The National tribune., 1883-11-01
THE cHIcKAMAUGA FUND.
Who VIII Care for aenersi Steedman's Helpless
Little Family Noy7s

Who VIII Care for General Steedman's Helpless
Little Family Nowi
The Ohio papers are leading of in the mat
ter of a relief fund for the benefit of the family
of the late General james B. Steedman, Of
Toledo and the comrades of that city and other
leading citizens have appointed a board of
trustees TO receive all contributions and expend
the same for the object intended.
On the evening OF the oath ult. meeting Of
the comrades of Forsyth Post, Toledo was held,
when it was resolved that Department Com
mandcr Clarke be asked to call upon the Posts
of Ohio to contribute ten cents per capita to
erect a monument TO their old Commander.
Forsyth Post viii pay the half of the funeral
expenses, sharing with the police. of which
General Steedmau at the time of his death was
chief. So much for the monument and present
expenses. At the same meeting it was resolved
to lead off IN the matter of relief fund for the
Generals little chld-wife, left with three little
children, ali under five years, and two young
grandchildren. Several of the secular papers
of Ohio have on their own motion already
moved OF IN the matter, including the Toledo
Bee and Cleveland Penny Press, while the Toledo
BEGde gives It's hearty sanction to the move
ment
It is peculiarly fitting that the memory Of
"0ld ChickamaGga,n as the great volunteer
soldier was familiarly and aigectionately called,
should be thus honored, and that his widow
and children should receive from his old COM
rades IN arms that protection alS o0-e he so
steadily advocated as the right Of those of his
comrades who dropped from the ranks before
him.
General Steedman vas emphatieally the sx-
ponent aud defender Of the volunteer soldier
and was himself the embodiment Of the unseI-
fish spirit of devotion to home and country
which animated the men who fought in the
ranks. He was their leader in war, their ad-
vOcate in peace. lie was one Of the very first
to enlist to fight the battles of his country and
make Tor it an imperishable memory upon
many a bard fought battlefield, and one of the
first TO enroll his name comrade of the
| Grand army Of the Republic and institute as
| strong fight for the rights of veterans before
| legislators and conventions as he ever did
! against the enemy in the field. His whole life
was a marked exempliication of the objects Of
| the Order as set forth in Rules and Regula-
| tions:
/. To preserve and strengthen those kind and
frateral feelings which bird together the soldiers,
sailors and marines who united 20 suppress the late
rebellion, and 10 perpetuase the memory and his
| q To s.ssist such former comrades in arms SIS
1 need help and protection. and to extend nsedful
aid TO the widows aid orphans OF those wko have
fallen
3. TO maintain tine allegiance 10 the United
States of america, based upon paramount respect
for and fidelity the National Constitution and
laws; 20 discountenance y laaever tends to weaken
loyalty, iHeltes to lnSurTeetlon. treason rebel
i lion iTnpaIFS the efficiency and
permaneney of our free institutions, and 70 eneour-
/ age the spread of universal liberty, equal rights
and Justice 70 all men,
| GENERAL sTEEDsGAS's FIRST ORDER.
General Steedman's first Circular Order, upon
| taking command OF the Department OF Ohio in
1879, sets forth in characters that glow with
| Fraternity. Charity and Loyalty, the animal
| ing spirit of his life:
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMESr OF OHro
GRAND Army OF THE REPUBLIC.
! TOLEDO. OHIO, May, 10, 1879.
oircula- Order, No. IT,
| To the Veteran Soldiers and Sailors and the Pa
triotie Women OF Ohio
The times are ripe for the perfection of the Grand
Army OF tie Republic. Not military organiza-
tion not political machine but unified solidi-
fed federation OF veterans, whose patriotism and
faith moved the armies and navies OF the Union.
! and secured to the United States mighty future
among the powers of the earth; federation of
veterans strengthened by conflict. tried by defeat,
baptised III blood, eonsecrated by tears, and gori-
fed by the immortal radiance OF that victory that
| crowns the battaons of universal liberty.
| Fraternity, Charity and LOyalty-to these the
| Grand Army of The Republic IS eonsecrated. Let
every hono-ably discharged veteran Of the United
States Army and Navy come and take his place IN
! the ranks.
Come forward, coFnradesi
To clasp the fraternai hand around the camp
70 minister to the needy and destitute couradc.
To help the widows and orphans of those who
fell beside you the field of battle.
To gather up the fragments of personal hero
isIn which fast going down with the soldiers
coffin.
| Every day the ranks are thinning every day the
SOLEMN kueIIs are sounded of some eonlrade borne
to his long resting place, OF one mo:s unmarked,
unnumbered grave.
Comrades come forward
For the sake of the living, FOR, the sake OF the
dead, for the SONS who are coming 10 mans estate
for the generations yet unborn, that the patriots
love and patriots pride may How from Us ike a
river, to bless and benefit this whole bread land Of
ours
Let the patriotic women come forward to Or
ganze for works of charity and love. as they did
when their husbands and sons and brothers We're
following the old flag To the front.
Toledo has already her Forsyth Post Ladies So
cety, doing faithful and efficient service for the
| right arm of the Grand Army, as the Soldiers Aid
Society and the Sanitary Commission, moved by
the women of the North. were TO the 6overaInen.
Come forward one and all, and organize Posts
of the Grand Army Of the Republic, for the per-
petuation and preservation OF all that was glorious
| IN and excellent IN peace.
| All Posts of the e. A. T., the press, veterans,
patriotic ladies in every city and county through
out the State, requested to give this order At
(OficiaD JAMES B. SrEEpMAS,
Department Commander.
> Assistant Adjutaat- General.
It was upon the Issuance of this notable order
that the @. A. R. in Ohio began to take Its
booming and the women of the West to engage
SO generally in the charitable work of the
OTuer We nave before US the proceedings
taken from the Toledo BLgGe of the twelfth
anniversary Of Forsyth Post, held some fouI
years since, when poem was recited IN which
Steedman was named as one Of the heroes
The account says:
At the aIlusion to General Steedmans eorn.ng ur
at Chickanauga, the fair reader was obliged "a
pause until the cheers had died away, only to hear
them rush back again as q huge wave. Then three
times the hufrahs repeated only to be salts
fed by I" Old Chickamauga rising from the plat
form and bowling his acknowledgements.
This but indicates the enthusiasm in veteran
circles that always bubbled up and boiled over
at the mention of Steedman's name and the es-
TEEN and reverence in which he was held. The
same paper says.
General Steedinan was called on and In q neat
mission of the Grand Army OF the Republic and its
beneticeDt work among the survivors OF the grea'
! civil war. AS one by one our comrades drop out
the general stlid the silver chord that binds the
charmed circle should be drawn all the more
closely. The kindly Offices OF the society should
be extended all the freely to peacefully close
the eyes OF the old soldiers after wars rude alarm
Of bis lonely widow. to help train ap to usefulness
and independence that soldiers orphan child. II
had been charged the speaker continued, that this
was political nstitlIloa. " ltateyer II might once
have been, he was sure Mere was politics
nothing bat patriotism and kindly feeling in the
Grand Array Of the Republic.
THE GENERALS FAMILY.
When oomrade such as this drops from the
ranks the duty of those he leaves behind groWi
very plain. Less than five years ago General