The National tribune., 1886-04-01
ORIGIN OF THE GAR.
Interesting Account Of the Growth of the Grea
Organization.

interesting Account Ot NtONtH VI the
Organization.
The following excellent account of the origin
of the organization which now numbers over
100000 members was read by Col. Jno. NJ. Sny-
der before the Post at Canton, H., at a recent
meeting:
CoPPERAs CREEK, ILL. Jan 2s 1856.
To the officers aud Members Of Joe Hooker Post No
%, Gal r., Canton IN.
COMRADES: have been frequently requested 10y
many comrades Of the Grand Army of the Repub'
lie and especially Capt Alfred A. North, of Ste
phen~on Post, Of Springfield, Ill, 40 make his
torical statement of the first organization of the
Grand Army of the Republic, and as the Depart
mcnt Of Illinois will soon have their annual meet
ing al Springfield. have taken time TO make the
following brief statement:
A; the close of the war in 1865, when the soldiers
had returned 10 their homes. the question of the
organization Of some order that would keep up
that fternal feeling tina; existed between all sol
ders, officers ana pTivales ahke, during tie war,
discussed at Springfield, Ill.
Mai. B. +. Stevenson. formerly Surgeon OF the
9Th H., Gen. Palmers oldreGimemt) was the most
active and enthusiastic advocate of the scheme. lie
is entitled think, 10 all the credit as the originator
of the Grand Army of the Republic
The ritual and the secret work of the Order was
planned and written by him. with the aid and as
sistance of Capt Robert NJ. Woods, now of Joliet,
ILL.,. Comrade Phelps, now of Chicago, and the
author of this article.
At Springfield we had the hearty and earnest CO.
operation of Gen. John NJ. Palmer, Gov. Ogiesby,
Capt. A. 4. North, Capt I'D. l.. Higgins, Gen &. Il.
Lippencoti, Gen. Jules c. Webber, and many others
that / canno; now recall to mind.
The first Post organized AT Springfield, H.,
md then the Order extended to Bloomington,
Chicago, Decatur, Peoria, Canton, and other cities
In the Safe. At Bloomington Gen. John McNulta,
Gen Giles A. Smith and Capt. John Bowett were
among those who first manifested prominent
interest in the organization. Al Chicago, the
writer instituted the first Pos; in the city, when Gen
u. J.. Mann, Gen. smith, Gen. Ihos. y. Osborn,
Capt. Thompson and Surg. Hunt were among the
charter members.
Among others in the State who took an earnest
m IN tlln (,er
ard ROwett, Capt. Thos. A. Boyd, Judge Pucr-
baugh. Col }. NJ. Beardscy, Gen. John McCon-
nel!, Col. John l. Rnakcr and many others equally
prominent that cannot now mention.
TbS oriGlnators never intended that the Order
should bc exclusive but that it should embrace
every soldier who had served in the army oi the
rebellion and lad an honorable discharge; and
this is to-day the only soldier organization that ad-
mits the rank and file alilethe corps organizations
being made up entirely of officers
MAJ stephenson was chosen the hrst Com
mander, and the work of organizing Posts in the
Stateot Illinois progressed rapidly and spread
tociher St2tcs,-lndlana, ONO and Pennsylvania -
and the first National EncampiHent of the Order was
held iE 1867, nj indianapolis. Ind, when Gen John
A. Logan, of Illinois, WAS chosen Grand Com
mander.
This meeting was attended by many of the most
prominent officers and soldiers of the four great
States, and among the number was Gen. A Hicken-
looper, OF Ohio, aud Gems. JOHN 4. Logan, John NJ.
Palmer, John McNulta, ]. ID. Morgan, William A.
Schmidt, NJ. NJ. Bane, Capt. Woods, Gems. o. L..
Mann, G. +. Lppencott, Il. j. Oglesby, Jules G..
Webbcr and Capt VIM. J. Rutedgc. This is a very
brief history of the carly organization of the Grand
Army.
The object OF the first organization was miscon-
sirued IN the West-it having been charged that it
was simply political organiZation-and many old
soldiers withdrew from its ranks for that reason,
and tic orGer progressed much more rapidly in
the East than in the West.
At "a National Encampment held in Philadelphia
the secret work was revised and Invested OF any
and aIi Questionable features that existed from the
first organization, and since that time the Order
has progressed, until to-day you find in almost
every village and hamlet Post of the Grand Army
OF The Republic.
Parties in the East have claimed to be the origi-
nators of the Grand Army OF the Republic. and
make ius statement to do simple justice To my
friend and comrade, Mai. b. f. Stevenson (now de-
ceasedD, who is entitled, with lis associates at
Springfield ILL.,, to all The honors of originating the
Order.
The organization cannot last always, but in the
last few years the Order has authorized the Grgan-
zation Of tue WonIans Relief Corps and the Sons of
Veterans and If these organizations are foslered,
encouraged and cared for they will still live to- per-
petuate tie memory of the boys who took part in
the preservation of the Union.
There are many Illinois soldiers who add a
page 10 the history OF this organization, and they
should be encouraged 10 do
With my best wishes, am, yours truly,
JOHN NJ. SNYDER.