The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-04-07
MEMORIES OF WAR.
Veterans Celebrate the Grand
Army Anniversary.
IT'S TWENTY-FIVE YEARS or LIFE.


Hineklcy block. Stevens Post, No. l, and Miller
Post, No. 81, q. A. f.. united in appropriate ex-
ercises commemorative OF the twenty fifth an
niversary OF tie organization Of which they are
members. The hail was crowded to its greatest
capacity with war veterans, their wives and
children Colonel ]. W. Langley, commander of
Miller pest. who presided, announced the hymn
"America," In the singing Of which the entire
audience joined At $50 o'clock, the hour fixed
when ii should be published by every post in
the United States, colnrade b F. Thacke., OF
Miller post, read the following circular letter
from w. q. yeazey, conmander-in-chiefo of the
Grand Army, dated at Rutland, Vt, March 4,
1S9l
Comrades: Assembled n We are at this mo-
ment In one simultaneous post meeting, to COM
menorate the founding OF this our beloved or
der, twenty-five years ago. there arc few sa-
hent points OF our history which deem 1t ut
Ing 70 call TO your remembrance at this tine.
'.Dr. b. F. Stephenson, surgeon Of the Four
teenfh Illinois infantry. and Chaplain w. J. Rut-
ledge, of the same regiment, talked, rs they
marched under Sherman in Mississippi in 1864,
OF the capacity for good in an organization OF
veterans, and agreed, IL spared, to work out
some plan to that end. In March, 1866. they
with others met at Springfield. H.. and on the
9Th day OF April, 1S66, the first post was organ
lied at Decatur, Ill. Con,rade Stephenson mus
tcring in the members and granting them .
charter. an exact fac smile OF which send you
herewith. The first department encampment
was held at Springfield. Ill, July IL. 1855, and
the first national eneampnent at Indianapolis,
Ind, November % of the same year. Comrace
s. A. Huribat was the first elected commander
in-chicf, Con,rade Stephenson having pro-
yisional.y acted as such heretofore,
and having called together tho first
national cncampment The violence OF polfti-
cal strife at that time involved the new order
more or less and substantially destroyed its
vitality. especially in the section of the coun-
try where il had its origin, some of the depart
ments being lett with nothing more than . mere
nominal existence. with scarcely post in active
operation. This was the situation at the time of
the second national eccampment. held at Phila-
delph;a, January Is. ISGS, and continued until
after the death OF its founder, August 50, ISL.
His dream of an order grandly carrying out his
noble conception seemed only dream never to
be realized.
AT this point that peerless volunteer soldier,
Logan, took command, succeeded in turn Dy
Burnside, Dcvcns and Hartranft The nine
years Of service as commander in-chief rendered
by these faithful and devoted comrades, 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 Comrade Stephenson have
lived till now to share with Us the
fruits of his years OF toll, dependency and dis
appointment, he would hardly recognize this
our giant order, which when he died, was appar-
entity near its end. Wisely guided and
carefully fostered, it has gathered strength each
year, and today occupies position of character,
beneficence and influence second to no organi-
cation OF our time. The same conservative
course can keep it growing few years more de-
spite our increasing deeth-rate: but those COM
rades who celebrate the semi-centennial ami
yersary, twenty five years hence, viii be few in
number. 1t is therefore for US who now turn
with thankfulness to the founder and to the pre-
servers Of our order, to so conduct its affairs to
50 guard it from dissension, and to 80 keep it
true to its immortal principles that its influence
will be felt long after the organization has
ceased to exist. In this each comrade has his
share, each post its measure of effort, each de-
partment its burden, TO be loyalty accepted, per-
formed and borne. with deep sense Of the privi-
lege as well ss obligation that is ours Forward
then, my comrades, into the next quarter Gen.
