manner." ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S REPORT. AUBURN, October 30, 1896. Maj. Gen. Chas. S. Emerson, Commander of Department of Maine, U. V. U.: gain in the last year, and has a strong I have no doubt, in a clear and able influence in the national department. The convention held at Binghamton, N. Y., August 18-21, wielded a strong influence in the interest of all honorably discharged soldiers and seamen. The convention was greeted with a welcome from His Honor the Mayor, George E. Green, who turned. over the city, with pleasure, to the honorable scarred veterans, who treated the charge with sobriety, morality, and humility. A more detailed account of the convention will be given by General C. W. Wood, the commander-in-chief, whom we have the honor of having present at this convention. "Comrades, while we bid farewell to the year, with its pleasant memories that have passed on through the flight of time, we look forward to a glorious future. The Department of Maine Union Veterans' union is under obligations to the brave men who stood shoulder to shoulder to defend a grateful country in time of its great peril. What makes this organization possible, will soon pass into that great future from whose bourne no traveller returns. To the officers of the department, I wish to return my thanks for the prompt and efficient manner in which they have performed their duty in our year's labor, always prompt when duty called. I wish to extend the thanks of this department for the kindness received at the hands of the Ladies' Relief and Mireck Command, No. 2, at Brunswick last year. The detailed reports of the past year's work will be given by the subordinate officers of this department, GENERAL-I have the honor to herewith submit my report, as adjutant-general of this department for the year that has now drawn to a close: When you assumed command of this department, it consisted of fifteen precinct commands though two or three of them merely held an existence without much sign of life. Our first move was to put ourselves in touch with each command, ascertain its condition and encourage them to work together for the upbuilding of the order in this department. We found that most of the comrades were in full sympathy with the principles of the order, but in some places where the field is small, and but few are eligible to our ranks, it is hard to maintain a command, and in such places we consider it better to let the command surrender its charter, and advise the comrades, when practical, to transfer their membership to larger commands. According to the adjutants' reports from the third quarter of 1895, ending September 30th, there were three hundred and twenty-six members in good standing, and on September 30th, 1896, the adjutants' reports give four hundred and sixty, making a net gain of one hundred and thirtyfour. 460 Total membership, During that time there have been five new commands organized, nameiy, Custer, No. 16, at Foxcroft, with fifteen charter members; Elisha N. Jones, No. 17, at Brewer, twenty charter members; Gorham A. Folsom, No. 18, at Oldtown, nineteen charter members; Abraham Lincoln. No. 19, Skowhegan, twenty-four charter members; Edwin P. Hill, No. 20, Bucksport, twenty-three charter members. Two commands, R. M. Stevens, No. 7, of Biddeford and Eben Whitcomb, No. 11, Searsport, have surrendered their charters and returned their supplies. October 6th, I received official notice that Bailey command, No. 14, at Mechanic Falls had voted to surrender its charter, but the property has not yet been received. O. O. Howard command, No. 9, at Lisbon holds no meetings, but the indications are that they will immediately start up again, and we may expect to see a good, live command there. From most of the commands we receive the most encouraging reports, and as will be seen by the above figures, a good, healthy growth has taken place during the year, notwithstanding the number lost by discontinuance of some commands. The order can now be considered in a good, healthy condition in the department. As its principles be come better known to the old soldiers, the most friendly feeling is manifest towards it by those who are not eligible to its ranks, and those who are eligible are rallying to our standard. The department officers have been hindered in rendering prompt returns to headquarters by the negligence of a few of the adjutants and quartermasters of precinct commands in making their quarterly returns. trust that there will be an improvement in that respect in the future. Most of the officers have been very prompt. I I thank you, General, and all of the comrades throughout the department, for the pleasant relations that have existed between us. Respectfully submitted, J. EDWIN NYE, Adj. Gen. Dept. of Me., U. V. U. make the following report for the year ending October 30, 1896: Cash received from all sources, see cash book, $317.78. Cash paid out on all accounts, see cash book, $302.41; cash balance on hand, $15.37. Respectfully submitted in F., C. & L., PHIL P. GETCHELL, Ass't Q. M. General. Department of Maine, Union Veterans' Union. REPORT OF INSPECTOR GENERAL. AUBURN, ME., Oct. 30, 1896. To the Department Commander and Comrades of the Union Veterans' Union of the Third Department Encampment: submit COMRADES: I herewith my annual report as inspector-general for department of Maine for the past year. I would most respectfully report that I have attended to all the duties pertaining to my office as called upon by our worthy department commander. I first inspected the command and installed the officers of the M. J. Jackson Command, No. 4. in Lewiston. I found this command in a fairly prosperous condition and under the adverse circumstances, having all property and records destroyed by fire, the colonel and several members of this command deserve the highest praise in even keeping this command at the front. I next inspected and installed the officers of Sedgwick Command, No. 5, at Auburn. I have no words of sufficient praise to extend to this, one of the youngest and largest commands in the state. I have had the pleasure of visiting several commands in the United States and have seen none more enthusiastic or better conducted than Sedgwick Command, No. 5, and I am much pleased to report that all the commands of this department are in at fairly prosperous condition, and I expect during the coming year a prosperous and healthy increase. Respectfully submitted, W. S. NORCROSS, REPORT OF