Evening star., 1909-06-27
THREE VIEWS OF THE G. A. R. MONUMENT

finally settled en- the site which is just
across Ith street from the heroic statue
of Gen. Hancock.
The idea of an organization to hold in
friendly relation those who. should sur
vive the great struggle was born upon
bivouac in the expedition of Sherman
against Meridian, Miss, in February,
1854.
Maj. B. F. Stephenson was a native of
Illinois. He was born in Wayne county
October 80, 1S22. In young manhood he
went TO live in Sangamon county. He
was a graduate of Rush Medical College
of Chicago. ILL.,, in the class of $4,000.
Upon the organization of the 14th Hi
nois Infantry, May -, 1861. DIR. Stephen
son was elected its surgeon. Another
man was mustered into the position.
though Cen Stephenson had been unan-
imously elected by the officers and en-
listed men of the regiment under the
laws of Illinois,
Later, DIR. Stephenson was appointed
regimental surgeon of the regiment. and
he was mustered in at Pttsburg Landing
April 4 is ,. DR.. Stephenson served his
term of three years and was mustered
cut June n, 1864.
Idea Conceived in Bivovac.
The 14th Illinois was a part of the
Meridian expedition. In the long watches
OF the nights. upon the march and in the
bivouac Chaplain w. J. Rutledge and
Maj. Stephenson discussed the matter of
the soldier organization.
Chaplain Rutledge suggested to Maj.
Stephenson that soldiers when mustered
out of service naturally desire some asso-
citation to preserve friendships and memo
ries of common trials and dangers. AS
they talked together their thoughts ex-
panded into the widest fields of cOnjec-
ture as to the capacity for good in such
an organization of veterans. and they
agreed that if they were spared they
would together work out some such
project.
At the close of their army service this
subject formed the greater part of their
correspondence until March, 1866, when
the two comrades met by appointment in
Springfield, Ill. They spent several days
in arranging a ritual for the proposed
organization.
ticipated in the conferences in Spring
field that finally resulted in the organi-
zation of the Grand Army of the Repub-
lie: Maj. B. f. Stephenson, Col. John M.
Snyder. Dr. James Hamilton Maj. Robert
NJ. Woods Maj Robert Allen. Chaplain
William Rutedge, Col Martin Flood, Col.
Daniel Grass, Col. Edward Prince. Capt.
John s. Phelps, Capt John A. Lightfoot,
Col. B. F. Smith, Maj. A. A. North, Capt.
Henry Howe, Col. B. F. Hawkes. and
Fred l. Dean.
The last two were well known in Wash
ington. and died here only two years ago.
OF all these veterans only one, Maj.
Robert NJ. Woods. is living. All the
others have mustered out.
Col. Woods will unveil the monument to
his old commander.
Maj. Stephenson and the veterans per-
fcctcd an organization, somewhat incho-
ate, but which they called THE Grand
Army of the Republic, Department of
Illinois," OF which Maj. Stephenson was
styled the department commander and
Robert NJ Woods adjutant general This
organization of the Department of Illinois
was completed April 1, 1866.
April 6. 1866. the first post of the Grand
Army of the Republic was organized at
Decatur. Ill. This post is one of the
large posts of Illinois today. Not sin
gle member who signed the charter is
now living, except Gen. Woods
Stephenson's Hopes Dashed.
The Department OF Illinois, as organized
by Maj. Stephenson. was only provision
al. Maj. Stephenson was its pro
visional commander
The first department encampment was
called by Maj. Stephenson to meet in
Springfield. H.. June -. 1866. Maj.
Stephenson called the meeting to order
and appointed Il committee on organlZa-
ton.
Maj. Cen Stephen A. Hurlbut. who was
to be the first commander-n- chief. was
chairman of the committee on resolutions.
The convention proceeded to elect Gen.
John NJ. Palmer commander of the fully
organized Department of Illinois. instead
of DIR. Stephenson. as he had hoped they
would do. The convention adopted reso-
utions of eulogy to. Maj. Stephenson. in
which they recognized him as the head
and front of the organization.
Although bitterly hurt that he was not
elected commander, Maj. Stephenson
then turned his attention to a national
organization, of which he styled himself
''commander-in-ch and issued general
orders No. IL, dated October 81 1865, in
which he called national convention of
the Grand Army of the Republic to meet
in indianapolis, November -. 1866. Again
Mai. Stephenson was turned down, and
Gen. Hurlhut of Illinois. but a native of
South Carolina, was elected first COM
mdnder-in-chief.
He was to suffer bitterer disappoint-
ment however. The organization which
he created was TO expand and then fade
into nothingness before his death. The
Grand Army" of which he had dreamed.
had practically disappeared from view
when he Cied in 1871
Wane and Revival of G. A. r.
Years were to pass after the death of
Maj Stephenson before the Grand Army
was to become the thing its founder
dreamed Of
Gen. John A. Logan was the second
commander-in- chief. 1t was during his
first term that he issued his general or
ders No. IL establishing Memorial day
He was twice reelected.
Under his years of office the Grand
Army grew rapidly. But the plant needed
nourishing. Gen. Logan had not the time
for that.
The Grand Army began to decline dur
ing his third term. until at the close of
his last administration there was scarce
Is department in good standing.
At his first national convention. or en-