January 1, 1863 had some very special news in the Norwich newspaper about a sword presentation. – Some weeks earlier, “several gentlemen in this city procured a sword, sash and belt, and forwarded them to Lieut. Geo. R. Case, of this city, now serving as First Lieutenant in a loyal Louisiana Regiment, (colored.) The gift was accompanied by a suitable note of presentation. From the reply of Lieut. Case we make the following extracts:

Chackahoula, Dec. 15, 1863

Kind Friends I received your beautiful token, and can hardly find words to express, in return, the sense of gratitude I feel in being thus remembered by so many of you.

I shall value the sword not only as a weapon of defense, but as an ornament, always carrying with it, or embodying, as it were, one of the noblest ideas. It comes to me, not only as a token, but more as an expression of feeling, a sentiment, a deep desire for the right, without distinction of color, whether white or black. I had expected from many the sneer and cold contempt which ignorance begets, for accepting the position I have, but was more than pleased to find so many in favor of this new idea of right.

The idea that, because a man is black he is incapable of being a soldier, and is necessarily inferior, is all nonsense, and the quicker the world learns it the better. And I thus accept the sword, not only as a token, but as an expression of this fact, and feel grateful, not for the present alone, but that there are some at home who are willing, by words, actions and deeds, to encourage those who are away, and desirous of fighting this thing out.

Hoping that you may all live to see the glorious cause triumphant, and that speedily, I remain,

Yours truly,

Lieut. George R. Case”

I have heard that often the officers of a colored troop were white and quickly defer to the St Louis County Library for further information. Property-owning free men of color had long served in the militia in Louisiana. The 1st Louisiana Native Guards (C.S.A.) were a militia unit formed in New Orleans.  In January 1862, the Louisiana Legislature restricted militia to “… free white males capable of bearing arms” and the 1st Louisiana Native Guards were disbanded on the 15th of February.  Louisiana Governor Thomas Overton Moore reconstituted the Native Guards in March when Union forces entered the Mississippi River.  The Native Guards were ordered to assist in the defense of New Orleans.  During the siege, Confederate regulars abandoned the city, leaving the Native Guards to fend for themselves.  Ordered to surrender their arms, General Benjamin Butler, short on re-enforcements, and with no help from Washington, enlisted the help of the Louisiana Native Guards.  27 September 1862, the 1st Louisiana Native Guards became the first African American unit in the U.S. Army.  Many of these men had served in the 1st Louisiana Native Guards (C.S.A.). Soon escaped slaves joined their ranks expanding the Native Guards from 1000 to 4000 men and from 1 to 3 Regiments. In June 1863, the 3 regiments of the Louisiana Native Guards would form the basis for the Corps d’Afrique.  In April 1864, the Corps D’Afrique was merged into the United States Colored Troops. 

Thank you for reading and sharing my history and Norwich Community blog freely with your family or friends or anyone you think might be interested or in a position to take on some of the suggested projects. Don't hesitate to contact me for further information. I am happy to pass along anything I can. Together we can make a difference. Email comments on this blog to berylfishbone@yahoo.com View my past columns at http://www.norwichbulletin.com/section/blogs

Everything is relative. Right this second, is history tomorrow. So what appeared in a letter to the Editor of the Norwich Bulletin on March 16, 1894 is someone’s version of the past as they remember it. I absolutely did not fact check even one of the claims mentioned and you will just have to take my word for it that I did not witness any of the events mentioned.

Norwich, CT historians only like history with photographs. Unfortunately the memories submitted into the newspaper did not have accompanying photographs. But I am certain that given some time, a Norwich historian will be able to “find” matching incident photographs. Until then this is what was submitted by “Mr. T. T. Wetmore writing entertainingly of shipbuilding on the Thames between 1855 and 1866.” Mr. Wetmore submitted this to the Bulletin from Titusville, Florida on March 9, 1894.

