*Contributed
by Virginia Simms Toney,
The
RECEPTION
OF THE SONS OF VETERANS
to the nail city.
Delegates from Nearly Every state in the
A fitting Reception to the Commander-in-Chief.
The
Commandery-in-Chief {sic} to meet to day.
A large Number of distinguished Members of the Order.
Interesting details of Tuesday’s Receptions-A roster of the
Members of the Encampment.
The
city is full of Sons of Veterans—gallant sons of honored sires. Every train yesterday brought delegations
from various States of the
The
McLure and Stamm hotels
were the scenes yesterday of the greatest gathering of the delegates who have
arrived, the latter house being the headquarters of the Ladies’ Aid Society,
and the former the headquarters of General G.B. Abbott and staff, the
Commander-in-Chief of the order. The McLure and Stamm hotels are
handsomely decorated, and the lobbies of these two houses presented a scene
that reminded one of the reunion of the Society of the Army of west virginia last august.
Brilliant uniforms, smiling faces and hearty had grips made up a picture
that could not be painted on canvas. The age of many and the youth of the majority
would not give a stranger in the country a cue as to the time the greatest
conflict in the world took place.
Yesterday
morning, the commander-in-Chief and about forty western delegates arrived from
Several of the western
delegations at an early hour.
Flung to the Breeze,
from their headquarters, banners on which were pictured
the coat of arms of their States and inscribed with various devices. The
LADIES’ AID SOCIETY
The
headquarters of the Ladies’Aid Society are at the Stamm House, though many of them are
quartered at private boarding houses in the city. The Society is a valuable auxiliary of the
Sons of Veterans and deserves more than a passing mention. The order is well
represented by many of its most efficient and handsomest members. On her arrival yesterday, one enthusiastic
young lady made a splendid stroke of policy by pinning
two
In the afternoon, the Minnesota delegation, which, by the way, is
one of the most interesting of the Commandery-in
Chief, conceived the idea of tendering to the ladies of the aid society a
reception in the parlors of the Stamm House, and at 5
o’clock the delegation, accompanied by about fifty of the delegates from other
states, and Col. A.A. Franzheim, of the Governor’s
staff, formed in line at the McLure House and marched
to the Stamm House.
About
twenty of the ladies, who had previous notification of
the ovation, were in waiting. When the
sons of Veterans arrived they marched directly into
the parlors and were formally received by Mrs. O’Brien, the President of the
National organization. Col. E.H. Milham, commanding
the
prosperity of the order.
Mrs.
O’Brien gracefully acknowledged the compliment the delegates had paid her and
her companions, in a brief speech. These formalities, being over, some time was
spent in hand shakings and introductions.
The hour was thus occupied, during which the scene was a most brilliant
one, the fifty or sixty officers present being in full
regimentals. The charming hostesses presented each of their guest with an orange
colored badge, and a small wooden bottle, the contents of which, they stated
must be taken in lieu of the "something stronger," which is usually
offered on such occasions. On opening
the bottles, they were found to contain—candy!
The
THE COUNCIL IN CHIEF
The
council in chief began its session at 2:30 yesterday at the headquarters, at
the McLure house.
This meeting is mainly routine in its nature,
the reports of the executive and financial officers being presented to the body
for examination and approval. The
meeting was well attended, nearly all the members
being present and participating. The
council has not yet completed its work, and nothing has, as
yet been given out for publication.
THE SECRET WORK
A
largely attended meeting was held in G.A.R. hall last
night, the occasion being the exemplification of the secret work of the order
by Inspector General Hall. A new
RED FIRE AND DECORATIONS
Last
night Captain Sam Harrison, chief clerk at the McLure
House, exhibited his patriotism and his intense interest in the occasion by
setting off a quantity of red fire on the corner of Twelfth and Market. The
decorations on the business houses are so far very meagre,
{sic} but it is said that before the parade of Friday
they will be more elaborate. A movement
is on foot among the citizens to repeat the natural gas display, so successfully
made during the soldiers’ reunion last year.
DIDN’T ARRIVE
At
half-past ten o’clock last night about two hundred of the visiting delegates
and the local camp, headed by the Opera House band marched from McLure House to the Baltimore & Ohio depot for the
purpose of receiving Lieut. Gen. Frazee, of Cleveland, Ohio, who was expected
to arrive on the 10:45 train from the east.
