The Portland daily press., 1894-02-07
THEY WORE THE BLUE.
Grand Army Department Of Maine
in Session at Bangor.
THE ADDRESS OF COMMANDER
WAINWRIGHT CUSHING.

He Delivered an Address and Shook
Hands With the yeterans-Other
speakers-OfficersT To Be Elected Today
Points from the Reports Made Yester-
day.
Bangor, February 6-The first day of
the annual encampment of the G. A. r.,
department of Maine, was a great sue
cess. 1t concluded this evening with a
reception rendered to Commander-in-
Chief Adams of Lynn, Mass, at the
Opera house. The theatre was packed
with an enthusiastic crowd. Col. VAIN
wright Cushing, department commander
of Maine, presided, and presented Col.
A. G. Hamlin of Bangor as a personal
friend of Captain Adams. The latter,
in happy speech, introduced Com
mander-in-Chief Adams, who received
grand ovation. His speech was full of
patriotism and eloquence. Ho told of
the hardships and bravery of the soldiers
and instanced his.own company in Mass
achusetts regiment. 1t enlisted for three
years and went back for three more, but
on the call to reenlist only thirteen of
the original one hundred and four could
be mustered. He referred feelingly to
pension and other matters. Commander
Adams was followed by Adjutant
General Mech. ex-Gov. Seldom Connor,
Adjutant General OF Maine, r.. S. Gately
of Portland, Chaplain g. A. Southland
and Col. W. L. Eustis of D1xfield. After
the speeches the audience went upon the
stage and Commander-in-Ch Adams
held reception, receiving hearty greet
ings. The election of officers occurs to-
morrow and campfire in the evening.
At the business session today, Com
mander-in-Chief Cushing delivered his
address, which was listened to with
marked attention. He said
Comrades: The rapid fight of time
has brought us to this, our twentysey-
enth Annual Encampment. How quickly
the years speed by! When we were young
they seemed to move with all the pro-
verbal slowness and vexatious delays
with which the mule teams crept along
the cracker line,n bearing hard tack to
the hungry Boys in Blue. But now they
rush along with tile ever increasing speed
of the lightning express over the lines
of steel. We may cry:
Backward, turn backward, o time in
your flight"
but our call is unheeded, and our back
ward look is only a memory.
The sacred trust and honor which your
generous suffrages conferred on me one
year ago I now return to you, trust,
undimmed and untarnished. Conscious
of imperfections, [ have yet tried to dis
charge faithfully and impartially the
duties of this command. | take this
opportunity to express my gratitude to
the subordinate officers of the depart
ment, to the mem bers of my staff, and to
all Post Commanders and comrades
with whom have come into official re-
lations, for their ready sympathy and
hearty cooperation in all the work
which we have undertaken for the good
of the order. trust that the, official
pathway of my successor may be as
smooth and easanJ in this respect as
mine has been.
For detailed statement of the numeri-
cal and financial status of the Depart
ment, | refer you to the reports of the
Assistant Quartermaster General. The
report of the Chaplain will give the
mortuary statistics, and the prevalence
and method of memorial observance.
While there are many pleasant remem-
brances connected with the work of the
past year there are some things to make
US thoughtful, if not sad. Many OF our
comrades who were with US last year
have left us-not on furlough to come
back in a few days, not deserted or dis