Acceptance Speech on becoming Commander-in-Chief of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War August 2017 (an excerpt taken from 2017 Proceedings of the Annual Encampment Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War)

Those of you who have the pleasure of knowing me well, know that I am not a man of few words, but I will try to be brief. It’s just part of my personality, unfortunately.

It's with a very humble heart that I stand here today before you as your Commander-in-Chief. You have given me a great honor and I will do my utmost to be faithful in my duties and to be worth the confidence that you have placed in me. Rest assured that our great Order’s promotion and success will be my primary concern and number one priority.

We are the inheritors of a mission. The mission that we inherited was to preserve and to inculcate the history of our forefathers and that is our primary goal. Earlier today, my friend, Jeff, spoke very eloquently to that very point in his Patriotic Instructor’s message. If we will not take up the cause and if we will not be the ones who will go forth and inculcate, teach, and ensure that the things this country stands for are preserved, then we should look at ourselves in the mirror with shame.

I will seek to move the SUVCW forward. We've talked often about this being the 21st century. We need to work hard to bring ourselves into this 21st century without forgetting the traditions, as Brother Wolz has so eloquently over this weekend, pointed out. I hope that we will continue to use this format (Masonic Arrangement) for our encampment. This is the way our ancestors met, and I think it's appropriate that we will meet the same.

As for my hopes and beliefs and dreams for this Organization, I hope that we will be able to become more visible to society in general. But to become more visible it will mean that we each of us in this room and all of the Brothers across this country, which I hope you will pass on to them, have to become active in promoting our visibility.  We have to go out and get people to notice us. People are not going to notice us if we just hope and wish for it. We must step out and be proactive in that goal.

I sincerely hope that we will be able to improve the internal communications of our organization, how we talk to each other, how we communicate with each other, and to that end I'm going to look to possibly create or investigate through Brother Jamie, the use of Skype in order that we might be able to have communications between the CinC and the Department Commanders. Coming up with some sort of regular way of doing that and I would hope that anyone who would succeed me would continue with that same goal.   We must work on telling each other what’s going on all over this country.   As I went around to Department Encampments, what I heard was, ”Nobody tells us what's going on. We’re just supposed to figure it out.”   We need to, from the top down, and from the Department to the Camps, communicate effectively what it is were doing.  So, one of my other things that I'm looking to do, is to talk with the Council of Administration on our use of communications.  Right now what we are good at is sending out general orders, but we are not good at communicating what it is we want you to do when we tell you something to do. So what, I think that we will try to look at is having a system of notices; so that when we have a new document, such as the Patriotic Instructors form, we can issue a notice that will actually tell you what it is we want you to do and why we are asking you to do it.  I also really want to try to work on, as a separate part of communications a CinC Newsletter or Memo.  

I'm a firm believer in fraternity, charity, and loyalty. I am encouraged by what has gone on here this weekend because I've been to many Encampments, and this was without a doubt one of the most civil. We treated each other like Brothers. And we had no arguments. And look what we did. We were done two hours before we had to be.

I will also try to work to develop stronger ties and relationships with the other Allied Orders. While I know that there are significant problems, that exist between us and the other Allied Orders over issues old and new, I feel that it is imperative that if we are going to live up to fraternity, charity, and loyalty, that we need to be open to trying to improve our relationships amongst all of the people who have the same goal, to honor, inculcate, and protect our ancestors’ history, so that is going to be another aspect of it.

I want to thank a couple of people in particular before closing, I told you I’m wordy. I'm sorry. I would like Steve Hammond to stand up for a second. Brothers, I would not be here today, standing here, if it were not for the Brotherly love and the selfless commitment made by Steve Hammond to take a young, you know figuratively a young man, who showed up at his first National Encampment in Harrisburg and to take that young man by the hand and show him the ropes; to show him that there was a sense of that Brotherly loyalty. He ensured that I knew what to do.

Let me explain what took place,  I walked into the National Encampment a neophyte. You must understand, my Camp was formed the previous March. I had gotten a phone call from my Camp Commander, “Will you go to the Department Encampment? I can’t go.” Of course, I'll go. And when I went there, I had the privilege of meeting Brother Darby. And his first impression was very favorable.  But while I'm at that Department Encampment, I still don't know what I'm doing. I’m just following the motions. At the end of that Encampment, somebody walks up, he says, “You’re a delegate at the National convention?”  And I'm like, “What?” So I went to Harrisburg. I walked in the door of that hotel. I was lost. Steve found me. He made it work for me and it became real. I thought on it and I said, you know, this Organization really is something I want to be involved in.  I had been a member for some time but now I was, at that point, fully engaged. I thank Steve Hammond for doing that for me.

