Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-06
GRAND ARMY FOUNDER
Final Steps for Erection of
Stephenson Memorial.
A DELAYED TRIBUTE
ORGANIZED FIRST POST AND
FIRST DEPARTMENT.
Issued Call for National Convention
From Which Grew the Ma
tional Encampment.

tiona1 Encampment.
The SHOWS of thirty winters have drifted
above a lonely grave near the banks Of the
Sangamon river, in Illinois, and seven more
years must be added to mark the anniver-
| saries since Appomattox mustered a great
army OF battle-worn men out Of the ranks
Of fighters into the grand army of peace,
and yet the founder of that greatest of all
military organizations the world has ever
known sleeps In that lonely gnave almost
forgotten by his comrades.
1t is conceded that the Grand Army of
| the Republic owes to Maj Benjamin Frank
| lin Stephenson a debt which 1t can never
pay, and that 1t has added to that obliga-
ton the deeper one Of never attempting to
pay It until very recently.
The founder Of the Grand Army Of the
Republic died thirty years ago, long before
| the order which was so dear to his heart
had given any evidence of the magnificent
proportions which it was to finally reach.
MAJ. stephenson, who, It is said, was some
thing of an idealist and dreamer, had
planned a great military society, in which
| no politics would ever enter, formed like
the Masonic order which should draw into
| it all those, both rank and file, who had
| fought the fight for the Union, and who
would like to keep up the old associations
along Lhe campfire ana DatEle lines and help
each other In the battle for life-a military
society In which the ties of common suf-
fering and kindred affiliations would unite
his old comrades in one great organization
| for patriotic purposes -->f
Inbued with these IDEAS he interested a
few of his comrades, and to them he I'M
| folded his plans. While he was a creator,
| he lacked that essential quality executive
| ability, and he lived to see all his splendid
| ideas appropriated by others and put into
| execution. When Maj. Stephenson organ
lied and mustered Decatur Post, No. 1.
April 6, 1865, another than himself was
| elected its commander.
| Organizes First Department
Nothing daunted. he proceeded to organ
| lie the first department Of the Grand Army
! Of the Republic. neglecting his practice as
| a physician and spending his private means
| freely to further his plans. July IL, 1866,
! his program being perfected, in response to
| his call as provisional commander of the
Department Of Illinois, a lot of old soldiers
met in Springfield and organized the De-
partment of Illinois The services of Maj.
Stephenson were recognized by a glowing
resolution of thanks" and another man,
who was yet in the field, was elected COM
mander Of the department. 1t is said by
those who knew Maj. Stephenson very well
| that he never quite recovered from the hurt
Of that action. He had labored indefatiga-
bly, in behalf Of the new society Of soldiers,
and his plans for its growth were as mag
nifiicent as those of L Enfant for Washing
ton. His large practice fell away for lack
Of attention, and even that early the pa
| triot his income dwindling and neces-
sity staring him in the face. He had long
ed to be the head of the department, but
political expediency" shut him out.
Sore at heart. but loyal to the cause, he
accepted the situation and proceeded to la
Dor for a national society. This time he
styled himself commander-in-chiefa and is
sued a call for a national convention for
the purpose of perfecting national organ
tZatiOn The cOnVOc3tiOn took nlaca In
dianapolis November 90 1856. Again politi-
cal ambitions stepped in, and the first COM
mander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the
Republic was not Maj. Stephenson. The
convention did recognize his hard work by
continuing him in the working office, and
elected him adjutant general One Of the
placing him at the head of the national or
ganization was that he had not enough ex-
ecutive ability, and that in it's infancy the
order would need strong hand.
The Work He Accomplished.
The records show very clearly that about
all the work that was done that year was
accomplished by the adjutant general
Commander-in-Chief Huribut was so en-
crossed in his own CHAIRS that he even ne
elected to issue orders for the national en-
campment, and was forced to do this finally
by his council OF administration Major.
Stephenson had been personally RESPONSE
BILE for many OF the legitimate debts OF the
national organization, and 1t was several
years before he was able to collect the sums
he had advanced At this encampment his
active work In the organization practically
ceased. Again the convention passed him
by. this time without thanks and. 1t is said,
his heart was nearly broken by the indtffer-
ence Of the men whom he had helped boost
into prominence by means of the Grand
Army Of the Republic. which was the child
ct his brain. and which others had used as
= stepping stone to political preferment.
/ His Early Death.
Major Stephenson did not live very long
after the third national encampment, and
died In Menard county. H.. August 80. 1871
in his forty-ninth year. There are many
who say that he died practically OF a broken
heart. His comrades had failed to recoe-
nize his services in the orxanisstion which
he loved. and. tt Ii said. that hurt him
cruelty, for he was sensitive as a woman"
Then he lived just long enough to see the
Grand ARMY ofs tho Republic, which had
given such brilliant promise. almost annihi-
lated by injudiciouS management ana hid
ding fair TO cad It's career dngaor4easly
Illinois, the state, which had given him and
his pet project birth. had lett In II just one
post IN active operation and wa1 bexx4nr
Tor. Representations In Tia .Dational body
Bodily ills helped his mental suffering and
death came to one who was ready to go
when Major StspAensoa WAS mastered
out" He had bsen a member OF the 18th
Illinois Infantry and was elected It's sur
geon, bat WA1 not comm3ssioaed. ana am
bthara man cot Tho 0face. Later, however.
when the other physician was given
higher appointment DR.. Stephenson "a. re- i
have been . large. Ane-looaxing man: o.
genial disposition. but = t,ssr3 1yupr1rtical.
he lived good dsaf Of tn tims n IN sdeea