Native American
archaeological site at Camp Niantic, pottery sherd
exteriors were incised, impressed, brushed, combed,
and stamped. Interior surfaces were predominantly
smoothed.
Above: Native American pottery with a decorated
neck. Some decorations were fairly simple while
later in time they became more elaborate.
harvesting, fishing, and more extensive
settlements during this period. Pottery designs
became more elaborate as Native American
groups began to distinguish themselves
through expressive design. Ceramics changed
technologically as walls were thinned and
overall shape became more rounded. Collars
became more ornamental, reflecting group
alliances.
Contact Period
The first European Contact in Connecticut
occurred about 450 years ago at a time
when Native Americans were living in small
household units that moved between the
protected uplands during the colder months,
and coastal and river side villages during the
warmer months. At that time, the Nehântick
were living west of the Connecticut River and
spoke a dialect similar to the nearby Pequot,
Montauk, Mohegan, and Narragansett. The
name “Nehântick” or Niantic, translates
either to “of long-necked waters” or “bend
in the river,” both believed to be a reference
to the “long neck” or peninsula in Niantic
now known as Black Point where they fished
and dug shellfish. Here and at other sites on
Long Island Sound, whelk and quahog shells
were collected, hammered, sawed and ground
into decorative white and purple-black beads
called wampum. Highly valued because of
their beauty, these beads became a medium of
exchange – essentially money - and a symbol
of authority.
Native peoples cultivated corn, beans, and
squash, while continuing to hunt, fish, and
forage in the diverse ecological zone along
the coast. Shellfish were plentiful, wild plants
were abundant, and fresh water sources were
easily accessed. Dugout canoes plied the rivers
and waters of Long Island Sound as trade and
travel networks were established throughout
the region.
Home Sweet Home
When archaeologists conducted excavations
at Camp Niantic, they found over 150 dark,
round stains in the soil, or post-holes, defining
the outline of an oblong 23-foot x 38-foot
long pole-frame structure that was probably a
dwelling. Radiocarbon dates of wood charcoal
from a hearth inside the building suggest it
was occupied about 3,000 years ago. The postholes show where there were door openings
Profile of post holes excavated at Camp Niantic during
archaeological excavations by American Cultural Specialists,
LLC. Photographed by Dr. Marc Banks.
History and Archaeology 3
at each end of the structure, while a double line
of post-holes mark outer walls that would have
supported an outer covering of bark and animal
skins for insulation and protection from bad
weather. Inside, about three feet in from each of
these walls, more post-holes mark where poles
supported interior platforms for shelves, beds,
or seats that may have been covered with deer
skins and animal fur. This type of household
arrangement is similar to that described by
English explorer and settler Thomas Morton
and English minister John Sergeant in the
early-17th and early-18th centuries. Mid-18th
century wigwams at the Nehântic (Niantic)
Indian reservation just south of Camp Niantic
on Black Point had similar furnishing, but were
smaller and oval to round.
Wigwams
Thomas Morton, an early visitor to New England, provided a detailed description of early-17th-century
house construction among eastern Massachusetts coastal peoples that are likely similar to evidence of those
found in coastal Connecticut:
“They gather poles in the woods and put the great end of them
in the ground, placing them in form of a circle or circumference;
and bending the tops of them in form of an Arch, they bind them
together with the bark of Walnut trees, which is wondrous tuffe,
so that they make the same round on the top for the smoke of
their fire to ascend and pass through. These they cover with mats,
some made of reeds and some of long flags, or sedge finely sowed
together with needles made of the splinter bones of a Crane’s leg...
Leaving severall places for doors, which are covered with mats
which may be rolled up and let down again at their pleasures,
they make use of the several doors according as the wind fits.
The fire is always made in the middle of the house... it be all
consumed; for it burneth night and day.
...they lie upon planks commonly about a foot or 18 inches above
the ground, raised upon rails that are borne up upon forks. They
lay mats under them, and coats of deerskin, otters, beavers,
raccoons and of bears’ hides, all which they have dressed and
converted into good leather with the hair on for their coverings.
And in this manner they lie as warm as they desire.” Morton 1637
Western Niantic wigwam, based on drawings and
descriptions by Ezra Stiles in 1761. Drawing by Edward
Schumacher as published in American Antiquity, 1975.
The size of the house at Camp Niantic suggests
that three or more families may have shared it
as was common. The many lines of post-holes
near its outer walls suggest rebuilding, repair,
and reuse over time, as do multiple radiocarbon
dates. Generations of families probably
returned to the settlement for hundreds of
years.
Trade and Travel
Stone tools and debitage, the flakes and pieces
left over from making a tool, tell us much about
Native American life. Archaeologists can figure
out how tools were made and used by studying
their shapes and scars, and can pinpoint where
the stone came from using various tests. Stone
artifacts, or lithics, found at archaeological
sites in Connecticut are from both local and
distant sources, which means that people
who collected them were either traveling long
distances, or participating in long-distance
trade networks. Some stone is harder and has
qualities making it better suited to create tools.
In Connecticut, chalcedony is found in the trap
rock ridges in Branford to the west, and quartz
and quartzite are found throughout the state.
Jasper is a non-local stone that generally is
found in Pennsylvania. Chert is found in New
York’s Hudson River Valley, eastern Vermont,
and parts of Maine.
At Camp Niantic, jasper flakes from eastern
Pennsylvania, chert from the Hudson Valley,
and locally found
mudstone and basalt
flakes were recovered. n
4 Days on the Bay: 5000 Years at Camp Niantic
Mollusks And Middens
Stone Tools
Native Americans were collecting shellfish along the Connecticut coastline as early as about 6,000
BP. Shell middens, heaps of harvested and discarded shells, were created when large numbers
of shellfish were processed, usually near where they were collected and away from living areas.
These dense piles of shells create oxygen-deprived and alkaline-rich damp conditions that were
ideal for preserving organic material. Wood, bones, antlers, and seeds are more likely to be
found intact in shell middens than in other types of archaeological sites. Hence, shell middens
often hold the remains of many meals as well as pottery and stone tools that can be studied
by archaeologists to learn about lifeways. Analyzing shell can also tell us the season when it
was harvested. Several excavated middens in southern New England have even been found to
contain dog burials.
The waters of Long Island Sound contain hard clam (also known as the quahog, little neck
clam or cherrystone clam), varieties of periwinkle, the blue mussel (a popular, edible species),
the Atlantic slipper shell, the Atlantic bay scallop, the mud snail, the salt marsh snail (or “coffee
bean snail”), the Atlantic oyster drill, the northern moon snail, the Atlantic moon snail, and
channeled and knobbed Whelks. The larger mollusks that were easier to collect are more often
found in middens.
