Omaha daily bee., 1891-04-05
HEROES WHO WORE THE BLUE
Silver Anniversary Of the Grand Army Of
the Republics Birth.
GROWTH AND GOOD WORK OF THE ORDER,
Number and Membership OF the Posts
of the Oountry-Plans for Prop
eriy Observing the AM
niversary,

)
the first post Of the Grand Army Of the Re
public was organized and all over the land
the brave men mo wore the blue in the hour
of their nations peril will join IN celebra-
ton Of the silver anniversary of their beloved
order.
The Grand Array OF the Republic was
founded by DIR. b. +. Stephenson, who was
surgeon during the war OF the rebellion In
the Fourteenth Illinois regiment. He was
born In Illinois in 1922 aud served through
the war and died at Rock Creek August 30,
1871.
The early history Of the Grand Army is
largely a matter OF conjecture. All the rec
ords of the early days have been lost and the
only history Of the inception Of the order is
that Captain John 5. Phelps Of the Thirty
second Illinois infantry, who was the first
person TO be admitted into the order and who
was mainly If not solely, instrumental in
spreading the organization.
Before the rebellion ended and the army of
volunteers was disbauded the warmth of as
- sOCiatOn engCndercd by long service led the
veterans to consider the question of continu-
Sng the Comradeship and number of organ
izations were founded with that end in view.
Nearly all of these were short lived
Among those who gave much thought to
the idea Of perpetuating the associations of
Che war period was DR. Benjamin Franklin
Stephenson One morning in February 1866,
there were sitting in DR.. Stephenson's Of
flee, in Springfield, Ill, DR.. Stephenson, his
two partners Drs. Allen and Hamilton, eX-
surgeons, and Captain John $. Phelps. DR..
Stephenson remarked that he had plan
which would move Che country, In response
10 inquiries from Captain Phelps he produced
roll of manuscript containing crude
ritual. This was looked over, but nothing
further was done for several days, when a
meeting was held and followed by several
others, at which alterations and additions
were made to the forms drafted by the
doctor.
The ritual was taken to Decatur, ILL.,, by
Captain Phelps, to the Office of the Tribune,
both proprietors Of that paper and all the
compOsitOrs being old soldiers. The oath Of
the order was administered to all of them by
CaptAin Phelps and the work Of printing the
ritual was performed.
The mission of Captain Phelps soon be-
came known aud post was organized ut
Decatur on April 8, 1866, with Colonel Isaac
c. Pugh as commander and Captain NJ. +.
Kanan adiutant This post was known as
No. l. ana from its organization dates the
birth of the order.
Comrade Phelps was appointed organizer
and travelled through southern Illinois organ
izing posts. Organizers were appointed in
other states and before the end of 1866 the
order had extended into Indiana, Kansas,
Iowa Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsyl-
vaDia, Massachusetts, New York, Maryland
and Wisconsin.
Dr. Stephenson assumed the command of
the organization in May, 1866, and a call
for convention was issued and signed by
several ex-soldiers. The convention met
July II, 1866, in the hall of representatives in
the old state house at Springfield, Ill, and
Ehere the first department, that of Illinois,
~ was formed, with General Palmer as depart
ment commander.
On November 10, 1866 the first national
encampment was held at indianapolis, Ind,
with representatives from eleven depart
ments. General s. A. Hurlbut was made the
first commander-in- chief aud DR.. Stephenson
the first adjutant general.
In the first four years the order grew mar
1871 in the central west it had al most wholly
disappeared, and but for the departments in
the east would have faded oct of existence.
The low water mark OF most of the depart
ments was reached in the years intervening
between 1871 and 1876. In 1873 the total
membership was 3l,O16. In the following
year there was decided increase and since
the administration of COMMANDMENT -chei
Wagner the order has steadily maintained its
course to tho present high point of success
The last report of the adjutant general sub
mitted Mt the national encampmcnt at Boston
last August, showed grand total member,
ship of 49, $40, on June 80, 1890. There were
at that date forty-three departments ano
T,l7S posts
The death roll in the order is very large anC
IL is only question of few years when tn,
Grand Army of the Republic will be a thing
of the past. The men who compose it are
nearly all past the meridian of life, and tn,
= majority of them are suffering from the
effects of wounds received in action or dis
year ending June 30 1890, the total number
of members VINO We're called to Join the silen
majority was 5,4I6.
. The membership has increased rapidly dur
ing the past few years. but there is n lmi
beyond which it will be impossible to go, ant
when that is reached the decline will follow
rapidly. In 1887 the membership was 20, ,446
and this has increased very rapidly, the larg
est increase being during 1888, when S0,14;
members were added During 1889 the in.
crease was 2504.
The mmanders-in-chief OF the Crane
Army have been as follows: s. A. Hurbut
John A. Logan, Ambrose f.. Burnside, Charlie:
Devens, John +. Hartrapft, John c. Robin
son. William Ernshaw, Louis Wagner
George S. Merrill, Paul Vandervoort, Rober
b. Heath, John ). Kountz, Samuel =. Bur
- dette, Lucius Farchila, William Warner
Russell A. Alger
The department of Nebraska was organized
in 1877, and at the beginning of the presen
year comprised 255 posts with 5, 1871 mcmbers
The commanders-in-c chief of the department
OF Nebraska have been as follows: Paul Van
dervoort, James w. Savage, John c. Bonnell
A. V. Cole, II. c. Russell, II. II. Wilbur 5
j. Alexander, H. Ei. Palmer John M. Thayer
w c. Henry, s III. Morrison, Il. S. Clarksou
The commander-in.chief has issued a
order to all posts in the country directn
them to celebrate the anniversary of tn
order in an appropriate manner. In compl
ance with this order the posts of this city wi
give open entertainments to which the publ
are invited. These entertainments will b
interesting, and will consist of addresses o
the origin and objects of the order history c
the various posts and miscellaneous az
dresses, interspersed with music.
"Thank You, Johnny"
hrtr ol,.pr n