The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-01-30
VERMONT VETERANS.
Annual Encampment of the State Grand
Army Department.

Annual Encampment of the State Grand
Army Department
The 23d annual Encampment opered in
Rutland Tuesday and held two days. IL
was one of the largest gatherings of vet
Grams that ever assembled on similar
occasion since the department was es-
tablished. The fact that the next nation.
al encampment will be held in Boston
served 10 create an unusual interest
among Grand Army men in this State
IN the department encampment, and
fully 400 delegates were in attendance.
Included in those present were large
number of the leading men OF the State.
Among those from out of town were ::
Col. Wheelock G. Veazey of Washing
ton, United States Interstate Commerce
Commissioner; and Lieut.. Judson A.
Lewis, United States Consul at Sierra
Leone, Africa, formerly of the Eleventh
Vermont Volunteers.
The Department Encampnent was
honored with an official jvlsit from
the Commander Chief, Gen. Russell
a. Alger of Michigan. Gen. Alger ar.
rived at 15p. m. He was accompanied
by Mrs. Alger and Judge l.. E. Griffith
Of Troy, N. Y, Inspector General on the
staff of COMMANDMENTS Chief. Gen. Alger
was received at the station by Col. w.
G. Veazey, Lieutenant Gov. VA. Wood
curry, Col. George w. Hooker and Gen.
L G Kingsley, and escorted TO the Bard,
we'll House. He subsequently visited
the encanpment. where he was present
I'd to the assembled veterans and made
brief address.
Department Commander Tracy deliv-
cred his address at the afternoon session
Among other things he said ; 81 am
happy to report that the net increase in
membership during the past year is 1872
l cannot say too much in behalf OF the
Woman's Relief Corps. All comrades
IN this department should use their besT
efforts to secure the organization of corps
as an auxiliary to the post to which they
belong, Any post that secures the aid
of relief corps adds hundred per cent
to its efficiency and interest" Speaking
of the Sons of Veterans, the Commander
says 81 am glad to know that this or
ganization is in an exceedingly healthy
and furnishing condition, and members
of the Grand Army are earnestly re-
uuested to aid, assist and encourage, the
formation of camps of Sons of Veterans.
The report of Assistant Adj ant Gen.
eral A. X, Carr contains these figures
concerning the condition of the depart
meDt for the year ending Dec. 81, 1889:
There have been three posts organized
during the year. Members in good stand
ing Jan. 1, 1890. 50l3; gained by organ
ization and muster, BAT; gained by trans
Ter, So; gained by reinstatement, IA;
aggregate $780, loss by death, 40; loss by
discharge, "a loss by transfer, 1lS; loss
by suspens on, 2O4; total, 1896; members
remaining in good standing, 52O5; num-
number of posts, 103.
Department Inspector E. o. Hubbard
reports the amount of money in the re-
lief fund as being $54l5 10, and the
amount expended $762 OF.
The following department officers were
unanimously elected Tuesday afternoon;
| Department Commander, Col. ZOphar
Commander, j. E. Eldredge of Warren
Junior Vice Commander, j. W. Will
liams of Bennington.
Tuesday evening camp fire compli.
mentary TO Gen. Russell A. Alger, Com
mander-in Chief, the Woman's Relief
Corps and the Department of Vermont
q. A. R., was held in the Town Hal
under the auspices of Roberts Post Of
Rutland. The great hall was crowded
10 overlooking by the citizens Of Rut-
nd and visiting veterans. Seated or
The stage were Gen. and Mrs. Alger, Mrs
Wittenmeyer of Pennsylvania, Naliona
President of the Woman's Relief Corps
Gen L. E. Griffith Of Troy, Inspector
Gener on the staff of Commander-in-
Chief; Lieut.. Gov U. A. Woodbury. Of
Burlington, the officers OF the Woman
| Relief Corps of Vermont, Past Depart
ment Commanders Hooker, Klnsman
Peck. Greenleaf, Henry, Thomas anC
Guuldlng, Gen. Tracy, Communicable
Mansur and the officers Of the Depart
ment of Vermont.
over by Col. W. G. veazey o
Washington. Col. Veszey. in opening
made few pleasant remarks and intro
duced Gen. Russell A. Alger. comman
der-in-chief Of the Grand Army Of tn
! Republic.
Gen. Alger on coming forward wa
given an ovation by the vast audienc
! because he was not a speech-maker
, After thanking the audience for thei
cOrolRl reception, ne auuutu 10 the lac
J that the ID. partment Of Vermont wa
the first one which he had visited in tn
; East, and expresses his qualification a
beginning in YeTmont his series OF visi
! tations to the encampments to be bel,
from the Atlantic to the Pacific durinI
J 1890. Gen. Alger said he was grateful
= TO the Green Mountain State for man,
things, but most of all because it gave /
l me my wife. have very tender recol
: leciions Of Vermont, because the Firs
. Vermont Cavalry was in the brigade I
q which belonged. 1t was one Of th
i best regiments ever mustered into th
e service. Speaking Of the Woman's Re
n lief Corps he said: You, ladies, OF
l. simply carrying on the work which 20
n did in the hospitals and on the batll