Department of New York
Headquarters of The Department Commander

As my second term draws to a close, please permit me to restate the great honor and privilege
you have conveyed upon me by permitting me to serve as New York Department Commander.
Without question, the many projects and activities I have been allowed to participate in, the
places I have had the opportunity to visit, and the new friendships I have made across this state,
will remain with me as my most treasured memories. While my time at the helm will be over
soon, the work of our Order in honoring the memory of our ancestors must never end. As our
next Department Commander leads us forward, I ask you to offer whatever assistance you can
to the many projects that can benefit from your service. Whether it is taking photographs of
your local Civil War monuments, helping to locate and register the graves of all Civil War
veterans buried in New York, gaining publicity for our Order by presenting Eagle Scout
Recognition Certificates to deserving young men, or participation in any of the Department
of New York’s many other worthwhile endeavors to honor the memory of our ancestors, you
can make a difference – just as each of our ancestors did when they were called to action. Of
course, your own local Camp is the best place to start.

With repeated appreciation, respect and affection to all of my New York Brothers, I humbly offer these final Department Orders:

1.      As was discussed in my Department Orders #6, our Department has been working hard to identify and locate
all Civil War monuments, memorials, and markers within New York State. Photographs of these memorials have
been made available for viewing in a special section of our Department website for everyone to see and study.
At some time in the future, these photographs will also be the basis from which a new and updated New York
Monuments book will be published.

Many thanks to all Brothers who have forwarded photographs of monuments and have increased the number on
our site to nearly 60. As you can imagine, we still have a long way to go before we can feel confident that we have
found all that exist. For those Camps that have not gotten started on this important project yet, please send in a
photograph of the monument(s) right in your own headquarters town or city. For some Camps this should not be
too difficult. For others, like Oliver Tilden Camp 26 in New York City, there are numerous monuments, markers
and memorials to be included. Fortunately, Tilden Camp is one of the largest in the country – so they should be able
to take on such a challenge. After the headquarters city is covered, each Brother with a camera should make sure
hat all monuments in their local areas – as well as those they pass in their travels – are included as well. This project
will not be completed overnight, but we can advance things much farther than we have to date.

We would like to include at least one picture that shows the entire monument or marker. Please visit the website to
see the types of pictures that are being used. You may either send regular photographs through the mail, or you can
e-mail digital images. In addition to the photo, information concerning the monument’s origin, the date erected, the
unit or individual it was dedicated to or by, any inscription, and the location (street/park/cemetery, town, and county),
should be included when possible.

Send your photographs or digital images to:

Michael S. Bennett    PO Box 1824   White Plains, NY 10602
e-mail:   spangler@mindspring.com

And visit the Monuments section of our New York Department website at:

www.suvcw.org/ny/monuments/monuments.htm

       2.   Our New York Department Graves Registrar, Brother Robert Pugsley is still in need of assistance in entering
        our paper graves records into a computer database. Our appeal for volunteers to help with this project netted
        fewer than a handful of replies. Not everyone is computer-savvy, but among our 500 members, we must have a
        few who could spare a little time on this very worthwhile project, without even having to leave the comfort of their
        own home.

        Volunteers should make themselves known to Brother Pugsley or Department Commander Bennett at their
        earliest convenience. You will be given very detailed instructions, as much assistance as is required, and the
        appreciation of our entire Department.

       3.     For many of you, there will be little more than a week between your receipt of this issue of The Volunteer and the
        deadline for some of the Encampment activities. While there are several reasons for this, as Department
        Commander, I will take full responsibility and offer my apologies for the short-notice, and any inconvenience this
        has caused you. However, don’t let my inability to get this information into your hands prevent you from attending
        and having a wonderful time at our Encampment. Get your checks and registration forms in the mail ASAP and
        we’ll see you in Waterloo!

Submitted in F, C, and L,


Michael S. Bennett

Commander, Department of New York
   Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

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