Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-04-07

founder Of this order, the same to be fol-
lowed by prayer By the post chaplain or
/ some one selected by the commanding
officer
4. Every effort will be made 10 have these
services worthy the great event they sig
nalize, and al posts will forward a special
report Of the same to their department
headquarters to be briefed. summarized,
consolidated and forwarded to these head
quarters BY each department commander.
8. The authority for this order rests in
the resolution above referred 10, which IS
as follows, viz.
Resolved, that the commander-in-chief
elect be requested to take such action as
viii lead 10 a proper celebration of the
quarto-ccntennial of the organization of the
Grand Army OF the Republic, the first post
having been organized az Decatur, Ill, April
6, 1866 and in order that these special
meetings may properly carry out the pur-
pose and intent of said resolution and not
be diverted therefrom, no subscription or
tied or taken thereat.
BY command of ". G. VEAzEY,
Commander-in-Chief.
J. s.. GOULDISG. Acknowledgement.
CIRCULAR LETTER.
HEADQUARTERS
GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC,
RUTLAND, VT. March l. 1881.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. we are ~ ILLS
moment in one simultaneous Post meeting,
to commemorate the founding Of this, our
beloved order, twenty-five years ago there
are few salient points of our history
which l deem 1t fitting TO call TO your
rememb rance 1T this tine.
DR.. B. +. Stephenson, surgeon of the
Fourteenth Illinois infantry. and Capt
W. J. Rutledge, OF the same regiment,
talked, as they marched under Sherman in
Mississippi in "a, 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, Hi
nois. and on the 9th day of April, 1866, the
first post was organized at Decatur, Ill,
Conrade Stephenson mastering in the
members, and granting them q charter, an
exact fac smile of which / send you here
with. The first department encampment
was held at Springfield, Ill, July u, 1866,
and the first national encanpment at In
dianapois, Ind, November 20 of the same
year Comrade S. A. Hurlbut was first
elected ommander-in-chef. Comrade
Stephenson having Professionally acted as
such heretofore, and having called to-
gether the first national encampment. The
violence of political strife at that
time involved the new. order more or
less and substantially destroyed its vital
ity, especially in the section of the
country where it had its origin, some of the
departments being left with nothing more
than a mere nominal existence, with
scarcely o post in active operation. This
was the situation at ne time of the second
national encampment held ii Philadelphia,
January ID, 1868, and continued unit! after
the death of its founder, August 20. 1871.
His dream Of an order graudly carrying out
his noble conception seemed only a dream
never TO be realized.
Ar This mint that ripyl,s-s J-oI1,pf1a1- SOL
der, Logan, took command. succeeded in
turn by Burnside. DeVenS and HartrLutL.
The nine years Of service as commandment.
chief rendered by these faithful and devoted
conlrddGS. now all mustered out forever.
and the work of the able staff officers of
their administrations. laid deep and broad
The foundations now so widely built upon.
and could ComTade Stephenson have
lived till now 10 share with US the
fruits OF his years of toll. dependency and
disappointment, he would hardly recognize
his, our giant order, which, when he died
was apparently so near its end. Wisely
guided and carefully fostered. it has gath
cred strength each year. and to-day occu-
pies I position of character, beuifceuce and
influence second to no organization OF our
time. The same conservative course can
Keep it growing few years more
despite our increasing death rate: but these
comrades who celebrate the Semi-centennial
anniversary, twenty. nVe years hence, Will
be few in number. 1t is therefore for US
who now turn with thankfulness to the
founder and TO the preservers of our order,
to so conduct its affairs, to so guard it from
dissensions and to SO keep it true
TO its immortal principles, that its
influences VIII be felt long after the or
ganization has ceased to exist. In this,
each comrade has his share, each post its
measure of effort, each department its bur-
den, to be Loyalty accepted, performed and
borne, with a deep sense OF the privilege as
well as obligation that is ours. Forward
fhen my comrades. into the next quarter
century. Win the one purpose ANNA ing US
all, to still further extend our lines
and to light our camp fires yet
more widely, not alone for our sakes, but as
an inspiration to the new generation. Ship
mate, under the Union Jack; soldier, of
whatever rank or arm; marines, gallant as
any; al pressing on in this the work of our
declining days, elbow to elbow, stirrup to
stirrup, yard-arm to yard-arm, heart 10
heart, all one in the Grand Army of the
Republic. Your comrade in F., c. and L.,
w. G. VEAzEY, Commander-in-Chef
Ohicial: J. H. GoCLDING, Adjutant- General