“I saw in the Bulletin of March 5, writes T.T. Wetmore from Titusville, Florida, a history of shipbuilding in Norwich from way back in “ye olden times.” As I had something to do in that time in Norwich from 1855 to 1866, I think I can give you a little more definite account of the vessals built in that time than say any one else.

I went to Norwich on January 1, 1855 and took the job to plank and oil the schooner Col. Lester of about 250 tons, built for J. M. Huntington & Co and Col. Lester of Preston, by Harrison P. Lamphier. She was launched from a yard just below the old railroad bridge over the Shetucket on July 4, 1855. That winter Mr. Lamphier contracted with J.M. Huntington & Co to build the barge Thames, which I built under subcontract, and launched her June 12, the same year. She was 140 tons. As Lamphier had this yard leased, and there being no other available place, I started a new yard near the Norwich & Worcester railroad station, just where the iron bridge abutment is now, an built the schooner Sally Gay, 200 tons, which was launched November 11, 1856. These were all for J.M. Huntington & Co.

The I.K. Marvel, commanded by Capt. Eldredge of Cape Cod, was the pioneer schooner to open the West India trade which grew to such large proportions.

In the summer of 1860 the afore-named firm built a new shipyard in Thamesville by filling from the high bank where Shipping Street now is, the pond of water inside the railroad track and the flats outside the track to the bulkhead near the channel, where we put in a marine railway, and I commenced to build the propeller Norwich, which was intended for a passenger and a freight boat to run from Ponce to St. John on the on the Isle of Porto Rico. She was of 433 tons burthen and about the size of the gunboats which were ordered by the government. She was coppered, gun deck put in, with magazine, and equipped all ready for her guns and delivered in New York to the government September 28, 1861.

I then built the propeller Trade Wind, of the same size, and launched her April 5, 1862. This boat followed Admiral Farragut into New Orleans. The Captain bought a cargo of sugar and she paid for herself the very first voyage she made.

The owners, J.M. Huntington & Co., presented every man who worked on her with a twenty-five pound box of sugar; myself with a barrel of 228 pounds; E. Proctor 100 pounds; S.N. Gladwin, foreman joiner 100 pounds. As only three and a half pounds of sugar could then be bought for $1, the gift was appreciated pretty highly.

The third vessel built was the propeller Prometheus, 650 tons, launched in 1863; fourth, propeller Perrit, 713 tons, launched in fall of 1863; fifth, the propeller Whirlwind, 430 tons, launched early 1864; sixth, propeller Uncas, 325 tons, built in 1864; seventh, propeller Chace, 515 tons, launched in 1865 eighth, propeller Hunter, built in 1865, 515 tons; nineth, propeller Utility, 650 tons, launched in 1866.

These were all double decked vessels but the Uncas was a single deck vessel. As there could be no yellow pine got from the south in those days, on account of the war, we had to depend on our own country for all the timber, planks, etc., and the town of Montville, Bozrah, Preston, Scotland and Lebanon were well scoured for timber. Many an old farmer who got big prices for timber had occasion to bless the name of J. M. Huntington & Co.

Mr. Proctor was not foreman of the yard, but was the boss machinist and built engines for all the local boats but the Norwich, which were built by the late Elliott Barber. The boilers were built by William Troland.

-Titusville, Florida, March 9, 1894”

My hope in entering the full details of this letter to the editor is that there is a family somewhere out there looking to match a story with a name. Do you want future generations to know you only as a name, date of birth and death or do you want a future generation to know you as an individual, a person who lived a life between the dates?

Thank you for reading and sharing my history and Norwich Community blog freely with your family or friends or anyone you think might be interested or in a position to take on some of the suggested projects. Don't hesitate to contact me for further information. I am happy to pass along anything I can. Together we can make a difference. Email comments on this blog to berylfishbone@yahoo.com View my past columns at http://www.norwichbulletin.com/section/blogs

If you go to Brown Park and read one of the story boards you’ll read a similar tale. Not quite the same one though. I am not saying which is true because I was not there, nor did I write either story.

