Organized April 9, 1868. Re-organized February 20, 1883. Number of members Dec. 31, 1898, 1, 366 *J. L. Buckley (at large), Parkersb'g T. C. Miller, Morgantown *W. H. Glover, Terra Alta *L. A. Martin, Charleston A. C. Scott, Independence PAST DEPARTMENT COMMANDERS W. H. H. Flick, Martinsburg, '82-3 *I. H. Duvall, Wellsburg, 1891 †John Carlin, 1885 Charles E. Anderson, Weston, 1892 G, W. Taggart, Parkersburg, 1886 F. H. Crago, Wheeling, 1894 *R. E. Fleming, N. London, Pa., '88 S. S. Hazen, Parkersburg, 1889 Geo. J. Walker, Jackson C. H., '90 † Deceased Richard H. Lee, St. Albans, 1895 Geo. W. Morton (at large), Berlin C. E. Morley, Viroqua *D. J. Dill, Prescott T. W. Morefield, Elkhorn D. B. Rockwood, Tomah D. L, McKay, Chippewa Falls PAST DEPARTMENT COMMANDERS James K. Proudfit, Kansas City, +H. H. Starr, 1867 †J. M. Rusk, 1868 Mo., 1866 T. S. Allen, Oshkosh, 1869-70 Edw. Ferguson, Milwaukee, '71-2 †A. J. McCoy, 1873 G. A. Hanaford, Chicago, Ill., 1874-5 *P. Cheek, Baraboo, 1883-4 *H. P. Fischer, Milwaukee, 1886 *M. Griffin, Eau Claire, 1887 A. G. Weissert, Milwaukee, 1888-9 L. Ferguson, Brandon, 1889 B. F. Bryant, LaCrosse, 1890 W. H. Upham, Marshfield, 1891 *C. C. Welton, Madison, 1892 A. E. Shores, Ashland, 1893 *H. G Rogers, Milwaukee, 1877 J. A. Watrous, Milwaukee, 1894 S. F. Hammond, St. Paul, Minn.,'78 W. D. Hoard, Ft. Atkinson, 1895 G. J. Thomas, Harvard, Neb., D. Lloyd Jones, Milwaukee, 1896 1879-80-81 *E. B. Gray, Madison, 1897 *C. H. Russell, Berlin, 1898 Present as Past Commander-in-Chief. John Hancock, 1876 H. M. Enos, Waukesha, 1882 ¡Deceased. The Senior Vice-Commander-in-Chief read his address as follows: Address of Senior Vice Commander-in-Chief. After a lapse of twenty-three years, we again "Pitch our Tents" and "Light our Camp Fires" within the gates of this historic old city of Philadelphia, and to-day assemble in the capacity of the Thirty-third National Encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic. As we enter within the walls of this loyal city, well named the "birthplace of our Republic," we are deeply impressed with the precious memories of the early history of our Country which cluster around it. We are upon historic ground, made sacred by the blood and sacrifices of our patriotic forefathers in the establishment of this Country, as a free and independent Nation. But a few blocks removed, stands the old Independence Hall, in the main, as it stood upon that glorious Fourth of July, 1776, when, within its portals fifty-six of the most devoted and fearless advocates of Freedom and Liberty the world has ever known, bravely affixed their names to that immortal document, that forever established this nation as the "Land of the free" and "Home of the brave." Within whose walls also were held sessions of the Continental Congress, from which flowed the patriotic eloquence of a Patrick Henry, sending terror to Briton's band and arousing the devoted patriots of the Colonies to greater activity and daring, the thundering echoes of which have resounded down through the decades, as an inspiration, ever prompting America's sons to deeds of valor and heroism, in defense of those God-given rights and privileges of Freedom and Liberty. There also hangs the old "Liberty Bell," dear to the heart of every American, priceless in value, which pealed forth in joyful tones to the Colonies, reverberating throughout the inhabited world, that the act was performed which made America's soil from thence, henceforth and forever, free. In this city, our glorious old banner, the Stars and Stripes was first given to the breezes of Heaven, as the proud symbol of justice, freedom and equal rights. Surely, if Philadelphia is not the "Cradle of Liberty," she is the "Mother of Liberty," for she it was, who "rocked the cradle" of the infant Nation, and nourished it to become one of the foremost among the Nations of the world. In close proximity are to be found Valley Forge, Trenton, N. J. Germantown, all of Revolutionary fame. I have mentioned but few of the many features of interest to be found here, directly connected with the early history of our Country. It is most fitting that this great patriotic organization, the Grand Army of the Republic, should meet upon this sacred spot. We hold our Thirty-third National Encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic within the borders of this great commonwealth, Pennsylvania, whose varied resources have added so much to the wealth of the Nation, and whose unwavering loyalty and devotion to her Country's best interests have ever placed her in the front rank of the great States of the Union. More than 300,000 of her loyal sons answered the call to arms in 61-65, and did valiant and heroic service for the preservation of the Union. Within her borders is located the greatest battlefield of the world, where hundreds of granite monuments stand, telling of American valor and heroism on the bloody field of Gettysburg, where, led by Pennsylvania's noble sons, Meade, Hancock and Reynolds, secossion and rebellion were given a decisive blow which hurled them back in defeat, with broken columns, dismayed and disheartened, with thinned ranks, but at a heavy cost, yet it opened the way for final triumph, and made possible the matchless and unparalled victories that followed, the glories of which reached their culmination at Appomattox. Truly the men who compose the Grand Army of the Republic have lived and acted in a most eventful and important period of the world's history. The flag that we followed, and beneath whose folds we fought, and which we brought back in triumph from four years of bloody war, is to to-day the grandest banner that floats o'er land or sea. We made it the banner of Liberty and Union; the "Yank" and "Johnnie" of the sixties and their sons, in 1898 made it also the banner of humanity. The patriotism taught and exemplified by the Grand Army of the Republic has already borne rich fruit, which we, who survive, enjoy, and induces our people generally to view with more pleasure and interest the coming together of our organization in annual reunion. We meet to-day with hearts filled with gratitude to our Heavenly Father, that the lives of so many of our comrades have been spared to meet once more, under such favorable auspices in this beautiful City of "Brotherly Love" that is according us a welcome, and tendering a hospitality never surpassed. When one year ago I was elected and assumed the duties of the office of Senior Vice Commander-in-Chief, little did I think, that as such, I would be called upon to "perform the duties" and discharge the obligations of the office of Commander-in-Chief of this great organization, and stand before the Thirty-third National Encampment to present a report as Senior Vice and Acting Commander-in-Chief. It is the first time in the history of our Order that such duties have ever fallen upon that officer, which came through the sad and unprecedented event of the death of our lamented Commanderin-Chief, Col. James A. Sexton, which occurred upon Sunday, February 5th, 1899, in Washington, while faithfully serving upon an important commission to which he had been appointed last September by the President of the United States, the duties of which were about completed at the time of his death. His illness was of comparatively short duration, and was serious from the first, foreboding sad results. Through the kindness of Comrade Hendricks, then Department Commander of the Department of Potomac, I was frequently advised as to the condition of the Commander-in-Chief. The last information received prior to announcement of his death, was to the effect that symptoms were more favorable, and strong hopes indulged |