Shells served many purposes: they were ground
and mixed in the soil for fertilizer, and the larger
and harder ones - like hard-shell clams - were
fitted onto to wooden handles and used as hoes.
Shells were also fashioned into bead jewelry for
decoration or trade.
Archaeologists testing in advance
of a sewer installation at Camp
Niantic found over 1,000 lithic
artifacts at the site made from
mudstone, quartz, quartzite,
chert, jasper, sandstone, basalt,
schist, gneiss, granite, and
steatite - in descending order
of prevalence. Most artifacts
were unused flakes and shatter
from making stone tools. The
actual tools found were used to
pound, cut, saw, pierce, scrape,
split, and drill other
Illustration of a projectile point
materials and were
hafted to a spear. Drawing from
used for hunting, Keith C. Wilbur, The New England
Indians (1978), The Globe Pequot
food
processing,
Press: Chester, CT.
tool making and
wood- or bone-working. Projectile point types
– more commonly called arrow heads but not
necessarily ever used on an arrow – date to the
Archaic through Late Woodland periods.
Illustration of clam shell hoe. Drawing from Keith
C. Wilbur, The New England Indians (1978), The
Globe Pequot Press: Chester, CT.
Profile of a Native American shell midden found during
archaeological excavations at Camp Niantic by American
Cultural Specialists, LLC. Photographed by Dr. Marc Banks.
Left: a chert Jack’s Reef Corner-notched point reworked into
a drill. Right: a quartz Levanna point dating to about 1000
years ago, both found during archaeological excavations at
Camp Niantic by American Cultural Specialists, LLC.
Photographed by Dr. Marc Banks.
History and Archaeology 5
THE CONNECTICUT NATIONAL GUARD
What is now the Connecticut National Guard
began as an organized militia hundreds of years
ago. The term “militia” loosely means soldier,
and refers to a group of people who are not part
of the armed forces of a country but are trained
like soldiers. Typically this group is made up of
ordinary citizens, which long ago meant only
white male landowners. As history marched
forward, the formation, role, and structure of the
militia in Connecticut marched right along with it.
Early Years
Connecticut’s militia dates back to the early 1630s
when companies colonizing the region organized
militia forces. They initially protected English
settlements from Native American attacks. After
several skirmishes, the need for formal military
training was clear. Annual parading (or training)
of militia began in 1640, with bands organized in
individual towns. Two separate groups emerged;
the militia-at-large, who mustered as needed, and
the organized militia, who remained ready for
combat. Every male of European descent between
the ages of 16 and 60 belonged to one group or
the other. To be a citizen of the fledgling colonies
meant to serve. By 1672, a system of regiments
was established.
There were times when the British tried to
impose outside authority over Connecticut’s
militia, but not successfully. During the late
17th century, the King of England authorized
the governor of New York to command militia
units from Connecticut. Locals protested,
citing their chartered right to control their own
militia. The King backed down in response.
Despite their strong will, the militia remained
somewhat disorganized, prompting the passing
of an act in 1739, that established 13 regiments
in the Connecticut colony. The government
could not afford to maintain a standing army;
hence the militia was critical for security,
especially during the continued battles between
the British and the French over land claims,
culminating in the French and Indian War of
1754 - 1763.
Militia in the American Revolution
A map of the
colonies of
Connecticut
and Rhode
Island, divided
into counties
and townships,
1758. Thomas
Kitchin, 1784.
By the beginning of the American Revolution,
militias had been reorganized again so they
were divided into small companies of about
30 men, with one to two companies in each
of Connecticut’s 75 towns. Together, they
formed 24 regiments. As hostilities between
the colonies and Britain grew, the Connecticut
militia drew more volunteers, expanding to
28 units subdivided into six brigades. The
Continental Army received equipment and
formal military training,
but not the militia. The
informal militia was
composed of men under
6 Days on the Bay: 5000 Years at Camp Niantic
the age of 30, many of whom had fought in
the French and Indian War and were familiar
with irregular warfare tactics. They constituted
about one-quarter of the American forces,
and were highly mobile at a moment’s notice –
earning the Massachusetts’ contingent the name
“Minutemen.” By 1755, Connecticut designated
one-third of their militia as “Minutemen,” many
of whom remained prepared for coastal raids.
Those units were often the first to respond to
threats, arriving on scene before the army could
organize and deploy. Because of this, they
served a critical role in America’s victory over
Britain.
Muster for the Mess!
What exactly does it mean to muster? And why
should one dress for the mess? The terminology
used by the military is a language unto its own.
The term “to muster” – a military phrase that
means “stand up and be counted” - dates to the
1570s, and was originally part of the longer
phrase “to pass musters.” One had to rise, dress,
organize gear, and be ready to pass inspection
by a commanding officer at a moment’s notice.
If someone did not “pass muster,” that person
was often reprimanded or given extra work as
punishment. Over the years the phrase was
shortened and now we simply say that the troops
muster to be reviewed and evaluated for readiness.
Above: Receiving rations.
Right: Hard tack.
State Military Rendezvous of the CT National
Guard of Niantic, Connecticut, 1898. State
Archives, Connecticut State Library.
The word “mess” is originally from the French word
“mes,” which means “a dish,” and this word has its
roots in the Latin verb “mittere,” which means “to
send” or “to put,” as in “to put out food on a table.”
By the 15th century, “mess” came to refer to a
group of people who sat together at a meal and
were served from the same dishes. Eventually, it
became part of military lingo, with groups eating
in a “mess hall” or “mess room” with one’s “mess
mates.” The phrase has been shortened, and now
going to “mess” means you would likely come back
with your stomach full.
History and Archaeology 7
With a New Nation Comes a New Militia
Under the Articles of Confederation ratified
in 1777, state governments were given
complete control over their respective military
establishments, and in 1788 the newly minted
United States Constitution provided for the
militia, giving Congress ultimate power over
them. Again, the training of militia and
appointment of officers were conferred to the
states, which allowed the federal government to
keep a militia at the ready should there be a call
to arms. It also saved the federal government
the cost of maintaining a standing army.
In 1792, the Uniform Militia Act called for all
able-bodied white males to enroll in the militia,
and to outfit themselves with weapons and
equipment. This initiative essentially created
what is now the National Guard, and allowed
the militia to retain their dual status, dictated
by national need. At times of peace, they
answered to the sovereign state. In times of
war, they served the federal government.
The role and size of the militia continued
to change over the years. Periods of underenrollment forced states like Connecticut to
rely on established or newly-raised volunteer
units in times of conflict. But laws in
Connecticut also allowed men to opt out of
serving by paying a commutation tax. Those
who could afford to opt out did so.