The following though is the story that appeared in the Norwich Bulletin on March 27, 1894.

Unique Steamboat Accident. A Wooden Boiler Exploded. In connection with the stories of shipbuilding on the Thames a story of a unique accident to the steamer of a Norwich man may be recalled. Gilbert Brewster of Norwich fancied he was in possession of a plan for building a steamboat that would prove superior to that then in use, and accordingly built a small boat, called the John Hancock, into which he put a small engine and a wooden boiler. He prepared her for an excursion fro Norwich to New London, at the time when President Monroe visited this section of the United States. Fifty gentlemen went on board and they proceeded down the river from Norwich. They were all, together with the cook, a colored man, in the cabin above the boiler, when approaching New London, it was announced the Fulton, which had the President aboard, was in sight.

The gentlemen went on deck as fast as the gangway would permit them to move, the cook being the last at the foot of the stairs, the end of the boiler was blown out, and his left leg was slightly scalded.

The force was so great with which the end of the boiler was blown out that it swept everything before it – tables, chairs, the partition between the ladies and the gentleman’s cabins – all went out of the stern of the boat. In one minute more, if they had stayed in the cabin, fifty-one would have been swept into eternity.

Thank you for reading and sharing my history and Norwich Community blog freely with your family or friends or anyone you think might be interested or in a position to take on some of the suggested projects. Don't hesitate to contact me for further information. I am happy to pass along anything I can. Together we can make a difference. Email comments on this blog to berylfishbone@yahoo.com View my past columns at http://www.norwichbulletin.com/section/blogs

In Norwich, CT there is always a great deal of interest and chatter about the gun industry in Norwich so when I came across this in the May 25, 1863 Norwich Bulletin I thought there might be some interest. Was I a witness? No. How am I certain this occurred? I am not. I am simply repeating what was printed in the newspaper at the time.

“A New Breech Loading Cannon – Elisha Ayer, of this city, a mechanic in the employ of C. B. Rogers & Co., has recently invented a breechloading cannon, which is confidently believed to be superior to any now in use. He gave it a preliminary trial on Saturday afternoon, in presence of Gov. Buckingham and a number of other gentlemen, which resulted to the general satisfaction of all who witnessed it. It is not considered advisable to publish a description of the gun at present.

It is claimed that in this new invention all the difficulties that arise from heating and expansion in other breech loading guns are entirely obviated. The piece can be worked with ease by three or four men, and is capable of being loaded and discharged thirty times a minute.

Mr. Ayer has also invented a gun for firing under water, which he expects to bring out before long.”

Of other note in the same paper was the mention of other local soldiers who were visiting at home –

“Brig. General Daniel Tyler, who has been for some time engaged on the Buell Court of Inquiry, has arrived home on a short visit. “ Not being familiar with the Buell Court of Inquiry, I attempted to look it up. The testimony in the Buell Court of inquiry covers over five thousand pages and I readily leave it to others to study and explain. But as I understand it, Major-General Buell is taken to task over his cautious approach toward a battle against the Rebel Army of the Confederacy General Bragg.

Captain Charles J. Arms, of the Twelfth Regiment, arrived home on Saturday.

Lieut. Henry P. Goddard, of the Fourteenth, formerly an employee of the Bulletin. Has been suffering severely from the effect of the concussion of a shell. He hopes to be out again shortly.

Thank you for reading and sharing my history and Norwich Community blog freely with your family or friends or anyone you think might be interested or in a position to take on some of the suggested projects. Don't hesitate to contact me for further information. I am happy to pass along anything I can. Together we can make a difference. Email comments on this blog to berylfishbone@yahoo.com View my past columns at http://www.norwichbulletin.com/section/blogs

Are you looking for educational activities for your children this summer? Check out this program from the National Wildlife Federation. https://www.nwf.org/-/media/Documents/PDFs/Eco-Schools/Growing-a-Wild-NYC-Curriculum-FINAL-lo.ashx?la=en&hash=0CD1D01268DADDA444D9EEF71C3A438B3F176FCC Don’t be afraid that its strictly school work and lessons because it is not. It’s activities, hunts, games and fun with accidental learning involved. A lot of it is outside and fun individually and in groups.

