Regimental Orders for the 22nd Connecticut State Infantry- August, 1838.

Regimental Orders for the 22nd Connecticut State Infantry- August, 1838.  This order was written by the adjutant “Abiger Judd for Colonel D.B. Herd.” With headquarters in Waterbury, Adjutant Judd sends this order informing commissioned and staff officers to meet at William Horton’s in Cheshire, in full uniforms, side arms, etc. in preparatory to the upcoming regimental review. Company commanders will inform their subalterns, who in turn will convey orders to their sergeants and soldiers and musicians to appear in full uniform and their muskets, equipments and instruments at Horton’s at the same hour for practice…delinquencies will be strictly enforced.

On the reverse, on the docket, Adjutant Judd informs a Henry Gaylor to recite this to Silas Hitchcock and Alfred Doolittle, 2nd. …”Immedatly  by order of Mark Bishop, Capt.”  All of this note on the docket appears to be (mostly) in Judd’s handwriting.

Some research has discovered some interesting tidbits about this order.  A legible order but written in the phonetic, as records show that Abiger Judd adds an “r” to the end of  his name (which may be correct), but is recorded in records as Abijah.  Colonel David B. Hurd is the correct spelling; he was from Waterbury, and later became a prominent civic leader and a manufacturer in the Button business.  Silas Hitchcock was a young officer during the time of the War of 1812, and eventually became a judge and politician.  His home still stands today in Cheshire, at 125 Main Street.  Alfred Doolittle, 2nd was from one of the founding families from Cheshire.  Capt. Mark Bishop was commanding the Cheshire company.

The other name, William Horton, was likely not in the militia. Meeting at his house in Cheshire was an important location probably close to the town common where the practice would take place. Most importantly William Horton had converted a house once owned by Russel Cook, a prominent gambrel roofed building on South Main St.,and turned it into a tavern. Therefore, he was able to maintain some shelter for horses, and certainly after the practice, a few drinks in the local tavern for the men, and brief discussions with the officers about the day’s training over a couple of drinks as well.

The document is written on legal size paper, and was originally folded to about 2 x 3 inches, small enough to be carefully carried in a pocket or billfold.  Some slight damage along edges, but very little.

A nice historical piece that leaves little to the imagination, militarily speaking.