The 1847 Militia Reform bill called for creating
an all-volunteer force of uniformed companies
organized into eight regiments, one from each
county. It released about 50,000 men from
their training obligation, and retained them as
members of the common – or reserve – militia,
charging them a $1 per year commutation tax.
The bill also recognized the state’s volunteer
companies – made up of about 3,000 men – as
the standing militia. Regiments were required
to muster for parade, or train, for about three
days a year, and were paid $1.50 per man for
each day of training. Officers and men were
still required to provide their own uniforms,
but the state paid for arms.
Connecticut’s Militia During the Civil
War
Third Connecticut Infantry at Camp Douglass in Glenwood, 1861. Courtesy Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.
The election of President Lincoln in 1860 and
the April 1861 attack on Fort Sumter signaled
the start of the Civil War. Lincoln called on
state governments to produce 75,000 volunteers
to serve three-month stints – the
maximum allowable by law at the
time. In 1861 there were only 619
men in the Connecticut militia and
they were poorly trained and lacked
arms to join the fight against the
South.
8 Days on the Bay: 5000 Years at Camp Niantic
Things changed drastically when war arose
in earnest in 1862. That year, there were only
450 men in the Guard, but by 1863, ranks had
grown to 1099 men, 500 of whom eventually
left for federal military service. Connecticut
ultimately raised 55,000 troops to serve in the
Civil War, either in the guard or in the regular
army or navy. Roughly one-tenth of these
troops were killed in combat, and roughly
another one-fifth were wounded or captured.
The Changing of the Guard
Following the war, additional laws were passed
to increase the effectiveness and size of the
militia. In 1864, laws were adopted that called
for a day of parade in April for each company,
and four days of drill and encampment each
fall. All enlistees also had to attend two
company drills per month between October
and April. The cost of uniforms was defrayed
by granting a $5.00 stipend to each member,
but each unit was still required to pay for
and maintain a building for the safe storage
of munitions. In 1865 the term “militia” was
dropped and the name “National Guard”
was formally adopted. After the close of the
war, dozens of Civil War veterans joined the
Connecticut National Guard, and a new spirit
of patriotism emerged.
Standards and expectations of the Connecticut
National Guard were elevated in the last quarter
Mobilizing for the Spanish American War
Camp Niantic was first used as a recruiting site
and later a hospital during the Spanish-American
War of 1898. Because the regular army was small
at the outbreak of the war, National Guard units
provided many of the troops.
At Niantic, where units were mustered into
service between May and July of 1898, they were
properly equipped with tents,
cooking outfits, mess outfits,
medical stores, and a full set
of hospital equipment before
they were shipped out. Each
commissioned officer was issued
a Colt’s revolver. Units served in
the Caribbean and Philippines.
Top: Camp Hospital at Camp Niantic.
Left: Ambulance Corps ready at the
waiting.
of the 19th century, ushering in a series of
improvements to the overall organization. This
was accomplished by increasing the frequency
of training, providing better educational
opportunities, standardizing equipment and
supplies, and mandating strict record keeping.
Between 1870 and 1880, the size of the Guard
was deliberately reduced in response to a lack of
need and fiscal constraints. To better serve the
smaller and more efficient units,
armories were built throughout
the state for formal drill practice
and equipment storage. By
then, a soldier’s tool kit
had grown to include
much of what we would
expect today: utensils,
tents, bedding,
Connecticut National Guard
medical supplies,
Headquarters Patch.
flasks, safety glasses,
boots, weapon accessories, and personal
toiletries. These too were stored in the
armories. Regimental headquarters were built
as administrative and educational centers, and
served as record repositories.
Most companies paraded locally in April using
available parks and town greens, but October
drills and encampment necessitated a larger
space to accommodate aggregated units. By
1872, land was being leased yearly for fall
drill practice, and in 1882, Camp Niantic was
acquired for this purpose. In 1896 the militia
numbered 108,989, of which 105,636 could be
called for war or invasion, and 2,883 were in
active service. At the time the state pay was still
$1.50 per day.
History and Archaeology 9
Over the course of the 20th century as our
national needs have changed with the times,
the National Guard has always been there to
respond. Mobilized for World War I, World
War II, and the Korean War, the Guard has also
been dispatched at times of natural disaster.
Through floods and fires, storms and blizzards,
the members of the Connecticut National
Guard have been there to serve the Governor,
our state, and our Federal Government. n
National Guard Mission Statement: “To provide
properly trained and equipped units for prompt
mobilization for war, National Emergency or as
otherwise needed.”
Pedal Power
In the early 19th century when the predecessor of today’s bicycle was
developed, it was popularly known as the “bone shaker.” The wooden
body and metal tires of the velocipede (which translates to “fast foot”)
made for a very uncomfortable ride. Driven by a need to find a
practical alternative to horses and horse-drawn carriages, the earliest
inventors of man-powered wheeled devices experimented with a variety
of designs. Undoubtedly, they had no idea how technically advanced
these devices would eventually become.
After several failed attempts at improving the function and safety of
man-powered wheeled devices, including the high-wheeled bicycle,
tricycle, and unicycle, technological advances in materials at the end
of the 19th century allowed the body and wheels to be drastically
improved. The new “safety bicycle” had a metal frame, chain drive,
and rubber wheels. By the mid-1880s the bicycle became everyday
transportation or recreation for men and women of all ages. By
1894 pneumatic tires had improved greatly, providing for a safer and
smoother ride. As the ride became less bumpy and the mechanics more
Governor Cook and General Frost completing their brigade review in August, 1887. In 1892, the Third
reliable, the popularity of bicycles soared.
Signal Corps acquired nine new cushion-tired bicycles, with the First Lieutenant reporting that “the
wheels were severely tested on the rough roads outlying Niantic and over the turfen [sic] and lumpy
Bicycles were substituted for horses in many realms, including the
fields, and the result was perfect satisfaction.”
military, where they were used primarily by messengers and scouts. They
were quiet, speedy, and could be used as a defensive obstruction in a pinch.
Corps, Third Regiment, used nine cushion-tired bicycles built by the Warwick
Bicycle units or detachments were formed at the end of the 19th century by the U.S. Cycle Manufacturing Company of Springfield, Massachusetts.
The First
armed forces and all European armies. Dozens of bicycle manufacturers formed
Lieutenant of the Corps wrote that “the wheels were severely tested on
to meet the growing consumer demand. The number of American manufacturers the rough roads outlying Niantic and over the turfen [sic] and lumpy
increased more than ten-fold in the decade between 1890 and 1900, growing from
fields, and the result was perfect satisfaction.” Indeed the bicycle was
27 to 312.
so popular that in 1899 the New York Times ran a column called the
A trade publication titled “The Bearings: The Cycling Authority of America”
“Gossip of the Cyclers” where they reported on improvements and key
reported in 1892 that at their annual encampment at Niantic, the Third Signal cycle-related happenings.
