VERMONT-Concluded. PAST DEPARTMENT COMMANDERS. + George P. Foster, 1868-9 S. Thomas, Montpelier, 1874-5 P. D. Blodgett, St. Johnsbury, '87 VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA. (15.) *Wm. N. Eaton, Portsmouth, 1874 R. Bond, Phoebus, 1879 A. B. Hurlburt, Phila., Pa., 1880 +W. Hervey King, 1881 P. T. Woodfin, National Home, D. V. S. 1882-3 *B. C. Cook, Richmond, 1884 †H. de B. Clay, 1885-6 WASHINGTON Organized June 20, 1883. Senior Vice-Commander + Deceased J. W. Woodman, Portsmouth '87-8 †R. P. Wheeler, 1889 N. J. Smith, Richmond, 1890 *Jos. G. Fulton, Ft. Monroe, 1894 AND ALASKA. (30.) Number of members Dec. 31, 1897, 2,081 . . Geo. W. Tibbetts, Issaquah, W. . D. C. Ely, Chewelah PAST DEPARTMENT COMMANDERS. Jas. K. Proudfit, Kansas City, Kan.†J. Davidson, 1885 †H. A. Starr, 1867 †J. M. Rusk, 1868 T. S. Allen, Oshkosh, 1869-70 1886 H. P. Fischer, Milwaukee, 1886 E. Ferguson, Milwaukee, 1871-2 †A. J. McCoy, 1873 G. A. Hanaford, Chicago, Ill.,'74-5 C. B. Welton, Madison, 1892 *H. G. Rogers, Milwaukee, 1877 H. M. Enos, Waukesha, 1882 * Deceased E. A. Shores, Ashland, 1893 The Commander-in-Chief then read his Annual Address: Address of Commander-in-Chief. Comrades, one year ago, when I assumed the duties of this position, I little anticipated that in the preparation of my address to you at the close of my incumbency, I would be surrounded with all the paraphernalia and incidents of war, with which you are all so familiar, and in the vicinity of some of the battle fields which were witnesses of your heroic struggles in olden days. Virginia soil and Virginia names are as familiar to-day as they were in the 60's and with my tent just in front of one of the lines of earthworks, reaching from Washington to Centreville, overlooking the tents of a division of 10,000 citizen soldiers of 1898, I undertook the task of preparing this report. "All is quiet on the Potomac," and its waters move on placidly to the sea, while the ruins of Forts Ethan Allen, Marcy and others, stand grim reminders of the warfare upon its banks, in which you participated over a third of a century ago. Manassas, Groveton and Thoroughfare Gap were all in the vicinity, and even grim Munson's Hill stood out as prominent as in the days when Quaker guns surmounted it. Fairfax Court House has had several buildings roofed and repaired since you were familiar with it, but the character of Virginia mud remains as of yore, with no perceptible change in its quantity or quality. If you should find in this report a failure to note all the official actions, you have a right to expect, I hope you will give me credit at least, for an effort to fulfill the requirements of the position to which you so kindly elevated me, but which led me to again offer my services, and follow the flag to participate in the warfare thrust upon the Nation. Comrades, as I greet you at this, our annual re-union, it is with gratitude to Almighty God for his paternal care to us as individuals, and to the Nation we so ardently love. As Comrades of the Grand Army of the Republic, we can look over the events of the year just past with feelings of congratulation and just pride. No equal period of time in the world's history has been fraught with more momentous events, and the result to us, as a nation, cannot but place us upon a much higher plane among the governments of the world, The feature, however, that affects us, is that which relates to our participation in the occurrences as old soldiers and citizens, who, for over a third of a century, have taught love of country and adoration of the flag, and declared patriotism to be the foundation stone of the Republic. To-day we behold the flag we brought back to the Nation, unsullied and undimmed, floating over a re-united country, and its blessings and protection extended to the isles of the sea, indicative of a higher civilization and a purer evangelization. To our fellow soldiers and sailors of the present era, we extend our congratulations as heartily as it is in our power to do so, recognizing, as we do, that our organization and our teachings during the last thirty years, has been effective in preparation for this glorious result. As we combatted disunion and secession, in order that this Nation might forever remain one and indivisible, so we to-day rejoice as we behold the citizen soldiers of every state responding to the call of our Comrade President, to enforce the decrees of humanity and civilization among those who disregard their teachings, upon the islands of our adjacent seas. From every standpoint the mission of the Grand Army of the Republic has been a pronounced success, in thus keeping alive the fires of patriotic teachings, and with our fellow citizens we are rejoiced at the advance step forward to the exalted position we now occupy among the Nations of the world. Therefore, pursuing in our deliberations the same moderation and the same unselfishness, but thoroughly devoted to the cause of the country which rendered it possible for us to secure the confidence of the Nation, we can further unite our efforts to secure continued success and prosperity. To our esteemed Comrade, President William McKinley, and his Secretary of War, our Past Commander-in-Chief, R. A. Alger, we have given our individual and organized support in the arduous duties imposed upon them. Never in the world's history has there been an occasion when the experience of leaders in National strife rendered them so thoroughly competent to meet the difficulties encountered. Our people are proverbially peaceful in their desires. Averse to war, naturally, no portion of them are more so than the men, who by personal experience have participated in its horrors. Yet, at the call of the President there was no delay, no hesitancy |