and this afforded the basis for yet more persistent
appeals to the public. An act of incorporation was procured from the
legislature, by which the control of the institution was placed in the
hands of the Grand Army, by the selection of a majority of the trustees
from this organization. With the small amount of money secured, a
beginning was made by the purchase of the property now used as a Home,
and on the eighth day of June, 1881, the dedicatory exercises were held,
and the Home opened July 25 of the following year. Already, however, a
movement had been inaugurated for a grand bazaar in December, at the
Mechanics' Building in Boston. Gen. Sargent, who had been chosen
President of the Board of Trustees, which position he filled until his
removal from the state, succeeded in interesting a large number of the
leading citizens of the state, and was fortunate in calling to his aid
as chief marshal, Col. A. A. Rand, to whose admirable organizing powers
much of the success of the bazaar was due. The women, always loyal to
the veterans, went enthusiastically into the work, the posts joined
heartily, and the general public responded liberally, and at the end
nearly fifty thousand dollars was turned over to the Treasurer of the
Home, which, with the addition of $10,000, the munificent gift of Capt.
J. B. Thomas, enabled the managers to pay the balance of the purchase
money upon the property, and largely increase the number of inmates. For
more than five years past, the deserving applicants have been in excess
of the capacity of the Home, and there was also an imperative necessity
for enlarged hospital accommodations.

In 1884, therefore, steps were initiated for the Carnival, held in
Boston in February, 1885. By another bit of good fortune, Col. A. C.
Wellington was secured as chief marshal, and again success crowned the
effort, over sixty thousand dollars being realized as the net result.
The legislature makes an annual appropriation of $15,000 towards the
support of the Home, which now contains one hundred and ten inmates, to
be increased about thirty upon the completion of the new hospital
building.

Since the institution of the Grand Army in Massachusetts, its commanders
have been as follows:--

1866, provisional, Chas. Devens, A. S. Cushman; 1867, A. S. Cushman;
1868, A. B. R. Sprague; 1869, Francis A. Osborne; 1870, James L. Bates;
1871, William Cogswell; 1872, Henry R. Sibley; 1873, A. B. Underwood;
1874, J. W. Kimba