, 1870-01-31
GRAND ARMY or THE REPUBLIC,
Address Of the Adlutnnt GEN
eral OF the Department
O1 Illinois.

History Of the Organization of the
g. A. 3, and What it Has
Accomplished
Tne following sddrtss WAY embodied III the
annual report Of tho Adjutxnt General OF tae
Affand Army Of the Repoonc, Department Of ILL.
eots, snd delivered bJ Genefsl T. II. Thouptoo,
at the recent g. A. B. Convention. he'd u 8 ssr7nr.
htld. The address II ooe that v11l be w1dey read,
not only By members of the Grand Axny organic
alton. but by III who participated In our late c,y1l
Vlr Il Stts forth he hi4torg Of the organIz .tIoo
q re Gtaad Army q tae Repa bic, aud s,a.es ia
So,se,s S01,op 10 a. e9ah saa really v&ua9is contri
ooAst1Es: The GRAD Army Of tne Republic
Has ort&tn1tly .parsused IN 1iliuo'A The honor OF
betnR IT. ioutdt1 belongs 10 b F. S'erloao3
bufretn q the Folfieenth I'LL nuls lufanIry.
From It's introduction doAn 10 tho present tins
~ .pIssa hss psen fspid qntil It's orgaa;zaton
Of the sontnera ststss, E.tln!lsaed Hltn no
mMttalJ enc N view, Ii invited both ot1cen and
q eS%e II nR9R n.osa foonx
tioctloDa OF rsEk have beea abel,shed. There sre
70 Geucrssa tnefe The uue Of com.ads ID b.
sst ssoMed sake np3n @ ~: The 9. 4. r. has nesee
feeling civil rar inevitably produces. Faithfully
hA2 the great ieader Whose voica OF cheer cane
sauona Calamity, and Whose about Of mai ,1c. s.
iory ecooed from The AppouAtsox Throughout
the land, t1pfe14ed the dsqoateIt aspiration OF
ihas ne,yea u TO seuon wasn Rs ae
the memorable Word4, "Let NJ have peace"
This VAS atWaTs what tpe solder fougn / for
On Ill h!s e1otn and kac1l1ceA There Nal no
peace IN dtsislon. Is eecun.y and perm.n.uce
III s.,,es ana Of f1s
became IL The peaceful bond tnAt jolrs tue ~.
tion. hands. and makes an e1t're peop1eb hopes
ard destiny concentrate INTO one complete wno.e
TINS i rot al ORGANIZATION Of parttsau OF
political character nor can 1t ever became the ap-
stnAe; YET, schooIed ~ AL OF Us hsve been By 70
many SD anu bitter letaons taught hY tue late re-
nelllon, lessons tnas the nrea Of dea,o blazing al
abose u. haze stamped into neals and
aia n e,s' e7s. 0ns Ii it, foe MAO e tiss aaa
,9 Mnsn Ind
when The thupder1 Of o1tue no more sounded
deadlI Summons to r.arch TO dea+h OF ylcuoty.
# Of ,ss sa dee.Ssf Of ~ uaoa
through Nese desthless and be5ond pnce and,
noohett. taank GOD. amongst Cur nnInoeI, 1as
enduring ties tested, proved. ant csuen;ed by
yeaIs = o. tnM atd danger. Our hearts dtd rot ior-
81 ne ae59a sss s9a nsoS derooa Ss
aud honorable. though torn hI sno: aud aae1 I'd
Bsafntd with dnst and gore To turn blck upon
LIZ k1iy VI kA43 AAtQl1C EkSt WAY 70 lG&QIGf&lf
lnfow away The mott precious ueasore OF oar
comra1es: We al know and feel ,tas to recall
ard revive tue scenes thse demanded Aod INSPIRED
courHQo aud eei-1cu!si u to glor.ty our co 1mon
tal1y lut. and give 10 "a higher p1rpose,-
Iesolate WI fos prompt md :teady pstioruaace
! OF cur duties a. men and citt1.nA d. wc not
peed 70 be nopcful7 The peslls We hare escaped.