Quite a large crowd of citizens were attracted
to the depot by the music, and everything was in readiness to give the General
a handsome reception. He failed to be on
that train, however, and the procession returned to
the McLure House, where the band played several
appropriate airs, and after a few remarks by Col. Jake Kemple
the crowd dispersed. Gen. Frazee is expected to arrive sometime in this morning.
THE COMMANDERY-IN-CHIEF
The
following is a complete list of the members who will compose the encampment:
G.B.
Abbott, Commander-in-chief, Chicago
Henry
Frazee, Lieutenant general,
J.J. Speaker, Major
Genera;,
C.J.
Post, Adjutant General,
A.H.
Easter, Quartermaster General, Chicago
Henry
M. Russell, Chief of Staff,
M.E. Hall, Inspector General,
J.B. Maccabe, Chief Mustering Officer,
R.H.
Freer, Judge Advocate General, Ritchie, O.H.{C.H.?)
M. Retel,
M.D., surgeon general,
Clay D. Herod, Chaplain-in-Chief,
Council-in-Chief-
J.W. Anderson, Pittsburgh, PA; J. L. Rake, Reading, PA;
G.B.
Smith,
Past
Commanders-in-Chief- A.P. Davis, Frank P. Merrill, H.W. Arnold, Walter
S.
Payne, L.M. Wagner.
Constitutional Life Members- General W.E. W. Ross, Col. R.N. J.
Reed, Maj.
A.P. Davis, Dr. Eldridge, Gen. John A. Thompson, J.A. rodrigo, Gen I.S.
Bangs,
Gen. William H. Pierpoint.
Past
Commanders of grand Divisions I.S. Bangs, T.H. Challis, H.P. Kent,
R.N.J.
reed, J.A. Rodrigo, William E. W. Ross, John A. Thompson, Raphael
Tobias,
Charles S. Crysler, Leland J. Webb.
(MY NOTE: In the interest of space, I will only list
the states not the officers): California, Colorado, Connecticut, Dakota,
Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Indians, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,
Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York,
Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont , WEST VIRGINIA- Past Colonel, R.H.
Freer; Colonel, H.B. Staggers; Delegate, D.K. Frazier; Alternates, Ezra M.
Pierce, Frank Manoun.
In
addition to the regular delegates, there are in the city prominent members of
the order from several States.
NOTES
"Ah, there! He’s all right!"
The
hotels and restaurants are doing a rushing business.
Only
the first day and the town well filled already.
What will it be by
Friday?
Major
Aberdeads, of
Every
residence and place of business in the city should be
decorated for the parade of Friday.
Col.
A.A. Franzheim, of the Governor’s staff, presents a nobby appearance in his new uniform.
Col.
J.E. Russell of Romney, a member of Governor Wilson’s staff, arrived last
night. He is in full regimentals.
The
Ladies’ Aid societies from the different states send some beautiful young
delegates, all of whom seem to be enjoying themselves.
The
Mr.
H.M. Beecher, who is here with his daughter, Miss Ada
P. Beecher, of
Gen.
U.S. Grant Camp, of this city, received yesterday the new banner purchased by
their lady friends.
It cost $100, and was made in
The
camp fire occurs this evening, and a cordial
invitation to the public is extended, particularly the ladies. Brief addresses will be
delivered by distinguished members of the order and by local
talent. The Opera House band will
furnish the music. Among the local
speakers will be Judge Cochran, Judge Melvin, Mr. C.B. Hart, Capt. B.B. Dovener, Hon. G.W. Atkinson, Dr. Logan and others. Col. J. B. Taney was also invited to be one
of the orators of the occasion, but is unable to attend, as he will be absent from the city.
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
The
election of officers of the Commandery-in-Chief of
the Sons of Veterans promises to be exciting, as there are four candidates in
the field. The present incumbent, Gen.
G.B. Abbott, of
REUNION AT
Yesterday
a reunion of Colonel Curtis’ old company, "Co.D"
was held at
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
16 August 1888 The
OPENED THE NATIONAL MEETING OF SONS OF VETERANS
Begins Its 7th Annual session
at the Grand Opera House.
Nearly Every State in the
A BRILLIANT SCENE AT THE
Inspiring Music, Good
Speeches, and a General Good Time.
