A while ago I was rereading a book that had a little mention of Camp Cameron. It mentioned that the flagstaff at Camp Cameron was taken to Arlington Massachusetts after the camp closed. It was erected on the cornor of Pleasant St. and Massachusetts Ave. At a town meeting on April 7, 1867 the town agreed to take the flagstaff. It was moved to Russell Park. At some point the staff was taken down and replaced with a new one. Former Selectman James A. Bailey donated the gilded ball that sat atop the staff to the Arlington G.A.R. Hall. (2) He was a Sgt. in CO. E of the Mass 5th Infantry. He was also a member of the Arlington G.A.R. and unless he was recruited as a replacement for the 5th late in the life of Camp Cameron he did not go through the camp.(3)
I Emailed the Arlington Historical Society. I included the page about the flag pole and asked if they knew what happened to the G.A.R. files and artifacts. After searching their records they did not have the ball but they did have a block of wood with two screws inserted into it. It came from the Camp Cameron flag pole!
The block is smooth, not weathered, no signs of any old paint. It is also squared off, not rounded like a pole. My guess is that when the original pole outlived its usefullness people, maybe veterans, came by and took keepsakes. The ball went to the G.A.R. Hall. At least this one other piece went elsewhere. One possible theory on the shape is it might have been cut into slices and then cut up like a cake. This piece has marks from two screw theads on its edge. It looks as if was cut, the screws inserted for display purposes and then they where unscrewed and cut again.
The AHS record show that the block was donated by Mrs. James Bailey Jr. in 1912 (4) I beleive this is the daughter in law of the man who donated the ball to the G.A.R. Hall. I do not believe it is a piece of the ball because the G.A.R. hall in Arlington did not close until 1934. (5) The gilded ball should have still been in the hall.
The timeing of the April 1867 by the town to take possesion of the Camp Cameron flagstaff is interesting. This is the same month that the town of West Cambridge voted to change its name to Arlington. I imagine the pole was used in the celebrations held in June. (6) The flagstaff was described as "huge" so it must have been very impressive. (7) It is possible that the ball may still be found. I have found photographs of a flag pole standing in Arlington that I believe is Camerons' and hope to find proof of it.
If one artifact has survived maybe others have too.
(1) The Arlington Historical Society collection, 912-3-2, Arlington, MA.
(2) Town of Arlington, Past and Present, Parker, Charles S., 1907, C. S. Parker & Son, Publisher, pg. 121
(3) Grand Army of the Republic Civil War Veterans Department of Massachusetts, 1866 to 1947, Sargent, A. Dean, Heritage Books, 2002, pg. 196
(4) The Arlington Historical Society collection, 912-3-2, Arlington, MA.
(5) Grand Army of the Republic Civil War Veterans Department of Massachusetts, 1866 to 1947, Sargent, A. Dean, Heritage Books, 2002, pg. 196
(6) Town of Arlington, Past and Present, Parker, Charles S., 1907, C. S. Parker & Son, Publisher, pg. 123-124
(7) Massachusetts Register #94, pg. 270
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