The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-08-16
SONS OF VETERANS.
What The Order Is and How 1t May
Be Extended.
To the Editor NATIONAL tribune:

have to thank you for the interest you have
taken in the organization OF Camps of the Sons
of Veterans in the several States, and as many
INQUIRIES are constantly being referred to me
in relation to the Order, | will trespass on
your space to explain what the Order is and
how Camps may be organized. The Order OF
the Sons Of Veterans of the United States OF
America 8 is intended TO succeed the Grand
Army Of the Republic aud continue the good
work inaugurated by it. The sons of an ex-
soldier who have arrived at the age of eighteen
years and are of good moral character, are elIgI-
BILE to membership of the first class. The
eldest son of q member of the first class is
eligible at the age of eighteen as member OF
the second class, and upon the death OF his
father he is promoted to a member Of the first
class, taking his fathers place. The succession
is perpeual the same as is provided in the
Order of the Cincinnati and the military order
of the Loyal Legion. The United States is
divided into five Grand Divisions, each con-
sisting of group of States, and commanded by
Grand Division Commander, with the rank
of major general. Each State is Division,
and is commanded by Division Commander,
with the rank of colonel. The subordinate
lodges are called Camps, and are commanded
| by Captains. Each of these officers has subOr-
dinates of name and rank corresponding with
the United States army regulations. A colonel
has his Northumberland, major, &c, who
bear to the Divisions of the Order the same
mander do TO Departments of the G. A. r. The
Captains of Camps have non-commissiOned
staff, as orderly sergeant, quaTtermaster ser
geant, &C. All these officers report through
the regular channels to one COMMANDMENTS
Chief, the titles of whose subOrdinatcs are
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Chief and Vice
Lieutenant Commander-in- Chief, sc. The
names of the present principal officers and
their commands are as follows: Commander
/ in-Chef Frank z. Merrill Auburn, Maine
| Commander of the First Grand Division, en-
| bracing all the New England States General
/ j. S Bangs, Past Junior Vice COMMANDMENTS
/ Chief ofthe G. A. r., Waterville, Maine Com
mander of the Second Grand Division, consist
/ ing of Ohio, New York, New Jersey, Eastern
Pennsylvania, Western Pennsylvania, Mary
| land. Delaware, West Virginia, and the Poto-
mac, General VIM. E. W. Ross Past Senior
| Vice Commander-in- Chief of the G. A. R., Bal
/ tjmore, Maryland; Commander of the Third
| Grand Division consisting of Illinois, Indiana,
| Wisconsin, Nebraska, Michigan, Missouri Ken
lucky. Iowa, Kansas, and Arizona, VIM. j.
Maskell, of Chicago; Commander of the Fourth
/ Grand Division, embracing the extreme West
| to the Pacific, General A. V. Bohn, Leadville,
| Colorado The Fifth Grand Division embraces
| the Southern States, and is at present attached
| to the Second Grand Division under General
| Ross. This organization has a sovereign char
! ter from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
which has been made good in every State in
the Union
| Charters to subordinate Camps are issued by
! the Division Colonel with the approval of the
! Grand Division Commander, or where there is
! no Division organization may be issued by
! Grand Division Commander or the Commander
/ in-Chief.
! Ten applicants are necessary for a charter,
| for which SO is charged.
! Each recruit or applicant is required to pay
at least 81 on application, and should pay 81
| for his badge which is presented to him at the
| time of muster.
HOW TO ORGANIZE A CAMP.
Camps are usually formed under the auspices
of Post of the Grand Army of the Republic.
| The proper way to proceed is for the Post to
/ appoint committee of five comrades to organ
| ize Camp. This committee should be selected
with care by the Post Commander, with view
| of having active, energetic men, who Will work
| in accord with one another, and whose stand
| ing and Judgment is such as viii obtain the
spect and confidence of the young men who
will compose the Camp The Adjutant of the
| Post should notify the Grand Division Com
mander of the names of this committee and
their highest Grand Army or old army rank.
! By virtue of authority vested in him by the
/ Constitution, the Grand Division Commander
! may create these comrades honorary members,
I with brevet rank equal to the rank they hold
! or held in the &. A. T., and assign them to this
I Camp as an advisory committee and instruct
! them how to proceed with the muster; this
| committee is responsible TO the Post for the
proper conduct of the Camp, and they take the
same obligation as a brother, but are not re-
+. quired to pay dues, nor are they permitted to
hold Office or vote. Their duties are of an adj
visory and directory character, and in the meet
| ings Of the Camp they represent the Post under
| whose auspices the Camp is working. In large
| cities where Camps are formed, not under the
auspices Of any particular Post they select their
own committee from comrades in good stand
! ing. Applications for charter must be made TO
Division Commanders. Application to have
committee made honorary life members, must
be made to Grand Division Headquarters, as
Division Colonies have no such authority A
letter asking for information, addressed to the
Commandments Chief or any Grand Division
Commander, will receive prompt reply. This
Order has no secrets from Grand Army COM
rades In good standing, and they are welcome
III the Camp-room at any time, upon proving
their right TO be received in their own Post
An obligation of secrecy is required and Moth
ing more. This is not an organization of boys,
but of young men, many OF whom are con
nected with militia companies. and it is ex-
pected that it viii become the National Guard
Of the country in few years.
ENDORSED BY TIE GRAND ARMY.
The Commander in Chief of the Grand Army
of the Republic, in his annual address at Dem
Yer, July %, speaking of the two branches of
the Sons OF Veterans, said: Their representa-
tiyes should appear here and coalesce at once !;
: if they do not, this encampment should recog-
nize one branch or the other" In compliance
with a request in general order of the Com
mander-in-C Chief this branch of the Order sent
representatives to Denver, and they appeared
before the committee on the C0mmander-in-
Chief address-consisting OF Department COM
mapder Clark, of Ohio Department Com
mander Warner, of Missouri; Comrades Har-
per, of Pennsylvania; Valentine, of Vermont,
and Peterborough, of Illinos--and presented
their ritual and constitution and claims to re-
cognition by the g. a. r.; all OF which were
approved by the committee, and Conrade Har-
per prepared resolution which, after being
unanimously adopted by the committee, was
embodied IN their report and adopted by the
National Encampment, officially recognizing
and indorsing this branch, which is chartered
as THE Sons of Veterans of the United States
; of America"
The Commandery in Chief met at Columbus,
Ohio, August g. and elected officers for the en-
suing year, and General Frank p Merrill, the
newly elected Commander-in-C Chief in his or
der assuming command will extend an invita-
ton to all organizations OF the sons Of ex-soI-
diers, having the same objects, and who are eli
gible, under our laws, to join with US and push
on the good work, Eraternally,
VIM. E. w. Ross,
Commander I'd and 9TH Grand Divisions.
BALTIMORE, MD, August -, 1888.