The Ladies’ Aid Society Opens Its session - The
Encampment a Big Success
Every train yesterday brought in additional
delegates to the National Meeting of the Commandery-In-Chief
of the Sons of Veterans. The Iowa
delegation arrived yesterday morning early, and delegates from other states
arrived on later trains, among them Lieutenant Reid, of the U.S. army, author
of Reid’s Tactics and secretary of state Griffin, of Indiana, and Judge Hatch
of the supreme Court, of Buffalo, N.Y.
The
Encampment was called to order at 11 o’clock at the Grand Opera House by
General Abbott, the Commander-in-Chief, all the national officers being fully present, and every state being fully represented, 225
delegates having presented credentials.
In addition there was a large number of
visiting members present who are not regular delegates, and quite a sprinkling
of members of the G.A.R. Fully ninety
percent of the delegates were in full uniform and presented an imposing and
truly military effect in the handsomely
decorated theater.
As
the proceedings of the Commandery-in Chief are mostly
of a secret nature, the main part of the business transacted and to be transacted hereafter will not be made public.
COMMITTEES
Unnecessary
preliminaries were disposed with and Gen. Abbott announced the committees as
follows:
Committee
on Credentials C.J. Post, Adjutant General; Col. Brown of Maryland; McDowell of
New jersey; Col. Upham of Massachusetts and Van Houten, of Iowa. This committee made a report, which is substantially covered by the list of delegates and
officers printed yesterday. The report
was accepted and the committee continued.
Gen.
Abbott then announced the following additional committees: On distribution of work, Russell, of
On
Ritual: M.E. Hall, of Michigan, E.H. Milham of
Minnesota, Loebenstein of Missouri; Col George w.
Leonard of Ohio and John Hinkley, of Massachusetts.On Resolutions: J.D. Rowen
of Iowa; E.T. Roe of Illinois; N.M. Pell of Kentucky; Rathbone
of Ohio, Griffin of Indiana; Davis of New Hampshire; E.M. Armes
of Pennsylvania.
On Report of Officers: E.W. Hatch of
On
constitution, rules and Regulations; R.R. Freer of West Virginia; M. Maccabe of Massachusetts; L.J. Webb of Kansas; L. McCrillis of Illinois; A.R. Brown of Ohio.
At
the conclusion of the reading of these list the
Encampment took a recess at 3 o’clock.
THE ELECTION TODAY
At
today’s session the election of officers will occur
and the interest is centered in it. As
stated yesterday, there are four leading candidates for Commander-in-Chief,
Gen. Abbott of
The
contest between
THE PARADE TOMORROW
Tomorrow
will occur the street parade and trip to the
Park. The latter, be it to the
generosity of one of Wheeling’s most enterprising
citizens, M. Anton Reymann, who has placed the motor line at the disposal of the boys,
free of expense. The parade will occur
at 1 o’clock, the line being formed at the corner of Chapline
and
THE LADIES’ AID
Their National convention Organized Yesterday.
The
National Ladies’ Aid Society of the Sons of Veterans, met yesterday at G.A.R.
hall at 9 o’clock, every State in which the order has been
organized being represented. The
order is quite young, this being only the second annual Encampment.
Mrs.
W. D. A. O’Brien, of
Yesterday
evening the parlors of the Stamm House were thronged
with ladies and members of the Sons of Veterans who
called to pay their respects to the Ladies aid.
It was a brilliant scene, with the gaily uniformed
"Sons", many of whom were in full regimentals and the richly costumed
ladies, the majority of whom are quite young.
It was an assemblage of youth and beauty and chivalry such as has seldom been witnessed in
Mrs.
O’Brien, the President of the Ladies’ Aid, is a charming lady. She was elected to
her position last year at
THE
A
House filled with Young Veterans and their Friends- A Rousing affair. They were
a little slow getting in after the labors of the day, but when they all got there the Grand Opera House was packed and the heat was
having fun with the thermometer. Some
fanned with fans and some with flags, and a jolly young officer over in one
corner was hard at work trying to keep himself cool
with two flags and a straw hat. The ladies were out in force, gay with their badges and ribbons
and not the least interested of all the large gathering. Blue coats and brass buttons were thick in
the body of the house. The stage might
have been mistaken for a tableau vivant of Washington and his Generals, it
glittered so with its brilliant military company.
