The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-04-10
SILVER ANNIVERSARY
OF the Formation Of the G. A.
R. Held at Decatur, III.
THE ORIGIN OF THIS ORDER
Explained in an omcial Letter
to Commander veazey..-A Big
Parade and Enjoyable Camp.
flres...Big Guns Present.

DECATUR, LIS, April 9.-1t was the
big day yesterday Of the silver annivers-
ary OF the Grand Army Of the Republic.
Fifteen thousand veterans, Women
Section Corps, Sons Of Veterans and
sightseeB thronged the streets Of Deca.
tur and crowded the hotels. The parade
took place in the afternoon. There were
$500 veterans in line, including Gen.
w. Il. Veazey, Commander.in.C Chiei,
and stat, Department Commander Dis.
ton and staff, Governor Fifer and staff,
and the six surviving charter members
OF old post l, Chaplain Losier, John NJ.
Snyder, John s. Phelps and John A.
Lightfoot, Of Bloomington, the first
Assistant Adjutaut General, aged sew
enty.seven. There were visiting COM
rades present from Missouri, Wisconsin,
Pennsylvania and Ohio departments.
At night there were two camp.tires, one
In a Pavilion tent. Commander Dis
ton, r. ]. 0glesby, General Veazsy,
Chaplain Losier, Governor Fiier and
others delivered addresses. The
Women's Relief Corps had q campfire
In the opera house.
Members OF General stephenson's
first staff prepared the following official
letter on the origin Of the Grand Army
and presented it to General Veazsy:
COmrade ". O. peasey CommdRder.in-C ChieE
Grand Army Of the Republic:
sIR:-The undersigned make the fol.
lowing statement Gs to the origin OF the
Grand Army Of the Republic: DR.. B.
F. Stephenson was the originator Of the
idea. He made the first draft OF the
ritual. The ritual was rewritten and
perfected by Colonel John NJ. Snyder,
Captain John S. Phelps. Msjor Robert
Woods in February. Captain Phelps
brought the manuscript to Decatur and
had the ritual printed. Meanwhile DR..
Stephenson appointed the following
staff: General ]. O. Webber, A. D. o.;
Captain John s. Phelps, A. D. O.; Col
onsl John NJ. Snyder, @. NJ. g.; Captain
]. NJ. Lightfoot, Assistant Adjutant
General, and Msjor Robert NJ. Woods,
Adjutant General.
Major Robert NJ. Wood wrote the dec.
laration Of principles, charter, etc, and
had them printed at Springfield. Com.
mander Stephenson sent the original
constitution, ritual, etc., TO Decatur for
revision, where Capt. N. F. Kanan,
George Danning, J. W. Bouth and
others revised them and returned them
to Springfield, where they were again
revised by Commander Stephenson and
staff, aud made the permanent chart OF
the G. A. B. The name "Grand Army"
was suggested by DR.. Stephenson him.
self, and the words ''of the Republic"
were added at the suggestion Of Captain
Kanan.
Post No. was organized at Decutur,
with NJ. T. Kanan Commander, and
George r. Steele Adjutant. They were
granted the number "0ue" because Of
their assistance in getting up the organ.
ization.
Col. ]. @. Webber and Capt. John s. |
Phelps organized the posts in Illinois,
aud Major r. NJ. Woods detailed TO or
ganizs the State Departments. Col.
John II. Snyder organized the first post
in Chicago and oTganiEed the depart
ment in Minnesota.
Major NJ, Woods organized the De-
partment Ohio, appointing Gen. B. F.
Potts provisional commBnder Of the De.
partment Of Indiana; Col. Crawford,
provisional commander Of the Depart.
ment Of Wisconsin.
In justice to the parties herein named,
and for the truth Of history as It shall be
preserved in the National Memorial
Hall, we make this statement at this, our
first meeting since 1885.
Rosr. M. WooDs, Adj, Gen'I;
ROpr. s. PHELPS, A. =. o.
JOHN A. LlaHTroor. Acting G.,
Springfield. ILL.,,
M.F.K4N4S, Post Com'dr MOL,
Decatur, Ill.
The foregoing gives tbs detpils of the
preparation Of Organisations, and forever
ankt1aa all dianntaa an IN nlach and dAteB,