I'd like Gene Mortorff to stand up for a second.  Gene once told me that when my Camp was forming down in Lynchburg, Virginia, that the Department of the Chesapeake, the Department of Maryland at that time, wasn't really sure that this was going to be a good idea. They were kind of tentative about the idea of having a bunch of guys that live that far below the Mason-Dixon Line be involved in this Organization and they were…so they were a little bit tentative but, you know, Gene is the reason why I moved up. If Gene had not seen something in me and appointed me Patriotic Instructor at the Department level, I wouldn't be here today. I owe a great deal to Gene, for putting me on the path to the place I am standing right now. So, thank you, Gene.

Of course, I need to thank one other person for their patience, perseverance, and I will warn them now that there will probably be some times that we will not be able to be together because I will be doing the business, and she will suffer through that. Because my wife, when I go away, my wife locks the house up and she goes upstairs, and she leaves the lights on. I'll be doing a lot of that going away, so I wanted you to know that I don't mind if the electric bill is very high. You do what you need to, honey. Thank you. Thank you for everything that you allow me to do because of you, without you and your support, I could not do this.

As far as schedule, I want to make myself available to attend things. I'm retired. I have two cars. I will alternate them to keep the mileage down…

…or I will take some of the money that you graciously provide and get a rental car, whatever. But I want to attend things. Faron Taylor, will you stand up? Faron Taylor is the Chief of Staff. I would like you to work through Faron Taylor. Faron is a “dot the I,” “cross the t” guy.  I am a rather pragmatic and sometimes slightly scatterbrained and need somebody like Faron. I want you to work through Faron, but I want you to send me invitations. I want to be aware of what you're doing. I've already been invited to Chicago. I had an invitation to go to London, and I wasn't even a Commander-in-Chief yet, but I need you to work through Faron. Everybody sees him. You know what he looks like.

 All right? So, we’re gonna work through Faron. We’re gonna have a good year. We’re gonna have a great year. When the year is over, we’re gonna have a better, bigger, stronger SUVCW but remember what I said, no one man standing right here, makes that happen. It takes you. and you, and him. It takes Freshley. It takes Danny. It even takes Larry back there.  Larry and I are friends, so he doesn’t mind I picked on him, but we need to be proactive. We passed several resolutions here. We need to go out and be committed to the things that we've said and done here. With that, I thank you. Once again, I cannot think of a greater honor in my entire life than what you have bestowed upon me today and I appreciate it more than you will ever know. 

Written and presented by Mark R. Day 8/12/2018.  Copywrite by Mark R. Day 3/4/2020, all rights reserved.

Very Short Remarks for Antietam Camp Mary Walker MOH Ceremony

Good morning.  What a wonderful setting this is for honoring Dr. Mary Walker and her singular achievement.  I bring with me the greetings of Eugene Mortorff the Commander in Chief of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, who unfortunately can not be here with us.  Commander-in Chief Mortorff asked me to present his best wishes to the Antietam Camp #3 and all those also to those in attendance.  This is my 5^th time attending a MOH ceremony put on by the Antietam Camp and I have come to appreciate all the work and effort made by the camp; to bring this ceremony to the pubic each year.  This year’s ceremony honoring Dr. Mary Walker is particularly significant and I applaud your choice of honoree’s.



Thank you for the invitation to speak and your attention

Comments for MOLLUS Congress / Gettysburg 10-28-17

                                                       

Commander Simmons, fellow members of MOLLUS, members of DOLLUS, and Guest.  


I bring the greetings of the more than 6000 brothers of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, who along with myself hope you are having a productive Congress.  While MOLLUS is not part of the Allied Orders associated with the Grand Army of the Republic, many of the brothers of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War can also be found among your ranks.   After all we have kindred missions to preserve the history of the men who fought a war to preserve the Union and at the same time free a people from the tyranny of slavery.



In a few weeks, I and perhaps many of you will return to Gettysburg and commemorate the 154^th anniversary of President Lincoln’s short comments during the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery; in which those who gave the last full measure of devotion lie at rest.  In that now famous speech President Lincoln said that the fields and streets of Gettysburg could not be consecrated by the words of man; for it had already been made hallowed by the blood of the brave men who have struggled here.  Regarding that struggle, I feel a connection with the words of Lincoln.  You see my Great Great Grandfather Richard Martin Lown, fought here atop Culp’s Hill with the 150^th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment.



Gettysburg was my Great Great Grandfather’s first battle; it is where he saw the Elephant and it is where he first saw men of his unit fight and die.  Having learned of his service and the service of his brothers in arms through the records and diaries they let behind, I believe he and his comrades would agree that the sacrifices made were great and that they would treasure the reverent words of Mr. Lincoln’s speech. 



