The National tribune., 1905-12-21

/ Thought IL ought 10 De as VOlumlnOuS
as the Constitution of the United States
DR.. Stephenson sent it to Decatur for
revision, but Capt. Kanan, Commander
or Post No. /, informed me that the
Decatur Committee made no changes
In the Constitution, though they short
ened the Ritual. This Constitution was
the one under which we worked from
April I, 1865.
I had the Constitution and Bylaws
printed, early in May, by Capt. George
X. Weber, and began the distribution
of these to the various Posts May L.
1866.
| The Rituals were printed at Decatur
under supervision Of Lieut.. John S
Phelps, A. d. c., and were finished the
first week in April.
! During the month of May we char
tered eight Posts and eight Districts in
three trips to organize Posts and Dis
tricts, the first from April TO April
Is, to Chicago, Joliet, Morris. Ottawa, La
Sale and Freeport; the second from May
Is to June Is, to Lincoln, Pontiac, Joliet
kankakee, Middleport. Champaign
Danville. Charleston, Paris. Centralia
Salem. Carbonate and Cairo; the third
June 26 to July IL, to Quincy. Macomb
Galesburg. Monmouth. Peoria, Lacon
and Hennepin. Lieut.. John S. Phelps
n. d. c., made several trips, establish
ing Posts at Bunker Hill, April FL; al
Hillsboro, April %; at Carlinville, April
g; at Pana, May Z; at Shelbyville, May
8: at Litchfield, April "a; at Jerseyville
May 26. Gen. Lippincott established
the District of Cass and Post II at
Chandlerville, May 10. DR.. E. d. Kit
toe established three Posts in 10 Da-
viess County. Maj. Anthony Neustadt
organized Post No. 13 at Alton, May IA.
| July IL, 1866, Delegates from 60 Posts
and Districts. members of the Grand
Army of the Republic, and honorably-
discharged soldiers and sailors Of this
State. assembled in mass convention at
Springfield, and, having taken the obli-
cation, made a formal organization of
the Department of Illinois, electing
Gen. John NJ. Palmer Department Com
mander.
The Department of Illinois being now
| duly organized, let us turn our atten-
ton to our efforts to organize the Grand
Army Of the Republic in other States.
In May, 1866, Chief
Stephenson dispatched Adjt-Gen
Woods to neighboring States to organ
lie Departments. I went to Columbus,
| Ohio, where / met, by appointment,
Gen. Benz. F. Potts. I appointed him
Provisional Commander of the Depart
ment, and issued the following order:
Special Order, No. S.
headquarters Department of Ill
nois. Grand Army Of the Republic,
Springfield, May 4, 1866.
"Brevet Maj. b. F. Potts is here
by authorized to organize and estab-
lish Districts and Posts of the Grand
Army Of the Republic in the State of
Ohio. The Districts and Posts SO or
| ganized shall make all returns and re-
ports direct to these Headquarters un-
| til the Department of Ohio is organized
and transferred to 1T by order from
by order Of b. F. Stephenson, Com
manding Department.
Robert M. Woods, Acknowledgement"
Gen. Potts mustered in Post No. 1
at Carrollton, his residence, and pushed
| the organization vigorously in Ohio.
In Wisconsin.
May %, 1866, I went to Madison.
Wis. got together, in the State House,
Gen. Lucius Fairchild, Gen. Jerry M.
Rusk, Gen. James X. Proudfit, Gen. Ed.
Salomen, Geo. +. Rowell and others,
and gave them the obligation of the
Order. l appointed Gen. J. K. Proudfit
and issued the following:
Special Order. No. IL.
headquarters Department of Illi-
nois. Grand Army of the Republic, Ad-
jutant- Generals Office, Springfield, May
%, 1866.
Geo. F. Rowell is hereby authorized
to organize Districts and Posts Of the
| Grand Army Of the Republic in the
| State Of Wisconsin.
"The Districts and Posts thus organ
lied will make all reports and returns
| provided for by the Constitution to
| these Headquarters until otherwise or
5, dered.
Mr.. Rowell will report the names
of officers and charter members and
the date Of Organization Of each Dis
| trict and Post established to these
Headquarters.
by order Of B. F. Stephenson, Com
| handing Department.
Robert NJ. Woods, Adjutant- General"
Under this auth orization IA societies,
| called Soldiers and Sailors League"
were called together June 7, 1866, and
the Department. Of Wisconsin formally
| organized.
In Michigan.
| We made two attempts to organize
Michigan from Springfield. May 8 we
authorized, by Special Order, No. 3.
Capt. II. E. Howe, of Toledo, Ohio, to
| organize a District and Post in Detroit.
Mich. May II had the honor to issue
to organize and establish Districts and
Posts at Kalamazoo and such other
places In Michigan as he might deem
| eApedient. / felt so sure that .Michf-
gan would be organized that did not
| make personal visit to that State.
| and 1t was not organized as q Depart
| ment until Oct. 1, 1867.
| On Aug. l Col. John NJ. Snyder,
| OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES went to st.
Paul. Mimi, and organized the Depart
ment Of Minnesota, appointing Gen.
John B. Sanborn Provisional Depart
ment Commander. The Department
was formally organized Oct Is, 1866.
On May Is instructed Lieut.. John
s. Phelps. A. d. c., to proceed to Keo-
| kuk, Fort Madison, and Burlington.
| Iowa, to organize Posts. He formed
an Organization in each. place. but we
had no reports from them But as /
had known Col. Add. H. Sanders, of
| the 10th Iowa, wrote to him, and he
came to Springfield. On July IL we
issued to him and his associates, Col.
r. M. Littler, Gen. J. B. Leake, Lieut..
o. s. Mcneil. Capt. N. N. Tyner and
Capt. A. T. Andreas, q charter, and
they organized the Department July "a,
1866. This charter Is now in the pos
session of Comrade r. B. Beath, who
will turn 1T over to the care of the Ma
tjcnal Encampment with other original
papers.
| June q we issued Special Order, No.
Is, authorizing Capt. Stephen Ogden
to establish Districts and Posts in the
State Of Tennessee.
4 .Tnlv 2 wont fn Mycen,ri NTH 49,,