2005 Proceedings - Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

Market Heights, Virginia, September 29, 1864, after all the officers had been killed or wounded;
Whereas Major General Benjamin Butler, United States Army, ordered a battlefield promotion of
Sergeant Holland to Captain; Whereas the War Department rescinded his commission solely on the basis
of Sergeant Holland’s race; Whereas after the War, Mr. Holland distinguished himself as one of the first
graduates of Howard University Law School and is the founder of the Alpha Insurance Company;
Whereas Holland’s life stands as a beacon for those who value liberty and freedom; and Whereas
Sergeant Holland’s life as a tradesman, soldier, lawyer and businessman provides a worthy legacy for
African-Americans of all generations and a role model for all Americans. Therefore, be it resolved that
John S. Townsend Camp Number 108 of the Ohio Department of the Sons of Union Veterans of the
Civil War memorialize the Congress of the United States of America to posthumously restore the
battlefield commission of Milton Holland. Camp Commander and Camp Secretary signed by John S.
Townsend Camp# 108.”
And lastly, from the Department of New York. “whereas such crimes as bank fraud, credit fraud
and identity theft have become a commonplace in today’s world; Whereas the use of computers, the
internet and technologies have made such crimes simple matters to successfully complete; and Whereas
the results of such crimes can result in significant damage to the finance and credit of both individuals
and entities alike. And whereas such a result may be the result of no wrong doing on the part of
Brothers in our Order, but may simply result by the transmission and duplication of certain bank account
information and whereas the National Organization and it’s subordinate Departments, where applicable,
have a right and obligation to know the whereabouts of the funds of our Order held by subordinate
groups and to seek and secure those funds in the event of disbandment of those groups or inappropriate
actions by them and can accomplish this with information including name and address of financial
institution, but without specific account numbers. Be it resolved that the Department of New York
assembled in Glenfalls, New York, this 4 th day of June, 2005 in Annual Encampment hereby
commissions the 2005 National Encampment assembled in Nashua, New Hampshire to remove the
request for account numbers on all Camp and Department forms requiring at most the name and address
of financial institutions and the entity name used on accounts. Signed Dale Theetge, Department
Commander, Michael Bennett, Department Secretary, Department of New York. Those are our
communications.
Commander-in-Chief Stephen Michaels
I would ask that those resolutions aside from the nomination resolutions be referred to the
Committee on recommendations and resolutions. We will move on to the reports of the National
Standing Committees. National Committee on Americanization and Education, chaired by PDC Bruce
Butgereit, National Patriotic Instructor.
National Committee on Americanization and Education Chairman Bruce Butgereit
I have nothing to add Sir.
Commander-in-Chief Stephen Michaels
Thank you. National Committee on Civil War Memorials, Todd A. Shillington Chair.
National Committee on Civil War Memorials Chairman Todd A. Shillington
Nothing to add Sir.
Commander-in-Chief Stephen Michaels
Thank you. National Committee on Constitution and Regulations, Robert E. Grim Past
Commander-in-Chief, Chair.
National Committee on Constitution and Regulations Chairman Robert E. Grim
Commander-in-Chief, in your booklet you will find we do have some recommendations on
changing the Regulations. Basically it deals with arranging appointed officers in alphabetical order at
the Department level and arranging the names of the Committees at Camp, Department and National
level in alphabetical order so they are easier for people to locate when they start looking through those
sections of the Regulations and have those Committees and Officers.
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