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Brotherhood T ranscends Civil W ar Rivalries — Continued from page 30
committee members traveled to
Columbia where a reception was
held in their honor and to thank
them for their efforts in helping to
restore fire protection in the City of
Columbia. According to The New
York Times of March 12, 1867, a
dinner was given at the Nickerson
Hotel in honor of the committee. A
Mr. Wilson, President of the New
York Firemen’s Association, arose to
make a few comments in which he
said, “the loss of the hose reel had
caused them a sad disappointment,
but that it would be replaced by
a far more substantial one. The
accomplishment of the object had
been frustrated for the present, but
only a brief period should elapse ere
the lost treasure would be replaced,
Providence permitting.”
At the same gathering, former
Confederate Colonel Samuel Melton
rose to address the group from
New York and is quoted as saying,
“Should misfortune ever be yours,
I hope Columbia would obey that
golden rule by which you have been
prompted in the performance of
this most munificent kindness to a
people in distress.”
The New York Firemen’s
Association was as good as its
word and returned to New York
where nearly $3,000 in additional
contributions were raised so the
Independent Engine Company
“should not be a loser by the
catastrophe.” (The New York Times,
June 2, 1867) A description of the
replacement hose carriage again
indicates that it was built by J. H.
Sickles and painted by Thomas
Miller. “The running-gear is of
polished iron; the wheels painted
in crimson and gold, edged with a
blue and lilac stripe; the hose-reel
is of polished rosewood, with silver
rims; the front and back boxes are
of polished rosewood, with silver-
plated molding in panels; on the
first panel are the words “Organized
1837”, and on the back panel the
name of “Independent”’; on the
ends of the front box are painting of
the coats-of-arms of the City of New
York and the City of Columbia,
and on the end of the back box a
painting of Peace and Plenty; on the
front box is a frame mounted with
two silver bells of high tone and
finish, surmounted by a silver spread
eagle. In the centre is a silver plate in
shape of the front of a fire cap, with
the following inscription: “Presented
by the New York Firemen’s
Association to Independent Fire
Engine Company of Columbia, S.
C., June 1867.” The New York
Times indicated that the hose
carriage would likely be “shipped on
the Manhattan, which leaves port on
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June 20, and would be accompanied
by a Committee who would make
the presentation in due form.”
Once the hose carriage was
delivered to Columbia and formally
presented on July 2, 1867, another
gala reception was given in honor of
the New York delegation. They were
welcomed by the Mayor and other
dignitaries of Columbia. According
to another New York Times article
dated July 8, 1867, “they all ate,
and drank, and gave speeches
together, and enjoyed themselves
and the occasion hugely.”
In an article written by former
Columbia Fire Chief, John Jansen,
he noted that “little did Colonel
Melton know that Columbia would
step forward and repay that act of
kindness from the citizens of New
York 134 years later.”
134 Years Later America Attacked
on September 11, 2001
September 11, 2001, was a
beautiful fall day in most of the
northeast. The sky was clear, and
the air had the feel of autumn.
People were going about their
business and had no indication the
stage was being set for events that
would change our lives forever. At
8:46 a.m., American Airlines Flight
11 crashed into the north face of
the North Tower of the World
Trade Center in New York City
followed in less than 30 minutes
by the crash of Flight 175 into
the South Tower. At 9:37 a.m.,
Flight 77 impacts the Pentagon
in Washington, and at 10:03
a.m. a plane crashes into a rural
countryside in Pennsylvania.
We all know the rest of the
story. In a brief 56 minutes after
the second plane hit the South
Tower, the symbol of America’s
prosperity collapsed followed
a short time later by the total
collapse of the North Tower. Very
quickly America knew its liberties
were being attacked by Islamic
terrorists who were determined to
make a statement by creating as
much horror, fear, and confusion as
possible.
Fires burned throughout
buildings in the center of commerce
in lower Manhattan; debris and dust
spread all over New York; and the
shocking degree of destruction and
loss of life became apparent. When
the events of the day were over and
the toll was eventually revealed,
America was horrified to learn that
nearly 3,000 people were killed,
and, of that number, 343 firefighters
were killed in the line of duty. So,
134 years later, the Fire Department
of New York and the great City it
serves, found themselves in much the
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same plight as Columbia in 1865....
only the number of lives lost was
distinctly different.
The Chief of Department (Pete
Ganci), the First Deputy Fire
Commissioner (William Feehan),
their beloved Chaplain (Father
Mychal Judge), renowned Chief of
Tactical Operations (Ray Downey),
and other heroes in the department’s
rank and file lost their lives serving
their City. Nearly 100 engines,
ladders, rescues, tactical units,
support vehicles, ambulances, and
staff cars were destroyed. 75 of
their firehouses were touched by at
least one member dying in the line
of duty, and many others lost entire
companies.
Remember the words of Colonel
Samuel Melton in 1867? “Should
misfortune ever be yours, I hope
Columbia would obey the golden
rule by which you have been
prompted in the performance of
this most munificent kindness to a
people in distress.” Those words
rang loud in the heart of retired
Columbia Fire Chief John Jensen
who offered his assistance to help
raise money to return the favor
so graciously given after the Civil
War by our brothers in New York.
To make a long story brief, the
students at White Knoll Middle
School wanted to make a difference
and approached their principal and
other school leaders with the idea
of raising money to help purchase
a fire truck to give to the FDNY.
With the help of Chief Jansen and
former Fire Marshal John Reich,
along with many benefactors,
including the membership of the
State Firefighters’ Association, the
story of the Independent Fire Engine
Company spread like a wildfire.
Newspapers, TV and radio stations,
and other news outlets picked up on
the story. Money began pouring in
at the school and at fire departments
across the State given by people
from all over the country who
November 2017 Page 31
wanted to help in the cause.
At first, the goal was to raise
sufficient funds to purchase an
engine for the FDNY, but it soon
became apparent that there would
be enough money to order a ladder
truck. Chief Jansen was asked to
select a firehouse in New York to
receive the ladder truck. From his
younger days as a member of the
New York Fire Patrol and an avid
fire buff, Chief Jansen suggested
that it be assigned to Ladder 101 in
the Red Hook section of Brooklyn
which lost seven members of that
company as well as their truck. On
June 1, 2002, a group from South
Carolina attended a dedication
ceremony at the Red Hook station
where the ladder truck was officially
placed in service and ceremonially
repaid the debt owed over 135 years
earlier.
The story of the little Independent
Fire Engine Company of Columbia
is a remarkable bit of history which
affirms that our brotherhood is
like no other. As Dan Byrne of the
Burton Fire Department once wrote,
brotherhood “defines and illustrates
the best of who we are.”
Note: A special thanks to the following
individuals whose works contributed
to this story: Chief Librarian Dan
Maye, FDNY Library, Honorary Chief
Jack Lerch, FDNY Library, Chief John
Jansen (Retired), Fire Marshal John
Reich (Retired), Chief Photographer
Robert Busbee, Columbia F.D.
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