32nd Annual Department Encampment

Department Encampment in Waco was a big success, highlighted by the election of our very own Brother John Vander Meulen as the 2026-2027 Commander of the Department of Texas and Louisiana.

Congratulations Brother John! Huzzah!

Senior Vice Commander-in-Chief Daniel Murray joined us to bring greetings from Commander-in-Chief Tucker and installed our 2026-2027 officers. Elected officers include SVC Clifford Durham (PCC), JVC David Rediger (PCC), Secretary Michael Lance (PDC), Treasurer John Schneider, Sr. (PDC) and Council Members Stevenson Holmes (PDC), Blair Rudy (PDC) and Donald Gates (PDC) .

Yes, it is true; our long-time Secretary/Treasurer Brother Don Gates has passed the torch. We thank him for his dedication and many years of loyal service. Huzzah!

The Department By-Laws committee presented proposals to modify voting procedures and require a financial budget to be presented at future Department Encampments. The proposals were well-received and after healthy discussion they were passed overwhelmingly by the Delegates.

More highlights for Camp 2 include the Outstanding Brother of the Year Award to Brother Richard Carson and the election of Brother Lance as Department Secretary. Let’s give them both a big Huzzah!

There are lots of good pictures in the gallery below… cursor over them to read captions that tell more of the Encampment story and click to open larger images with even more captions.

Videos

The Camp 2 Delegation

Back Row – Bill Myers, Jason Kyle, Michael Rappe, James Lea, Stephen Schulze (PDC), Michael Lance (PDC), Robert Riley, Richard Carson
Front Row – Dr. Stevenson Holmes (PDC), Terry Sutton, DC John Vander Meulen, CC Daniel Pourreau

New Department Officers

**Back Row – Blair Rudy, PDC, Michael Lance, PDC, Stephen Schulze, PDC, Robert Riley, JVC David Rediger, PCC, Timothy Phillips, PDC, Donald Gates, PDC, Terry Sutton** **Front Row – Dr. Stevenson Holmes, PDC, SVC-in-C Daniel Murray, DC John Vander Meulen, SVC Clifford “Butch” Durham, PCC**

Photo Gallery

The Department Commander is ready to open the meeting

SVCinC Daniel Murray presented at the Altar

Camp 2 Brother of the Year Richard Carson

Remarks from the new Department Commander

Past Department Commander Badge presentation

Auxiliary Sisters Colleen Swafford and Lisa Riley

DC Thomas, SVCinC Murray and Auxiliary VP Lisa Riley

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Department Encampment 2026

The 2026 Department of Texas and Louisiana Annual Encampment will take place at the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum on May 16, 2026 at 1:00 PM, in Waco, TX. The Department website has the Schedule, Registration Form and everything else you need to know.

CLICK HERE to go there and read all about it. Then head on up to Waco and VOTE for John Vander Meulen for Department Commander!

FRATERNITY – CHARITY – LOYALTY

San Jacinto Day Celebration

The members of Sarah Emma Seelye Auxiliary #1 thought it would be a good idea to get out in front of the public at a new event, and it was! For the first time our organization had a booth at the San Jacinto Day Celebration, on April 18, 2026. Nice tent with flags and banners, many displays, fundraisers including the Opportunity Quilt drawing and sale of Patriotic Cockades and, of course, membership information to hand out to visitors were all a big success.

Sisters Vali Reyes, Jana Marsh, Lisa Riley and Annette Kinslow attended in either Civil War-era attire or ASUVCW gear, along with Brother Robert Riley from Camp 2. The ladies explained the importance of Patriotic Cockades back to Revolutionary War days plus showed housewife (sewing) kits that soldiers would keep with their gear. Check out the pictures and start planning for next year when the Brothers will join the Sisters in force at San Jacinto Day, complete with uniforms and displays of our own.

Lisa, Vali, Jana and Annette ready to get started!

Vali, Lisa, Robert and Jana with the Opportunity Quilt

There we many participants at this event… reenactors, living history, heritage societies, vendors and more… here are pictures of some of them.

