Military History. 373 



lies the beautifully located military post of the First Corps of 

 Cadets, and the scene of its camp in each recurring July. In 

 the rear and looking toward the setting sun as it crimsons the 

 placid waters which finally shrink into a little winding brook, 

 the view extends across the green meadows and far up the 

 valley in the direction of Weymouth Back River. On the 

 opposite side and about a half-mile distant the church spires 

 and roofs of the houses — themselves half hidden by the inter- 

 vening hill — indicate the nearest village, while to the east the 

 harbor of blue in its setting of green, with its steamers plying 

 back and forth, is seen through a break in the land bordering 

 Otis Street. 



Beyond its natural attractiveness there is no little historical 

 interest attaching to the place as the training-field of the militia 

 in the olden days, and still more, as being the probable location 

 of the barracks, — certainly situated in the immediate vicinity, if 

 not on the ground, — erected for the accommodation of Captain 

 James Lincoln and his company when Hingham was a garrisoned 

 town in the early part of the Revolution. In plain view, too, is 

 the road, once called Broad Cove Lane, but now Lincoln Street, 

 down which marched Captain Lincoln's command, and the other 

 companies of the town, as well as those of Scituate and Weymouth, 

 when hastening to drive the English from Grape Island May 21, 

 1775. 



Here, in the succeeding years, come large numbers of people 

 interested in the regular order and beautiful ceremonies of a 

 military camp, and the snow-white streets are thronged each 

 evening with listeners to the concert of the fine band. 



While having no official connection with Hingham, the posses- 

 sion by the corps of these increasingly attractive grounds with 

 the bright green and well-kept parade and fine rows of growing 

 maples, together with the annual tour of duty performed here by 

 it, the fact that no inconsiderable number of the town's young 

 men have been from time to time enrolled in its ranks, as well as 

 that among her citizens are three of the present officers, have 

 gradually created a feeling of local ownership in the corps, which 

 is now claimed and regarded, as in a sense at least belonging 

 to the town, and as one of her institutions. 



The First Corps of Cadets was organized in 1741, and is the 

 modern outgrowth of the famous " Governor's Company of Cadets," 

 which composed a part of the militia, both before and since the 

 Revolution. While commanded by Hancock, — whose mother, it 

 will be recalled, was a Hingham lady, — the then company was 

 disbanded by Governor Gage for its adherence to the patriotic 

 cause, but was reorganized and served under General Sullivan in 

 Rhode Island. At the opening of the rebellion the corps was 

 sent to garrison Fort Warren, and later it furnished many officers 

 to the army, and particularly for the Forty-fifth Massachusetts 

 Infantry, generally known as the Cadet Regiment. 