10 Days on the Bay: 5000 Years at Camp Niantic
CONNECTICUT NATIONAL GUARD’S CAMP NIANTIC
A Place to Train
Troop readiness was a top priority for the State
after they reorganized its National Guard in
1871, and was achieved by requiring annual
encampments so that multiple units could band
together and train to work as one. Between
1872 and 1881 the State simply leased land
in various towns for training grounds; one of
these was in Niantic where two regiments first
paraded in 1872.
The 1881 “Act Establishing a Permanent
Camp Ground for the Connecticut Army
National Guard,” authorized the purchase of
a permanent Connecticut National Guard
training site. The State ultimately settled on a
large beautiful parcel partially on the Niantic
River and partially on Niantic Bay. In 1882 the
camp was created when 12 parcels totaling 65
acres were condemned for public use. Soon
after, another 21 acres were added.
Where Were The Women?
World War I marked the first time women could enlist in the United States
military. By World War II, over 400,000 women were enlisted in the Army,
Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard or as members of the Women Airforce Service
Pilots. But no woman could enlist in the National Guard until the late 1950s,
and then only as officers. Regardless, women were visible on the Camp Niantic
landscape since its inception.
For decades, picnics and parades brought out family and friends to the camp
when National Guard units were training. Wives, mothers, and sisters would
join in the festivities, touring the property and watching Guards at the firing
range or practicing their heliographing (sending signals over long distances using
light and mirrors). Old photographs reveal that having a picture taken with
the Camp’s impressive Rodman Guns that shot out over the bay was a favorite
activity.
In 1956 Congress passed Public Law 845 authorizing female officers in the
National Guard. Before this critical first step was taken, there were female
“augmentees” who were hired by some Air Guard commanders to work in their
medical units. Also, female officers from the Air Force Reserves were allowed to
train in National Guard medical facilities, but were prohibited from deployment
if units were mobilized.
The 1960s was a turbulent period in American history as women
and minorities brought to the forefront the issue of discrimination.
But change was slow to come. By 1960, out of the 400,000 Army
Guard forces in America, only 56 were women, and none were
allowed to serve in combat. In late 1961, President Kennedy
mobilized almost 45,000 Army Guard members in response to
the Berlin crisis; 17 of which were female nurses, making this the
Women were on the scene
at Camp Niantic from its
inception, posing with the
Rodman guns, picnicking,
and visiting on Governor’s
Day. It took some time, but
women finally gained the
right to join the Connecticut National Guard in 1956
as officers, and in 2013 were
officially allowed in combat.
first time that women in the Guard were mobilized. In 1967, Public Law 90130 authorized the enlistment of women in the National Guard and removed
barriers to advancement.
As of 2014, 597 women were serving in the Connecticut Army National Guard.
History and Archaeology 11
Rodman Guns
Left: Y.M.C.A. Quarters, 1898. Courtesy of the State Archives, Connecticut State Library. Right: Connecticut National Guardsmen skirmishing along the lanes of Niantic in 1913. Courtesy of the Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford.
The year 1882 marked the first time that
almost the entire Connecticut National Guard
was present at an annual encampment when
2,209 officers and men poured into Niantic
on a cool September day. In the early years
the Quartermaster-General laid out the site
and pitched tents, figuring out how best to use
the land. Later, a battery was built along the
coast to hold two massive Rodman guns and
four mortars with carriages and platforms.
The seaside location served well as the yearly
training site for Connecticut’s Coastal Artillery
Left: Each year, visitors came
in droves to picnic and cheer
parading troops on Governor’s
Day. A resounding seventeen
gun salute marked the
Governor’s arrival. Imagine
the sound and excitement the
shots would ring in! Hundreds
of visitors arrived by train to
gaze upon parading troops
while the regimental band
belted out patriotic songs.
Units paraded in formation
then proudly lined up for the
Governor’s formal review. The
Buckridge sisters, Martha
and Lida, picnicking with
two Connecticut National
Guardsmen at the Camp
Niantic gazebo.
The Siege Guns at Camp Niantic in 1896 included two
10-inch Rodman Guns, cast in Pennsylvania. Each
weighed 14,850 pounds and could fire a 128-pound shot
almost a mile offshore. Courtesy of Connecticut National
Guard.
In 1844, Thomas Jackson Rodman witnessed
a brand new 12-inch, 27,000-pound cannon
called the “Peacemaker” backfire and kill
five people on board the U.S.S. Princeton.
This trauma led him to experiment with new
ways of making large guns safer. The West
Point graduate studied metallurgy and went
on to invent a method of casting a hollow core
cannon, cooled from the inside, which created
a far stronger barrel than the previous method
of boring a hole into a solid cast metal tube. By
the 1860s, the Army had adopted the Rodman
process for casting guns, revolutionizing
coastal armaments. In 1882, two ten-inch
Model 1861 Rodman Columbiads, each with a
range of almost a mile, were mounted at Camp
Niantic as coastal artillery. The
two “Rodmans” were moved to
the entrance of the camp in the
1930s, and were later relocated
to Hartford where they now flank
the entrance to the Governor
O’Neill State Armory.
12 Days on the Bay: 5000 Years at Camp Niantic
Units in the early 20th century. Beachgoers
along the coast could hear the loud “BOOMS”
as big guns fired shots out into Niantic Bay.
A permanent kitchen and four mess halls,
stables and latrines were erected. Rows and
rows of tents were laid out with five men to a
tent. Most of a Guard’s time was spent on the
parade ground, but troops sometimes left for
long hikes and bivouacking. The quiet lanes
of Niantic came to life as men honed tracking
skills and held mock skirmishes.
Ten years after the property was acquired,
the camp boasted four ambulances, four
machine-guns, a fleet of bicycles, telephone
service, carrier pigeons – brought by the
Second Regiment from Waterbury – and heavy
artillery. The Y.M.C.A. installed a large tent for
moments of relaxation.
Camp Niantic On The Atlantic
A typical day of encampment began with
6:00am reveille and ended with 10:00pm
taps; between were hours of drilling and arms
training. Men were busy, but still somehow
managed to get into trouble. Annual AdjutantGeneral reports mention problems with nightly
noise, negligent gate guards, and trespassers.
One year, men were even cited
for shooting blanks through
tents! The commanders did what
they could to keep men out of
trouble by encouraging them
to engage in more productive
activities. Team sports were a
fun outlet for blowing off steam.
