Plymouth County, Massachusetts - Chapter with an unread heading (no. 10 of those read), 1884

Militia History - First Militia Company - Ollicers - Alilitary Division of the Parish - North and South Companies - Plymouth County Brigade - First Cavalry Company, 1787 - North Bridgewater Dragoon Company, 1853 - Militia Districts - Active and Reserve Companies - District Number Siity - District Number Sixty-one - Cunningham Rilles.

The first military company formed in the ancient town of Bridgewater was formed Oct. 2, 1GS9. Thomas Hayward was chosen first captain, John Hayward lieutenant, and Samuel Packard ensign.

At that time the militia of the counties of Barnstable, Plymouth, and Bristol constituted one regiment, and Josiah Winslow, of Marsiifield, was the eoioDcl.

In 1TC2 the population of the town had become numerous enough to increase the number of companies to six. The one in the North Parish of Brid^ewuter (now Brockton) was called the Sixth Cuiupauj. Daniel Howard was first captain iu the parish, Robert Howard lieutenant, and Abiel Packard ensi;_'n. These were succeeded by Robert Howard, promoted to captain, Abiel Packard, promoted to lieutenant, and Henry Kingman eusign. Afterwards Lieut. Abiel Packard was promoted to captain, and Ensign Henry Kingman promoted to lieutenant, and Constant Southworth ensign.

These continued in oiEce till about 1765, at which time the Sixth Company in the town was divided into two distinct and separate companies, known as the North and South. The line of division was across the parish from east to west, near the Centre Village. The officers of the North Company were Barnabas Howard captain, John Howard lieutenant, and Abiel Packard ensign. The officei-s of the South Company were Isaac Packard captain, Josiah Packard lieutenant, and Issachar Snell ensign. These officers held their commissions till the Revolutionary war.

In 1773 the military companies of ancient Bridgewater had been increased to nine, and these, with two companies from Abington, constituted the Third Regiment, of which Josiah Edson was colonel. This re;.;iment was honored with a review by Governor Hutchinson on the 13th of October of that year. Josiah Hayden was appointed Colonel of this regiment, July 1, 1781 ; Dauiel Cary, major, Sept. 6, 1792.

In ISIO the Plymouth County brigade was placed under tiie command of Col. Sylvanus Lazell, promoted to brigadier-general. The brigade then consisted of four regiments of infantry, a battalion of'cavalry, and a battalion of artillery. Among the field and statf officers of the Third Regiment were :

Culeb Howard, lieut.-col., appointed April 19, 1817. N;ith:iD JoDes, lieut.-col., uppointud Oct. 3, IS29. Murtin Ciiry, lieut.-cul., appointed Oct. 1, 1S:12. Benjiiiuiii KcitL, Uout.-cul., uppotiitcd Nov, IT, 1833. Edwiird Suulhwoitli, uiaj., iippointed Aug. 22, 1S15. Martin Cary, luaj., appointed Sept. 22, 1S31.

April 7, 1787, a cavalry company waa organized in the town, and Isaac Lazell was appointed first captain. The following are the names of commanders from the North Parish :

Ill June, 1853, a charter was granted to Nuhum Reynolds and fifty others, to form a cavalry company, which was organized June 27, 1853, under the name of " North Bridgewater Dragoon Company." The first meeting for the choice of officers was held in Tyler Cobb's Hall, Gen. Eliab Ward presiding over the meeting, at which time the following officers were chosen : lu consequence of the various calls upon the coniuionwealth for troops for the United States service, during the Kehellion of 1861, the volunteer militia of Massachusetts, as it existed previous to the beijiuning of the war, was nearly broken up, by the enlistment of its members individually, and as companies and rcj^iments, for three months', nine months', one years', three years', and one hundred days' service; and the law establishing the volunteer militia bein^ no longer in conformity with the system of organization prescribed by the laws of tiie United States, it was found impossible to recruit this militia as the law then stood. To remedy this evil, the Legislature of Massachusetts passed a law in 18U-t for the reon'anizatioD of the entire militia of the commonwealth. This act was approved May 14, 18G4, and all laws ia existence previous to that date for the regulation of the militia were repealed. The new law provided for a new enrollment, to be made by the .several assessors of the towns throughout the State, of all persons between the ages of eighteen and forty-five, the same to be returned to the adj'utant-geueral.

The commander-in-chief then proceeded to divide the commonwealth into military districts of companies. Under this arrangement there were two hundred and forty-nine districts established. North Bridgewater (now Brockton) and West Bridgewater coiisiiluted two districts, and was divided as follows :

District Number Sixty includes the whole of North Bridgewater except the school districts four, five, six, and seven, otherwise known as Marshall, Ames, Campello, and Copeland Districts.

District Number Sixty-one comprised the southerlyschool districts, numbered four, five, six, and seven, in Brockton, and the whole of West Bridgewater.

An order was next issued to some justice of the peace within the district, to call a meeting for the election of captains of the several companies. After the election of the captain, it became his duty to enroll all persona liable to enrollment within their respective limits. " And all persons under the aj;e uf twenty-four years, liable to do military duty, shall be enrolled in one roll, and constitute the 'active militia.' And all such persons as shall be above the age of twenty-four years, together with all persons that shall be exempt from duty, excepting in cases of ridt, invasion, insurrection, war, etc., shall be enrullLd in another roll, and constitute the ' reserve militia.' "

The active militia was to have been formed into regiments, brigades, and divisions by the commanderin-chief, and organized in conformity with the laws of the United States, subject to such changes as the commander-in-chief might make from time to time.

The reserve militia was to have been organized into companies, regiments, brigades, and divisions, and attached to such brigades in the active militia a.s the commander-in-chief should deem expedient, when ordered out for actual service.

Orders were received by George W. Bryant. K.-m(., to notify a meeting to be held Jan. oO, IStlf), for the choice of a captain for District Sixty. The ineetiiig was held at the armory on Cliapel Street, at one o'clock P.M., when Samuel F. Howaid was elected captain, who was commissioned Jan. 30, 18Ur>. A meeting was subsequently held for the choice of lieutenants April 1, 18G5, when George Southworth was elected firat lieutenant, and Bradi'ord Wild .-second

The choice of captaius for District Sixty-one wus made at a meeting held at West Bridgowuter, on Friday, Jan. 27, 1865, at which Austin Packard, Esq., was called to preside. Mr. Thomas P. Ripley was elected captain, and received a commission dated JaD. 27, 1865.

At a meeting of the company soon after, in April, Nathaniel M. Davenport, Jr., was elected first lieutenant, and Zibu C. Keith, second lieutenant, both of Campellii.

Agreeably to instructions from headquarters an enrollment was made by the captains of the abovenamed districts, and placed in the adjutant-general's office, in which we find the number of persons enrolled in District Number Sixty, Capt. Samuel F. Howard, for active service waa one hundred and thirty men ; reserve militia, five hundred and nineteen men. The number of persons in District Number Si.xty-one, Capt. Thomas P. Ripley, for active service, was seven ty-eij;ht men ; reserve militia, three hundred aud nine men.

We have given the foregoing account of the militia organization up to May, 1865. The companies had hardly been formed, and officers chosen, when the Legislature passed a law, approved May 16, 1865, disbanding the " active militia," allowing them to volunteer in the service for five years. " All companies that do not volunteer within sixty days from May IG, 1865, shall be discharged," thus leaving a militia force of volunteers only, of which there are but few old companies.

Cuimingham Rifles. - Among the present militia organizations of Ma.-isachusctts is the Cunningham Rifles. Co. I, which is a part of Massachusetts' regiment volunteer militia, with the following officers and membeis in July, 1884 :