The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-11-06
ADDRESS OF GENERAL JOHN /
iNGLIs, COMMANDER FLOR
IDA DIVISION u. C. v.

To the Florida Division of the United
Confederate Veterans
NY Dear Comrades: 1t is with
keen sense of my obligations to you,
my comrades, that / come to bring
an account of my administration of
the trust that you have honored me
with at your last convention. When
l recall the unexpected kindness
that placed me at the head of the
division; the great Surprise of my life
to wake up in the morning and find
myself the recipient of the highest
honor that could be bestowed upon
any citizen of our state-the COM
mander in chief of the Florida Divis-
ion, United Confederate Veterans
realize that l cannot find words to
express my gratitude, or express my
thanks.
This one thought is very precious
to me: 81 am in one sense, at least
in line with those noble men-Dicki-
son, Ballentine, Fleming, Jewell, Wit
itch, Law, Davant, Pasco, Cox and
Partridge-who did not seek the post
of honor, or descend to the political
arena to secure place; but with a
dignified humility, in the ranks waited
for the office to claim the man." Let
this first personal touch with my COM
rades bring you my hearty assurance
of love and of gratitude.
Let the gratitude of our hearts
again descend to the God of Battles,
who kept us in the days of hardship,
and through the scenes of bloodshed
and death that disciplined us in our
days of interstate warfare. Let us
thank God that we meet again upon
this side of the river.
We are here is this hospitable city,
the guests of this good corner in
Dixie's land. Let us make the most of
it.
l commend unto you, my comrades,
that brotherly kindness that should
characterize the conduct of all of our
proceedings. Ife we have differences
of opinion, let us esteem him noblest
whose forbearance is greatest; and
when we shall have adjourned to re-
turn to our homes, let those who have
honored our meetings with their pres
ence be constrained to say, How
beautiful for brethren to dwell togeth-
er in unity"
Your division commander, in taking
command of the division, found an en-
rollment of 40 camps and 1888 mem
bers. He will deliver to his successor
sc camps and 1857 members. When
we consider that the average age of
the Confederate Veteran is IS years,
we must expect increased and rapid
defamation on account of death.
The Grim Reaper has gathered
many rich sheaves from our ranks
This fact is accumulated in my mind
by the loss of one of my most esteem
ed staff officers, Col. Henry Curtis, of
Camp d. L. keenan,. At the hour OF
II noon, all business will be suspend
ed and tributes to the memory of this
comrade will be offered. Unto the un-
known dead, our comrades in the
ranks, your commander especially in
vites the division to speak from the
heart in tribute to their memories.
Your commander is pleased to re-
port the soldiers home, in the city
of Jacksonville, from a personal
knowledge. Under the excellent man
agement of Comrade Hy Robinson,
and the generous provision made by
the state, the purposes of the home
are realized in substantial comforts
to our worthy comrades. There are
at present thirty inmates at the home.
Comrade Robinson, president of the
board of trustees, has maintained ex-
cellent discipline. His love for the
cause, and his unt1r1ng personal and
intelligent attention have won a great
success.
Since your last convection, our
state has entertained successfully the
Federation of Southern Confederate
Camps. Jacksonville is a hostess city
accomplished wonderful success in
providing so much for so many. It is
estimated that over 100000 persons
came to Florida to attend the reunion.
1t was most gratifying fact to your
commander to have our division at
tend in such large numbers.
We have not reached ideal condi-
tons in our efforts to have the Sons
of Veterans organize and affiliate