Morning journal and courier., 1891-01-13
SOCIETY OF THE CINCINNATI.

N~~-~ ~AH' A Paper Read Before the New Haven Colony Historical Society Monday Evening, December 20, 1890.
 BY REV. A. N LEw1s M \.
 Some eighteen months ago was ap- pointed to take charge of the movement for the revival of the dormant Society of the Cincinnati in Connecticut, which was dissolved July 4, 1894. In the prosecu- ton of my duties accumulated supply of historical material, which I have con densed and arranged in an historical sketch, to which I now invite your atten- tion.
 It is proper to say that 80 far as know, no complete history of the order has ever been written. The Massachusetts, ,NewYork and Pennsylvania societies have published documents for private circulation, and 8 sketch of the society appeared some thirty years ago in one of the magazines. The proceedings of the General society from 1783 to 1884 were reprinted in 1887; sketch of the society, with extracts from the proceedings of the general meetings and of the New York society, was published
 
 of this paper has just published a book entitled Historical Sketches by the Socie- ty of the Cincinnati, 1783 to 1890, and of the Movement for the Revival of the Con necticut Society, 1888-90." From the above and from the MS. records of the Connecticut society from 1783 to 1894 this paper has been compiled.
 In many respects, tho not instituted "by king prince or potentate, this associ- ation possessc3 undeniable claims to be con- sidered ''chivalrous otaer."
 It is not known how or by whom the idea of forming the society was first con ceived. Marshall says that General Knox was the originator, and intimates that the Baron Steuben had something to do with it. This is also the opinion of Sparks.* From the first Knox was it's chief pro- moter and may be called, if not the father, the godfather of the society,"
 It was near the close of the revolution; in some respects the darkest and gloomiest days of the great struggle. The disbandment of the army was near at hand. In few weeks or months it's members were to be dismissed forever from the service of their port for themselves and families. The times were hard and the finances of the country in disordered and precarious condition. Most of the officers had entered the service at an age usually devoted to the requirement of 8 trade or profession. Eight years of mili tary service had not fitted them to engage in study or business, and they looked for ward to the future with melancholy fore bodings. The pay of the officers and sol diers was in arrears, and congress, though often petitioned, did not seem disposed to do anything for the relief of the army Many of the officers had been obliged to draw largely upon their private fortunes, most of which were small. Washington, in letter to Hamilton, says: 'tIt is affirm ed to me that large portion of the off, cers have no better prospect than jail. .'* ln>1779 congress granted half pay for seven years to all officers who should con- tinue in service thro' the war By sub sequent resolve they recommended to the states that suitable provisions should be | made to carry the decree of 1778 into eff feet. The states declined to raise the | money and congress itself in 178O indicated it's intention to reform" the army by mastering out large portion of the off cers during the continuance of the war. This worked serious and indignant feel ing among the officers. Washington in- tervened, and congress decreed half pay for life, not only to those officers who should remain, but to those who should be mustered out before the close of the | war. This quieted matters for time. The indications of peace during the win l ter of l7S2-S3 again excited the forebod- 1 ings of the officers. petition asking that 1 something be done for their relief was sent | to congress. It was necessary, under the articles of confederation, to have the con- sent of nine states to money measure. Six were in favor, three were unrepresent- | oI av,I fo, J.. E.11 to the ground.
 l The reception of this intelligence in camp produced the celebrated sNewburgh letters," the headquarters of the army be- l ing then in that town. A meeting of the officers was called to consider "what meas ures, if any, should be adopted to obtain that redress of grievances which seemed tc have been solicited in vain." An anon ymous letter, counseling the most radica measures, was scattered through every state line in the camp. It is now known to have been written by MT. John Armstrong an American officer, father of President Madison's secretary of war. The move ment it suggested was wisely discount enanced in general order of the comman der-in-chief, dated March il, 1793, and meeting called of the general and field off ! cers and of one line officer from each com pany on the 18th of the same month, te receive the report of the gentlemen charged with the care of the petition to congress The storm which was brewing was avertet by timely compliance of congress, anl for time all went we'll
 The military discontents, however, were only checked, not smothered. Dissatisfac | tion prevailed all ranks of the army, mos of all among the rank and file whose pay was more largely in arrears. The "wars men," Ii. e., those who had enlisted for tn, war;, were particularly restless. Tn, Pennsylvania line turned their mutinou bayonets against congress itself. A part of General Greene's army at the south con spired to betray their commander to tn enemy. An open meeting among tn troops quartered at Bedding, Conn, va with difficulty quelled by the energetic action of "Old Put" It was the darkes period of the whole war.
 This Newburgh meeting and the refec
 tions it awakened suggested to the officer
 union among themselves to endure be yond the reach of congress, and ever afte
 they should be disbanded. It was natura
 that they should look to themselves fo
 that support which there seemed good req
 son to suppose their country would exten,
 to them grudgingly, or deny altogether
 The stength that union brings was no ne1
 lesson to them. From the commander-in
 chief down to the lowest subaltern W
 find masonic army lodges continual
 reunited from the Revolutionary army. I
 was reasonable to suppose that the welfar
 of a numerous and closely wrought asso
 citation would be more regarded than tha
 of single isolated individual The futur
 welfare of the army was the all-prevailin, l thought.
 This stage of our sketch brings us t
 the formation of the Society of the Gin
 cinnati.
 In the early part of May, 1783, pro posals for the establishment of such al
 association had been submitted to tn
 several state lines of the American arm
 encamped upon the Hudson. They wer
 most favorably received. Accordingly & officer from each line was informally ar
 pointed to meet the general officers o
 the 10th of May, at Baron Steuben's qua1
 ters,* to take tho matter into considers
 tion. The baron as senior officer prt
 sided.t The proposals were considered
 amendments offered and agreed to an l the whole referred to committee COT
 sisting of Major General Knox, Brigadie
 General Huntington and Captain Shaw
 with instructions to prepare fair cop
 for the meeting to be held at the sam
 place Tuesday, May 13. At this adjourne
 meeting the committee presented thei ! report, which was at once adopted. begins as follows:
 3 "lt having pleased the supreme gover1 l or of the universe in the dispensation (
 human affairs. to cause the separation ( l fha oo1opioo of North fro.. II,