Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-01-29
THE BUSINESS MEETING.
An Interesting session at City Hall The
Department Reports.

The annual business meeting of the de-
partment of Vermont was held Thursday
afternoon at 2 o'clock in City Hall, which
had been deliberately decorated for the
occasion by members of Stannard Post.
On the wall at the rear of the platform
hung large portraits of Gen. Grant and
Gen. Mcclellan thanked on either side by
the National and Vermont coiors, while
above them was inscribed the motto I'VE
Mourn oar Loss Just below these up
on an easel was IL handsome portrait OF
Gen. SedgWick, above which was the
badge OF the Sixth army corps which Gen
Sedgwick commanded. On either side
of the chair of the department command
er were portraits Of our two martyred
presidents, Lincoln and Garfield, draped
with national flags. On IA desk near the
front of the stage was the historic drum
of Co &, "a VT, which ID, Il. Sharply,
supposed to be the youngest drummer
boy when he enlisted in The army,
carried from the hatIle of the second Bull
Run to the surrender of Lee at the Apo
matoX court house, and in unison to the
beating Of which the company marched
from the depot on their arrival III Burning
ton. The walls We're handsomely decola-
ted with the guidons of Stannard Post,
the colors of the different corps and ma
tional flags Iuterspersed with graceful fes-
tOOnS of bunting caught up with roSettes
of the national colors. The railing OF the
galleries We're also finely decorated, and
indeed nearly every available space for
decorations seemed to be fully ana apprO-
prlately occupied.
OF the department officers there were
present Col w. H. Greenleaf, department
commander, of Burlington; n, G. Graves
senior vice-commander of bennington
III. X. lde, Junior vice-commander. OF st
Johnsbury j. b. Scully, adjutant gen
eral of Burlington; William &. Schroeder
acting assistant adjutaDt general, of Bur
lingtOn T.. f.. Greeneaf, assistant quar-
termaster general, of Burlington; ID. /.
Morgan, inspector OF Rutland and X, j
Coffee, chief mastering olhcer,of windsor
Among the prominent gentlemen preSen
were Gen. :. :. Burdett, commandment
chief Of the G. \. r. of Washington, Gov
Selden Common Of Augusta, Me-, seniO
vice commander; Gen. Van Der Wort o
Omaha, Neb., past communicating chief
Assistant lnspcctor-Gcneral j. g. Stearn
of Bradford, f. II. Trick, aide-de-camp Il
the commander-in-Cnicf. The followin!
mast dcUartm't commanders were present
Gen. W. W. Henry and Cob 4. ;. Peck o
Burlington, Capt. j. II. Goulding of Rnt
land, Col George W Hooker Of Brattle
boro, Mai. \. b. Valentine of Bennington
Capt c. G. kinsman of Rutland.
The encampment was opened by Col. W
l.. Greenleaf, department commander il
due form after which Chic
Burdett, Senior Nice-C ommander-in
Chief Conner and Past Commander
in-Chief Van Der WORT were es
cOrted to the encampment by Pas
Commanders Henry and Hooker an
they were received by the comrades wit
vociferous applause. After the visitor
were duly received the department con-
mander invited all past department. CON
manders and national staff officers I
seats on the platform. The reports of tn
department officers were then read and re
ferred to committees. Col w. H. Green
leafs report was as follows;
ADDRESS OF DEPARTMENT COMMANDO
GREENLEAF.
Comrades; ! extend to you all a cordla
and fIaternal greeting, and bid you
hearty welcome to this our nineteenth al
nual encampment. We have again me
to renew in pleasant Intercourse tina
spirit of fraternity which binds us togeIhe
rs comrades, and to review the progress
we have made in the interests OF on
noble order during the year that has pas