tury, with the one purpose animating us all, to
still farther extend our lines and to light our
camp-fires yet more widely, not alone for our
sakes, but as an inspiration to the new genera
tioa shipuate, under the Union Jack; soldier,
of whatever rank or arm: marines, gallant as
any; all pressing on in this the work OF our de-
Ginning days. elbow to elbow, stirrup to stirrup,
yard-arm to yard-arm, heart to heart, all one in
the Grand Army of the Republic"
Colonel Langley who had postponed his
at the proper hour. welcomed the audience on
behalf of the two posts Miss Cora Thorndyke
and Miss Estelle Kent sang summer is Come
very sweefly. DR.. T. NJ. Young next read the
following history of Stevens Post:
ION the nth day of June, 1875, d. p. Jenkins,
George ID. Hill, George w. Tibbits, A. Slorah,
r. Scott, G.. R. Peaslee. E. johnson, A. A. Man.
ming, Jacob Beer, L. H. Tenney, G. A. Tyler,
II. A. Bigelow and II. A. c. Thompson met ut
Seattle and were mustered into the Grand Army
of the Republic by +. w. Sparling, the proyis-
ional commander of the department.
:sThe name selected was Stevens, in honor of
the first governor of the territory End the first
delegate to congress. General Isaac i. Stevens.
who fell at Chautilly, Va. September /, 1862,
while calamity leading q charge of his COM
nland against Stonewall Jackson's veterans
"The first officers OF the new post were. Post
commander, George d. Hill; senior vice COM
nlander, George W. Tibbits; junior vice CON-
mander, II. \. c. Thompson; adjutant, A.
Slorah; quartermaster, A. A. Manning. The
ether officers were selected ct subsequent
meetings.
stevens Post, like most others. has had DAYS.
of battle aud days OF rest but on the whole has
been prosperous, as is shown by the record of its
membership In good standing, which was as fol
lows: ISIS, IL: 1872 -; 1850, is; ISL, Is: iSSa 81
lssS rs: 1881, los; 1855, 1ea: 1856, So 1887 l5S;
ISIS. IS; 1884, 30: $780, lo In the great FIRE of
post property. and since that time has changed
place Of meeting several times. The post has
now permanent quarters in Grand Army hall,
corner of Second and Columbia streets, and its
future prospects are excellent
The present officers of the pos: are: Com
mander, Samuel r. Street. senior vice-eon.
mander, NJ. Y. Mills; junior viee-conmauder I.
A. Treen; adiutsnt, /. NJ. Young: quarterrnasser,
Q. {. NJ. Gray; surgeon, W. II. Hilton: chaplain.
Il. Scott; officer OF the day, James Alexander:
officer of the guard, $. q. Benedict. sergeant
major. G. W. Wells: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, w,
q. Hubbard.
''The present departsnent-cosmandsr and a
portion Of his staff are members of stevens Post
THE post has lately adopted the plan of hold
ing a meeting each week, one meeting each
month being an open one TO which all comrades
the Women's Relief Corps and Sons of Veterans
are usually invited"
The Sons of Veterans drum corps gave a
rou>ing tune, and were compelled 10 respond 10
an encore.
\ history Of John F, Miller pest was read by
Comrade W. O. latinler IS follows:
John +. Miller Post, No 81. Department of
Washington ana Alaska, located in the city of
Seattle, was Chartered on the I'D cay of pc
cesshe-. lsS6. and duly mustered ON the 18Th OF
the same month By N. VI. Holmes, chief muster
ing osaeer Of the department.
The following were its charter members: G.
&. Lyon, u. l. NcCowen, Prank Seidell, ". Y
Rinehart. q. w. Bailene, +. ". Siariing. A. NJ.
kEcokes, :. B.Nroonsan, Edward Wheeler, tseorye
hinacar, W. q. Lstlmer. ThomGs T. Miner
Richard Bradley. Charles T. Cogic- Saymi
ishslc, A. J. Beach, r. Osborn. y. C. kenyor. q
y. Alexander. Fred tsascA. George n Hill RsSsr
Thatcher, I'd Hcrgick. i. r Patton. joseph