First Corps of Cadets (Massachusetts)

[1] Unlike the oldest regiments of the Massachusetts National Guard, which began as standing militia made up of all able-bodied men between the ages of 16 and 60, the First Corps of Cadets, the Commonwealth's and the National Guard's oldest volunteer militia unit, has always consisted of young men, and now women, who volunteered to serve.

The origin of the Corps can be traced to July 1726 when an organization called the "Company of Young Gentlemen Cadets" escorted the new royal governor of Massachusetts upon his arrival in Boston.

Commanded by Benjamin Pollard, this predecessor organization of 24 young men provided their own weapons and uniforms.

Benjamin Pollard apparently was keen on organizing a volunteer militia company made up of young Boston gentlemen who had the time and the money to devote to ceremonial duties.

On 16 October 1741 Governor William Shirley commissioned Pollard as Captain and Commander of the Independent Company of Cadets to consist of "sixty-four young Gentlemen."

As the personal bodyguard of the Massachusetts royal governor, Cadet officers were accorded the privilege of dual rank until 1874.

Under Lieutenant Colonel Pollard's leadership the Cadets immediately became the elite unit of the Massachusetts Militia.

In order to join prospective Cadets had to be nominated by a member and had to be able to afford to purchase their uniform as well as pay dues for the upkeep of the Company.

Hancock later served as President of the Continental Congress, signer of the Declaration of Independence and governor of Massachusetts.

The Cadets, several of whom had participated in the Boston Tea Party, met on 15 August and voted to disband and to return their colors to the governor in protest against the dismissal of their popular commander.

The Cadets wanted to take an active part in the Revolutionary War and petitioned the General Court for authority to raise a battalion for the Continental Army.

Jackson's Regiment fought at the Battle of Monmouth on 28 June 1778 and later took part in campaigns in New Jersey and Rhode Island.

A white uniform was adopted in honor of a French Army regiment with which the Cadets served in Rhode Island in 1778.

The sunburst star was designed as a variation of the insignia of the Coldstream Guards of the British Army, and, with the motto, has been worn on the uniforms, accouterments, drums and colors of the Cadets to the present day.

While they drilled on a regular basis and participated in parades and ceremonies, the Cadets social side was just as important.

Because of the heavy expense associated with purchasing new uniforms only wealthy young men could afford to join the Cadets.

The Cadets, like other volunteer militia units, began attending summer training sessions lasting several days.

This was appropriate since the Cadets always had a large number of Harvard graduates in their ranks from the colonial days up to World War II.

Since the Cadets were organized as an infantry company, a state law passed in February 1861 restricted their strength to 100.

Because the command was always made up of well educated and intelligent young men, the Cadets lived up to their designation by providing officers for the new three-year volunteer regiments organized by the state.

President Lincoln called on the states to furnish militia regiments for nine months service as immediate reinforcements for the Army.

The Corps, in effect, performed two missions during the Civil War: it provided officers for new units while older Cadets remained in Boston for state service.

Wearing blue uniforms, since the traditional grey was inappropriate, the Cadets were ordered to guard the governor and the state capitol during the draft riots.

A new full dress uniform was adopted in 1868 consisting of a white tunic, sky-blue trousers and a black shako.

The Armory of the First Corps of Cadets is an imposing and impressive building located at the intersection of Arlington Street and Columbus Avenue in Boston.

With the reform of the National Guard beginning in 1903, the Corps focused on infantry training first, but also continued its social activities and parades as well.

During the winter of 1916-1917, the Corps discussed its future role since it was told that there were no plans to include it in the new 26th Division being formed for war service.

The 101st Engineers arrived in France in October; the advance party landed on the 19th, the 176th anniversary of the Corps, which justified a celebration that evening.

The Corps went into the line in February 1918 in the Chemin des Dames sector in the province of Ile de France and supported the 26th Division by rebuilding trenches, dugouts, and roads.

In late March 1918 the 101st moved into the Toul sector in Lorraine and supported the 26th by constructing pillboxes, building strong points, digging trenches, and rebuilding roads.