The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-11-06

THE society of the Army of the Tennessee
had its origin in meeting of officers held In
Raleigh on the l4th of April, 1865, for the pur-
pose of forming permanent organization. At
that meeting, which was attended by nearly
forty officers, a committee of five was appoint
ed to draft plan of organization to be sub
mitted at a future meeting. A few days later
another meeting was held, when General John
A. Rawlins was elected president OF the socl-
ETY., Major l.. NJ. Dayton secretary, and other
officers were chosen.-Journal.
The Sentinel has an idea that the officers
Of the Army of the Tennessee did not save
the Union; that they did not do the fighting;
they did not gain the victories, and the Sem
tinel regards 1t as passing strange that private
soldiers are not members OF the Society of
the Army of the Tennessee" The Journal
says that nearly forty officers" attended
the first meeting, when the society was or
ganized at Raleigh. Is it not strange that
no private soldier was thought worthy
OF membership? Was the society or
ganized as sort Of an aristocratic
association in which no ''plebeisn boy
lin blue could enter? The Sentinel Is
for bestowing honor upon whom honor is
due--not to the officers only, But to the sol
diers who risked all and In thousands OF In
stances lost all. The survivors are men,
gallant men, heroes of the most exalted type
but their names are not enrolled on the list
of members of the Society of the Army of
the Tennessee" Why? Win the Journal
answer? Come, you low, dirty lickspittle of
power; YOU crawling sycophant beneath the
shadow of epaule.s tell the people why
private soldiers who did the fighting in all
OF the battles in which the Army OF the
Tennessee was engaged are not included in
the membership of the Society of the Army
of the TENNESSEE" The Sentinel brought
the private soldier into conspicususness.
1t bound upon his brow the victor wreath;
IL honored him without whose services,
daring and courage, sacrifices and death, no
such an organization as the Society of the
Army OF the Tennessee" could have had an
existence. The Journal tries to criticise our
comments, and to bring the Sentinel into
discredit by saying that it insults the
Society of the Army Of the Tennessee" Ii
said:
editorial on the "Society OF the Army of the
Tennessee" I'm which the members were re-
and brass buttons may now stand aside; :; that
Gin this country we want no standing
armies;' that there should be- an end OF "the
glare amidst which military nabobs seek to
arrogate to themselves all the glory and to
perpetuate their renown;" that "the people
| have a sovereign contempt for set OF timer
ating military chieftains who are constantly
seeking for methods to override the civil au-
thority OF the country" that Titled chief
| tains, epauleted aristocrais and military
| sinecurists not the custodiaDs of the peo-
| pies liberties" etc. All this was intended as
an insult TO the former officers of that gallant
army who come together once n year To renew
/ old friendships aud talk over their experience
| during war times, which In the lapse OF years
| have become "auld lang syne."
But the Sentinel said more, and 1t stands