The National tribune., 1885-10-15
ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE
Plain Words from n COmrade Critcising It's Ex-
cnsiyenesS.

To THE EDITOR: The exclusive and selfish
character of the Society of the Army of the
Tennessee has long been matter of surprise
and profound regret to the rank and file of
that splendid army The history of the late
war is resplendent with the achievements and
glory of the Army of the Tennessee. 1t is a
grand history of grand army, in which the
rank and file have q common interest with Its
officers; a history which would never have
been made but for the rank and fle-the men
who have been so ungraciOusly snubbed by
denial of membership in the society bearing
that name.
What was the purpose of that organization
If it was intended by its Originators as a sort of
mutual admiration society" especially for
the officers of the Army of the Tennessee, and
to maintain and perpetuate the official aris-
tocracy of which we saw so much in the SER
vice, | do not think there is an enlisted man
of that splendid army who would desire or ac-
| cept membership in the society upon any con-
ditiOn. Ii, upon the other hand, the purpose
| of the organization is to commemorate the
| brilliant achievements of that army from Fort
| DonelsOn to the sea, and to strengthen the
| bonds of fraternity that unite or should unite
us, then the rank and file not only desire but
| think they are in justice entitled to member
| ship in it. However, the officers who organ
! lied the society have placed this ban upon US,
| and we have nothing to do, but submit.
l think this is the only organization of the
kind in the country-certainly the only one
within my knowledge-n which the enlisted
man is not welcome. We meet the officers
of the Army of the Tennessee in the Post
| rooms and in the Department and Ma
ti0nal councils of the Grand Army of the Re-
| public on the broad platform of equality, be-
| cause Fraternity, without regard to former
| rank, is the broad foundation stone upon
which our Order rests" But when we approach
lie Af hn
| Tennessee" we are commanded to stand aside
that rank is the only passport there. do
not believe, however, that all of its members
approve its eXclusivencss In the judgment OF
Charity | am convinced that there are many
members of that society who deeply regret this
injustice to their comrades of the rank and
file of our gallant army. No doubt there are
many others who think the arrangement emf
nently right and proper; that the distinction
between officers and men should be forever
maintained; they believe, and will take theil
sacrament on it, that those who wore the in
sigma of rank represented all the culture and
brains, while the rank and file made up the
Drawn and muscle of the army. There are
such souls for | have met them.
| These self-suficient gentlemen forget, if they
| ever knew, that there were hundreds of men IL
the ranks carrying muskets and knapSacks, wh(
were rs capable, by natural endowment and by
education, to command reg ments, brigades anC
| DIVISIONS as any OF Gnelr SuperiOTS WHO ulC
command All that they lacked were the com
missions and the opportunities. Many enlisted
as common soldiers from choice, who would have
graced high positions. Others entered the rank:
in tender youth, too young to dream of amb
ton. They all entered the service to do battle
for their country, actuated solely and purely by
patriotic motives, and not to get office and OBJ
tain the pay aud allowance incident thereto
And for this they are met at the threshold o.
the Society of the Army of the Tennessee,
and told that they cannot enter; the portals are
closed in their faces.
If this society had called itself Society Of
the officers of the Army Of the Tennessee" the
enlisted men would have no cause or DISPOSE
ton to complain. But when they christen il
1.-THE Society of the Army of the Tennessee
and then debar from it a great ma jority of the
men who composed that army, their grievance
is obvious.
Comrades of the Army of the Tennessee
what say you to the organization of a society
of the rank and file of the Army of the Tennes
see? For years l have thought that this should
be done, but have not, until now, taken occa
sion to give public expression to that opinion
1t occurs to me that q convention for the pur
pose of organization might be called at Cleve
land, Cincinnati, indianapolis, Chicago, or some
other accessible city in the West, at some date
in the near future l should be pleased to cor
respond with any of my comrades of the Army
of the Tennessee upon this subject. Let US moi
only agitate, but act.-JOHN w. Fry, Co. II
AID Ohio, Ashland, o.