The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-06-22
NATIONAL DEPARTMENT G. A. r
A Sketch of it's Formation and His
tory.
Written for the PRESS by Past Commander
Chief General r r Peath

Written for the PRESS by Past Commander-in-
Chief General r. B. Beath.1
The Grand Army of the Republic was organized
o. Decatur, Illinois, April, 1866, by DIR. B. E.
Stephenson Of Springfield, who had served as Sur
geon 18th Illinois Infantry and at the close of the
war, returned to his practice in Springfield where
in February, 1860, he FIRST suggested the idea of
this organization, and made the draft of a Ritual.
The first Post was organized at Decatur Hi
nois, IN April, 1865, and Posts were thereafter
rapidly established throughout Illinois and in the
States Of Wisconsin, Indiana Ohio, Iowa and
Missouri
Department Convention was held at Spring
field, July 18th, 1865, and General John NJ
Palmer was elected Department Commander.
DR.. Stephenson, by general consent. assumed
charge of the organization Of Posts in ether States
and issued orders as Provisional COMMANDMENT
Chief
On October 31st, 1866 he issued call for
National Convention Of the G. A. r.. which was
held in Indianapolis, November goth, with repre-
sentatives present from illinois, Missouri Kan
sas, Wisconsin, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio.
Iowa, Kentucky, Indiana and the District of
Columbia.
General John M. Palmer Of Illinois, presided
General stephen A. Hurlfut Of Illinois, was elect
ed Oommander-n-Chief and DR.. Stephenson
Adjutant-Genera
This Encampment adopted a Declaration Of
Principles, reciting, among other things that the
Grand Army Of the Republic was organized to
maintain In civil life the principles for which if
stood in arms under the national flag; that it
stands pledged to crush OFT active treason and to
advance and support loyalty to the country and
its flag.
1t asked that the National and State legislatures
ID r., (. L..
of the orphans and widows Of their deceased com
rades, and to care for those who had been MANNED
and disabled in the service Of their country
They asked that as a matter Justice and right,
those in authority should give the preference to
needy and worthy soldiers and sailors for such
positions as they were competent to fill.
SECOND ENcAhLPMENT.@
The Second National Encapment was held in
Independence Hall, Philadelphia January 18th.
1868. Twenty-one departments were represent
ed. One of the first resolutions adopted was that
the military rank of members should he omitted
in the reports and that all should be designated as
comrades. Additions were made ia the rules and
regulations and to the ritual Gen John A. Io-
gan was elected Commander-in-Chief, Gen Joshua
1. Owen of Pa. Senior Vice, and Gen. Joseph r.
Hawley of Conn. Junior Vice. n. P Chapman of
Washington was appointed AdiGtant General and
headquarters were established in that city where
they remained for three years. On My s. 1868.
Gen. Logan issued an order for the observance of
May Both in each year as a Memorial Day. for the
purpose of decorating the graves Of comrades
who had died in defense Of their country during
the late rebellion. This was Incorporated in the
rules and regulations Of the Order in the year fol
lowing aad the observance Of May 3oth for this
purpose las become more general throughout the
country. each year since.
THIRD ENCAMPMRNT.
The Third cncsmpment was held in Cincinnati,
May 18th, 1869 and Gen, Logan was reelected
Commander-H-Chief. Gen. Lucius Fairchild of
Wisconsin, was elected Senior Vice and Gen.
Hawley was reelected Junior Vice. The most
important action Of this encampment was the
adoption of new code of rules and regulations
embodying s system of degrees or grades, which
remained in operation only two years, as it proved
very unsatisfactory.