THE MUSIC
The
Opera House orchestra opened the entertainment with one of it best efforts and
throughout the evening added to the good opinion of it already formed by the
visitors. When the band let loose with a
medley of patriotic airs, the old familiars of the bivouac and the Grand Army camp fire, the house went wild. Flags and fans waved and the audience cheered
itself hoarse, and while this was going n the artist who
anipulates the cymbals let go, with giant crackers
and a horse pistol, filling his part of the house with smoke and giving the
young veterans a baptism of fire. The
spontaneous demonstration aroused by the music was one of the features of the
evening. It was a scene to be remembered and the visitors were delighted.
THE TALKING BEGINS
Division
Colonel Baguley(?) as the presiding officer called
the assemblage to order and Chaplain Garst, of
Illinois offered a fervent patriotic prayer which so touched some of his
hearers that they forgot that it is not quite in order to applaud a
prayer. Major Seabright
delivered a brief and appropriate address of welcome and was
followed by Commander-in-Chief Abbott, whose short talk went straight to
the point. He outlined the patriotic
purpose of the order which, he declared is not sectional, not political, but
aims to perpetuate
those patriotic memories which make men better citizens. Mr. Charles Burdett Hart, of wheeling, told
how he came to be decorated with the ancient and
Honorable Order of the Kansas Grasshopper and sunflower, and was made to pay
well for it when
THEY SOUNDED THE ALARM
Judge
Hatch, of
Hon.
Leland J. Webb of
Captain
B. B. Dovener, of this city, was the next speaker,
and made an eloquent five minute speech, which stirred
the audience to the highest pitch of enthusiasm. His remarks abounded in patriotic sentiments,
and were enthusiastically
received from first to last.
Colonel
Ohmer of the
Judge
R. H. Cochran was then introduced. He was in his happiest mood and made a speech
full of wit, pathos and patriotism, every sentence of which was
greeted with rounds of cheers.
Judge Cochran won plaudits by paying an eloquent tribute to the Sons of
Veterans and their co-workers, the Ladies’ Aid Society. An incidental reference to Major Davis, the
founder of the order was greeted with round after
round of cheers, the audience rising to its feet. For a full two minutes
the noise was deafening and the scene that occurred when the Opera House band
rendered the battle piece was repeated.
The Judge’s reference to the hospitality of the citizens of
Major
Davis was then introduced and he was the recipient of
an ovation. Few such scenes are seen as that which occurred. The old veteran was obliged to stand for some
time waiting for the enthusiasm to subside.
He gracefully but briefly described the organization of the order eight
years ago and its wonderful growth since.
He said that he was astounded at the result of his work.
AN INTERESTING SCENE
The
most interesting feature of the evening occurred when Capt. Dovener
stepped to the front of the stage and introduced to the audience
"Mother" Holiday, {sic} the aged lady so well known to the citizens
of Wheeling, and the mother of the late Col. Holliday. {sic}
Bending beneath the weight of eighty-six years, the old lady
walked to the front of the stage. Then
occurred a scene that will be memorable in the minds of all
present. The entire audience
arose to its feet. Cheer after cheer
split the air. Caps waved, flags and
banners were also waved, and for two minutes the noise
was deafening. It was the greatest
demonstration of the evening.
Loud calls were made by the
Mrs.
O’Brien, President of the National Ladies’ Aid society was called for and her
reception was second only to that accorded Major Davis. She excused herself from making a speech,
saying that she was not accustomed to appearing before public audiences and
retired amid cheers.
Cheers
were then given for Colonel Baguley,
of the West Virginia Division, General Abbott, the Grand army of the Republic
and Major Davis, and the audience dispersed while the band played a stirring
and patriotic air.
The
lateness of the hour prevented the managers from carrying out the entire programme. {sic} Several other speakers had
been engaged, including Hon. G. W. Atkinson and T. H. Logan. Judging from the enthusiasm at the last the
crowd would have been willing to remain, but the speakers themselves
preferred to be relieved.
The
boys were evidently in for a night of it and after the adjournment of the Campfire they had it.
