The Oskaloosa herald., 1905-05-18
nlaroRY az rAr q. a. v.

nisroRy oF TAr q. Al. ".
Thu origin ~ that grMna urnanl9as
ilon ia men known as the Grand
Army ~ the Republic round inception
with n company ~ gentlemen who,
following the war, were DESTROYS OF
preserving the Fellowship and the his.
tory Of the men VINO engaged In the
strife of the civil differences existing
between the north and the south or
our land. The idea nee given Y X
preston found favor In many minds
aud the great work once undertaken
was carried forward to successful IL.
sue.
Colonel u n. Mcneil, Of oskaloosa,
was employed In the oflce in Spring.
field where the idea OF a Grand
Army was first expressed, and he was
we'll and intimately acquainted with
the gentleman, who talked and work.
ed upon the plan of the organization,
weeks and months before 1t was
heard of in a general way. It was
the plan to make an organization
something after tine order OF the "old
Guard" which flourished in France
at one time.
The origin.
Mr.. Mcneil says of the Grand Ar
my and its conception, "The father
Of the order was DR.. B. +. Stephen
son of Springfield, Illinois, and as
1t was my fortune to be employed In
the office where he and his associ-
ates met day after day to talk over
the plans and to perfect the organi-
zation, ! may claim to have been
present at It's birth. The governing
tenets OF the order are, Fraternity,
Charity and Loyalty, and Its prim-
! airy object additional to those, is to
unite its membership in a desire to
preserve the memories Of those
hours OF toll and danger mutually en-
dured during the dark days of the
rebellion"
Associated with DR.. Stephenson in
the embryotic work Of the order
were General Robt. Mann Woods,
now department commander Of I'LL.
nois, who will be in the city during
the encampment this week; General
Jules G.. Weber, Colonel John M.
Snyder, Captain Lightfoot and a
number OF others. from time to time,
the names of whom | do not now re.
call.
"1'hese gentlemen planned and
worked, devised and developed, com
m%unicated and unfolded, until their
efforts took shape in April Of 1866,
when the first post Of the Grand Ar.
my Of the Republic was Instituted
at Decatur, Illinois, by DR.. b. r.
Stephenson, assisted by his assoct
ates. The organization and instltu.
ton of Post No. 2 at Springfield fol
lowed soon afterwards and almost
Immediately posts sprang up like
magic throughout the states Of iii.
nois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio
and Missouri. The organizers han
drawn the plans of the new frater.
nifty with wisdom and with rare judg.
ment. The popularity and the in.
Of the order had been foreseen
and provided for. A department con.
ventlon was held in Springfield in
July, 1866. DR.. Stephenson. the now
recognized father and honored author
OF the order was placed at the head
as cOmmander.in.chief and gave his
time toward the organization Of
posts In all parts Of the country. A
call for a national convention was Is.
sued over his hand and all states
then having posts responded. Here
the work Of organization was con.
tinued and new plans formulated and |
older ones matnred. For a time the
order did not prosper and several
years were required TO work out
that which was bad and to preserve
that which was best. Year after
year Of patient and faithful thought
and Study on the part Of the lead
ers brought about the desired davel.
opment Of judicial, legislative al, ex.
ecutlve departments until we have
the organization today fully under.
stood and honored in every state
where 1t Is known.
MuSt FasS away |
THE Grand Army is a unique or.
der in some respects. Other frater.
nal and secret organizations p~erpet.
iate themselves by constantly re.
cruiting young blood, but the Grand
OF the Republic draws It's re.
from the old and feeble sur
OF the war. and as the or
der was called into being by the SOL
iier, and for the soldier, and Is com
posed entirely Of honorably discharg-
soldiers and sailors, in the very
nature Of things 1t cannot survive
hem. The Woman's Relief Corps,
he Ladies' Of the @. A. II. and Sons
Veterans and other worthy and
organizations may unite to-