River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-05-17
HEADQUARTERS DEPT OF WISCONSIN,
GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC,

GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC,
MILWAUKEE. MAY i. 1891
GENERAL ORDERS No. 1.
l. In obedience to call of the De-
partment Encampmenth held at James
vile on the 18th and Goth of April,
last, / have assumed the duties OF
Commander with an earnest desire to
meet the expectations of the comrades.
IS. Tallmadge has been selected
as Assistant Adjutant General.
Headquarters are in room 81, Colby
and Abbott building, corner of Mil
waukee and Mason streets, Milwaukee.
All letters pertaining to the Assis-
tant Adjutant Generals Office, should
be addressed S. III. Tallmadge, p. O.
Box 24O, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
3. The officers elected at Janesville
are: Commander, J. A.Watrous, Mil
waukee; Senior Vice, Richard Carter,
Dodgeville; Junior Vice, G. III. Russell,
Berlin: Medical Director, DR.. j. b.
Whiting, GAINESVILLE; Chaplain, Rev.
w. ii. Thompson, Green Bay.
Council of Administration, r. b.
Showalter, Lancaster; G. III. Russell,
Berlin: G. X. Erwin, Tomah; A. III.
HOLSTER, Madison; William ONeil,
Washburn.
4. Memorial Day is close at hand.
1t is not necessary TO urge the COM
rades of this Department TO properly
observe Memorial Day, but / wish to
make a suggestion or two. At the
recent Department Encampment a
resolution was adopted unanimously,
urgently requesting the proper
authorities toexert their influence in
favor of Memorial ceremonies in all
of the colleges and public and private
schools of the state, on the Friday
afternoon or evening preceding Mem
orial Day, May 30. The value of such
ceremonies would be very great in
teaching patriotism and in preparing
the young for good citizenship.
trust that the comrades will keep
this question so constantly and SC
prominently before the public that il
will not be long before impressive
Memorial ceremonies are held in all
of our educational institutions, public
and private, each year, at the time
indicated; and / am sure that you
will all join me in the hope and belief
that when the custom is adopted, il
will exist throughout the life of the
Republic. Ask the press, the pulpit,
the boards, superintendent, teachers
children, and the public generally to
cooperate with you in establishing the
the custom. With the custom estab-
lished, with Memorial ceremonies in
the hundreds of thousands of educa.
tional institutions of our land, as the
30th of May approaches, we need
never fear, comrades, that the Nation
we contributed something towards re-
establishing, will abandon the obser-
vances that have become so dear to
our hearts. Establish that custom
aid Memorial Day exercises will be as
notable for centuries 10 come as they
have been since the day our idea
volunteer soldier and leader, John A
Logan, introduced the beautiful
observance. The practice that has
grown up of Posts going TO hear a
patriotic sermon the Sunday evening
previous to Memorial Day, is in all
respects commendable, and should be
continued. May we not greatly en-
large the number of patriotic sermons
on that occasion by respectfully re.
questing the pastors of all the church.
es to preach patriotic sermoni the
Sunday, morning or evening, proceed
ing the day we strew flowers upon the
graves of our comrades? l here make
that request of the pastors, of al de.
nominations, and ask that the request
be repeated and emphasized by the
ex-soldiers and all other patriotic
people in the state. Anything that
tends to improve American citizen
ship-and patriotism does that-must
be pleasing in the sight of God. Pa
triotic teaching, no matter where
taught, tends to better citizenship.
Please spare no pains TO Inake May
Both, next, notable for the large mum
Der of Memorial Day Observances
and also for their high character and
permanent good results.
j. A. WATRoUs,
Department Commander.
S. III. TALLMADGE,
Assistant Adjutant-General.