The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-09-09

ticut-New Jersey, Maryland Della
ware, Michigan, Tennessee and Louis
lana. The Philadelphia Encampment
of thirty-one years ago proved the
organization, then less than two years
Old to be already national in it's rami-
fications. This Encampment abolished
the district organizations, which had
not taken root to any considerable eX-
tent, thus bringing the posts into di-
rect connection with the State depart
ments. 1t was after a heated discus
sion that the resolution declaring the
organization would not make nomina-
tions for office, etc, quoted above, was
adopted. General John A. Logan was
elected commander-in-c a this En-
campment.. 1t was Logan order of
May 3, 1868, designating May 80 as a
day of "strewing with flowers or other.
wise decorating the graves of comrades
who died in defence of their country"
which gave origin to what is known
otficially as Decoration Day"
The third Encampment was held at
Cincinnati, May ~, 1869. A change of
the rules and regulations here adopted
had the effect to reduce the member
ship from about 250 900 to less than %.
600. 1t was some time before the order
recovered from the blow of this i'll ad-
Vised change. The fourth Grand En-
campment met in Washington, Nav II.
1870; the fifth at Boston, May TO- 1871:
the sixth at Cleveland, May 8. 1872;
the seventh at New Haven in 1873: the
eighth at Harrisburg, May 10, 1874; the
ninth at Chicago, May u, 1875; the
tenth again at Chicago May 10, 1875
the tenth again at Philadelphia June
30 1876, the centennial year: the elev-
enth at Providence, June 26 1877; the
twelfth at Springfield, Mass, June !,
1873; the thirteenth at Albany. June Il,
1873; the fourteenth at Dayton. Ohio,
June S, 1880; the fifteenth at India
napolis, June IL, 1881; the sixteenth at
Baltimore, June 81. 1882 the seven
teenth at Denver, Col, June %. 1883:
the eighteenth at Minneapolis, July ,23
1904; the nineteenth at Portland Me-
June "a 1850; theI twentieth at san
francisco, August 4. 1856: the twenty
hrst at St Louis, September 2S 1887;
the tWenty-second at Columbus, Ohio
September -, 1883; the twenty-third
at Milwaukee, August %, 1889: the
tWenty-fourth at Boston, August -.
1892; the twenty-fifth at Detroit. Au-
gust ;, 1891 the twenty sixth at Wash
inston, September 10, 1892: the twenty
seventh at indianapolis. I'm 1893: the
twenty-eighth at Pittsburg. in 1894,
the twenty-ninth at Louisville, Sep
tember 10, 1895; the thirtieth at ST
Paul in 1896; the thirty first at Buffalo
In 1897; the thirty-second at Cincinnati
in 1898, and the thirty-third again at
Philadelphia, the third time the Grand
Army of the Republic has gathered in
this city. Each Encampment decides
for Itself where the next meeting shall
be held.
THE COMMANDERS -IN-CHIEF.
In the thirty-three years of its ex-
istence the society Of the G. A. r.
has had twenty-five Commanders
Chief In its earlier days there was
the disposition on the part of the
boys" doubtless engendered by their
military discipline 10 choose some of
their distinguished generals for the
Office and, not only that, but to re-
elect them to a second term General
Logan was the only three termer. Cen
erals Burnside, Devens, Hartranft and
John C. Robinson each served two
terms. But with the close of General
Rohinsons second term i'm 1868, the TEN
dency became more democratic. and no
! commander-in-ch has since been
honored with a reelection nor has any
| leading general of the war since been
| chosen to the office. For the first
twelve years of its existence Generals
Hurlburt, Logan, Burnside, Devens,
Hartranft and Robinson, i'm their order
l commanded the Organization. Since