In the early years, the militia had a reputation
for general bawdiness. After arriving by train
from all over the state, troops would gather
at the Niantic station then march over to
camp, dancing and frolicking along the way!
Relations between the locals and the troops
improved drastically in the early 1900s when
residents noted that the Guards had never
behaved as well as they did during that fall’s
encampment. Coincidentally, that was the year
that Section 54 of the Militia Law was changed
to allow officers the right to arrest any member
under his command who disobeyed a superior
Above Left: Connecticut National Guardsmen at rest in
front of the Knickerbocker Hotel in downtown Niantic,
ca.1910.
Above Right: Guardsmen in 1913 were not beyond having
fun in the streets of Niantic, where they would participate
in parades and occasionally practice the waltz.
Courtesy of the Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford.
History and Archaeology 13
Archaeology of
Encampment
Laws require that when new construction on
public lands involves Federal or State money
or permitting, any possible disturbance to
the natural and cultural environment has
to be considered. When archaeological
investigations were carried out in several
places throughout Camp Niantic between
1986 and 2011 as new buildings were
constructed, artifacts from years of Guard
encampments were found. Building material,
metal objects like coins, buckles, buttons and
rivets, and dishes from the mess halls were
found. No dainty china for these guys, they
were eating off of whiteware and ironware –
both cheap and sturdy!
officer, exhibited poor conduct, or disturbed
other Guard members. More importantly, the
law banned the sale of liquor within one mile
of the parade grounds.
For many Guardsmen in Connecticut, a trip to
Camp Niantic was one of their first stints away
from home and a chance to let loose. Despite
the 1906 laws, some men spent too much time
monkeying around. In 1914, the local New
London paper, The Day, read “NIANTIC:
Band Concerts Enjoyed…But People Dislike
to Ride With Rowdy Soldiers on Cars.” The
next year, the local police declared the militia
men’s conduct as disgraceful because they
were harassing women on a trolley car. Men
were accused of roughhousing or swaggering
drunkenly in the village streets. All of this
while their brethren were preparing to fight in
Europe. Things changed radically when the
National Guard was drafted into service for
World War I.
World War I
Archaeological excavations at Camp Niantic, conducted
by American Research Specialists, LLC. Photographed by
Dr. Marc Banks.
Although World War I officially began in 1914,
the United States maintained neutrality for
several years. In 1916, the government passed
the National Defense Act, dictating that the
Army would consist of the Regular Army, the
Volunteer Army, the Officers’ Reserve Corps,
the Enlisted Reserve Corps, the National
Guard in the service of the United States, and
additional land forces as may be needed. Both
the Regular Army and the National Guard were
to be organized into permanent brigades and
divisions, with National Guard units assigned
to Divisions 26 through 41.
Officer training is serious business and includes all aspects of
warfare. In 1967 there were 42,000 troops training at Camp
Niantic. 1967 Officer Candidate School Yearbook, Connecticut
Army National Guard.
Officer Training
With the state of the world changing drastically
in the early 1900s, there became a growing
need for trained Guard officers. In response,
part of the camp was converted into an Officers’
Instruction School by 1910, and in 1918 there
were 200 commissioned officers and enlisted
men on site for classes. In 1950 the Officer
Candidate School began using
Camp Niantic for its annual
field training, and in 1966 it
became the permanent home
of the Officer Candidate
School for the Connecticut
National Guard.
14 Days on the Bay: 5000 Years at Camp Niantic
front where they were trained in gas warfare,
throwing hand grenades, and heavy weapons
use. Connecticut Guards performed valiantly
through the war, returning home after the
signing of the armistices in 1918.
World War II
Thousands of Connecticut National Guardsmen
were called to active duty in February 1941 as
part of New England’s 43rd Infantry Division.
During WWII Camp Niantic was used as
What Is In A Name?
Early 20th century tank practice at Camp Niantic.
In 1917, the United States passed its first
conscription legislation in response to growing
demand for troops to fight abroad. The
War Department authorized Major General
Edwards in Boston to create a full division of
National Guard units designated as the 26th
Infantry Division, or, the “Yankee” Division.
Edwards mobilized all National Guard units
and the First and Second Infantry Regiments –
Connecticut’s only National Guard foot soldier
regiments at the time - were called to duty.
They were organized into the 102nd Infantry
division and deployed to France.
Camp Niantic served as a critical staging area
for mobilizing units. Calvary units, a Field
Hospital, an Ambulance Company, a Signal
Company, and the First Separate Company
were mustered and trained there. Men were
given physicals and outfitted at
Niantic during a three to four
day stay prior to deployment.
Connecticut’s 102nd Infantry
landed at Le Havre in France
then moved to towns near the
Birds-eye view of Camp Niantic from the tower in the nearby Pine Grove neighborhood.
When the Connecticut State Legislature acquired land
in Niantic to use as a permanent training ground for
the Connecticut Army National Guard, they referred
to the property as the Niantic Grounds, because of its
location in the Village of Niantic, named for the local
“Nehantic” Native Americans that once occupied the
area. In 1883 the camp was called “Camp Waller” in
honor of the incumbent governor, and the following
year it was called “Camp Couch” after the presiding
Adjutant General. A system of renaming the camp
on an almost-yearly basis had been established, with
names alternating between the incumbent governor
and the presiding Adjutant General, occasionally
being renamed in honor of a distinguished citizen
of the State. Hence what is now “Camp Niantic”
has also been known as “Camp Bulkeley,” “Camp
Weicker,” “Camp Lounsbury,” and “Camp Rell.”
The training grounds in Niantic have had dozens of
names since it was first leased in 1872. Each time the
name changed, the Connecticut National Guard had
to scramble to change letterheads, road signs, and
every printed reference to the camp, with much labor
and great expense. In a 2010 cost-cutting measure,
the Connecticut House of Representatives voted to
permanently rename the National Guard installation
as Camp Niantic, effective January 1, 2011.
History and Archaeology 15
an infantry defense post to protect the
Connecticut shore against enemy landings,
even though there were no gun batteries there
at that time. Although Regular Army training
instructors were posted to the National Guard
in Connecticut, most of the State’s Guard
units were sent to Florida’s Camp Blanding for
intensive training before being shipped out to
the Pacific islands.
Current Mission
The current mission of Camp Niantic is to provide
facilities for battalion-sized maneuver training and
quarters for National Guard units, Department of
Defense personnel, and state and federal agencies. n
the SEPARATE COMPANY AT CAMP NIANTIC
To Proudly Serve
A call to protect and serve is a proud and
defining moment to many, including the
African American men who made up the two
black Connecticut regiments that served in
the Civil War, the Twenty-Ninth and Thirtieth
Connecticut Infantries. Both volunteer
regiments bravely battled in Virginia, with the
Twenty-Ninth being the first infantry unit to
enter Richmond after Confederates evacuated.
