Department of North Carolina Encampment 2020

2020 Encampment

Department of North Carolina
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

The Department Encampment was originally scheduled for April 25, 2020 and was to be hosted by the Major General John A. Logan Camp No. 4 at McMannen Methodist Church in Durham. Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic and restrictions ordered by the Governor of North Carolina, the Encampment was postponed. 

After a meeting on Zoom by all our Department Officers, it was agreed that an Electronic Encampment would be held on Zoom on Saturday, May 16, 2020, at 10 a.m. with registration and logging into the system beginning at 9 a.m. Junior Vice Commander Henry Duquette, PCC agreed to host the Encampment on Zoom, and he and Signals Officer Jim Johnson conducted training sessions on Zoom for Department members planning to attend the Encampment, so they would be able to participate using Zoom.

On May 16, Senior Vice Commander, Ed Gibson, PCC presided over the Encampment, since the Department Commander wasn’t available. The Encampment was opened using the format from our Ritual and Ceremonials book. After a roll call of Department Officers, there was a recognition of and presentations by National guests who were present and included Commander-in-Chief Ed Norris, Past Commander-in-Chief Mark Day and from the National Council of Administration, Bruce Frail, PDC. 

Mark Day, Past Commander in Chief

Ed Norris, Commander in Chief

 Reports of Department Officers were presented as well as from the Department Council. Department Council Member Fred Fulcher, PCC displayed the Department Encampment ribbon he purchased at his own expense and advised how they’d be distributed to each of the members participating in the Encampment. Under New Business, Senior Vice Commander Ed Gibson, PCC advised that the Major General Thomas H. Ruger Camp No. 1 will host the 14th Annual Encampment of the Department of North Carolina on the first Saturday of May in 2021. 

Nominations for Department Officers

Commander - Robert Crum

Commander - Robert Crum, PCC

Senior Vice Commander - Ed Gibson, PCC

Junior Vice Commander - Henry Duquette, PCC

Secretary/Treasurer - Travis Masters, PCC

Department Council Member #1 – Dennis St. Andrew, PDC

Department Council Member #2 – Fred Fulcher, PCC

Department Council Member #3 – Jim Johnson

Nominations were closed, and these members were elected as the new Department Officers. 

Commander-in-Chief Ed Norris requested the list of Appointments from Commander Elect Robert Crum. Secretary Masters, PCC read the Department Appointees.

Department Appointees 

Patriotic Instructor – Ed Gibson, PCC

Chaplain – Rolf Maris, PCC

Counselor – Dennis St. Andrew, PDC

Graves Registration Officer – Henry Duquette, PCC

Guard – Pete Bahuk, G.A.R. 

Records Officer – Robert Crum, PCC, 

Eagle Scout Certificate Coordinator – Travis Masters, PCC Assistant Department Secretary/Treasurer – Bill Ewalt Signals Officer – Jim Johnson

Commander-in-Chief Ed Norris installed the new Department Officers. There was an approval of the minutes from the 2019 Department Encampment. The closing ceremony was conducted using the Closing for Department Encampment found in our Rituals and Ceremonials book.

Submitted by: 
Department Commander Robert Crum,

Memorial Day 2020

Memorial Day Activities

2020

SUVCW Stoneman Camp No. 6, with Gibbons-Burke Camp No. 2, Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War and the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States

On a rainy Memorial Day morning on 25 May 2020, seven of us traveled to Salisbury National Cemetery to remember and honor over 5,000 Union soldiers buried in 18 trenches after dying at the Salisbury Confederate Prison during the Civil War. We represented the three organizations of SUVCW Stoneman Camp No. 6 and Gibbons-Burke Camp No. 2, Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War and the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. In order to protect one another and the public, we wore masks and maintained a distance of six feet from one another. Therefore, not everyone would fit in this photo. Remembering the Boys in Blue in this photo are from left to right Brother Bill Ewalt, Department JVC Henry Duquette, PCC, Sister Lori Bahuk, Camp Commander Pete Bahuk, and Camp SVC Richard Thomas, PCC. Present but not in the photo are Brother Gary Simon and Department Commander Robert Crum, PCC.

Major General Thomas H. Ruger Camp #1

The Camp was certainly busy today. Like other Brothers, Brother Doug Elwell visited a veteran’s and placed a flag at it. He then played TAPS over the soldiers grave.

My wife Denise, ASUVCW and I visited Oakwood Cemetery in Raleigh for Memorial Day weekend 2020.  We actually visited the Confederate Gettysburg section because there are two Union soldiers buried in that section of the cemetery; PVT John O. Dolson, Co A, 2 US SS and PVT Jacob Pfeiffer Co E, 40th NY Infantry.