The dangcrs 70 haye dared, op: no logger dres1.
| 10 Rink more kindly and lovingly OF al meu :
| VIC shall do 80 Il We but recall how uobiy men
cast In rough mould aud made Of COMMON clAy,
| eitai, and On the march. 11Ehau = mut1u1. VINO
| can ever forget how the sunset gio~ Of mAr:yt-
don II Up I'm IadAnce !.t1s soue sTas:aJ, sonely
| aver TIE hAd revealed To nttug ourselves into
cToeer communion WITH the toll had wesrtueas OF
q. A. nothing else can. the eoat Of uniaa and
TAN, tnep, .s The Central sentiment Of our faith
| and hope. We cann1t-Ee woald not II We could
-caAt Aide, with our solled unlfosms tho icsptrs.
| ton that maze " better and stronger men, and
taught us To love honor ana t1ty.
| Nor viii We forget to tendafly cherish aud can
| MfmorAte with lorlcK teco.lecnou the thouRaa
| that h1l1nw and the efememorancts1hakc consectstt
the tnne,in9s and death Of tie fallen VINO cAut
rot back vita Us 10 enjoy the triumph the5 atsug
| gled 30 esfneatly 10 ensure,
il hoped that every post viii EehHa the rlts
which Ii specially degoted TO the recital Of Inct
! dentA OF tho war so0lce OF astrac'foa AMI con
uuuous tnteres'. Al least four brief writ IN noa
| VI bAlllo EtEut 4QHt A{Au&pAE4 A44|uS III
var, ard has left lasauz impression, should b
Ic1d at every meeting, then carefully htrd AVA
for preservation and future reierauck 10 th
Is nsrrassd = sad simply and traIy, vlthoat a.
Brtef1 tel TIC ,a,es OF individual herolsm an'
self-denlal, and leave the great Issues sod result
Of The nr for cshera to diacusA There ts NOR
| to ret our hearts IN glow, And tnsts thetn Tst1
uoeIs ae e Efessly aoae tnsn 10 al S' III eosasn
| ard patE1onhte decl1mAtlona about freedom an
lta worth and cost that wctc ever uttered. Be
ouf ta.k not 10 Wr1to t4s2ys or eo'ogtes. but
tstthfully pEeeer.a tnas saor aud devot1on tn at
. | worth mora than all the criticisms aud ea!ogte
widen ihe Interest aud extend tho fno 1ladEs
, thesc remembratcee tnat thc posts aecns;ol
: themselves to exchange with each otnet, oy COP
, | deemed worthy Of extended circulation. 1t woal
: I be q strong incentive TO encourage and tucres.
! pnwNssen history Il sae VIZ. It tui1 couyeasio
! | should inlt1atc measured to hAFc vo:una p.
: pared and Published 0ndsr the ansplces Of II
! department. to be 1l!cd with selections from taea
= psp.T5, Its pages to bo especially deso:ed 10
!: | ht!et account at tua4o Of he rank aud nle Wn
= persisted 10 the hospital, pr.son, Q. o. tue uso.
y GfsIdes the p1fpoiE TO pefpttu&ta aud zee
. xlxe cnupsntnu4htp auaonRat the common chat
= pops Of triumphant csuse and the dastrc 70 no
. periods 10 sollitr'a csseer that history has !
Epace to record, there exlased at tho close OF Il
!: Wnr Al Immediate aud pressing necessity for SGT
= diers for The relief Of thetr distressed comrads
y ara theu Widows and aEehanA
: II Wa not possible that soldiers alone. shon
:, feed cIoIne and tate care Of ALL CT ev0n tne %.
= ter par, OF those Who required help Nor old
- | EcLerous public ask or expect this. Tne pte:i
potsson sought 70 es oesupsa o5 Sae q, a. ~ y
= the distressed and those Nho dlsposet 70 Il,
y inst on!y those who deaetEed II might receive
y feel toas 1t Is night and good to give, tha: y
& will transmit 70 Us 1netf Donations, and II Will
ent privilege ana pleasuts 70 gee I'M; soca con-