Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-10-16
IS, OF V.ANhuAL
CAMPFIRE TO BE
HELD TONIGHT
Reception to Maine G. A. r.
Head and to S. of V. Division
Officers to Feature Evening
Stirring Appeal for New
Members to the H. G. Staples
Camp


ception to Commander and Mrs.
George E. Gay Of the G. A. R.. Di-
vision Commander Beul Merrill of
the Maine Daughters Of Veterans.
A large attendance is anticipated
as the G. A. r. and all allied bodies
have been invited to be present, and
! the Sons of Veterans Camps at Gar
diner, Hallowell, Waterville and Coo
pers Mills are expected to send dele
cations. An orchestra has been Sc
| cured and male quartet will be
feature Of the musical program.
There will be a class initiation Of Is
/ candidates with DR.. w. o. Cobb of
Gardiner delivering the flag charge
to new members.
Drive for New Members
The H. G. Staples Camp is making
drive for membership and in con-
nection with the campaign to inter-
est all who are eligible for member
ship, the following letter written by
| Commander George F. Gay of the
G. A. r. to the Sons of Veterans
Camp is OF particular significance:
To the members of II. G.. Staples
Camp, Sons of Veterans,
! Sons:
Knowing Of your noble patriotism
and your kind regard for the COM
rades of the G. A. r., I am taking
the liberty to write this personal
| letter to you, and through you to
every Loyal Son and Grandson of
veteran of the Civil War that may
reside in your vicinity.
When the comrades OF the Maine
G.. A. r. placed me at the head of
the Department. I began to consider
| how. and in what way 7 could best
help the comrades and advance the
| interests of the department., | soon
| found that the membership of many
! OF the Posts had become so depleted
by the grim messenger death. and
that the infirmities of old age had
become so burdensome to the few
remaining loyal comrades that prac-
tjcally nothing could be done but to
urge them to hold on as long as pos
! sibe and not to give up their char
| tiers until there should be some other
organization that would stand in
their place and uphold the great
principles for which we We're organ
| lied
t And so I am asking YOU Sons and
! GrandsOnS TO whom else shall we
! look but TO the men who have in
their veins the blood of the men who
fought at Gettysburg. Antietem. and
thousands Of other battles and by
! their service saved the Nation from
dissolution. and in the words of Lin
coin (Gave to the world Govern
mont of the people. by the people
and for the people.)
The call is for you. and now it is
n work no one else can do. the call
| is urgent, I speak not so much for
Nonr aid to help the remaining few.
comrades (although they need YOU'D
but more strongly that our departed
! Comrades may not be forgotten.
That the memory of those thous-
! ands who gave their lives on the
! field of battle may he porpctuatcd,
/ and that those things that are pecul-
! lar and precious to the G. 4 r..
! may hc continued after we have
I passed away. finally let me say this
IS the time for action. now. ] re-
erct to say that We arc at the he
! ginning of the end. Posts are plan
ming TO give M their Charters. Will
| Won strengthen YOUR Camp by getting
! new members. SO that YOU may take
! up the VOL: when the inevitable
/ comes"
! Sincerely yours in +. c. & l..
GEORGE f.. GAY.
! DEPARTMENT Commander Maine G..
! y. K.
The Camps Appeal
! The camp has issued n significant
1 appeal in the campa ign, outlining in a
statement sent to prospective mem
. bcrs the history OF its organization
/ and the various duties which it has
( undertaken. 1t is a stirring patriotic
1 appeal and reads as follows:
To cOmparativcly few among the
more than a hundred million in the
nitod States belongs the privilege of
membership in one of tho greatest
patriotic bodies Of the nation-the
Sons of Veterans. To YOU. as one of
those privileged few. an invitation is
+ o%tcnded 10 Join this organization.
Sons and grandsons Of veterans of
the CIVIL war alone are eligible.
| Patriotism naturally is the para
mount spirit of the order and closely
allied with this is tho noble and in
spring purpose Of p"rpctuatlng the
, memory of the veterans OF the Civil
( War.
THO fast thinning ranks Of the
Grand Army of the Republic makes
il the imperative duty Of those. in
whose veins course the same blood
IA those brave men who preserved
lie Union. to assume the task OF
i'cpng hallow'd the memory Of
'heir deeds and sacrifices in the dark
DAYS ~ 'Gl-G5. This finds greatest
expression on tho day dedicated to
1.-The nations dead. May 80. The
man, details incident to the DAYS OBJ
scryancc has. in recent years, de-
VOWED largely upon tho Sons OF
Veterans and affiliated bodies. Whilo
y few could carry on this work with
~" aid ~ others not members of the
ordcr. how much finer and more fit
ing that this noble work be carried
on wholly by descendants of those
heroic men. And SO. to that end. this
Z appfal Ia made to vou-NOu who
possess a heritage the pride of which
should find tangible expression ny
membership in thus great patriotic
. organization.
In Augusta on April S. 1890. there
! was oreanized Henry G. Staple:
, Camp. No 81. Sons of Veterans
named after the colonel of the fam
Gus Third Maine Regiment of vol