Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-19

Springfield post General Orders No. had been
issued by DR.. Stephenson bearing dste Of
April !. 1866. IN which departmental staff was
appointed as follows Col. Jules c. Weber. chief
Of staff Maj Robert NJ. Woods. adjutant gen.
eral; Col. John NJ. Snyder, quartermaster gen.
eral; Lieut.. John S. Phelps, aid-de-camp. and
Capt John NJ. Lightfoot. assistant adutant
general. This staff started vigorously on the
task or forming new posts throughout the
state, and although met by many obstacles were
fairly successful. Prior to July II. which was
the date set for holding state convention in
which to formally organize the Department of
Illinois. thirty-nine posts had been chartered.
The organizing convention which met at
Springfield July II was brought about by a
general call signed by prominent veterans all
over the state. The convention was largely at
tended and the widest publicity given to its
proceedings. The Department. of Illinois was
firmly and thoroughly established and by this
means tremendous stride toward the accom-
plishment OF the magnificent general plan.
The convention adopted a comprehensive state
ment OF principles and paid glowing and de-
served compliment to DIR. Stephenson. Mai.
Gen. now Senator, John NJ. Palmer was elected
department commander and Maj. Gen. John
Cook assistant commander.
Illinois, it will be seen. had set the example
and other states were not slow to follow. Posts
sprang up all over the country and depart
ments resulted rapidly. Maj. Stephenson now
acted provisional commander-in-chief.a and
aided By his staff visited number of states
BY October. 1866, departments had been formed
i'll Illinois, Wisconsin. Indiana. Iowa and Min
nesota and posts in OHIO. Missouri, Kentucky.
Arkansas. District of Columbia, Massachusetts,
New York and Pennsylvania.
THE FIRST NATIONAL ESCAMPMENT.
In October. 1866, DIR. Stephenson as COM
mander-in-chief issued the call for the first ma
tional encampment, to meet at indianapolis on
November 20, 1866. Each post was to be enti-
tied to one representative and when the men,
bership exceeded 100 TO one additional repre-,
sentative and in the same ratio for every addi-
tional 100. The encampment convened at Nor
rison's Opera House and called to order by
DIR. Stephenson. The regulation committees
were appointed and the committee on creden-
tials reported the following list of representa-
tives: District of Columbia. /; Illinois, "a; In
diana, las; Iowa, G.; Kansas. /; Kentucky, 3;
Missouri, 9; New York. /; Ohio. 10; Pennsyl-
vanIa. 3; Wisconsin, Z; total, 22S. Gen. John
NJ. Palmer was made permanent president At
this first encampment u number OF changes
were made in the constitution and ritual The
title of the constitution was changed to Rules
and Regulations" National encampments were
In the future to be constituted on the basis of
one epresentative-at-large from each depart
ment and one representative for each 1000
members therein. The chief department off,
GERS were to be eX-officio members.
number of stirring resolutions were adopted
by the encampment. 1t was stated that the
Grand Army was organized to maintain in civil
life those great principles for which it stood
under the national flag. Aid and assistance
were pledged to the veterans of the war. Con-
gress was called on to pass law equalizing
bounties. The encampment pledged its aid to
secure legislation looking toward the mainte-
nance and education of the widows and Or
phans of dead comrades and the President and
others in authority were called upon to provide
positions, SO far as possible, for manned SOL
diers.
The first election for officers of the nationa !
encampment resulted in the choice of the fol-
lowing: Commando r-in-chief, S. A. Hurlbut IL
linois; senior vice commander. j. b. Mexican,
New York; junior vice commander, Il. s. Fos-
ter, Indiana; adiutant general, b. F. Stephen
son, Illinois; quartermaster general, August
Which, Ohio; surgeon general. ID. c. Mcneil,
Iowa; chaplain, Vim. A. Pile, Missouri.
On the evening Of the 10Th an enthusiastic
| meeting was held at which cheering speeches
were delivered by number of prominent men.
During the year following the first encamp-
ment the organization suffered somewhat of an
ebb in its prosperity. Through the failure of
the commander-in-chief to issue call no en-