Despite having fought in the Civil War, African
Americans were denied the right to join the
Connecticut National Guard until 1879 (and
denied the right to participate in active combat
until 1917). Although federal laws passed
by Congress in 1790 and 1810 specifically
prohibited African Americans from serving in
state militias, that did not curtail their ambition
and desire to serve their country.
Wilkins Battalion
Connecticut’s African American population
founded their own independent National Guard
units beginning in 1869. The first unit – the
Wilkins Guard (Company A) – was formed
in New Haven, with all elected officers being
veterans of the Civil War. Shortly thereafter,
the Twenty-Ninth Union Guard (Company
B) formed in Hartford, and the Welch Guard
(Company C) was organized in Bridgeport.
A fourth company (Company D) was later
established in Norwich. By 1874, Companies A,
B, and C had formally coalesced as members of
the Wilkins Battalion.
The State of Connecticut passed an act forming
the Independent Battalion in 1879, formally
incorporating the four companies of the Wilkins
Battalion (A, B, C, and D) into the Connecticut
National Guard. The act established the
Independent Battalion, subject to the rules
of the Connecticut National Guard, with one
major exception; they would not be attached
to any existing regiment unless under order of
the Commander-in-Chief. The act provided for
equipment, arms and supplies and the use of
armories. Most importantly, it provided for the
same pay and allowances as other companies of
the National Guard.
The Fifth Battalion
(Colored)
Second Separate Company of the Connecticut National Guard, sometime before 1895 at Camp Niantic. Courtesy of the Prudence
Crandall Museum, Canterbury, CT.
The Independent Battalion,
renamed the Fifth Battalion
(Colored) by 1881, did not
survive intact for long. Budget
16 Days on the Bay: 5000 Years at Camp Niantic
days, they were joined by local residents and
their families for picnics and parades. The First
and Second Separate Companies worked sideby-side with the four regiments, but bunked
separately and were distinguished by their
different uniforms.
For reasons unclear, in May of 1896 a Court
of Inquiry was appointed to look into the
propriety of conduct of the officers of the
Second Separate Company. The Court
concluded that the Second Separate Company
had fallen below the standards of efficiency. In
June, they were officially disbanded and all men
were honorably discharged, leaving the First
Separate Company as the only functioning
non-white Connecticut National Guard unit.
First Separate Company
The Sixth Battalion of the Connecticut National Guard in 1944. Courtesy of Connecticut National Guard.
cuts in 1881 prompted the Connecticut
General Assembly to reduce the size of the
National Guard from 44 companies in the state
to 40 companies, with one platoon of artillery.
The Fifth Battalion survived with the A, B, and
C companies intact. In 1883 the reorganized
Fifth Battalion attended the five-day annual
encampment held at Niantic, then Camp
Bigelow.
Through the years, the Fifth Battalion with its
three companies continued to perform weekly
drills, attend spring parades, and participate
in fall encampments
at Niantic. However,
in 1888 Company C
was cited for poor books and late reports, and a
number of men were subsequently discharged,
others resigned. Another order was issued to
disband the Fifth Battalion entirely.
First and Second Separate Companies
With the loss of Company C and the
disbanding of the Fifth Battalion, Companies
A and B were reformed and renamed as the
First and Second Separate Companies of the
Connecticut National Guard. In 1891 the
Connecticut National Guard consisted of
four regiments and two separate companies
of infantry, the First and Second Separate
Companies, as well as a battery of artillery.
Convening at Camp Niantic in August for eight
On July 3, 1899, the First Separate Company
was disbanded. But public pressure led to
the reinstatement three months later, as the
Connecticut National Guard scrambled to
deflect criticism of their unfair treatment of the
men.
The First Separate Company functioned
through 1917, continuing to drill and train
once a year in Niantic. But they were prevented
from participating in active combat by federal
law. In 1901, the Separate Company was
ordered to the National Guard Institute for
classes on service, security, and information
– alongside all other officers of the brigade
for the first time. That same year it was also
invited, for the first time, to take part in the
State Rifle Match while at Niantic. In 1910, the
First Separate Company earned a bronze shield
History and Archaeology 17
and pendant. The company had scored their
highest rifle range record of 96.98 percent.
World War I and the First Separate
Company
The year 1917 marked the first federal call
to service for the First Separate Company.
In July, multiple National Guard troops,
including the Cavalry and the First Separate
Company, were called to Niantic. There, they
were drafted into the federal services and
discharged from the militia. At Niantic they
trained for combat duty, drilling in squad and
company formations, guard duty, care of rifles,
and military courtesy. Fitness was important,
with members of the First Separate Company
forming athletic groups and participating in
boxing and track tournaments. By August 31,
there were 90 men in the company qualifying
for service. They were then dispatched to
Springfield, Massachusetts where they guarded
the city arsenal. In November, they joined
forces with the Massachusetts First Separate
Company and relocated to Fort Greene in
Charlotte, North Carolina. They were given
segregated quarters, and separate recreational
facilities. For the men of the First Separate
Companies, southern discrimination was a jolt.
372nd Infantry Regiment
Company M
After two weeks, the units were relocated to
Camp Stuart in Virginia, where they became
part of the 372nd Infantry Regiment. This
African American regiment, technically a
part of the 93rd Infantry Division (Colored),
served with the French Army in World War I.
It was composed of “separate” companies from
numerous states. The First Separate Company
of Connecticut became Company M. During
their three months at Camp Stuart, the men
trained in trench warfare and as machine
gunners.
Major Frank Welch, Commander of the Fifth Battalion,
Connecticut National Guard, 1884. Courtesy Library of
Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.
Upon arrival in France in April of 1918, the
unit was set to work doing hard labor, with
rumors swirling that they would be barred
from combat. Within two weeks the 10,500
African American troops that comprised the
372nd Infantry Regiment were transferred into
the French command where they were trained
in the French method of trench fighting using
grenades, machine guns, automatic rifles,
and gas masks. They moved to the front line
trenches at the end of May, where they stayed
for a month. Ultimately, they became part of
the 157th or Red Hand Division of the French
Army.
In France, the unit received several expressions
of gratitude from the French High Command
for their commendable service. Of the
Connecticut men in Company M of the 372nd
Infantry Regiment:
12 were cited for bravery
4 received the Medailles Militaire
8 received Distinguished Service Crosses
90 received the Croix de Guerre
The 372nd Infantry Regiment shipped out
of Europe on February 3, 1920. The men of
Company M were finally Connecticut bound.
Upon return to Connecticut, the troops were
discharged, the guard units disbanded, and the
men of Company M adapted to life after war.
