The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1897-01-14
Headquarters Union Veteran Legion of the
United States.

AS the gathering Of Union Veterans
who met IN Washington, ID. c., at the
eleventh annual National Encamp
ment, held October IA, IS and I6
500, is now but memory, let it be
possible that such memory shall be an
incentive to give our best efforts to.
wards speedily gathering into our
Order all who are worthy to be known
as Comrades.
1t is the earnest desire of the Ma.
tional Commander that the Comrades
shall elect as their Encampment Off
GERS those Comrades who are in most
active sympathy with the objects and
success of our grand Order, as to be
willing to prove by beneficial results
their appreciation of the honors con-
ferred upon them by their Comrades.
Owing to the stagnation of every
business, and the consequent dull and
hard times now existing everywhere,
nothing more can be expected to be
accomplished this year than recruiting
up the Encampments now organized
to their maximum numbers, and this
work is earnestly urged upon every
Conrade-to constitute himself re-
cruiting sergeant for our Order.
When the shield-button is worn by
Comrade it is in itself certificate
that the wearer has served his country
faithfully and well at least three full
years of a most dreadful 7o0r, unless
clipped off, or plugged, or slashed by
rebel cutlery; or, still worse, those
who fingered and starved and suffered
a living death in the loathsome rebel
prisons, whilst at least nine,tenths of
us have served four or more years, or
throughout the whole war; What
greater distinction could be given to
any man than to belong to such a
grand and noble organization of real
volunteers and veteran soldiers? There
can be noRe zohate7er. Men who re-
sponded to the first call of their coun-
try, from purely patriotic motives, and
fought its battles until the rebellion
was stamped out completely, and a
reunited country assured and guaran-
teed by us to the people, as well as to
future posterity forever; then, when
the last enemy had laid down his arms,
and surrendered to us and our Com
rades, we turned our faces homeward,
with sadly thinned ranks and our tat
tered battle flags, gave the strongest
evidence of our devotion to our coun-
try's honor and our patrotism,-as it
Is now well understood that the Com
rades of the Union Veteran Legion
were at the f-ont long before bounties
had to be offered or drafts resorted to
by the Government to fill up the fast
decimated ranks. Then, l say, that
every Comrade who is eligible should
be invited to enroll himself now in
this, the grandest soldier organization
that has ever existed, for the few re-
naming years that may be allottedto us.
The Union Veteran Legion will in
very few short years be only his
tory. We have no successors, as by
our laws we have so decided. So,
when the last Comrade of the Legion
has answered the final roll call, the
Union Veteran Legion will exist alone
in the record made by its members as
the truest and best body Of men that
this country ever had, at the time that
men were most needed by the Nation
that the nation might live. WAO
wants better epitaph to his memory
when he is dead? ME can claim a
better escutcheon than to wear the
shield button of the Union Veteran
Legion whilst yet living3
When we have passed away from
this earth our records, rolls, flags and
everything owned by us, is to be
turned into the Historical Societies OF
the several states, or to the Govern
ment at Washington, d. c. There
fore let us now march down the hill OF
life, hand in hand, assisting and sup
porting each other as best we can, in
true Fraternity as we formerly marched
shoulder to shoulder, with compressed
lips and flashing eye, to victory,
through the many scenes of carnage
and battles in the never to be by us
forgotten past, and until the last Com,
rade of the Union Veteran Legion ha:
reached the silent camp and answered
his challenge,-the last Of the real
Nguard Of the Old Guard of from 1861
to 1865!
Fraternally, in F., c. and P,
J JOHN p. DoNAHoE,
National Commander