I hope that each man in this room today would feel likewise; for the men of whom Mr. Lincoln spoke deserve our acts of remembrance, not only one day a year, but every day of the year.  Yet sadly, my fellow companions and brothers, the words of Lincoln, though etched deeply in the history of our country, may not be permanent.  They must be inculcated to each succeeding generation; lest they be lost in the swirling storm of events which shape our modern world.  Plainly stated the education of both our youth and our less historically informed fellow citizens must be one of our most pressing goals.  We must teach them to value the past and particularly the lessons of the American Civil War.   This task falls heavily on the shoulders of both MOLLUS and the SUVCW and we must not shirk from the responsibility.



Many forces are at work in America today with the intention of undermining history and to make the past seem less relevant.  Such a realignment of thinking, bathed in the waters of politics and clothed in the rich fabric of presentism may jeopardize our ability to fulfill our promise to perpetuate and keep green the memory of our honored ancestors in an uncertain future devoid of traditional norms.



In the coming years MOLLUS, the SUVCW, and all other Allied Orders of the Grand Army of the Republic in cooperation with other Veteran and Heritage groups must out of necessity work together if we are to be successful in promoting history education.  We will need to become more visible in our communities.  We will need to utilize media to get out our message and we must formulate cooperative long-term strategies for achieving our goals.



Companions and Brothers, I look forward to working with all my Brothers and Sisters who share my passion and my belief that we can overcome the challenges and ensure our ancestors are never forgotten.



Again, I thank you for the invitation to speak and for you kind and thoughtful attention.

Short Remarks for the Sons of Confederate Veterans Reunion, Franklin Tn, 19 July 2018

Good morning, I am Mark R. Day Commander-in-Chief of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (Use if a formal introduction is not made.)

Members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, I bring you the greetings of the members of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, who extend their best wishes to you for a productive and harmonious reunion.

I am honored to have been invited to join you this morning to make a few short remarks and to once more show that a fraternal spirit, as evidenced in  our  common goals of preserving the history surrounding the Civil War and honoring the valor dedication and  self-sacrifice of our ancestors,  is never lost or forgotten.

These are challenging times for both of our organizations.  We find ourselves living in a world that seems, at times, to be turned upside down and unrecognizable from that into which we were born.

Bob Dylan once sang the words “The Times They are a Changing.” Never has that been truer than today. The future is revealing itself and change is occurring  at an ever increasing pace; it is important that our two organizations do everything in our power to keep the memory of our ancestors present in the minds of our fellow citizens.

Years ago at the SUVCW National Encampment in St Louis, one of your previous Commander-in-Chiefs made a statement, that our two organizations need to work together where possible and whenever possible; because if they didn’t both organizations would find themselves irrelevant and fail to achieve their goals.

I believe he was right.  We must seek to find those projects in which we have a common interest, and I believe this can be accomplished if we focus on the men who fought the war; our honored ancestors.

1.   We should promote their memory and ensure that the Civil War is taught in our children’s classrooms

2.   We should work to ensure that all veterans monuments are protected and preserved

3.   We must inculcate the citizens of our country on the story of the sacrifices that were made by the common soldier

4.   We must work to maintain the graves of the fallen and teach remembrance to our own children

I believe all these things are achievable, they must be achievable for the benefit of both organizations.

I want to again thank the Leadership of the Sons Confederate Veterans for this opportunity to speak to this reunion and want each of you to know that, I appreciate the hospitality you have provided me and the warmth and kindness you have shown this weekend. 

May God Bless each of you and may he bless our country.

Oration: Remembrance Day 2017 at the Woolson Monument in Gettysburg, PA

General Grim, General Shaw, Brothers and Sisters of the Allied Orders, Guest.

Today we stand upon this immortal field of battle, which distinguishes itself from all others in our country’s history by its influence on the outcome of our Civil war and through a speech containing just 272 words.  While we do take time this day to  remember and honor the men who sacrifice all to achieve victory in the hard-fought battle, which occurred in these fields surrounding us, thereby redefining the direction of the war and setting a course to the Union’s ultimate victory at Appomattox and Bennet Place in April of 1865.  We are also bound by the blood of those hero’s and in gratitude for the life of a President, who sought to bring about the fulfilment of the ideals and beliefs of the founding fathers. to assemble in Gettysburg for Remembrance Day to take notice of an event that happened four months after the great battle.  For on November 19^th, 1863 President Lincoln, in only a two-minute speech, redefined the meaning of Thomas Jefferson’s statement that all Men are created equal imbued with rights to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. 

Generations of Americans have been born and passed since the either Lincoln or our Heroes in blue walked this ground.   In that time we have faced many trials and tribulations, which tested our strength and dedication to preserving the values of freedom and equality which were won on the field at Gettysburg  Whenever we have been confronted with these difficult times, we have found our strength in the beliefs found in the Declaration of Independence and in that short speech given by Lincoln.

