The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-12
THE GRAND ARMY.
Its First Organization and Its Subsequent
History.

Its First Organization and Its Subsequent
History.
Pittsburg Dispatch.
In Connection with the organization of the
Grand Army there is bit of history not gen
orally known, and it is romantic as it is inter
esting Whether a thorough investigation of
the facts will bear it out remains to be seen, but
it is not at all probable that good soldiers as
those whose names are connected with 1t would
set up false claims, knowing they must be found
out
The story of the organization, as told by
Captain Alexander Compiler Company D., 10lst
Pennsylvania Volunteers, may not be new to
all. vet but few have heard it as he tells it.
Captain Compiler and his company were taken
prisoners at Plymouth, n. c., April 2, 1864 and
removed to Andersonville. where the prlvates
placed in the stockades aud the officers
sent to Macon, Ga and placed in Camp Ogle-
thorpe, a stockade which had just been finished
The fall of Atlanta neeessitated their removal
from there and they were shifted from place to
place until they landed at Columbia S c.
While on the march from the depot to the
camp at Columbia, Captain H. s, Benner of the
l0lst Regiment, secured the recognition
of two fellow Masons. who slipped him
pair of shoes and some provisions. The shoes
being too small for him he gave them to Captain
Compiler who in turn sold them for 500 con
federate money. With this money he bought an
AK and not an extra one either, but as good as
could be got for that amount of money.
The first thing that he did with the ak to
slip out on two separate nights and kill blood
hound each time thus making escape that much
easier. After the dogs were killed the prisoners
were taken out to the Insane Asylum. 1t was
here that Captain McI<age, assisted by two other
prisoners, composed the song, Sherman March
to the Sea" A Miss Blount of Columbia. kept
the prisoners posted as to Sherman's movements,
but the first that was known of his arrival at
Columbia was an order to run the prisoners to
Charlotte, n. c., without delay.
While camping in cotton field, Capt Com
ali hxra Gunal
maple tree with his $50 AK. Sitting the
stump he called a number of men around him
by yelling fresh fish" When the tumult
caused by the false alarm of fresh fish had died
down. he proposed that they formed the organ
ization of the old soldiers they had been talking
about during their captivity.
Capt Compiler made chairman of the
meeting and Major ID. W. Mullin, of the 10lst
Regiment, and now resident OF Bedford, was
secretary. A committee prepared a constItu-
tion substantially the same that of the G. A.
r., which was signed by all the soldiers present,
there being representatives from every State in
the Union except South Carolina. The paper
signed In the latter part of February, 1860.
They held regular meetings until the close of
the war, by which time they had perfected
the organization that every member was pre-
pared to establish a lodge wherever he went.
In the fall of 1861 Capt. Compiler went to
Blair county, where, with Capt. Mczage and
Capt Bluff, meeting was arranged. About
fifty soldiers present all of whom joined
the association, which then called the
Grand Army of the Republic.
Captain Alex. Compiler is nova resident of
Nebraska, having moved there from Bedford
some time after the war. This interesting sketch
of the formation of the G. A. r given at
meeting of ex-prsoners of war, held at Bedford
last spring. which was attended by Captain
Compiler and others who figured in the organi
cation of the order which now includes in its
membership large majority of the soldiers of
the late war. There are posts in every State of
the Union and in almost every town or city.
Throughout the North pests are scattered
through the country districts as we'll as in the
towns.
Shortly after the G. A. R. got under full head
way politicians took hand in running it, and it
was only short time until it was run into the
ground Ohio had been thoroughly organized,
but one campaign, in which the posts were per-
mitted to turn out ca political parades. broke up
the whole thing, there not being more than two
posts left in the State.
The wreck was not so complete in this State,
some posts in Philadelphia and Post g. of this
city, holding on against all opposition 1t was
several years possibly not until 1875 or &c, that
the organization began to show much life, even
in this State but when the reaction came. and
it was fully understood that politics had been
entirely abolished from the order, a regular
boom was inaugurated New Osts were char
tered and old ones recruited until now there are
but few soldiers whose names do not appear on
the rolls.
Ohiocaught the fever from this State, and now
there are active thriving posts in every county
and town, almost, in the State. The Western
States are well organized, but they have not
been SO closely eanvassed as the Eastern States.
The question is often asked What does the
Grand Army dor 1t does great DEAL but it is
done quietly and without flourish of trumpets.
Its sick and needy are cared for, its dead are
buried the widows and orphans of the soldiers
are looked after, the soldiers orphans schools
carefully supervised and homes and positions
provided for those who finish their term in the
schools
The details of the work do not concern the
general public, therefore it is not bulletined.
Consequently the general public is curious to
know what the &. A. Il. is fit for anyway. 1t is
a close corporation, so to speak no one being
eligible as a member except he be an honorably
discharged soldier, The President of the United
States cannot be a member unless he has an
honorable discharge from the army. There are
no honorary members