The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1892-09-28
The Grand Army Encampment.


affair, and it is estimated that there
were $4,000 veterans in line. 1t took over
seven hours for the double column TO pass
given point. There were more than $50
bands in the procession, to say nothing of
the single drummers and the squads of two
or three comrades playing flies and drums.
1t was the greatest Grand Army parade
ever made, and was thus worthy repeti-
ton of the famous reunion on Pennsylvania
avenue at the close of the war. A conspicu-
Gus figure in the Ohio department was ex-
President Hayes, who marched with his
post The Massachusetts department had
fifty bands, and General Butler rode in
carriage in this department. The Sixth
Massachusetts had post of honor in the
parade in memory of the march through
Baltimore, and was roundly cheered at al
most every point. Vermont sent twenty
one posts, and each comrade wore sprig
Of cedar in his hat. The Vermonters were
given considerable attention, and pictures
of Commander Hugh Henry and other of
hcers were in the Washington papers. Vice
President Morton reviewed the whole pro-
cession, and was kept busy acknowledging
NhO odiutco VI Jub DdS5luR lTOODSs NOm-
mander-in-Chief Palmer also reviewed the
column. General o. o. Howard, Secretary
Rush and Senator Proctor, who were in the
procession, were generously applauded
Pennsylvania avenue was very deliberately
decorated with flags and bunting, and the
cheering was continuous The weather, al
though at times cloudy, was free from rain,
and was just warm enough 1t was esti-
mated that there were 100000 visitors in the
city during the day, In the evening many
veterans called on Mrs. Logan, who had
general reception. The Womans Relief
Corps kept open house through the evening.
Commander-in-C Chief Palmer presided at
the business meeting on Wednesday. Be-
fore the routine business of the meeting
opened a beautiful gavel, silver.mounted
and made from pieces of wood taken from
Fort Sumter, Gettysburg, Five Forks,
Chicamauga, Appomattox Court House, and
from the frigate Kearsarge, was presented
| by his aides of the department Of the Poto-
mac. Another gavel, representing the home
of Washington, was presented by the citi-
zens' committee. General Palmer cordially
responded and was loudly applauded. He
then made his annual address. The re-
ports of the other officers followed. The
surgeon generals report says that, accord
ing to Commissioner Raum, at the close of
the fiscal year, June 80, 1892, there were
SIC, 076 pensioners on the rolls, and that the
appropriation aggregated S199, 132, 887. In
addition to these vast expenditures, the an
nual appropriation for the numerous gov
eminent homes was S2,633, $40. There are
also 173 government cemeteries kept up by
government appropriations, A resolution
of sympathy with Presidents and Mrs Har-
rison was offered by Comrade T. G. Clark
son of Omaha, Neb., and the motion to adopt
was seconded by ex-President Hayes The
latter was applauded for several minutes.
The resolution was unanimously adopted.
Later the commander-in-chef held aloft
scroll of paper, punctured in a hundred
places, which, he said, exhibited the temper
and warm feeling with which the late COM
mander of the department of Louisiana and
Mississippi had surrendered the charter of
his post. The committee on resolutions was
then announced and in the number was
Major A. B. Valentine of Vermont. At the
afternoon session, Governor Chase of 1ndi-
ana made an address in behalf of Indian
apolis as the place of holding the next en-
campment, and that city was unanimously
selected.
At the business meeting on Thursday,
Comrade T. c. Clarkson of Omaha, Neb.,
in behalf of the whole Grand Army, pre-
sented Past Commander-in-Chi Wheelock
G. Veazey life-siZe oil portrait of himself,
with a beautiful gilt frame, When the flag
which concealed it from view was with
drawn, there was storm of applause. Gem
eral Veazey, in accepting the gift, spoke IN
a trembling voice. He said he struggled in
vain to find fitting words with which to ex-
press the emotions that filled his heart.
This gift, representing the contribution of
every Comrade throughout the country, he
should cherish and guard with care while he
lived, and he should leave it to his descen-
dants as a sacred trust, with the hope that
it will inspire them to the very remotest
generation to honor and to serve their
country with the zeal and patriotic devo-
ton which characterized the service OF the
comrades in the great war of the rebellion.
There would always be benedicton in his
heart when he looked upon this gift, and,
after twenty-five years of service, he should
consecrate himself anew to the further SER
vice Of the comrades who to him by their
services are of the nobility OF the earth.
The report of the committee on rules and
regulations, recommending that life mem
berships in the encampment be continued,
was adopted, General A. G. Weissert of
Milwaukee, Wis, was elected commander
in-chief, and r. H. Warfeld of San Fran
cisco, senior vice-commander. A great
many reunions were held on Thursday and
Friday, and on Friday there were minor fes-
tivities. Thursday, however, was the last
day of the encampment proper. 1t rained
all day.
The members of the various organizations
which at different times were commanded by
General George Crook, together with the
officers and prominent men of the Society
of the Army of West Virginia, held exer-
cises on Monday ON Arlington Nights over
the newly-laid foundations of the Crook
monument. General Crooks body rests at
West Point, but his old comrades and fol-
lowers-in-arms wish to place his body on
the banks of the Potomac. Ex-President
Hayes, General Butterworth Captain Nc
Kee and General w. II. Gibson made
speeches.
Vermont was well represented at the en-
campment, among the comrades from this
state being Hugh Henry commander OF the
Vermont department, Chester; S. W. Cum
mings, st. Albans w. II. Humphrey, Essex
functions Barney Cannon, Jr, Bellows
Falls; Willard Harrington, St, Adams; Col
onel j, II. Lucia, Montpelier; General f.
d. Butterfeld, Derby Line; f, III. Putnam
Brattleboro; William Cronan, Rutland I;
Colonel j. c. Stearns, Bradford; w. H.
Blake, Swanton; A. ID. Gilmore, Weston
II q Hibbard Orwell. Captaiu Frank Ken