Since 2015 I, individually, not as a representative of Norwich, CT, have been participating in the Mayor’s Monarch Pledge of the National Wildlife Federation. For the City of Norwich, CT to participate in this environmental promotion is not difficult or costly. It does require a few actions by the Mayor and City Council that we all can help with in addition to encouragement.

Mayors and heads of local or tribal government who have taken the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge must commit to implement at least three of the 30 following action items within a year of taking the pledge.

The Mayors’ Monarch Pledge:

The monarch butterfly is an iconic North American species whose multigenerational migration and metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly has captured the imagination of millions of Americans.

We, the undersigned mayors and heads of local or tribal government, are deeply concerned about the decline of the monarch butterfly population. Both the western and eastern monarch populations have experienced significant declines. Less than one percent of the western monarch population remains, while the eastern population has fallen by as much as ninety percent. Monarch scientists attribute the population decline to degradation and loss of summer breeding habitat in the U.S., and loss of winter habitat in south-central Mexico and coastal California.

Cities, towns, counties, and communities have a critical role to play to help save the monarch butterfly. Municipalities can provide habitat at public parks, median strips, community gardens, schools, and municipal buildings like recreation centers and libraries. Events such as community workshops, native plant giveaways, and monarch festivals, can educate residents about the cultural significance of monarchs and how to create habitat. Simple changes in landscaping ordinances or other policies can make a big difference for the monarch too.

We recognize the importance of creating monarch and pollinator habitat at parks, gardens, and other green spaces, that every member of our community can equally enjoy. Our work to help save the monarch butterfly intentionally engages all parts of our communities, ensuring that historically marginalized communities are not left out of the work or the many benefits this work will create.

When mayors speak up and take a stand, our communities notice. Therefore, we hereby commit to help restore habitat for the monarch and encourage our residents to do the same, so that these magnificent butterflies will once again flourish across the continent.

At least one action must be taken from the “Program & Demonstration Gardens” section. Mayors that complete eight or more actions will receive special recognition as part of the National Wildlife Federation’s Mayors’ Monarch Pledge Leadership Circle, and those that complete 24 or more actions will be recognized as a Monarch Champion.

Communications & Convening:

1. Issue a Proclamation to raise awareness about the decline of the monarch butterfly and the species’ need for habitat. [ I have a sample if Norwich, CT would like to use it.]
2. Launch or maintain a public communication effort to encourage residents to plant monarch gardens at their homes or in their neighborhoods. (If you have community members who speak a language other than English, we encourage you to also communicate in that language; Champion Pledges must communicate in that language.)
3. Engage with community garden groups and urge them to plant native milkweeds and nectar-producing plants.
4. Engage with city parks and recreation, public works, sustainability, and other relevant staff to identify opportunities to revise and maintain mowing programs and milkweed / native nectar plant planting programs.
5. Engage with gardening leaders and partners (e.g., Master Naturalists, Master Gardeners, Nature Centers, Native Plant Society Chapters, other long-standing and influential community leaders) to support monarch butterfly conservation.
6. Engage with Homeowners Associations (HOAs), Community Associations or neighborhood organizations to identify opportunities to plant monarch gardens and revise maintenance and mowing programs.
7. Engage with developers, planners, landscape architects, and other community leaders and organizers engaged in planning process to identify opportunities to create monarch habitat.
8. Create a community-driven educational conservation strategy that focuses on and benefits local, underserved residents.
9. Create a community art project to enhance and promote monarch and pollinator conservation as well as cultural awareness and recognition.

