The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1900-05-25
THE GRAND ARMY OF THE RE
PUBLIC.

"Thundered the guns of tine South
land under the Stars and the Bars
Thundered the guns of the Northland,
under the Stripes and the Stars;
Deep hung the SMOKE of the conflict,
pail like, ON hill and plain;
Death laden missiles of carnage fell
like the fall of the rain.
There, like wall ajamantine, shout
der to shoulder they stand;
Under the banner of freedom-under
the flag of our land.
There, mid the smoke of the battle !;
there, where the cannon shot fell /;
There, mid the singing of bullets /;
there, mid the bursting of shell ;
There. mid the conflicts wild hor
rors; there, in the war-demon s
breath;
There, III the hell of the slaughter /:
there, in the face of grim death
Friendships that time cannot sever,
mystic and blood stained the tie
Friendships were formed and cemented
friendships that never can die. -
Not only does this brotherhood in
clude the veteran who served his
country as a private soldier. but the
highest in the land of those who went
to the war. The question of former
rank, or present civil or social posi-
tion of it's members, creates no divid-
ing lines between them, and is never
considered in the selection of it's
officers. All meet in its councils ON
a common level. Shoulder to shoulder,
on equal terms, march the private and
his former commanding general. The
President of the United States is an
untitled comrade in it's ranks. Men
prominent in the councils of the Ma
tion and in the Nation S history, emil
nent jurists, scholars in every depart
ment of learning. churchmen and
ministers of Christ, glory in the fact
that they are qualified to wear its
badge of distinction and honor Mem
bership is the privilege only of those
whose services were given to their
country in her hour of peril and need,
and whose hearts were bound together
while suffering in her defence. Into
this mystic brotherhood no man can
enter who does not possess the title of
"Soldier of the Union. To be
member is priceless prerogative;
entrance can only be obtained through
the possession of this blood-stained
title
The founders of the Grand Army of
the Republic were Major B. F.
Stephenson and Chaplain W. j. Rut-
ledge, officers of the 14th Illinois In
fantry. AS early as February, 1864,
while they were tent mates and COM
panions in Shermans Expedition to
Meridian, Mississippi, they conceived
the idea of this grand association.
While upon the march the subject of
such an organization was the absorb
ing theme of their conversation, and
they pledged each other that at the
close of the war; if spared, they would
formulate a brotherhood of comrades
whose object would be the preserva-
tion of the friendships and associa-
tions of the war, formed in the ranks
of the soldiers. and made strong and
enduring by the mutual privations and
dangers they had undergone in the
great conflict. After they were mus
tered out of service they correspondent
upon this matter until March, 1866,
when conference was held in Spring
field, Illinois, which resulted in the
Erv.x,a ~ ~, of fhi R,nh1a r1,,Jar
The first Grand Army Post was or
ganized in Decatur, Illinois, on the
9th day of April, 1866, Major B. f.
Stephenson, Department Commander,
with charter membership of twelve
persons.
From this beginning has grown the
present magnificent institution. When
its founders conceived the idea thai
the banding together of the veterans
of the Civil War. for their common
welfare and interest, would prove
popular and beneficial to them, the
present magnitude of the Grand Army
and the great results it has accom-
plished were probably not ever
imagined as possibilities; though it il
stated that as they talked together OIL
the march or in the bivouao, thi
thought extended into the wides
aelds Of conjecture as to the probable
good that would be accomplished from
such an association. Antedating i
various Corps, Division, Brigade ant
Regimental societies were formed
some of them during the war, and a
early as 1862, purely for the purpos
of continuing, after its close, the socia
ties that had been formed within thei
own commands during the march, tn