Reunion Society of Vermont Officers facts for kids
The Reunion Society of Vermont Officers was a group for soldiers who fought in the American Civil War. It was made up of military officers from Vermont.
Contents
How the Society Started
This special group began in 1864. It was created by soldiers from Vermont who fought for the Union during the Civil War. Some of the first people to organize it were Redfield Proctor, George G. Benedict, and Wheelock G. Veazey.
Who Could Join
To join, you had to be a officer or a noncommissioned officer (NCO). These were soldiers who had served in the United States Army or Navy. Members had to be from Vermont or have been born there.
What the Society Did
The Society had several important goals. They wanted to keep friendships strong among Civil War veterans. They also wanted to remember their friends who had died in the war. The group aimed to recall and honor the important events of the war. They also wanted to teach future generations about freedom and national pride. These were the ideas that made them fight in the Civil War.
Society Activities
The Society held meetings every year. These meetings took place in the Vermont House of Representatives chamber. At these meetings, they would listen to a speech about a historical Civil War topic.
The group also held an annual reunion. These reunions happened in different cities across Vermont. During the reunion, they would choose new leaders for the next year.
The Society also worked to collect photos of every Vermonter who was an officer in the Civil War. They gathered 859 photos. This was about 63% of the 1363 officers from Vermont.
Famous Members
Many important Vermonters who fought in the Civil War joined this Society. These included U.S. Senator Redfield Proctor. Also, Interstate Commerce Commission member Wheelock G. Veazey was a member. Several Vermont Governors were also part of the group. These included Peter T. Washburn, Roswell Farnham, John L. Barstow, Samuel E. Pingree, Ebenezer J. Ormsbee, Urban A. Woodbury, Josiah Grout, and Charles J. Bell.
Political Influence
From the 1850s to the 1960s, Vermont mostly elected Republicans. This was partly because the Republican party had strong support from Union veterans.
Early members like Redfield Proctor and Wheelock G. Veazey were important in government. They used the loyalty of Civil War veterans to gain power in the Republican Party.
The Vermont Republican party had ways to keep things organized. They wanted to avoid too many candidates running against each other. One rule was that governors could only serve two one-year terms. When terms became two years long, governors were limited to one term.
Another rule was called the "Mountain Rule." This rule meant that one U.S. Senator had to live on the east side of the Green Mountains. The other Senator had to live on the west side. The governor and lieutenant governor also took turns being from the east and west sides. Members of the Reunion Society who wanted to run for office often agreed to follow these rules. This helped keep the party united.
End of the Society
Over time, fewer members were left as veterans grew old and passed away. The Society continued to be active until at least 1915.
