Battery A of Boston in now being reorganized under the direction of Captain T. L. Storer '18 and First Lieutenant J. I. Abbot '14, and desires recruits from the University. The battery was organized in 1895 by a group of University students. From then up to the time of the recent war, 90 percent of its members were undergraduates or recent graduates of the University, the other 10 percent being men from other universities. In all about 1100 men have been with the battery at one time or another, including: Oliver Ames '17, N. W. Cabot '98, T. J. Coolidge '15, Livingston Davis '04, L. A. Frothingham '93, Colonel R. K. Hale '02, Mayor Andrew J. Peters '95, H. B. Sawyer '06, and many other prominent men. The officers as well as the enlisted men have been, and are, largely graduates of the University.
In 1916, when the trouble with Mexico arose, Battery A, which is part of the state militia, went to the border and served there for five months. While there they were adjudged to be the best field battery in the militia.
Prior to the entry of the United States into the war most of the members went to Plattsburg, and, when the United States entered the war, 95 percent of them received commissions. It was this organization which furnished most of the officers for the 101st and 102nd regiments.
The drills are held from 8 to 10 o'clock every Thursday night during the winter at the Commonwealth Armory. They consist chiefly of riding, driving and gun drill with French 75's. In addition to this there are all kinds of rough riding and monkey drill on other days for those who want to do it. The battery has a polo team which plays other teams made up from the battery and some outside games.
The term of enlstment is three years, but for good reason a man can resign whenever he wishes. The duties of a member consist of attending drill every Thursday evening during the winter, and going to a summer camp, probably on Cape Cod, for two weeks during the summer. In addition a member must serve with the battery in time of emergency, but this is extremely rare, for artillery can only be used in extraordinary cases, such as the Mexican trouble in 1916.
Further information about the battery may be obtained from Captain T. L. Storer at the Armory any Thursday night.
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