The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-04-07
TWENTY-FIVE YEA IS OLD.
The Grand Army OF the Republic Cele-
braces its Quarto-C entenniaL

| ". S. Hancock Post celebrated the quarto-
! centennial Of the Grand Army Of the Re-
/ public last nig-t with appropriate care
monies in the post room in Knights OF
| Pythias hall.
The room was filed with union veterans
and their friends. Many ladies were pre- emit
The officers OF the post were in uniform.
| At the head Of the room over the
commanders chair was draped the national
colOrs. The Georgia department. banner,
carried in he pa ade at the last national
en- ampmsnt in Boston, was suspe lded back
| Of i, a ID in the CO ter OF the room was the
immense beau Dot presented the Sa-
vannah delegation by John II. Chips
man, Jr, Post of Massachusetts,
after the national encGmpne It.
The picture Of Gen. Hancock, presented to
the post by the widow Of the great soldier
after whom il was named, was draped with
red, white and blue.
Past Department Commander David
Porter pres .ded. At his left sat Post Com
mander YDanez. At bis right sat Chaplain
Pease and Adjutant Gillespie. When the
ceremonies began ever seat in the room
was occupied, and a number Of people were
standing. Adjutanc Gillespie read Com
mander-in chief Veazsy's order for the OBJ
servaace OF the annivsi sary, and briet
DIR. B. F. Stephens IN, surgeon of the
Fourteenth Illinois infantry, and Chaplain
w. j. Rutledge, of the same regiment,
talked. as they marched under Sherman in
Mississippi In '64, of the capacity for good
In an organization Of veterans, and agreed,
If spared, to work out some plan to that
end. IN March, 1866. they with others met
at Springfield, ILL.,, and April 8, 1866, the
first post was organized at Decatur, H.,
G mrade Stephenson mastering in the men,
bers, granting them a charter.
The ii st depart nent ennanpmant was
hel1 at Springfield. ILL.,. July IL, 1865, and
the first national encampmsnt at Indian
Rpolis, Ind, Nov. 20 of the same year.
Comrade s. A. Hurlbut was the first
cleo ed commandments thief, Comrads
Stephenson having previously acted at such
heretofore. and having called together the
first ua ional enca npmsnt
The violence OF political strife at that
time involved the order more or less and
su stantially destroyed It's vitality, espe.
cially Ia the section of the cou try where it
had its origin, some Of the departments be-
ing left with no hing more than a nominal
existence, with scarcely post in active
operation. This was the situation at the
time Of the second national encamp-
ment, held at Philadelphia, Jan. Is, 1868.
aud con inusd till after the death OF lis
founder, Aug. 80. 1871. At that point Gen.
Logan took command, succeeded in turn by
Burnside, Dsvens d Hartranft. The nine
years OF service as commander-in-c chief
rendered by those comrades. and the work
of the staff officers of their administrations,
laid deep and broad the foundations now SO
widely built upon.
Commander Porter read brief history of
W. S. Hancock Post from its organization
In February, 1886 through the early period
OF its existe &c to the present time. From
fifteen its membership has grown to six Y
four. Commander Porter referred to the
past commanders of the post, Darnell,
Gleason and Taggart, and It's present
Commander, Ybanez, through whose efforts
1t has become an organization worthy of its
name and that OF the hero whose name it
bears.
Conrade VIM. Pease spoke briefly of the
order, its organization, ius purposes and
what IL has accomplished and is accom-
plishing to-day.
Commander George A. Hudson read
poem, "Our Flag" by DIR. George II. Stone,
which was applauded.
The address OK the evening was by Com
rade L. Coe Young, past department COM
malder OF the department of New York.
There are few comrades of the grand army
who are more alive to its interests than
Comrads Young. As commander of the
department Of New York he was one of the
shining lights in the organization. The
demonstration which followed his
campment in the city of Auburn was
one Of the widest outbursts of eltausiasm
ever known in the history of the Grand
Army in New York state. Comrade
Young has bean for number of wears a
resident OF Georgia He was two years a
member of tho New York legislat ire and
was known throughout the southern portion
81 fhau kn h. a.
There was not town in Central, Southern
or Eastern New York where he was not in
dem md on Decoration day.
Comrade Young's address last night was
historical, humorous, pathetic aud eloquent,
and he was greeted with round after round
of applause.
The anniversary ceremonies were closed
"in forIn." After the public exercises the
members Of the post and their friends sat
down to a banquet at the Marshall
The banque hail was prettily de GRATED
with the national colors and with red,
white and blue bunting. Plates were
laid for seventy, and sixty-seven sat down
to the tables. Past Commander Ybanez
presided. The menu was excellent, and in
cluded the typical armv beans.
After the menu had been discussed the
speeches began. Toasts were responded
to and addresses were made by
Past Departments Commanders Porter
and Young and Comrades @. II.
Stone, Isaac Beckett, 8. r. b. Gillespie, I.
+. Gleason, G. A. Hudson and Wi liam
Pease. Songs were sing, anecdotes were
Id and war tales were spun amidst much
merriment.
The ladies at the banquet were each pre-
sented a souvenir OF its occasion--a souvenir
book of Savannah with the inscription;
Presented by w. s. Hancock Post, Quarto-
Centennial Of the G. A. r., Savannah,
April 6, 1891"
The banquet was an enjoyable affair,
and much Of its success was due to the
| efforts of the committee which had It in
charge, Commander YbaneE and Comrades
GLEASON, Cole, Clarkson, Ray and Fish.
Robert G. Shaw Post (coloredl held smi>
lar exc cises TO those by w. s. Hanc ok
Post, in the First Bryan Baptist church. T 10
| post turned out with full raaks with toe
| Woman's Relief Corps. Rev. G. w. Griffin
OF the Bryan church and Rev. E. K Love
OF the First African Baptist caurch took
part in the celebration. Commander-iu-
| Chief Veazey's order aud circular were