The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-04-09
rHE G. A. R. ANNrvERsARr.
Celebrating the First QUARTER Century Of
its Organization.

iN its Organization.
er A quarter of century has rolled owe
the Grand Army of the Republic. Til
great commanders have gone TO rest, an
w the multitude OF those who fOllowe
III them have answered the final taps. TIL
silver locks and furrowed faces anon
nd the survivors tell of advancing years, al
II though many who were only boys in tn
war are but middle-aged men to-day
II Another generation has risen, knowing
t. only byhearsay of the terrors and trial
of wars.
i The veterans are numerous still, bu
m every recurring Decoration day see
their number diminished, and, as year
accumulate, death yields the sickle witt
II buster hand. But it is a grand organ
rs izatiOn yet, in numbers as well as il
name. and it will still be grand, although
% not in numbers, when a quarter of cen
t, fury hence the remnant of white-haired
survivors will totter along striving to
, keep time TO the music that thrills with
il memories of the glorious past
On April 9th, 1865, at Decatur, Ill. the
o first Grand Army Post in the United
States was organized by DIR. b. F. Ste
n phenson, surgeon Fourteenth Illinois In
fanty, and Monday evening throughout
the country the quarto-centennary was
, duly observed. This observance was a
grand thought. More than 100000 OF
the survivors of the Union army at one
time celebrating the suspicious event
t Bennington was not behind in recog-
nizing the debt. Veterans and citizens
in large numbers attended upon the me-
mortal services and festivities incident
, to the event.
AT THE SOLDIERS HOME.
In the afternoon delegation from
Willard Post and Woman's Relief Corps
: of Troy, n. Y, numbering 33 arrived.
Supt. +. ID. Bennett of the Bennington
} d Rutland Road took the party, with
Comrades Gibson, Puffer, Williams and
Coifey, to the battle monument, and on
returning to Q station the delegation
was conveyed in carriages to the Home.
The rest of the afternoon was passed in
inspecting the Home and visiting the
''old veterans" Room No. 10 in the
Home was furnished by the members of
Willard Post, including Judge Griffith.
Supper was served to the Wis tors at I
p. m, and at s p. IN. a grand campfire
was held in the large dining hall. All
the veterans were present that were able |
and about 80 invited guests and |
an audience of nearly 200 enjoyed the
exercises.
The programme included an address |
of welcome by Comrade n NJ. Putfer; |
song by Monument Glee Club, Messers.
Burt, Norton, Bennett and Mattison;
song by Miss Mary Hutchins; "COlum-
bia" by Mrs. George f. Graves with
chorus by the audience; recitation by
Miss Belle Ashley of Troy; address on
the 25th anniversary of the G. A. r., by
Judge Griffith; isong, organ accoman-
iment and violin Obligato, by Mrs. L. d.
Bennett and sons, Edward and Charles;
recitation by Miss Belle Ashley of Troy;
song, 'Quarto- Centennial, G. A r.
Comrade Benton Kelley of Rutland;
exhibition of the Edison photograph by
Comrade II. Richards of Troy; stereOp-
tican views by Comrade Seymour of
Troy.
After lunch the Troy delegation took
the midnight train for home.
ATG A. II. HALL.
Ats o'clock large audience assembled
in the fine hall of Custer Post and the
exercises began with short ceremony
and by prayer by the Post Chaplain b. {
G. Barber. The General Order was read,
all standing except the ladies, appointing
the day and the event Then came
the historical summary, both from Com
mander-in- Chief Veazey.
As the latter may be of interest tn
many, as it was to us, we give the doc t
ument below: During the reading of the Q
summary general silence prevailed and .
veterans, and S. o. ", present stood a
According to the command of the com S
chief the order was read at d
$50 o'clock before all the posts in the /
United States, as follows:
Assembled as we are at this moment Il
in one simultaneous post meeting, to
the founding of this our S
beloved order, twenty-five years ago, u
there are few salient points of our b
history which deem it fitting to call to "
your remembrance at this time. e
I'D. b. +. Stephenson, surgeon of the c
Fourteenth Illinois Infantry, and Chap
lain w. j. Rutledge of the same regi-
ment talked as they marched rnder d
S SaSacty for good III an Organization OF
veterans and agreed, if spared to work
out some plan to that end. In March,
1866, thew with others, met in Springfield,
H., and on April 9th, 1866, the first 1
post was organized at Decatur, ILL.,, Com
rade Stephenson mastering in the mem
beers and granting them charter. The
first department encampment was held 4
and the first national encampment at
indianapolis Ind, November both of
the same year. Comrade S. A. Hurlbut
was elected first commander-in chief.
Comrade Stephenson having provision L
ally acted as such heretofore, and hav-
ing called together the national encamp-
ment. The violence of political strife ut
that time involved the new order more
or less and substantially destroyed its
especially in the section of the
country where it had its origin, some of
the departments being left with nothing
more than a mere montreal existence
with scarcely post in active operation.
This was the situation at the time of the
second national encampment, held at !
Philadelphia, Jan. 18th, 1868, and con-
tinued till after the death of its founder,
Aug. Both, 1871. His dream of an order l
grandly carrying out his noble con-
ception seemed only dream never to
be realized.
AT this point that peerless volunteer
soldier, Logan, took command, succeeded
in turn by Burnside. Devens and Hart.
ranft. The nine years of service as com /
rendered by these faith
full and devoted comrades, nov all mus
tered out forever, and the work of the
able staff officers, of their administra- v
lions, laid deep and broad the founda- i
tons now so widely built upon, and a
could ComTade Stephenson have lived Il
till now to share with us the fruits of his
years OF toll, dependency and disap- 7
pointment. he would hardly recognize t
this, our giant order, which when he C
died was apparently so near its end. {
Wisely guided and carefully fostered it q
has gathered strength each year, and to-
day occupies a position of character,
beneficence and influence second to no
other organization of our time. The same
course can keep it grow [
ing few years more, despite an increas-
ing death rate. but those comrades who
celebrate the semi-centennial anniversary $
twenty-five years hence will be few in !
number.
st Is therefore for us, who now turn !
with thankfulness to the founder and to |
the preservers Of our order. to so CON [
duct its affairs, so TO guard it from dis [
sention and to 50 keep 1t true to its i'm [
mortal principles, that its influence will :
be felt after the organization has ceased
to exist. In this each cOmrade has his {;
share. each post its measures of effort,
each department its burden, TO be 10y
ally accepted, performed aud borne with
deep sense Of the privilege as well as
obligation that is ours. Forward, then,
my comrades, into the next quarter cen
( ry with the one purpose animating us
all, to still further extend our lives and
to light our camp fires yet more widely,
not alone for our sakes, but as an in
piIation TO the new generations, ship
mate under the Union jack, soldier of
whatever rank OF arm, marines gallant as
any, all pressing on in this work of our
declining days, elbow to elbow, stirup