The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-02-12
VERMONT G A R.
Twenty-flfth Annual Encampment at
Montpelier.

of the Department of Vermont, Crane
Army of the Republic, opened at thu
Capital Tuesday morning, Feb. End, witt
large attendance of department officers
delegates and past post commanders
The annual encampment was opened il
form in the Opera House at II O'Clock
Department Commander D. L. Morgan
presiding. Many other department anC
staff officers were present. The roll cal
made by the assistant adjutant genera
showed that the posts of the department
were very generally represented. At the
afternoon session the reports of the de
partment officers were presented. Com
mander Morgan, among other things
said in his report that three posts had
been added during the year and there
were 112 posts and 5,445 members in
good standing, with total membership
of 5,72S. Memorial Day last year was
more generally observed than ever be-
fore. Through the influence and efforts
of comrades, aided by patriotic citizens
and school committees, the flag of the
nation floats over many of the school
houses of the State. This work should
90 on until in or upon every school house
is an American flag.
The Bennington celebration and cen
tennial of VermOnt's admission to the
Union was an occasion long to be re-
membered in Vermont. In this the
Grand Army had an honorable and
prominent part, over 500 comrades were
in attendance, and Notwithstanding the
long and difficult march, 400 were in line
and Il posts were present with their
colors. John A. Logan post of Orwell,
mounted and equipped as cavalry, per-
formed special escort duty to President
Harrison and led the entire procession
in the parade. The Grand Army column
marched in rear of the armed mill
tary bodies, leading all civic societies,
and the department aides performed
duty as a body guard for our distin-
guished comrade, the president.
The Soldiers Home, under the able
Superintendence of COmrade COffey and
his estimable lady, still continues to be
all that Its name implies, a home for
veterans enfeebled 10y wounds and dis
ease or worn out in lifes battle.
An average of 50 old soldiers have &C.
cupied its pleasant and comfortable
quarters for the past year, and the num-
Der is steadily increasing.
From the State appropriation has been
built within the year hospital with all
necessary modern improvements and ac-
commOdatiUns for 20 patients
From contributions taken in churches
where Posts attended divine service, the
Sunday before Memorial Day, several
hundred dollars were raised towards
building chapel for the Home; this has
been increased by liberal donations from
generous comrades and friends to $500.
The building will be commenced in the
spring, and the Thousand dollars re-
quired for its completion is expected to
be readily raised.
The Commander paid handsome tri-
butte to the Sons of Veterans and the
loyal women of the WOmen's Relief
Corps, gratefully acknowledging their
invaluab aid to the Posts. The report
closed with fitting tribute to the COM
rades who have been finally mustered
out during the past year.
COMMUNICATIVE Chief Palmer of
Albany, N. Y, arrived at noon and visit
ed the encampment at the afternoon ses-
sion, where lie made brief address.
The election of officers took place and re-
suited as follows: Hugh Henry of Ches-
ter, Department Commander: Silas w.
Cummings of st. AlOans, Senior Vice
Commander; r. II. Humphrey of Essex,
Junior Vice Commander; Ralph Sher-
wood of st. Adams, Medical Director;
A. G. Bodwell of LyndOnWlle, Chaplain
Senator Proctor was elected delegate
at large to the National Encampment,
IL Il nj
Gen. William Wells of Burlington. Will
lard Harrington OF St. Adams, +. d.
Butterfield OF Derby Line, j. ii. Lucia of
Montpelier, e. IL. Putnam of Brattleboro
and N w. Sprague of st. Johnsbury,
Alternates: William Cronan, at-large; j.
c. Stearns OF Bradford, W. II. Blake,
second, of Swanton, A. d. Gilmore of
Westminster, Ii. q. Hibbard of Orwell,
Frank Kenield of Morrisville and j. C.
Blackmer OF Manchester.
The Council of Administration elected
comprises A. e. Leavenworth of Castle
ton, E. f. johnson OF Island Pond, V. F.
Marsh of EnOsburgh Falls, WsH. Gil
more of Falrlee and w. W. Munsell of
Wells River.
A campfire was held at the opera
house in the evening presided over by
Gen, j. Ii. Lucia of Brooks Post, at
which the principal speaker was Com
mander-in-Chief Palmer. The next ses-
sion is to be held at Rutland.
THE woMAN's RELIEF CORPS.
The eighth department convention of
tho Woman's Relief Corps of Vermont
met in Odd Fellows hall in the morn
ing, with large attenda ce of the re-
preventative women of the State. The
morning was given to reports of officers
and in the afternoon addresses were
made by Commander-in-C Chief Palmer,
Gen. Stephen Thomas of Montpelier, |
Col. George W. Hooker and Herbert e. |
Taylor of BrattlebOro, also Col. Il. M. |
Mansur of Island Pond. A letter was |
read from Miss Sue Sandelson Pike of |
Delavan, ILL.,, containing regrets that she |
could not be present.
The closing session was held Wednes- |
day afternoon and these officers elected: |
President, L. NJ. Seaver of Montpelier;
Senior Vice President, Caliste Jones of |
Bradford; Junior Vice President, Alice |
A. Henry of Chester, wife of Department |
Commander Henry; Treasurer, Amanda |
7. Newcomb of Montpelier; Secretary,
Fulie Eaton of Montpelier; Chaplain,
Harriet Whipple of Woodstock; Execu- |
tive Board, Eliza Cutting of Bennington,
Florence Gates of Morrisville, Mary |
Perry of Bellows Falls, Mary B. Peck of |
Montpelier and Bella Adams of st. AL
bans.
Delegate-at-L Large to the National En-
campment, A. Louise Putnam of Brat
tleboro.