Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1886-03-13
WHAT THE &. A. r. Is.

why 1t Is. humanity at large is Gu
rious to learn, and prone to manufac-
ture causes and reasons, however ig-
norant of facts they may be.
The G. A. r. is a vast society, COM
posed of veteran soldiers of the Union
armies and their symPaihixers.- To
be more explicit, it consists of the So
cietics of the Armies of the Potomac,
Ohio, Tennessee, Cumberland, and
those of the Gulf; also the Soldiers
and Sailors Memorial Association, the
Legion of Honor, and the Woman's
Relief Corps.
The fundamental and governing
principle is symbolized by the letters
F. @. L., which emblem Fraternity,
Charity, and Loyalty. The organi-
cation numbers to-day 100000, and
extends, unbroken aud harmonious,
throughout the limits of the United
States. Wherever the "stars and
stripes" floats in token Of sovereignty,
there the members of these societies,
all blended into the G. A. R., live
and flourish. A grand whole, COM
posed of many particles, distinct like
the pillows, yet one like the sea.
More than this. Throughout the
entire South-that portion of the
United States once known as the
Southern Confederacy-the societies
Of Southern soldiers (who also have
their veteran organizations), are rap,
idly assimilatlng and uniting with
those OF the Northern soldiers.
If the TINES mistake not, in all
these societies there is one requisite
in common. That is, that a member
must have an honorable military rec.
ord. No deserter need apply, for he
who deserts his flag, and runs away
from the principle it symbolizes, can
never and will never have the senti-
ments of fraternity, Charity, and 10y.
atty. We thus see what the G. A. r.
is.
But men and women, especially
those of the generation just stepping
upon the theater of life, who happen
not to have the means of information
the soldiers children have. ask: "Why
is this thing kept up? The war is
over; the guns are silent and rusty;
the arsenals are closed; the tents long
ago are struck and laid away, and the
soldier has put aside the fierce way Of
war for the mild manner Of peace
Why keep up this reminder Of strif.
and blood, of misery and desolation?'
The answer is, that the G. A. r. il
no reminder of war. 1t is a blessed
symbol of peace. 1t is the rainbow
promise of no more war, no more sui
fering, no more section, no more fra
ternal strife.
Those 100000 veterans gathe
around their scamp fires" and tell
not in anger, the stories of the older
times. Of march, bivouac, and cam
song. OF battle-calls and bugle
blasts. OF long.rel and line forma
ton. OF skirmish aud deadly fight
They repeat the story OF the desper
ate charge; the shout of victory anc
the triumph of their comrades. The,
tell, too, of the dark days, whel
doubt came following fast upon dis
aster. When the "hurrah" Of tn
morning was changed, at evening, t
groans and cries for "water". The
tell again the story OF crawling, in tn
misty, struggling moonlight, or tn
more lonely darkness. to bring O
some mangled friend, or bury som
martyred hero.
They exchange, with generous EN-
uiation, stories of the exploits of dis
tinct military organizations. The
repeat the memories of capture and G
prison life, where, inch by inch, the
fellow men died from disease. or yielc
ed to the horrors of white"lippsd fam
inc.
They recall the purposes OF the wa
They remind each other and their des
of the fruits of the war, an,
.ering inspiration from tho.