Program & Demonstration Gardens:

10. Host or support a native seed or plant sale, giveaway or swap. [Norwich, CT has been hosting a Free seed and plant swap for the past six years.]
11. Facilitate or support a milkweed seed collection and propagation effort.
12. Plant or maintain a monarch and pollinator-friendly demonstration garden at City Hall or another prominent or culturally significant community location.
13. Convert vacant lots to monarch habitat.
14. Plant milkweed and pollinator-friendly native nectar plants in medians and public rights-of-way.
15. Launch or maintain an outdoor education program(s) (e.g., at schools, after-school programs, community centers and groups) that builds awareness and creates habitat by engaging students, educators, and the community in planting native milkweed and pollinator-friendly native nectar plants (i.e., National Wildlife Federation’s Eco-Schools USA Schoolyard Habitats program and Monarch Mission curriculum).
16. Earn or maintain recognition for being a wildlife-friendly city by participating in other wildlife and habitat conservation efforts (i.e., National Wildlife Federation’s Community Wildlife Habitat program).
17. Host or support a monarch neighborhood challenge to engage neighborhoods and homeowners’ associations within the community to increase awareness, support community unity around a common mission, and/or create habitat for the monarch butterfly.
18. Initiate or support community science (or citizen science) efforts that help monitor monarch migration and health.
19. Add or maintain native milkweed and nectar producing plants in community gardens.
20. Launch, expand, or continue an invasive species removal program that will support the re-establishment of native habitats for monarch butterflies and other pollinators.
21. Host or support a monarch butterfly festival that is accessible to all residents in the community and promotes monarch and pollinator conservation, as well as cultural awareness and recognition.
22. Display educational signage at monarch gardens and pollinator habitat.

Systems Change:

23. Remove milkweed from the list of noxious plants in city weed / landscaping ordinances (if applicable).
24. Change weed or mowing ordinances to allow for native prairie and plant habitats.
25. Increase the percentage of native plants, shrubs and trees that must be used in city landscaping ordinances and encourage use of milkweed where appropriate.
26. Direct city property managers to consider the use of native milkweed and nectar plants at city properties where possible.
27. Integrate monarch butterfly conservation into the city’s Park Master Plan, Sustainability Plan, Climate Resiliency Plan or other city plans.
28. Change ordinances so herbicides, insecticides, or other chemicals used in the community are not harmful to pollinators.
29. Adopt ordinances that support reducing light pollution.
30. California Specific: Pass a resolution to protect over-wintering monarch butterfly habitat on public or private lands.

Next time you pass by a patch of blooming milkweed please enjoy their perfume wafting in the air. And please, join me in encouraging our elected, appointed, hired and volunteer leaders in the promotion of our City of Norwich, CT.

Thank you for reading and sharing my history and Norwich Community blog freely with your family or friends or anyone you think might be interested or in a position to take on some of the suggested projects. Don't hesitate to contact me for further information. I am happy to pass along anything I can. Together we can make a difference. Email comments on this blog to berylfishbone@yahoo.com View my past columns at http://www.norwichbulletin.com/section/blogs

It is now officially summer and I am eating from the garden. Well I would be if the deer, the rabbit and the ground hog had left me anything. I don’t mind sharing but the creatures, and I have a few other terms for them, take a nibble or two out of each and everything that is growing.

I had been watching a pepper grow. It was lovely. A deep green. Firm. Perfectly shaped. I had plans for that pepper until during the night. Well lets just say my plans have bitten the dust. So I am eating from the gardens of others.

The issue is that on the fresh produce I don’t really like the vast assortment of bottled dressings. Mass produced, over sugared and with a list of ingredients I honestly cannot identify by name or quite honestly by sight. So I wound up using the the old standby oil and vinegar for most of the salads. Occasionally I vary the oil or the vinegar depending on my mood and if I am working on a theme for my dinner. One too many cooking shows I fear. Anyway, if you are bored or tired of ruining your fresh salad with bottled dressing here are a few from Light & Spicy by Barbara Gibbons. Mangiare!