Santa Ana’s Tent (food trucks in the background)

March 2026 Newsletter

In addition to all of the usual amazing content this issue of The Harriet Lane contains the biography of Captain Edwin N. Ketchum, 176^th New York Volunteer Infantry.

Captain Edwin N. Ketchum’s life was colorful and action-packed – born at sea, Civil War soldier, Indian scout, cattle herder, Chief of Police, businessman, U.S. Customs Examiner, Grand Army of the Republic officer, survivor of the 1900 Galveston Hurricane, and long-time owner of Menard House, the oldest surviving residence in Galveston.

Kudos to Brothers Michael Lance and Terry Sutton for all their great research and for this story that will give you a real taste of what life was like for a GAR member in Southeast Texas.

CLICK HERE to read all about it.

Happy reading and Huzzah!

The Unionist – February, 2026

CLICK HERE to read about all of the latest Department of Texas and Louisiana happenings in the current issue of our newsletter, The Unionist.

National Encampment 2026 Hotel Reservations

National Encampment in Gettysburg (July 30 – Aug 2) is the one you do not want to miss! Word is that a very strong turnout is expected so now is not too soon to start making plans.

CLICK HERE for the hotel reservations page on the National website. THIS LINK will take you to the main information page.

Who is planning to go? Who is thinking about going? Let us know in the comments.

Here is a cool video from the 2025 Houston Encampment. It is not too long . . . see if you recognize anyone!

Galveston 2026

It was a spectacular day in Galveston on January 3, sunny but not too hot and just enough breeze to unfurl the flags, which made for some quality photo and video opportunities. Here is a nice group photo, a gallery with lots of pictures, plus a video at the end. All of the best and some of the rest.

Great day. Great event. Huzzah!

Commander in Chief Kevin Tucker, Department of TX and LA Camps 1, 2 & 18, ASUVCW, DUVCW, MOLLUS, DOLLUS, SVR, Texas Rifles, Harmony Lodge No. 6 and SCV Camp 2182 join forces for the 2026 Battle of Galveston Commemoration Ceremony.

Auxiliary President Vali Reyes Places a Rose at the Grave

Chaplain Dick Gray of Harmony Lodge No 6 and Department Chaplain Stephen Schulze PDC

CinC Kevin Tucker and the Ladies of Auxiliary #1

Dept SVC Vander Meulen and Jason Hoffman with CinC Tucker

Michael Lance PDC and CC Daniel Pourreau

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December 2025 Newsletter

CLICK HERE to read the latest issue of The Harriet Lane.

Did you know that the Harriet Lane is still on patrol? Yes, the modern-day version, U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane, was commissioned in 1984 and sails the high seas from her home port in Honolulu, Hawai’i. Click here for the full story on Wikipedia.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

It will be hard to top our amazingly successful 2025 campaign but we are going to give it our best shot starting this Saturday, January 3, at the 32^nd annual Battle of Galveston Commemoration Ceremony. Setup starts at 8:30 and the ceremony begins promptly at 10:00 AM.

This year we are very happy to welcome SUVCW Commander in Chief Kevin Tucker, who will join us in the ceremony and conduct the installation of Camp 2 officers at our meeting immediately following the ceremony.

Click HERE for a map to Trinity Episcopal Cemetery.

We look forward to seeing you in Galveston!

Crown Hill Cemetery Veteran’s Day Celebration

Veteran’s Day week kicked off on Saturday, November 8, 2025 at historic Crown Hill Cemetery in Pasadena, TX. Many veterans are buried at Crown Hill including 2 Union veterans of the Civil War. The cemetery recently acquired and installed permanent headstones for these 2 veterans, 2LT Milton H. Lakin of Co. H, 97th OH Infantry and PVT Horace C. Plumb of Co. A 95th IL Infantry, which previously had only temporary markers. We were honored to be invited to the event by association President Mike Murphey and to participate in the dedication of the headstones. Brother Michael Lance, PDC was the Grave Guard and fired a 3-round Honor Guard volley with Brother Daniel Pourreau, CC acting as Captain of the Guard. Brothers Richard Carson and Robert Riley also represented Camp 2.

Opening Ceremonies

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Opening Ceremonies

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