XII.
 

'here was no incident in the life of the old-time fire-
jladdie which had more charm for him than the occasion
J of a parade. To the public in general no parade or
/i^^® public display was more pleasing than the firemen's
procession, and some of them were as picturesque as they were
characteristic.

The first parade of the Volunteer Firemen of New York City
that I can find any record of was on the Fourth of July, 1824.
In 1825 and 1826 the " laddies " celebrated the " glorious Fourth "
by a parade, and then decided to parade thereafter on the anniver¬
sary of the Department, which occurred on the :5th of October.
On the 9th of September, 1824, the firemen paraded in honor of
the visit of the Marquis de Lafayette to this country. The most
magnificent parade of the Department up to that time was on the
occasion of the completion of the Erie Canal, on the 4th of Novem¬
ber, 1825. At the celebration of the introduction of Croton water
into New York City, October 14, 1842, the firemen again partici¬
pated in the grand pageant. The first annual parade of the Depart¬
ment took place June g, 1851 ; the second, June 14, 1852, and the
third, June 11, 1853. Intervals of three years then elapsed between
these parades—October 13, 1856, and October 17, 1859. On the
1st September, 1858, a reception was given Mr. Cyrus W. Field
upon the completion of the laying of the first Atlantic cable. The
firemen celebrated the event by a grand torchlight procession, and
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