Sometimes the flavor of a meal comes not from the main but from an unexpected place such as the salad dressing.

Curry Dressing. One half cup plain yogurt, two tablespoons sour cream, one half teaspoon curry powder, one teaspoon each dry mustard, ground all spice and garlic salt. Combine and let sit for thirty minutes or so. Good on salad and great on chilled rice!

Not strictly a dressing but novel and delicious when I tossed in some handy cut up fresh veggies. My favorites are pea pods, spinach, chopped yellow pepper and young raw zucchini all added at the last minute. Caribe style coleslaw. One can crushed pineapple, well drained, 8 ounces plain yogurt, two tablespoons cider vinegar, one teaspoon garlic salt, one quarter teaspoon pepper, one medium head of cabbage shredded, two medium carrots shredded, one small onion shredded or chopped fine. Combine in a large bowl and chill preferably over night.

A hint of mint is a pleasure, but with a bit too much its over powering. Because some people prefer to have dressing with a bit of salad, I dress this salad in the kitchen using a lettuce spinner to keep it light and fresh. The original recipe does not call for it but I also add fresh orange rind and orange flesh to the salad itself but other citrus works well too. Combine one half cup vegetable broth, one half cup minced fresh mint, juice of one lemon, one crushed garlic clove, a pinch of fresh nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Combine and allow to age before cooling before serving. A cheat is to combine in a simmer, strain and cool.

For those that want rich and creamy this Parsley-Yogurt three pulses on the blander or food processor is great. Eight ounces plain yogurt, one half cup packed, minced fresh parsley, one quarter cup packed fresh minced spinach, one quarter cup packed fresh minced basil, one crushed clove garlic, five tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, one quarter spoon grated nutmeg. Toss into the blender and stop worrying if your measurements are not exact. Pulse until its the way you like your creamy dressing. Cool and enjoy! Also great on warm pasta, and served with whole green beans.

Thank you for reading and sharing my history and Norwich Community blog freely with your family or friends or anyone you think might be interested or in a position to take on some of the suggested projects. Don't hesitate to contact me for further information. I am happy to pass along anything I can. Together we can make a difference. Email comments on this blog to berylfishbone@yahoo.com View my past columns at http://www.norwichbulletin.com/section/blogs

Are you a member of an organization looking for a new fundraiser? Something different? Do you work for any one or more of the organizations housed in the Norwich Downtown looking for a new activity for your clients? Are you a retail business looking to increase your customer base?

Consider taking a lesson from this event From August 1917. No I did not make a typo. This novel idea came from the August 27, 1917 Norwich Bulletin. Full page advert. The stores chose a date in the heat of August to open early. They even arranged for earlier public transportation runs so the shoppers could take advantage of the cooler morning. Restaurants and coffee houses ran specials, just for the day. Currently Norwich does not have much of a downtown retail so maybe there needs to be just a bit of tweaking needed.

A dollar was still a lot of money. It was a deep discount. So how to turn it into a modern money maker? If you do not have a retail operation consider selling an early morning treat for $2.00 such as a 2×2 waffle topped with fresh berries, and a squirt of whipped topping. How about a lunch time lemonade stand? Stop thinking that you must sell your item in the giant size, consider smaller, so there is less waste. Promotions for restaurants are always easy. Use the Dollar toward the purchase of a very specific sample plate. Only 3-5 items. Only a sample size taste of each. Definitely not meal size.

Come on Norwich, CT. You can do this! You did it before. You can do it again. Try!

https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/data/batches/ct_berlin_ver01/data/sn82014086/00295866123/1917082101/0454.pdf

Thank you for reading and sharing my history and Norwich Community blog freely with your family or friends or anyone you think might be interested or in a position to take on some of the suggested projects. Don't hesitate to contact me for further information. I am happy to pass along anything I can. Together we can make a difference. Email comments on this blog to berylfishbone@yahoo.com View my past columns at http://www.norwichbulletin.com/section/blogs