The Critic and record., 1891-04-11
THE n1Rrn or THE q. Ar.
An omcinl Statement of the Genesis Of
of the Order.

An omcial Statement of the Genesis Of
of the Order.
DEcATrr, ILL, April 11.-Duringi the
celebration of the silver anniversary of
the birth of the G.. A. r. members of Cen
eral Stephenson's first staff prepared the
following official letter on the origin of
the Grand Army, and presented it to
-Copma9der Veazey;.
Comrddc w. q. VcGscy, ConDiaHdci-b,-
Chicf, Grand ArD,y Of the Republic;
SIR. The undersigned make the follow
ing statement of the origin of the Grand
Army of the Republic: DR.. B. r. Stephen
son was the originator of the idea, He
made the first draft of the ritual. The
ritual was rewritten and perfected by Col.
John NJ. Snyder, Captain John S. Phelps
and Major Robert Mann Woods i'm Fcbru-
ary. Captain Phelps brought the manu-
script to Decatur and had the ritual
printed. Meanwhile DIR. Stephenson APP
pointed the following staff. General j. c.
Weber, a. D. Co.. Captain John s. Phelps,
\. D. G.; Colonel John NJ. Snyder, q. NJ.
g.; Captain John A. Hghtfoot, A. A. c.,
and Major Robert NJ. Woods, A. G..
Major Robert NJ. Woods wrote the dec
laratiOn Of principles, constitution, char
ter, etc, and had them printed at Spring
field. Commander Stephenson sent the
original constitution, ritual, ETC., to Deca-
tur for revision, where Captain NJ. f..
Kanan, George Denning, j. w. Routha and
others revised them and returned them to
Springfield where they were again re-
vised by Commander Stephenson and
staff and made the permanent chart OF
the g. A. II. The name Grand Army
was suggested by DR.. Stephenson himself,
and the words 'of the Republic were
added at the suggestion Of Captain NJ. f..
Kanan. ,aa
Post No, ] was organized at Decatur
with NJ. Il. Kanan commander and George
X. Steele adiutant. They were granted
the number "0ne" because of their assist
ance in getting up the organization.
Colonel j. G. Webber and Captain John S.
Phelps organized the post in Illinois, and
Major II. NJ. Woods was detailed TO organ
iZe the State departments. The confer
ence for arranging details of organization
was also attended by Lieutenant Colonel
Ed Prince, Lieutenant Colonel NJ. b.
Flood, Colonel George T. Allen, Major A.
A. North, DR.. James Hamilton and Cap
tain ii. II. Howe.
Colonel John NJ. Snyder organized the
first post in Chicago and organized the
Department of Minnesota, appointing
General j. B. Lanborn provisional COM
mander. Major Robert NJ. Woods organ
lied the Department of Ohio, appointing
General B. +. Potts provisional com
mander; Department Of Indiana, Colonel
Crawford provisional commander; De
partment of Wisconsin, Colonel James X.
Proudfit provisional commander.
In justice to the parties herein named,
and for the truth of history as ii shall be
preserved in the National Memorial Hall,
we make this statement at this, our first
meeting since 1866.
Robert NJ. Woods, Adjutant-General,
Joliet, Ill.
John S. Phelps, A. d. c., Chicago Ill.
John NJ. Snyder, Q. NJ. g., Canton, Ill.
John A. Lightfoot, A. g., Springfield,
III.
NJ. +. Kanan, Post Commander, No. l.
Decatur, Ill.
The foregoing gives the details of the
preparation of organizations, and forever
settles all dispute as to place and dates.
General Veazey and staff left for In
dianapolis this morning to attend the
Indiana encampment.