The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-04-13

/ the salntary effect it had at that time. By some
| means Mr.. Johnson was advised of what was
| being done aud that Gen. Logan stayed with
! Stanton in the War Department at night. He
| spoke to Gen. Logan about the matter. Gen.
Logan assured him that, had he tried the ex-
| ecution of his plans to take forcibe possession
| Of the War Department and control OF the
| army, for the furtherance and perpetuation OF
| his power he would have found that the vol
unteer soldiery were ready to respond to the
| call of their country, and to protect the loyal
people of tho unreconstructed States"
! Gen. Chapman, in referring to this incident
many years after. said "Of course this
outside the Regulations, but none of MS supposed
| for moment we were not engaged i'll the per-
| Torrance Of high and important trust; and
most certainly if President Johnson had at
! tempted to forcibly eject Mr.. Stanton by
| military power, the members of our Posts,
without exception at that time, would have
| rallied TO Mr.. Stanton's support. and would
| have laid down their lives in his defense. My
old comrades of the District Of Columbia did
| not all know what was meant by having arms
and ammunition issued to them, but they will
| doubtless remember the fact"
The third annual meeting of the National
| Encampment WAS held at Cincinnati May II,
| 1863. and the report of AdJt-Gon. Chapman
| showed 81 Departments with about $500 Posts.
| 1t was at this session that the ritual was
| changed to tho three grades of membership
! system, the enforcement of which was vigor-
| ously opposed by the majority Of the members,
| aud which resulted III loss of membership.
| This particular feature Of the amended ritual
| had to be abandoned two years after its in
| auguration. Gen. Logan was reelected Com
| mander. Chief, and again for third torn.
| closing his term of Office with the 18th annual
session, at Boston. During this session the fol-
| lowing telegram was received:
., fin,, in, or
| Cooper Institute, New York. May 10 1871, to
| National Encampment, Grand Army of the Re-
! public:
We congratulate you on q peace Encamp-
| ment. As veterans can you not add your pro-
| test against war, that there may never more be
! another war Encampment-"
: To this upon the suggestion OF Comrade
| Wagner, was telegraphed:
| "Your congratuation reciprocated, the
! Grand Army Of the Republic is determined to
have peace even if it has to fight for it,
At this session Gen. Ambrose f. Burnside
! WIS elected COMMANDMENT Chief aud served
two terms. He was succeeded by Gen. Charles
| Deveus, IT, who also served two terms. did
also his successor. Gen. John f. Hartranft who
| closed his second term of office june 1877.
| Gen John g. Robinson succeeded for two terms,
| aud at the 18th annual session Rev. William
| Earnshaw was elected Commander-in-Chief.
| He served one term and was succeeded by
|
reported that the number in good standing in
the Order was 44,752, and on Dec. 81, 1880,
| the membership in good standing was 6O,675.
/ Gen. George S. Merrill succeeded to the position
| of Commander in Chief who. in his address at
! the 10Th annual session, reported gain III
| membership in his year OF 33OO0 thus making
! the membership at that date June Il. 1882
about 100000. The actual number in good
standing March 81. 1882. was e9934.-a gain Of
| 29256 since Dec 81, 1880. Gen Merrill was
| succeeded by Serg't Paul Van Dervoort. He
| served one year, and reported the membership
| in good standing March 81 1883, to be l45, 932,
| n gain of nearly $4,000 daring the year. Col.
| Robert B. Beath presided oyer the destinies of
| the Grand Army Of the Republic for the sue
| ceeding year, aud ut the close of his admins
traiion the membership in good standing (June
! 30 1884 was reported to be 233 $50, a gain of
| nearly 10000. The next Commander-in Chief
was John S. Kountz, the drummer boy OF Mis-
/ sonary Ridge, who at the close of his term re-
| ported a gain in membership of 41.394, and
| total membership in good standing March
| 81 1885 of 269694 The next Commander
| in. Chief was Gen. Samuel s. Burdett, who
served from June. 1855 to August 1886. The
! official reports of his term show that on March
| 81, 1886. tho mem bership in good standing stood
at go, :3537. Number Of Posts D. 100, beinga gain
| in Posts of over 700 and in membership of over
! % 600 Gen. Lucius Farchild next succeeded
| TO the command and his term showed gain OF
| $40 Posts and over %, 900 members, making the
number of members in good standing March
| 81, 1887, 3209i6 The next COMMANDMENTS
! Chief was Maj. John p Rea, who closed his
| term of one year with membership on June
30, 1888. of 36I.194. gain of about 10000.
| Mai. VIM. Warner then took command and
| closed his year with 3S2 GIT in good standing.
| gain of q 43l, and with 6G33 Posts in healthy
condition. Gen Russell A. Alger succeeded to
| the command for the year ending IN 1o9O and
| 4 mo
| hers Gen. w. G. Veazcy next assumed the
| duties OF Commander n-Chief and presided at
| the 25th National Encampment Silver Ami
| vcrsary). A the close OF his term OF once
| there were 40 Departments, with 1919 Posts and
| 39S. 27O comrades in good standing, with some
| returns not in. Capt. John Palmer was next
! elected 10 tho command. and after serving one
| year turned over his command to CoInrade A.
| g. Weissert, tho present Commander-in-Cb Chief,
! with about 425 900 members in good standing,
| with nearly 1000 Posts. The annual Encamp-
/ men;s have been held in the following cities:
| 1st. indianapolis, Nov. 90. 1866.
| Cd, Philadelphia, Jan. 10. 1868.
| Sd, Cincinnati. May IL, 1869.
| 4ih Washington, May H. 1870
5tb Boston, May 10, 1871.
9Th Cleveland, May 8, 1872.
7th New Haven, May Ia, 1873.
sth Harrisburg. May 10. 1874.
| 9th Chicago, May II. 1875.
| 10th, Philadel phia, June 30. 1876.
| 1Ith, Providence. Juno 26. 1877.
18th, Springfield. Mass June 4, 1873
| 18th. Albany, June H. 1879.
14tb, Dayton, June g. 1880
18th, indianapolis, June Is, 1881.
18th, Baltimore. June 81, 1882.
18th. Den ger, July %. 1888.
18th, Minneapolis, July 90 1854
10Th, Portland, June "a, 1886.
Goth, San Francisco, Aug. 4. 1886.
21st, ST. Louis, Sept. %. 1887.
22d, Columbus, Sept. IL, 1888.
23d, Milwaukee. Aug. %. 1889.
cath, Boston, Aug 13, 1890.
25th, Detroit, Aug. 5, 1891.
Goth, Washington, Sept. 81, 1892.
Of the % comrades who have served the
Grand Army as Commander-in- Chief, seven
have died, to wit: Stephenson Hurlbut, Logan,
Burnside, Devens, Hartranf and Earnshaw.
Up to 1877 the Order had had its ups and
downs" and the membership had fuctuated.
From 1871 to 1877 it was almost at a standstill,
,;o lacv khon