The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1885-02-12
THE ENCAMPMENTS.
MINNESOTA.

THE ENCAMPME NTS.
MINNESOTA.
The Encampment of the Department of
Minnesota, which was held on the 2Sth and
Goth of last month, was very largely attended,
and a success in every particular. The follow
ing officers were chosen for the ensuing year:
Department Commander-R. l.. Becker, of
Garfield Post, No. 8, st. Paul
Senior Vice Communicative. Thomas, Will
kin Post, No. 16, Mankato.
Junior Vice C0mmander-George S. Garfield,
Pap Thomas Post, No. 80, Brainerd.
Medical Director-H. w. Brazie NJ. D., Geo.
N. Morgan Post, No. a, Minneapolis.
Chaplain-Rev. j. M. Brown, of Owatonna.
Council of Administration Gen. Pope,
Mankato reelected; Thos. Montgomery, st.
Peter; L. G. Nelson. Kasson; P. Starkweather,
st. Paul, and r. G. Livingston, Spring Valley.
Representatives to Portland-At Large Gen.
Pope, Mankato; Alternate-at- Large, James
Cannon, Mankato. Delegates F. S. Mcdonald.
st. Paul; c. G. Whitney, Marshall; NJ. II. Ses-
sions, Minneapolis; w. F. Sutherland, Austin;
E. Simonton, St. Paul, and r. w. Jacklin, Wa
terville. Alternates-Byron, of Minneapolis;
Johnston, of Glencoe; Skinner of Minneapo-
lis; Saunders, of st. Paul; Nero, of Ortonville,
and Scarf. of Winona.
The successors to Department Commander
Babb and Staff of the GAR. of Minnesota are
workers. Commander r. l.. Becker, of st.
Paul, with fine soldier record, has been one
of the hardest and most efficient GAR. work
ers in that city. He was promoted from Senior
Vice Commander, sharing the reward for the
great work accomplished by the outgoing ad
ministration. His re-appointment of Col. H.
A. Norton. as Chief of Staff is one of the proofs
that he starts in on year of continued, deter
mined progress for the organization.
VIM. Thomas, of Mankato, the new Senior
Vice Commander, an enthusiastic GA. r. work
er has a remarkable record for personal service
in the war. He had an eye shot out and by
another wound he lost leg.
Geo. S. Garfield, the Junior Vice Commander,
is undoubtedly one of the youngest living SOL
diers of the war. He went out in 1861, enlist
ing Aug. "a, 1861, at the age of IL, as drum
mer boy, and was too small at the end of three
years service to be re-enlisted in the veteran
service. He was in all the battles of the Army
of the Cumberland from Perryville to Mission
Ridge including Stones River, Chickamauga,
and Lookout Mountain. At the same time he
is one of the Oldest IA. r. men, having been an
active member since 1867. In 1881 he, as Assist
ant Adjutant-General of Ohio, assisted in the
great work of that Department, and saw it grow
from q membership of 1850 to 500 in one
one year.
The remaining officers and Staff anc State
Council are all apparently chosen for work,
-
success.
NEW YORK.
The Grand Army State Encampment opened
at 10 o'clock On the morning of the 4th inst ut
Utica, N. Y, with an address of welcome by
Mayor Sherman, of the city, followed by re-
Spouse by Department Commander Hodges of
Haverstraw. A poem was read by Rev. Eras-
mus Jones, of Utica. On the following day the
election Of officers for the ensuing year took
Grcf ho1l 81
mander was as follows: Whole number, 705;
necessary to choice, 353. Thompson, 1858;
Hall, 1888; Day, 167; Keith, 40; Treadwell, 10.
There was no choice. For Senior Vice Com
mander the vote was as follows: Whole num-
Der, 692. Chas. w. Courtan, of Brooklyn, 49I;
John J. Mahony, 1877; Geo. w. Lewis 4. Cour-
tan's election was then made unanimous. VIM
B. Stoddard was elected Junior Vice Com
mander, DIR. w. j. Cronyon, of Dunkirk, Medi-
cal Director, and the Rev. E. Livingston, of
Highlands, Department Chaplain.
II. Clay Hall, of Little Falls, was elected
Commander on the third ballot, receiving 324
votes to 3l9 for Thompson. The following are
the other officers chosen:
Senior Vice-Commander-Cha w. Cowtan,
New York.
Junior ice-Commander-W. B. stoddard,
Norwich.
Chaplain-E. Livingston Allen, Highland.
Medical Director-George T. Coonyn, Dun
kirk.
Council of Administration-John Beattie I.
Samuel johnson, II. w. Thum, Geo. E. Ketch-
um, and Theo. l.. Poole.
The next Encampment will be held in New
York city, and between the month of May and
October. The retiring Commander was pre-
sented by his Staff with an elegant gold GAR.
badge, set in diamonds.
The following extracts from the report of
retiring Asst Adj't-Gen. Squires show that
the Department has made substantial progress
under his administration:
There are now54l Posts and over 80 600 comrades
In the Department.
At the beginning of the year there were in this
Department AS Posts One hundred and one new
were organized, making $40. and of these five
have resigned their charters leaving 54l in good
standing.
Dec. 81, there were on the rolls N654 comrades
suspended ,533 total 26 1877. The report for Dec
81, 1884, shows the rolls 30 9S7 suspended 2 O92
total 33079 gain during the year of those in good
standing Of 333, and in those suspended Of 500.
Recdpitulation.
New 9566
S64
LosSes-By death ...,......-.............. 1853
Honorable discharge ......... 100
transfers. l,GS