In November of 1863 Lincoln looked back in history to the words of Jefferson and saw a valuable lesson.  Today we must do the same in order to find the proper direction for our future.   Lincoln set his course to end slavery and make Jefferson’s words ring true.  He believed that to do anything less diminished the sacrifice, which had been made and that failing to achieve that lofty goal would mean the end of the Union.  We owe Lincoln this moment of respect and reflection, on Remembrance Day, for having the vision to see, that if we stress the values of freedom and equality, recognize the worth of all mankind, and fulfill the promise made at the start of our great Republic this nation would indeed be one in which, all men were created equal and the government of the people, for the people, and  by the people shall never fail.

Thank you for these few minutes of your time and this rainy day and may the grace of God continue to bless this great Union and its people

Written and presented by Mark R. Day CinC SUVCW at Remembrance Day 2017, copywrite 2/28/2020 by Mark R. Day, all rights reserved

Eulogy given for PCinC Charles Kuhn at the Pennsylvania Department Annual Encampment in June 2017

This morning, I have been granted the honor of offering a Eulogy for my SUVCW Brother and friend, PCinC Charles E. Kuhn Jr.  While, I was very aware of the health issues, which had plagued Charlie for many years, his indomitable spirit led me to hope for the best.  My last visit with Charlie occurred in October of 2016 while in the area attending a Testimonial Luncheon for John Frantz.  During, that visit, at Charlie’s home, it was clear that Charlie’s condition had worsened.  However true to form Charlie seemed determined to fight on.  Both Barbara and I were shocked by the news of his death in the first week of December and prepared to attend his funeral.


I had known Charlie for just ten years, having first meet him during the 2006 National Encampment in Harrisburg.  However, during those ten years Charlie first became an advisor, then a mentor, and finally a friend.  I believe the best quality Charlie possessed was his ability to make friends.  Charlie loved to be with other people.  He loved to talk, and he was constantly seeking out people to interact with.  Charlie was a man who possessed a big heart.  A heart filled with love for his wife Joanne, his daughter Michelle, and his Grandchildren.  A heart that was also large enough to make room for every one of his Brother and Sisters in the Allied Orders.  Once Charlie had won your friendship, he never forgot you and you could not forget him.


Because of that love for family and friends; Individuals from the local community joined by Charlie’s friends, Brothers and Sisters, who came to Gettysburg from Illinois, Michigan, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and so many other places assembled to say farewell.  In his Eulogy that day PCinC Gene Mortorff said he wished Charlie could have seen how many people there were to honor and remember him.  


Charlie was also a Patriot in every sense of the word.  He believed in his country and he took his responsibility as a citizen seriously.   He was similarly dedicated to the remembrance of our Civil War ancestors.  He poured himself into honoring their memory and invested many hours to projects such as the Remembrance Day Parade and the re-dedication of the Peace Monument on the Gettysburg Battlefield.


Finally, a couple of personal reflections, I would like to say that Charlie and I shared a few moments that I will cherish.  In 2009, I invited Gene Mortorff to attend the first ever Lincoln Birthday Dinner put on by my Camp in Lynchburg, VA  and Charlie accompanied him.  The evening was going well and entertainment, in the form of a period group singing Lincoln’s favorite songs, was nearing its end.  Well the last song that the group chose to play was “Dixie”, a song Lincoln said was his favorite, and of course being in the south and many of our members, guest and wives being descended from both sides of the War; they stood for the song.  Well Charlie looked like a deer caught in a headlight but finally also stood.  For me that was proof that Charlie was open minded and ecumenical.  My second reflection proves another aspect of Charlies humanity.  When my wife was struck with Breast Cancer, Charlie showed real concern for her and kept track of her status.  During his own personal battle with Cancer he sought to comfort and support us.  That is real friendship and real love for your fellow human being.

“Seeking Peace Amid Holiday Chaos“

Finding peace begins in the heart of the individual.

Finding peace is offering forgiveness and love.

Finding peace is accepting God’s plan for us.

Finding peace is submitting to God’s will.

Finding peace is discovering God’s great gift; our Emmanuel

Finding peace is knowing God’s presence in our lives



So, lay aside your burdens and your cares.

Let go the concerns of the season.

Peace will come and chaos will be dispelled

Calm will manifest itself;  silencing the noise of the world

In that silence, if we listen closely, can be heard a voice

A voice, which will gently warm the heart and refresh the soul

The sound of love, which came down from Heaven; on that Christmas morn.



Poem written and published by Mark R. Day, 12/23/19, Copyright by Mark R. Day all Rights Reserved