The Somerset reporter., 1900-11-15
ANNUAL ENCAMPMENT.
Union Veterans Union in Council.
Preliminary Meeting. Business Sessions
and Camp Fire. Bright skies. Good
Attendance and Favorable Heporta.

al Commanding. Tor the annual encamp-
ment of Maine Division OF Union Veter
ans Union In Grand Army Hail, Sko"-
hogan, and that veteran order assembled
10 good numbers, that day, for the tran.
saction of the business OF the encamp
ment, to elect officers, etc
Gen. Selbing, Asst. Adj Gen. House
and good number of comrades arrived,
Monday on the early evening train and
Division Head Quarters were establish
ed at Hotel Coburn, where the business
was mapped out by the executive COM
mittee
preliminary gathering was held in
Grand Army Hall, Monday evening,
when Abraham Lincoln command No.
10 was at home to its guests during the
evening. The gathering was without
much in the way of form or ceremony,
but it was called to order by Col. G. V.
Richards of the Skowhegan regiment,
who extended welcome to the visitors
and speeches were INDUCED in, upon de-
tail and by volunteers. Among the
speakers were Gen. Selbing, Adjutant
House and Comrades, w. T. Eustis and
Charles S. Emerson of Auburn, B. B.
Wells of Norridgewock, j. w. P.Johnson
of Gardiner, Henry |. Lord of Biddeford,
Isaac Dyer and j. N. Merrill of Skowhe.
gan.
A pleasant event of the evening was
the presentation of a gold headed cane to
Comrade Jefferson Savage, by Comrade
Frank II. Wing in behalf of the com.
rades of Abraham Lincoln command.
Capt Wing was apt III his presentation
speech ana Comrade Savage was equally
SO in his brief reply. Mr.. Savage has
been very active and generous member
of the order and his comrades took this
method of recognizing his sixtieth birth
day, the 18th instant.
BUSINESS MEETING.
The business session of the encamp-
ment began Tuesday morning at 1890
O'Clock, Mai. Gen. Lewis Selbing presid-
ing. Prayer was offered by the Division
Chaplain, Rev. V. d. Sweetland of
Palmyra.
The officers of the DEPARTING present
were: Lewis Selbing, Division Com
mander; Chas. V. Craibe, LIST Dep.
Frank f. Goss, End Dep; c. j. House,
Asst. Adjutant Gen. c. o. Wadsworth,
Asst. Q. M. Gen. Rev. V. D. Sweetland,
Chaplain; Geo. W. White, Asst. Inspect.
or Gen.; Henry L. Lotd, Judge Advo-
cate.
The report of the committee on creden-
tials showed 80 officers and delegates
entitled to vote at the encampment.
REPORT OF DEPARTMENT COMMANDER.
Gen. Selbing, Department Command
er, after explaining the division of the
command into two brigades, in part said
Unfortunately for this Division, Gen.
eral Webster, on account of delicate
health and of important duties previous
ly assumed, found it impossible TO give
that attention to the requirements of the
Department which their importance de-
manded, and, to the regret of all, an
nounced his resignation under date of
February 18th last by Circular Letter
No. l, and turned over all the property
to General William w. Warren.
General Warren, being in poor health
at the time, did not feel able to accept
the responsibility, and so turned the
Command over to me, and | announced
my acceptance of the trust in General
Orders No. 3, continuing the series be
gun by General Webster.
By assuming command as stated,
vacancies were created In the two Brig
AIDES, and they were filled by appointing
Col. Charles |. Craibe of the 23d regi.
ment as First Deputy and Col. Frank f.
Goss of the 9th regiment as Second
Deputy Commanders.
These changes had a tendency to re-
tard, rather than to advance, the pro-
gress of our Order and in the endeavor
to overcome the effects of these draw
backs, the time passed away and there
remained no chance to enroll new regi-
ments. am pleased TO state that in the
face of these difficulties we have not lost
any regiments during this year and have
made slight gain in membership.
have visited several of the regiments
during the year and WAS cordially and
respectfully treated by all the comrades
present. Meetings and camp fires
should be held as often as possible as it
increases the interest in the Order and
will have tendency to increase the
membership.
One principal object of our Order is to
secure for our comrades the DrODer re-.
cognition to appointments to office, and
in the furtherance OF this object we are
permitted by our laws TO discuss politics
in our meetings and discard party lines.
In this we differ from the Grand Army
of the Republic, but otherwise we are
working for the same ends, that is, the
welfare of our comrades. We should
therefore act in harmony with the G..
A. r., as any advantage gained by one
must also be OF benefit to the other.
would therefore suggest that we en-
courage the fraternal spirit In both of
the Orders and act in harmony when
occasion offers itself, especially on
Memorial Day.
For the present condition of this De-
partment in membership and financially
refer you to the reports of the Assis-
tant Adiutant General and the Assistant
Quartermaster General. In this con-
nection would recommend that suit
able recognition of their services should
be made by this encampment as their
duties have been very laborious and try
ing.
During the summer we were called upon
to mourn on account of the death of the
first DaDartmpnt Commander of this