Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-04

ArrAl 1901.
and after serving three months term was mus
tered out with the regiment July 3. he again
enlisted July q, 1862, in company ~. thirtv-
eight Massachusetts, infantry, as sergeant ana
served until January q, 1868, when be wasS
charged on account of injuries received in h
OF duty. He is a graduate of the National urN-
versIty law school, and was admitted 10 the bar
In 1880. He has been in the civil service OF the
government since ls65, and is az present chief
OF DIVISION In the second auditors Office. He
is a member of John f. Reynolds post No. G;
was Its commander in 1885: was reelected in
1886. and resigned 10 accept the position OF
assistant acknowledgement TO Department Com
mander Burke, which position he held for two
years. he was member OF the national coun-
ell OF administration in 1851, and representa-
tive-at-arge 20 the national encampelnent Isss,
and at the recent session VI the department vas
elected junic- vice-department commsnder.
The depa e. INT Of the Potomac. q. A r.
dates its So 'ce from the organization OF
John A. Rawlil.,s Post. No. l. The charter OF
the post Is dated October II, 1856. Then fol-
lowed the organization Of Fit Carson Post No
2. While the Department Of the Potomac il not
the Oldest department In the country the posts
mentioned are the two oldest posts in continu-
Gus existence. Though the organization OF
Rawlins post was really the beginning Of the
Department of the Potomac, the department.
YES not regularly organized at that time. The
post thriycd until February 10. lsos, when
Gen John A. Logan, as commander sin-chief.
issued general order No. g. ESTABLISHING a pro-
yisional department here, which was organized
by the appointment OF James T. Smith rs pro-
yisional department commander. Commander
Smith entered upon his work soon after his
appointment and announced his stat as fol-
lows: q. W. Taylor assistant adjutantz general;
William Il. Brown. assistant quarterinaster-
general, and William ii. Browne, aido.de-catnp
and assistant inspector-generaL Department
headquarters were established on u street
At the time OF the provisional or
ganization there were but three posts i'm
the department. Commander Smith. who
was ably assisted by his staff. went 20 work
energetically, and at the close of the FIRST wear
there were seven additional posts formed. maxi
ing ten IN all, with a membership of 16s. The
first department encampment was held Febru-
airy IL, 1868, on which day the Department "
the Potomac was regularly organized There
were thirty delegates in attendance, and the
first department officers elected were a. follows:
Samuel A. Duncan, department comma nder; q.
Wiley Wells, senior vice department COM
mander; @. W. Hatton, junior vice department
Newton Ferree assistant Inspector
general; JAS. Campbell, assistant quartermaster-
general; John l.. Mason, assistant surgeOn-gen-
eral, aud Rev. Benjamin Swallow. chaplain
Lubey was subsequently appointed
assistant adiutant-generL The department
20 prosper until the next
year with Timothy Lubey as department
The number Of post was in
creased 70 fourteen with total membership Of
966, which was the largest membership In the
the membership gradually decreased until in
1876 there were but sixty-six members In the
departmet divided among three posts. John A.
Rawlins, No: 1; hit Carson, No. 2, and John n.
had almost caused the destruction Of the de-
partment. A decided falling of in snernber-
ship was felt not only by the Department of the
Potomac but through the entire Grand Army
The rules and regulations were revised so a.
70 entirely exclude politics and from that time
the reports have shown steady increase in
in every department.. After the
change in the rules was made the posts began
TO show new life, and eleyen posts were estab-
lished There are now eleven posts in existence
with membership Of nearly 900.
The list Of department commanders since the
of the department is as fellow:
Samuel A. Duncan, 1863: Timothy Luby.
ls70-ls72; Frank H Sprague, ls73-lssa; James
i: Smith, 1875; Benjamin Il. Hawkes. ls76;
Almyne II. q, Richardson. 1877: George r.
Corson, 1873; Harrison Dingman. 1873 Charles
l. Royce, 1850; William Gibson 1851 Samuel
Burdett, lss2-lss3; De Alva S. Alexander,
Iset; Newton NJ Brooks, 1855; Jerome b.
Burke, 1s56-l6S7; Charles p. Lincoln. 1855. and
W. 6. odell, 1889. With the exception OF
Timothy Luby all Of the past commanders are
now living.
haps, more difficult than in any Other depart-
ment in the country. There is an unnsunIly
large number Of widows and orphans OF
soldiers In this city, and the department. with
the aid OF the Woman's Relief corps, has un-
dert.ken the task Of seeing that nons Of them
are In want There are constant appeals for.
assistance which have 10 be answered. and
pensions for comrades and their families 20 be
looked after. The employment committee is
constantly endeavoring 70 secure situations for
members Of the order, many Of whom do not
properly belong 10 this department. but who
have come here with the hope Of securing
government employment. and many u the old
soioicre an the service OF the governments owe
their places 10 the unremi.ting work Of this
committee.
The uniform worn in parade to-day consists
OF q double-breasted blouse, with brass @. A
r. buttons, dark trousers. SLOUGH hat. ana
white glovea. A q. A r. badge was worn ON
the LETT breast Of each comrade.
John A. Rawlins Post No. 4.
John A Rawlins Post No. II the Oldest posi-
in The United States, having been organized
Oct n, lee6 The post has bssn in continual
oxiG1moo dDoo H. dato e H ors>nirn66e>u o.