CHIEF MUSTERING OFFICER. AUGUSTA, October, 1896. Col. J. Edwin Nye, Adjutant-General Department of Maine U. V. U. Comrades: I have the honor to report that during the year five new commands. have been instituted. On April 30th, Charles W. Lowell Command, No. 16 (afterward changed to Custer) was organized by Colonel F. E. De Meritt and myself at Foxcroft with fourteen charter members. On May 8, Elisha N. Jones Command, No. 17, was organized at Brewer by Colonel De Merritt with twenty charter members. On May 12, the same comrade organized Gorham A. Folsom Command, No. 18, at Oldtown with nineteen charter members. On May 25, Abraham Lincoln Command, No. 19, was organized by the same comrade with twenty-four charter members. On June 6th, Edwin P. Hill Command, No. 20, with twenty-three charter members, was organized by Comrade De Merritt at Bucksport, Me. I regret to say that it was impossible for me to give the time required for a canvass of localities for new commands, and therefore have not been more successful in gaining a greater membership, nor do I deem it advisable to charge more than the charter fee to any new command as long as the amount of $10 is the amount set down in the rules and regulations of your Union. It will always be a source of dissatisfaction with the comrades when the whole sum collected is withheld. aging that auxiliary, and advocated their establishment in every command. mand. He stated that the president of the State Union and several associates were in the anteroom and would be pleased to present their cause. Department Commander appointed Comrade W. S. Norcross a committee to escort the ladies to the hall, and a recess of ten minutes was declared. The committee presented Mrs. Respectfully submitted, in F., C. & L., Elizabeth Hackett of Saco, President LEWIS SELBING, The report of the committee on credentials showed sixty-three delegates present beside thirteen members of the department entitled to seats, making about a hundred veterans all told. A feature of the session was the remarks of Chaplain-in-Chief Ayer. The several reports were referred to the executive committee as fol lows: William S. Noyes, Charles O. Wadsworth, Lewis Selbing, M. H. Dorsey, W. H. Niles, Frank F. Goss, Emander Gilpatrick. Commander Emerson appointed the following committee to meet Commander-in-Chief Woods in the afternoon: Comrades Lord of Saco, Goss of Auburn, and Perkins of Waterville. AFTERNOON SESSION. After the nomination of the various elective officers, Department Chaplain P. R. Goodrich addressed the encampment on the noble work of the Women's Veterans' Relief Union, and the importance of encour of the Department of Maine Women's Veterans' Relief Union, and associates. Mrs. Hackett advocated the claims of the Union to the earnest support of the commands, and made known the principles and object of the Union, and stated that there were two Unions in the state; one in Saco, the other in Brunswick. When the ladies retired, the encampment was again called to order, and committee appointed to escort the commander-in-chief to the hall, entered and presented General Charles W. Wood of Worcester, Commander-in-Chief of Union Veter ans' Union. The encampment received him with due honors. Department Commander Emerson invited him to a seat on the platform and in behalf of the Department of Maine, gave him a hearty welcome. General Wood responded in earnest and eloquent words, expressed his pleasure in meeting and greeting the comrades of Maine, and complimented the department on having such a large and earnest encampment, spoke of the interest in the order throughout the country, as he found it in his visit to all of the encamp ments, and asked the support and coöperation of all comrades. On motion of Comrade H. G. Lord, voted that a committee of three be appointed to ask the legislature of Maine to protect the button of our order from being worn by any person not a member of the order. Comrades H. G. Lord, W. H. Miles, and J. W. P. Johnson were appointed that committee. The executive committee reported that they had examined the reports of the officers and recommend that they be accepted. Report adopted. The committee on resolutions reported as follows: The third annual encampment of the Union Veterans' Union of the Department of Maine assembled in Auburn, Oct. 30th, 1896, with a full appreciation of the importance of their utterances, do hereby Resolve, That we desire all veteran soldiers and sailors to fully understand, that the organization of Union Veterans' Union is not antagonistic to any other organized body of survivors of the late War of the Rebellion, but on the contrary, is in full sympathy with them all, and stands ready to labor hand in hand for the general fraternity, and to further all action to advance their interests. Resolved, That we present to our senators and representatives to congress our earnest request that the joint resolutions already passed, may be given the full force of positive. law, to the end that in all governmental appointments, preference shall always be given to veteran soldiers and sailors, all other requirements. being equal. Resolved, That as battlefield soldiers, we greet all veterans and only desire to remind them that the best soldiers make the best citizens, and need not caution them that in the great battle of life we must be "on guard" for God and nation. Resolved, That we extend our earnest thanks to all transportation lines. that gave reduced rates to the encampment, also to Sedgwick Command, No. 5, Union Veterans' Union for the earnest hospitality shown, and to the ladies of Auburn, who so pleasantly served us. Resolved, That the proceedings of the third annual encampment be published in full as nearly as possible in the MAINE BUGLE, and thus become an official record. Report accepted and resolutions. adopted. Colonel J. W. P. Johnson recommended that a flag be purchased for the use of the department, and Comrades Johnson, Savage, and Getchell were appointed a committee to receive contributions for that object. More than half the needed amount was then raised. The hour for the election of officers was reached, and comrades William T. Eustis, A. B. Perkins, and J. P. Cilley were appointed to receive, sort, and count votes. The following were elected: Department Commander.-M. A. Murphy, Lewiston. First Deputy Commander.-J. W. P. Johnson, Gardiner. Second Deputy Commander.— George M. Lovering, Waterville. Surgeon General.-Dr. W. S. Norcross, Lewiston. |