The Savannah morning news., 1904-03-10
WILL DECORATE
GRAVES OF SOUTH
G. A. RS PASSED RESOLUTION
TO HONOR DEAD FOES ON NATION
AL DECORATION DAYS.

ton indOrsing Pending Bill to
Pension Union Prisoners Endorsed.
On all future National Decoration
Days the Union soldiers in Georgia
and South Carolina will decorate the
graves of both the Union and the Con-
federate soldiers. A resolution to this
effect was adopted at yesterdays meet
ing of the Grand Army encampment
for the Department of Georgia.
The meeting was called to order in
the Irish-American Hall at 10 o'clock
by Commander F. d. Lee, of Fitz-
gerald, and fifty-four delegates, rep
resenting sixteen posts, answered the
roll call. The first business transact
ed was the reading of the reports of
the officers of the department and
adopting resolutions on the death of
several members who passed away
since the last meeting of the encamp-
ment.
The reports were all approved. The
commander appointed a committee on
resolutions and instructed all delegates
who desired to present resolutions for
the consideration of the encampment
to deliver them to the chairman of the
| committee on resolutions.
Roosevelt Resolution Buried.
After the routine business had been
conducted several speeches were made
by the officers and delegates. Accord
ing to the delegates the resolutions
condemning President Roosevelt were
not discussed in open session. Col. NJ.
C. Wilcox of Mt. Airy said that the
| resolutions were brought up in the
meeting of the Committee on Resolu-
tions, and that it was decided to drop
the matter, and not present the reso-
lutions in the open meeting. Col. Will
cox said the resolution would have
been defeated If it had been reported
by the Committee on Resolutions.
The Committee on Resolutions re-
ported favorably on the resolution to
decorate Confederate graves, and a
resolution introduced by Mr.. j. R..
Green of Fitzgerald indorsing the bill
now pending before Congress to PEN
sion disabled ex-Union soldiers who
were confined for any length of time
in Confederate prisons. Both Tesolu-
tons were adopted in open session.
Mai. COmmerfOrd Made Commander.
The meeting adjourned at noon I'M
til o'clock, when officers for the en-
suing year were elected. There were
no contests, as it had been practical
ly agreed by the members during the
noon recess who should be selected to
fill the various offices. The following
officers were elected:
Commander-Maj. ]. A. Commerford,
Marietta.
Senior Vice Commander = Isaac
Beckett, Savannah.
Junior Vice COMMUNICATIONS
Wallace, Beaufort.
Medical Directors. c. Brown, Fitz-
gerald.
Chaplain-J. r. Green, Fitzgerald.
Council of Administration-M. c.
Wilcox, Mount Airy; G. Brenning. At
lanta; ]. NJ. Moser, Fitzgerald; F. A.
Pugh, Charleston, and e. H. Kruger,
Atlanta.
Mr.. M. C. Wilcox of Mount Airy was
recommended for membership on the
national board of administration. This
entities him to the rank of major on
the staff of Gen. John c. Black, COM
mander-in-chi of the Grand Army of
the Republic of the United States.
New Commander Announced STAFF.
The newly elected commander. Maj.
]. A. Commerford, who is superintend-
ent of the National Cemetery at Ma
rietta, was a member of the Third Mas
| sachusetts Cavalry during the Civil
War. He entered the service as a sec
| ond lieutenant and after four years
service was mustered out as major
of cavalry. He has resided in Georgia
for many years and was appointed
superintendent of the National Gene
terry at Marietta eight years ago.
Commander Commerford announced
his staff as follows
Assistant Adjutant General and As
| sistant Quartermaster General, James
p .Averill of Atlanta.
Inspector, M. S. Harrod, Fitzgerald.
Judge Advocate General. S. A. OAR
| nell, Atlanta.
Chief mastering officer, H. VanBu-
rem. Fitzgerald.
Corporal Tanners Friends Mad.
The friends of Corpl. James Tanner
| were indignant when they learned
| that the department officials had noti-
fed Gen. John C. Black, commander
in-chief, that they would not welcome
| Corpl Tanner to the encampment to
| fill Gen. Blacks engagement.
Mr.. S. F. B. Gillespie, deputy clerk
of the United States Court, and past
senior commander of the department,
| did not fail to express his opinion of
the action of the department officials
! in very severe terms. He said an aw-
| full blunder had been made and as
sured the members that Corpl. Tanner
was one of the best friends the De-
partment of Georgia had.
| There was no disposition on the part
of the delegates to right the "blunder, "
however, and Mr. Gillespie gave he
officials to understand that he would
be compelled to fix himself right with
Corpl. Tanner and notify him that he
had nothing to do with the action of
the officials.
There was a disposition on the part
of the officials to deny that they had
declined to receive Corpl. Tanner, and
they stated that no reply was made to
Gen. Blacks message in which he noti-
| fed Commander Lee that he would be
unable to fill his engagement, and he
| had secured the consent of Corpl. Tan
| ner to address the encampment in his
| stead.
New Officers Installed.
The newly elected officers were in
| stalled in the Afternoon and the en-
campment decided that the next meet
! ing would be held in Atlanta, next
| March. The commander was authoriz-
| ed TO select the date. The officers
made short speeches thanking the en-
| campment for the honors bestowed.
The meeting adjourned at o'clock
1t was stated by several members
| that at the next meeting the members
would make arrangements to hold their
usual banquet. They said that here
| tofore each encampment has held a
banquet in adjoining rooms. the white
members occupying one room and the
| colored members the adjoining room.
and that the speakers table was so