The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-03-21

I
men who were then, or who should in the
future, be engaged in fighting the battles
OF the union, into an army of peace, when
wars should have ended, and the tolls and
dangers Of sol lier's life were over, its
memories alone remaining, to the end that
those memories might be preserved an ever
living Influence. In 1866 the thought
evolved at Vicksburg took shape,
and the first post of the
Grand Army Of the Republic was organized
at Decatur, III. The plans and aims of the
organization became known, and in 1876
there wee 5000 members, in 1873 there
were 81 600 members, and now there are
over 400, 900 in every state Of the union ex-
cspt Mississippi and in every territory.
Commander SHOES paid a high tribute to
the loyal women, except for wht SO noble
and patriotic souls the war would not have
ended when it did, and it might not have
ended as it did.
DR.. George H. Stone responded very
happily TO the toast go Invited Guests
not necessarily comrades now, but they
! we're il the day of battles.n
Junior Vice Department Commander
| David Porter who is quartermaster of the
| pOst, responded to the toast CIV. S. Hancock
Post No. 3" Comrade Porter reviewed the
history Of the post from it's obscure organi-
cation in 1886, turning tie three years of
lis existence down to the present day, when
1
! 1856, fifteen ex-union soldiers and sailors
| assembled in the United States court room
at the custom house, and were mustered
into the Grand Army and instituted post
| by Gen. John r. Lewis of Atlanta, then
senior vice commander of the department
of Tennessee and Georgia. The question
| as to whose memory should be hon
orei and whose gallant deeds should be
| perpetuated in the name of the post, was
| one which had found nearly as many an
swers as there we're charter members up to
| the day the post was instituted, but on that
| day the intelligence that Gen. Winfield Scott
| Hancock had answered the last roll call
was received, and with sad hearts tho post
| was unanimously chrlSteDed winfield
| Scott Hancock" At the end of the first
| year of its existence it had nineteen mem
| bers. 1t had during that time precarious
| existence. AT the end of the second
year it had membership of
| thirty eight and that has now increased to
| tifty-two. Comrade 7. F. Gil ason has been
commander of the post since the second
year OF its organization. Comrade Porter
referred feeIingly to the pre5enta-
ton to the post by Mrs. Hancock
# the picture of her husband,
whose name and heroic memory it per-
petuates. he psf is now part of the
new department of Georgia, which includes
in its borders Chickamauga, Dalton, Tunnel
Hill, Ressca Kennesaw, Atlanta, Jones'
boro aud many other LATHE fields;
that also includes Savannah and
Milen and also the Andersonville prison
| ana the Marietta and Andersonville Come
teries-a department filled with the memo
ries of thousands who left their homes and
fought under the union banner.
Adit. S. F, B. Gillespie responded to
Our Dead" The sentiment of the toast
was feelngly expressed. Comrade Giles
pie referred to the few members of the
| post who have diel since its organizations
Sergt. John FL. M4rtius. who enlisted in
Company r, Tlird United States artillery,
in 1916, and continued in service
until 1885, retiring as ordnance
sergeant, after continuous service
of forty years; William H; Dyer,
who served in Company X, First Maine il
Infantry, which latter he left as corporal in
1866, having served through the entire war;
Patrick Houlihau, who served in Company
K, First United States cavalry,
| from 1862 TO 1865, when he was honorably
| discharged, after having been in forty-two
| general engagements, and having received
! special commendation from Gen. Sheridan;
| John Clancy, who enlisted in 1861, in Com
pany A, First New York engineers,
| and was mus cred out in 1854, and
| lastly Cornelius Mahoney, VII Sc re-
mains were laid to rest by the
post last week. He enlisted in 1862 as signal
| quartermaster in the navy, and was holor-
ably discharged at the close of the war in
| 1865. Before the war he was over twenty
| years in the navy
1.-THE Press was responded to by Post
Department Commander of New York,
| Lieut.. Col Young, now of Macon, in a
telling speech full of humorous incidents.
| Comrade Young is now on his first visit
to Savannah since 1864, when he was here
with Shernan's army. He is vigorous
speaker, and was a member of the New
| York legislature in 1880.
Quartermaster Sergeant c. A. Keith read
kilograms and letters of regret from invited
| guests who were unable to be present
Among the letters Was one froa
Commander j. I. Denning Of
Augusta No. 2, in which he
said: May your campfire DE as bright as
| those were in old Virginia" Others were
read from Assistant Quartermaster Gen
eral j. F. Farrell of Atlanta, DR.. J. W.
Stone, department me iical director, of
Atlanta, and Department Chaplain j. c.
Murray of Tallapoosa
Following the reading Of the letters came
| the army experiences. which brought up
pictures bright and sad of the early COS.
| Stories were told and songs were sung until
long after midnight, when TAPS" were
| sounded
One of the events of the evening was a
visit from Gen. O. o. Howard. Gen. How
ard was not aware that Savannah
| had a Grand Army post until he
was waited upon at the Pulaski
house by Maj. j. V. w. Vandenburgh,
who was on Gen. Towards staff during the
war, and who invited him TO the posts
campfire. The general was not slow in ac-
cepting the invitation and visited the post
room, where he was given a hearty welcome.
| Commander Gleason presented the members
If the post, and some time was spent in
recalling army "reminiscences. At the
announcement of supper Gen. Howard ex-
! pressed his regret that owing to a business
engagement he would be unable to remain
| longer with the post. The members arose
in body and gave three cheers and IA
tiger" to which the general responded in a
brief but feeling speech. Gen. Howard is a
member of post in Brooklyn.
Became a Sister of Mercy.
loIl