Both soldiers died from wounds after the battle and were initially buried near a Gettysburg hospital. Years later they were mistakenly identified as Confederates and moved down to Raleigh, by a local Raleigh women’s organization. Many years later, researchers discovered the error, their descendants did not want them moved up north so they remain where they were buried. Union headstones with their correct names and identification were installed. My wife and I placed flags and flowers on both Privates Dolson & Private Pfeiffer graves.

Submitted by Brother Dennis St. Andrew, PDC.

Secretary/Treasurer Brother John France celebrated Memorial Day by going to Bentonville Battleground to place flags at the Monument dedicated to the Union Troops who fought here. The Monument was placed several years ago with the efforts of the Department of North Carolina, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War.

In accordance with its instructions from the National Organization, Camp Commander Ed Gibson went to Wilmington National Cemetery and honored Sergeant Major Isaac Whitmer, 147 PA volunteers, who was killed by friendly fire during the occupation of Fayetteville in March 1865. Whitmer was buried in Fayetteville originally but later re-interred in Wilmington. He was the Sergeant Major of Commander Gibson’s great-grandfather’s regiment.

Brother Jim Johnson and DUVCW Sister Carol Jutte visited the John N. Smith Cemetery in Southport. They paid their respects to two Union Veterans of the Civil War, Abram Blount, and Abraham Galloway. Private Blount a 20-year old former enslaved man from Hyde County, North Carolina enlisted in the 37th Regiment United States Colored Troops (USCT) on December 10, 1863. In the final stages of the war, 18-year old Galloway, born a slave in Smithville (now Southport) North Carolina, enlisted in the same Regiment.

Department of North Carolina Charter

Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty,

Department of North Carolina Chartered 19 April 2008

"The Banner"

Summer 2008

NEW DEPARTMENT FORMED

NORTH CAROLINA CHARTERED

by Br. Doug McMillin

On April 19th, the Department of North Carolina’s first encampment was held at Bennett’s Place State Park. The park surrounds the Bennett family home, where Gen. Johnston’s Confederate Army surrendered to Gen. Sherman. An exact replica of the house sits on the site of the original, which burned in the early 20th century.

Prior to the arrival of the delegates, CinC Charles Kuhn, along with Chief of Staff Gene Mortorff, National Color Bearer Doug McMillin and Junior Joshua McMillin, toured the site. It was very informative and we were pleased to learn that the tour guide was also a brother of the Order.

When all delegates were registered, the meeting began in the park’s museum theater. CinC Kuhn greeted the delegates and praised the work done to bring the Department into existence. Once the officers were elected and installed, CinC Kuhn presented the charter.

The Department’s first Encampment then officially opened, bylaws were voted on, Nat. Encampment delegates were selected and proposed changes to the C&R were debated and voted on. The meeting ended with the delegates sharing the histories of their ancestors. About 4pm, all adjourned to the park’s Unity Monument for a group photo.

Thanks to Bennett’s Place State Park and the staff for allowing this historic SUVCW event to take place at the site of such significance. It was a true honor and privilege to witness. All the best is wished to the brothers of the Dept. of North Carolina as they move forward.

Department Officers:

DC = PCC Douglas P. Elwell

SVC = PCC Richard D. Thomas

JVC = PCC Yale W. Moores

Sec/Treas. = PCC Thomas N. Rightmyer

Department Camps:

MG John H. Ruger Camp 1 – Fayetteville

MG John Gibbon/1Sgt. Daniel W. Burke Camp 2

Daniel Ellis Camp 3 – Asheville 

MG John A. Logan Camp 4 - Raleigh

Department of North Carolina

Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

Organizational Meeting and First Annual Encampment

April 2008

Front Row L to R: Eugene Mortoff, National Aide-de-Camp; Kevin Motter, Council Member; Douglas Elwell, Department Commander; Bob Farrell, Guard; Rick Thomas, SVC; Richard Sherwin; Tom Rightmyer, Secretary/Treasurer; Jerry Devine; Bryan Salter, Council Member; Kenneth Masters, Eagle Scout Co-Ordinator; Larry Blumatte, Camp Organizer; Dennis Charles St. Andrew, Guide; John Harman, Graves Registration Officer; Wendell Small, Historian; Yale Mooers, JVC; John France, Flag Bearer; Daniel Hopping, Parliamentarian; C-in-C Charles E. Kuhn; Bro. Joshua McMillin; Sam Moore, Council Member; Douglas McMillin, National Color Bearer; Charles Allen. Back Row L to R: Jerry Ankeny; Don Kropp, Patriotic Instructor; and Roscoe Reeve

NOTE: Subsequent to the Department of North Carolina Charter in 2008; North Carolina Union Volunteers Camp #5 was organized in 2008 and Daniel Ellis Camp #3 was disbanded in 2015. The newest addition to the Department of North Carolina is the George Stoneman Camp No 6, organized and chartered in 2017.