Desegregation
It was not until after WWII, in 1948, when
Executive Order 9981 was passed at the federal
level that the United States Military was
officially desegregated. The following year, the
State of Connecticut officially desegregated the
Connecticut State Guard.
African Americans had
not served in the local
National Guard since the
First Separate Company
was disbanded in 1919. n
18 Days on the Bay: 5000 Years at Camp Niantic
BY FOOT OR BY BEAST
Governor’s Foot and Horse Guards
Horses have been a familiar sight at Camp
Niantic throughout the years, and were
marched through the streets of Niantic on
their route to the parade grounds as part
of the annual Connecticut National Guard
encampment. This yearly event was anticipated
and enjoyed by many, with Niantic residents
lining the streets to watch the horses trot
past. But the history of the Governor’s Horse
Guard reaches back beyond their days at Camp
Niantic to a time when horses were the main
source of transportation and served a critical
role in state and national defense.
For decades, Connecticut had two state
capitals, Hartford and New Haven. Each city
had the responsibility for different aspects of
the government, but the General Assembly
always met in Hartford. In the early 1770s, a
group of East Hartford men organized a select
company for the purpose of escorting the
Governor and General Assembly at the General
Elections, and while traveling between the
two capitals. They eventually became the First
Company Governor’s Foot Guard, which is still
active today, more than 225 years later, and
has the distinction of being the oldest military
organization in continuous existence in America.
In 1774, what became the Second Company
Governor’s Foot Guard was
established in New Haven
by several prominent men
including none other than
Benedict Arnold.
The Horse and Foot Guards would train at Camp Niantic along with the rest of the Connecticut National Guard.
After the American Revolution, Captain
Thomas Seymour organized a mounted
guard for the escort and protection of the
Governor. In 1788 the First Company Horse
Guard was established in Hartford, while
the Second Company was organized in New
Haven in 1808. Men in the Horse Guard were
guaranteed able-bodied horses and equipment,
but like men in the Foot Guard, were required
to purchase and maintain their own uniforms.
Pomp and circumstance dictated presentation.
Reportedly, the Horse Guard modeled their
conduct and drills after the long-established
Royal Horse Guards of England. Early
uniforms bore resemblance to the boldly
dressed French Hussar; long blue cloth coats
trimmed with gold lace reaching the saddle,
bright blue pants, and grenadier bear-skin hats.
While the activities and participation of the
Horse Guards in annual events waned through
the 1830s and 1840s, they resurfaced and
reorganized in 1854.
Joining The National Guard
In 1898 with the start of the Spanish-American
war, both Horse Guard Companies volunteered
their services for combat duty, but neither was
sent to fight. Frustrated by the fact that only
National Guard units were deployed, members
of the Horse Guard petitioned the Adjutant
General to become part of the Connecticut
History and Archaeology 19
Order of the Spur
The tradition has its roots in knighthood, where the
awarding of gilt spurs symbolized entry into the ranks
– and fraternity – of mounted warriors. Usually, the
squire aspiring to knighthood had to perform some
task or deed on the battlefield or tournament field to
“win his spurs.” The spurs themselves were buckled
on during the investiture to knighthood – usually
during a religious ceremony. Knighthood itself was
considered sacramental, if not a sacrament itself.
Thereafter, it was the spurs that symbolized that a
man was a knight – not his sword, his horse, or his
National Guard. In 1901 the General Assembly
authorized the reorganization of both companies
of the Governor’s Horse Guard as Cavalry
attached to the Connecticut National Guard. The
Second Company of New Haven formed Troop
A. Following in the footsteps of the Second
Company, in 1911 First Company became Troop
B of the Calvary attached to the Connecticut
National Guard. It was Troop A that was called
to active duty in 1916 after General Francisco
“Poncho” Villa’s attacks along the Mexican
border. Traveling to Nogales, Arizona, the troop
patrolled the area, assisting the United States
Army and serving under General John Pershing,
among others.
Swapping Horses for Hand Grenades
armor. No matter how financially destitute, a poor
knight would part with everything else before his
spurs. The primary act of degradation was to have
another knight cut off one’s spurs.
It is not known when the ceremony for awarding
spurs was started in the U.S. Cavalry, but the privilege
of being awarded spurs in any Cavalry Unit comes
with hard work and challenge. For an individual
to qualify and compete for the Order of the Spur
unit, the soldier must first meet or exceed established
standards of performance.
When the United States entered into World War I
some of the Foot Guard enlisted in the army, and
the command stood ready to protect the lives
and property of Connecticut’s citizens in case of
a threat. Meanwhile, Horse Guard Troops A and
B merged to create the Third Separate Squadron
of Militia Cavalry. In July of 1917, 31 mounted
troopers rode from New Haven to Camp Niantic
where they were told they would not need
horses. Their captain pointed out that they were,
indeed, a Cavalry unit and would most certainly
be going to war on horseback. Despite his
pleas, horses were removed and the units were
reorganized into two companies of the 101st
Machine Gun Battalion 26th Infantry Division –
the Yankee Division - training at Camp Niantic.
By October, they were bound for France where
they eventually received mules and horses to haul
supplies.
Coastal Defense
Following the end of World War I, foot and
cavalry units returned home and through the
years, were reorganized multiple times. The
First Squadron Cavalry was re-designated as
the 122nd Regiment Cavalry, Connecticut, and
the Second Squadron became their companion
organization. After having lost most of their
horses due to the advent of the automobile, the
troops eventually were returned to mounts.
Yearly training occurred each summer at Camp
Niantic, with the Second Company meeting at
their Armory in New Haven the night before
encampment to board the coastal train bound
for the training grounds. “Forward Without
Fear” became their motto, which served them
well in the ensuing years.
In 1937 the Connecticut and Massachusetts
Cavalry units combined. With the start of
World War II, they were deployed to the South
Pacific eventually serving on New Guinea
and the Admiralty Islands. After returning
from the war, the Connecticut Horse Guard
units sought to reform and by 1948 they were
back “in the saddle” in service as the First and
Second Company Governor’s Horse Guard.
The First and Second Company
Governor’s Horse and Foot Guards
The two Cavalry and Foot units of the
Governor’s Guards remain
active today as subsidiary
units of the Connecticut
Military Department
under the command and
20 Days on the Bay: 5000 Years at Camp Niantic
Shave Tails
New recruits train
for 18 weeks in
military customs
and courtesies,
drills, leadership,
horsemanship,
and ceremonies.
