The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-02-17
VERMONT VETERANS.
They Hold Highly Successful G. A. r.
Encampment at Rutland.


The Goth annual encampment of the
Department of Vermont, which was held
at Rutland Tuesday and Wednesday Of
this week, was preceded BY reception
Monday evening in Baxter Hail. Nearly
400 OF the prominent Grand Army people
and members of the w. r. G. graced the
occasion. The reception was given by
the women of Roberts Relief Corps to
visiting members of the Grand Army,
Wonan's Relief Corps and Sons of Vet
Grams. The receiving party comprised
Mrs. Bowman, President, Mrs BAKER
Senior Vice, and Mrs. II. w. Kingsley,
Junior Vice, of Roberts Corps; Mrs. Sea
yer, Department President. Mrs. Jones,
Senior Vice, Mrs. Henry, Junior Vice,
Miss E. NJ Eaton, Secretary, of the Yer
mont Department, w. r. c. Among
those present were COmmander-in-C Chief
Weisser, ex- Commander-in-Ch Chief Veazey,
Commander Hall, Department of Massa-
chusetts, Commander Henry, Depart
ment of Vermont, Past Department Com
manders Thomas, Morgan and Kinsman.
Refreshments were served by the men,
bers of Post Roberts Relief Corps.
The encampment convened in City
hall Tuesday morning with nearly every
one of the lib posts in the departments
represented, the number of delegates
being the largest in the history of the
department. To the late Gen. George j.
Stannard, commander of the Second Yer
mont brigade, is due the formation of
the Grand Army in Vermont He took
the degrees in Washington in 1868 and
soon after took the initial steps for the
establishment of the department of Yer
mont. The first encampment was held
In Montpelier in 1868. At that time there
were ten posts III the State. The growth
of the order has been steady, the mem
bership being now 1924, over one seventh
of the total number of men sent from
Vermont during the war. The encamp-
ment was opened at 9 a. m. by Hugh
Henry, department commander. The
hall was handsomely trimmed with flags
and insignia of the G. A. R. Among the
prominent G. A. r. men present were
COmmander-in-C Chief Weissart and a Dor
ton of his staff, Stephen Thomas. Ex-
Governors PingIee and Farnham, ex-Na-
tional Commander w. G. Veazey, ex-
Lieutenant Governor Woodbury., and
Past Department Commanders Valentine,
Mansur, Taylor, Childs, GOlding, Peck.
Henry, Morgan and Kinsman.
The address of retiring Department
Commander Henry was listened to with
close attention. From it we take what
he says concerning Memorial Day, the
Soldiers Home, and the Pension agita-
ton. He said:
Never has Memorial day and its beau
tiful ceremonies been more fully OBJ
served in this department than in the
past year. and this fact strengthens and
gladdens us in our work, and legitimate
ly gives faith that its lessons of patriot
ism and loyalty find lodgment In the
hearts of all our citizenship and will con-
tinue to deepen and Intensity love for
our country and its flag. While you
should welcome to your assistance in the
rites of the day the aid and presence of
all other organizations, l trust you will
frOwn upon every attempt to defurm and
destroy its purpose and spirit by making
it day of festivities, as in some COM
munities it has been sought to be made,
in total antagonism to s-evely sacred
thought and scope.
"To the discussion of the affairs of the
Soldiers Home it may we'll be thought l
might approach with some degree Of
modesty, having from the beginning been
identified with its management and his
tory. Conscious at least of an integrity
of purpose on my part in whatever it has.
been mine to do, | feel no modesty in
bringing to your attention that which it
is the province of every commander,
however situated, 10 name. 1t is Il mis-
take in every way to speak or think of
this institution DIS gift or benefaction
on the part of the State to its disabled
soldiery. 1t is at most but the hOnOra-
BILE fulfillment If the spirit of the pledges
made to these men when on platform
and from pulpit they were assured, If
they went forth, that loyal people
would succor them in sickness and dis
tress, and care for the widows and or
| phans of the fallen. In the redemption
of this pledge, in 1894, without consent
or consultation with them, the State
named board of trustees to carry out
the details of that pledge and to estab-
fish home for the decrepit and needy
of its soldiery. This board has fulfilled
it's trust to the best of their Judgment
and ability and established resting place
for the weary and Urn of its sOldiery
and surround them, so far as it can be
| done with so many, with comforts and
appliances of home; that in some meas
ure, with the aid of Mai. and Mrs COffey,
they have succeeded, is evidenced by the
tribute of those who have visited and in
spected other soldiers homes, that ours
is the most homelike of them all Up to
this date nearly 200 have availed them
| selves of its benefits and 63 are now in
mates. The cost per capita has been
about S. per week for the past
two years, which at first thought may
seem large, but when it is remembered
that many of these inmates need the con-
slant attendance day and night of skilled
nurses, and that the condition precedent
to admission is that the applicant shall
be an invalid no longer able to care for
himself, and that this per capita includes
home, clothing, food, medical attend
ance and nursing, it does not seem so
large. The board may have made mis-
takes in It's management, they are but
men and liable to err, but they have
brought their best thoughts to the full
| fillment of their trust, and with what.
economy they could, they have made it
home.
81 cannot dismiss this subject without
referring, with great and just measure
of pride in my Vermont citizenship, to
| the fact that Vermont alone of all the
sisterhood of States has at its home a
| beautiful and commodiOus chapel. built
and furnished without one cent of State
or Government aid. 1t has been yours,
with the WOman's Relief Corps and some
individual contributors, to achieve this
distinction to your commonwealth. 1t
proves but again that the generous are
brave and the brave generous, and that
the State, whose record for valor vas so
| distinguished when bravery was needed,