About two hundred of the delegates representing nearly
every State in the Union, headed by Mayor Seabright,
paraded the streets at midnight singing to a familiar air their "battle
song"- "Oh, you must be a member of the order of the Sons Or you
can’t go to Wheeling when you die", the inference, of course, being that
Wheeling was the ideal Paradise of the National Sons of Veterans. This crowd visited the INTELLIGENCER OFFICE,
and for ten minutes honored the establishment with a serenade, singing several
songs. Loud cries of
"Hart! Hart!" and "The Editor" "The
Editor" brought that gentleman to the front
window of the third floor. After the
cheering had subsided, Mr. Hart said: "Gentlemen
of the Sons of Veterans the Intelligencer appreciates this compliment and will
say so in the morning in all the eloquence of "cold type." The crowd broke in with tremendous cheers and
gave three cheers and a tiger for Mr. Hart and the Intelligencer and after
singing several more stirring song again took up their
march.
MAJOR A. P. DAVIS
The Originator and Founder of the Order of Sons of
Veterans
Major
Augustus P. Davis was born in the city of
His
family originally from
Major
Davis is a descendant of the same stock as Captain Isaac Davis, who fell April
19, 1775 at the battle of
His
grandfather, Captain Jacob Davis, did faithful service for the country in the
war of 1812. In the year 1819 he was a representative from the
His
father, Anthony G. Davis, was born in
The
boyhood of Major Davis, up to the fourteenth year, was passed
at his home in Gardiner. In the spring
of 1849, and on the breaking out of the
On
the breaking out of the Crimean war he made his way
across the ocean and as a volunteer entered the French Naval Marine Service,
doing duty as a subordinate officer. At
the close of that war he returned to the Merchant Service of the United States,
and in the year 1860, having concluded
to abandon is, seafaring life (and after varied experience on the ocean wave),
he returned to his home in Maine and engaged in business with his father.
On
the breaking out of the civil war of 1861-1802{sic}
Major Davis at once enlisted into the service of the
During
the war the Major was conspicuously noted for his
coolness on the field of battle and total disregard of personal danger, so much
so that his superior officers expressed themselves in the most enthusiastic
terms of praise in letters at the war’s close.
On
his retirement from the service Major Davis returned
to his home in
and section of the State.
Major
Davis is a member of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion, the Grand army of
the republic, and the Societies of the Army of the
The
Major is a jolly old gentleman, always ready to drop
everything to talk to an old soldier or a soldier’s son, and enthusiastic in
the work for the promotion of the s. of V’s.
He is getting along in years, and the duties involved in his position as
superintendent of the badge department have necessitated the dropping of
everything else and the giving of all his available time to the duties of his
office. He is a hearty old soldier, a
grasp of whose hand means something. A face all over which shines honesty and good nature.
Weighing
a goodly number of stone with long silvered locks, Major A.P. Davis may be said to form the beau ideal of a grizzled
veteran. He loves to talk of his
experiences, and an hour with him is worth a day of history. His wife is a pleasant lady
and an active member of the Ladies’ Aid Society, (the Auxillary
{sic} of the Sons of Veterans). She
enters in her husband’s plans with interest, and has been a great help to him
in his work for the Sons of Veterans.
HISTORY OF THE ORDER
How it has Become a Great
Order with a Period of Eight Years.
The order of the Sons of Veterans was organized in
Strict
military discipline prevails, the rules governing the Camps being more rigidly
enforced than those of any other order. For this reason the
membership is fluctuating.
The
Sons of Veterans is destined to become one of the most thoroughly organized and
equipped bodies in the country, and in this respect is far ahead of the G.A.R.
whose place it will take within a generation.
It is complete in all its appointments, the organization possessing all
the features of an army; is commanded by a General, who is chief of all the
divisions in the United states, and by reason of these features comprises a
vast reserve army as efficient almost as the regular militia. It is predicted that in a very few years the
order will have fully a half-million members.
Some
idea of its rapid growth may be obtained from the
statements that during the past year 12,000 names have been added to the
rolls. A properly equipped camp is
uniformed, armed and drilled as a military company, the uniform being similar
to that of the
Major
Davis builded {sic}better
than he knew when he started the ball rolling in
NOTES
Decorate.
A
number of the "Sons" attended the base ball game yesterday.
J.
B. Lidders, the "Hustler," from
Every
house on the south Side should display bunting for the parade of Friday.
The
Wheeling Light Guards will attend the picnic on the fair grounds tonight in
full uniform, headed by the Opera House band.