While in training,
their horses’ tails are
shaved so they are
easily identifiable
as new recruits and
given extra room
on the training
grounds; hence
their nickname
“shave tails.” Upon
graduation, the new Trooper Reilly sabering the
privates earn the champagne bottle at the Second
title “trooper” and Company Governor’s Horse
Guard graduation, June 2014.
spurs are affixed to
their boots. Their
final task at graduation is a Cavalry tradition;
to saber open a champagne bottle. Each new
Trooper bursts open a bottle and the entire
troop toasts its newest members.
Insignia of the Second
Company Governor’s
Horse Guard.
control of the Connecticut Adjutant General.
Their mission remains primarily ceremonial,
but they can be called up to active service to
augment the Connecticut National Guard for
state emergency operations. As they have for
decades, they perform their annual training
each August at Camp Niantic where the Horse
Guard units train in the bay. Currently, the
First Company Governor’s Horse Guard is
headquartered in Avon, Connecticut while the
Second Company Governor’s Horse Guard is
headquartered in Newtown, Connecticut. Their
guidon - a pennant or flag that companies carry
to signify their unit designation and corps
affiliation – is blue to symbolize Connecticut,
and yellow for the Cavalry. Crossed sabers
represent the Cavalry branch of service. n
glossary
Adjutant-General A senior military officer who is de
facto commander of a state’s military forces, including the
National Guard.
Artifact Any object made or modified by humans.
Blank A partly finished stone artifact that has been
worked roughly into a shape, but which must be further
finished to a suitable size and shape to become a stone
tool.
Cultural Feature A non-portable artifact
such as a hearth, storage, pit, cellar hole,
stone wall, well, or post-hole.
Debitage The by-products or waste
materials left over from the hand
production of stone tools.
Diagnostic artifact An object
that is indicative of a particular
time period and/or cultural
group.
Lithic Artifact made from stone.
Midden A refuse heap often containing
shells and bones.
Post-contact Refers to the time period after initial
European Settlement, which differs depending on the
geographic area in question.
Post-hole A type of feature; a circular stain left in the
ground after a wooden post has decayed. These usually
indicate the former existence of a dwelling, fence, drying
rack or stockade.
Pre-contact Refers to the time period before European
settlement, which in Connecticut dates back to at least
10,000 years ago.
Projectile point The bifacially (two sided)
chipped stone that serves as the tip of an
arrow, dart, or spear.
Quarter-Master The staff officer in
charge of supplies for a unit.
Regiment A unit of ground
forces, consisting of two or
more battalions (or battle
groups), headquarter units,
and supporting units.
Strata Many layers of earth or
levels in an archaeological site
(singular = stratum).
Stratigraphy The layering of deposits
such as those found at an archaeological
site. Cultural remains and natural sediments
become buried over time, forming strata.
Above: Camp Keeler Medal.
History and Archaeology 21
sources of additional information/
bibliography
Greguras, Fred
Spanish American War Camps 1898-1899
http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/topic/military/
SpanishAmericanWar/span_am_camps/pg6.htm.
Hartford Press 1902
History of the First Company Governor’s Foot Guard,
Hartford, Connecticut, 1771-1901. Case, Lockwood &
Brainard Co., Hartford, CT.
History Archive 2014
Puerto Rican Servicewomen Answer the Call to Serve
http://www.womensmemorial.org/H&C/History/
historypr.html.
Lavin, Lucianne and Paul Grant-Costa 2013
Connecticut’s Indigenous Peoples. Yale Peabody
Museum Series. Yale University Press, CT.
Lavin, Lucianne and Marc Banks 2011
Phase 3 Archaeological Investigations of the proposed
Military Academy Site at Camp Rell/Rowland in the
Niantic Section of East Lyme, CT on file at the UCONN
Dodd Center.
Smith, Jane T. Hills 2011 (reprint of 1916)
Last of the Nehantics. East Lyme Public Library,
Niantic, CT.
Stone, Frank Andrews 2008
African American Connecticut. The Black Scene in
a New England State; Eighteenth to Twenty FirstCentury. Trafford Publishing, Canada.
The National Guard Magazine, Volume 7, January,
1911. Published by the Edward T. Miller Company,
Columbus, OH.
Walsh, Mark C. 1991
Free Men Shall Stand: The Story of Connecticut’s
Organized Militia from 1636. The Connecticut
National Guard Officers Association, Hartford, CT.
Wilbur, C. Keith
The New England Indians. The Globe Pequot Press,
Chester, CT.
Dr. Mark Banks, Archaeologist.
Dr. Nicholas Bellantoni, former Connecticut State
Archaeologist.
Russell J. Bonaccorso Jr., Military Administrative Officer,
Connecticut State Military Department.
David Corrigan, Museum of Connecticut History,
Connecticut State Library.
Major Gordon Johnson, Second Company Governor’s
Horse Guard.
Kazimiera Kozlowski, Museum Curator, The Prudence
Crandall Museum, Connecticut Department of
Economic and Community Development.
Elizabeth Hall Kuchta, East Lyme Town Historian and
Archivist, East Lyme Library.
Catherine Labadia, Staff Archaeologist, Connecticut
State Historic Preservation Office.
Lavin, Lucianne and Marc Banks 2006
Phase 3 Archaeological Investigations of the proposed
Military Academy Site at Camp Rell/Rowland in the
Niantic Section of East Lyme, CT on file at the UCONN
Dodd Center.
Dr. Lucianne Lavin, Archaeologist, Institute for
American Indian Studies.
Lisa Melnicsak, Environmental Analyst, State of
Connecticut Military Department.
Morton, Thomas 1637
New English Canaan. Ed. Jack Dempsey. Scituate, MA.
Digital Scanning 1999.
Donna Motuzick, Military Administrative
Office Assistant, Connecticut State Military Department.
Office of State Archaeology at the University of
Connecticut at Storrs, CT. Archaeological reports and
unpublished documents.
Karin E. Peterson, Museum Director, State Historic
Preservation Office.
Rossano, Geoffrey L. and Mary M. Donohue 2003
Connecticut’s National Guard Armories, 1865-1940.
Connecticut Historical Commission, Hartford, CT.
Saunders, Ernest 1977
Blacks in the Connecticut National Guard, A pictorial
and chronological history 1870 to 1919. New Haven
Afro-American Historical Society, Inc., New Haven, CT.
acknowledgements:
Major Gary W. Stegina, Commandant, Second
Company Governor’s Foot Guard.
What looks like a romp in the bay is a serious training exercise
for man and beast. Members of the Guard depended on these
exercises to ready their horses for military service.
Beth Stewart-Kelly, Environmental Analyst 2/GIS
Analyst/Real Property Specialist, CFMO - Planning &
Programming, Connecticut State Military Department.
Publication Team: Historical Perspectives, Inc.
Westport, CT
Author: Faline Schneiderman
Designer: Lucy C. Pierpont
Connecticut Army National Guard