The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-03-02
THE LOYAL LEGION.
The Quarterly Meeting Held at the
Falmouth Hotel.

Election of Members-Touching Tributes
to Ex-President Hayes and Judge Vir-
gin-Other Business of Interest.
Tee March meeting of the Maine Com
mandery of the military order of the
Loyal Legion was held at the Falmouth
hotel last evening. Among the members
present were Gen. Thomas w. Hyde,
Gen. Selden Conner, Gen. Geo. L. Beal,
Maj. Sidney w. Thaxter, Col. A. c. Ham
lin, Col P. G.. Horn, Gen. Charles P.
Mattocks, Maj. H. S. Burrage, Lieut..
Chas. O. Hunt, Maj. c. Ell. Boyd, Gen.
M. f. Wentworth, Lieut.. j. D. Anderson,
Col Edward Moore, Maj. Charles Walk
er. Maj D. E. Parsons, Capt. Geo. W.
Verrill, Lieut.. Calvin L. Hayes, Capt.
Hebron Mayhem, Capt. H. G. Vaughn,
Lieut.. Charles W. Roberts, Gen. Joseph
Smith, Capt W. E. Dennison, Capt.
Howard Sawyer.
The following was elected member of
the Commandery: First GLASS; Captain
and Brevet Major Granville Blake, Au-
burn.
Gen. Selden Conner presented the fol-
lowing memorial of Major General Ruth
erford lib. Hayes, late commander-in-
chief of the order:
Rutherford b. Hayes.
The Commandery of the State of
Maine, Military Order of the Loyal Lee
gion of the United States, in all honor
and affection, adds its leaf of memory to
the many tributes which his attached
companions and grateful countrymen
have placed upon the grave of Ruther-
ford Birchard Hayes, Brevet Major Cen
eral and Commander-in-C Chief of the or
der, who died January II, 1898. His
record as a sol Ter is honorable and
without stain. He entered the service
of the United States April Is, 1861, as
private. On the organization of his COM
pany he was elected captain. Under the
ordeal of active service he was promoted
through the successive grades to the
rank of colonel, October 10, 1862, of
brigadier general of volunteers, October
10, 1864, and, on the 18th of March, 1865,
was breveted major general ''for gallant
and distinguished services during the
campaigns of 1864, particularly in the
battles of Winchester, Fishers Hill and
Cedar Creek" He resigned from the
military service of the United States,
June 8, 1865. The entire period of his
service was passed in active and arduous
duty. Five wounds received in action
attested his personal bravery and his
worth and efficiency as an officer were
amply proved by the commentator of
his superior officers and the respect and
regard of all who served under him. He
responded promptly to the call of his
country, served her faithfully and well
and sheathed his sword only when the
war was ended, although months before
he could have exchanged without the
slightest impeachment of his honor, the
military service for the post of civic use
fulness to which he had been elected.
The record of his civic services is long
and illustrious. He was twice elected
member of Congress, three times gov
ernor of the State of Ohio, and was
President of the United States from
March 4, 1877 to March 4, 1881. He was
a charter member of the Ohio Com
mandery, M. Q. L. L. U. O., February 7,
1888; commander from February T. 1888
to May 4, 1887; senior vice commander
in-chief of the order from October n,
1884 to August 5, 1855; commander-in-
chief of the order from August 5, 1888,
to January II, 1893, the date of his
death.
The recital of his illustrious services
is eloquent eulogy. Soldier, statesman.
patriot, companion and citizen, in every
capacity he was faithful and loyal and
merited well of his countrymen, not only
for duty rightly done in their behalf, but
for the noble example of American man.
hood he gave to the world. Under the
guidance of principle and patriotic devo-
ton he steadfastly trod the path of duty
with firm and assured step, without halt
ing or swerving, and therefore history
will hold for him the growing fame which
attends the memory of the true and just.
full hearts the great love and honor in
which he held the order and will bear in
grateful RENE mbrance the distinguished
services which he took pride in render
ing it.
The closing words of his address at the
celebration Of the 18th anniversary of the
founding of the order give the keynote
of his character as statesman and pat
riot and deserve to be remembered by
his countrymen and companions as the
utterance of one whose deeds illustrate
his precepts:
''Let the American people-and espe-
cially let all who stood by Lincoln on the
perilous edge of battle in support of the
rights of human nature-remain stead
fastly true to the ideas and the thoughts
for which they fought in the great war,
and we shall then do all that in us lies to
link the destiny of our country to the
stars and to entitle her institutions to
share in that immortality which, under
the allotment Of Providence, in the af-
fairs of nations belong only to eter-
nal justice in the dealings of man with
his fellow man.
Gen. John Marshall Brown presented
the following memorial Of Col. VIM.
Writ Virgin, late colonel 23d Maine In
fantry, U. S. ":
Judge Virgin.
William Writ Virgin was born in Rum
ford, Me-, September IS, 1928. He was
educated at Bridgton Academy and at
Gould's Academy in Bethel. and was
graduated from Bowdoin College in the
class of 1874. He studied law in the Of