The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-06-28
Debated HOhORS
TOG.A.R.FOUnDER

Washington. June 2S.-The last
public function which President Taft
will attend before his departure fol
the summer capital near Beverly
Mass, will be the unwilling and deii.
cation of the granite memorial erect.
ed here in honor of DR.. B. F. Stephen.
son, founder of the Grand Army OF
the Republic. The ceremony will take
place on Saturday afternoon and
President Taft and Representative J.
Hampton Moore of Pennsylvania will
be the orators of the occasion.
All the regular troops of the city
will participate in the parade and
dedication and Brigadier General w.
w. Wetherspoon will be grand mar
shall. General Wood, commanding
the department of the east, has Or
dered the following troops to take
part: Headquarters band and three
troops, 18th cavalry, and the End bat
talon of the 3rd field artillery at
Fort Myer; the engineer band and
companies A and B, First battalion
of engineers, Washington barracks.
and two companies of the Coast ar
tillery corps from Fort Washington,
Maryland. Major F. S. Foltz, 18th
cavalry, will have command of the
regular troops.
The memorial is on the circular
park of the east side of Seventh
street, at the intersection Of Louis
lana and Pennsylvania avenues. It
was designed by J. Massey Rhind, a
New York sculptor, and consists of a
tall triangular shaft Of gray granite
with bronze reliefs on the three sides,
representing fraternity, charity and
loyalty, the principles of the Grand
Army of the Republic.
The erection of this monument is
the first and rather belated attempt
to honor the memory of the man no
founded the Grand Army Of the Re-
public. The movement for the cree
ton of a memorial to him was first
suggested few years ago by Colonel
John McElroy, who had Joined the
army when he was a boy and had
served in the 10th Illinois cavalry.
Colonel McElroy labored indefatig-
ably to interest the Grand Army and
other patriotic organizations for bis
plan and 1t was principally due to his
efforts that the Grand Army ana the
Woman's Relief Corps contributed
the necessary funds for the purpose.
Benjamin Franklin Stephenson was
born in Wayne county, Illinois, Octo-
Der 30, 1922. In 1925 his parents
removed to Sangamon county, where
he grew to manhood. He graduated
from Rush Medical college in 1850,
and began to practice at Petersburg,
Ill. In 1851 he was elected surgeon
of the 14th Illinois infantry and he
served with his regiment until June
"a. 1864, when he was mustered out.
At the close of the war he returned
to his practice and established him
self at Springfield, Ill.
During Sherman's expedition to
Meridian, in February, 1864, Ste
phenson and the Rev. William J..
Rutledge, chaplain of the 14th IL
linois infantry, discussed the plan Of
forming an association among those
who had served in the Union army or
navy during the Civil war, that
would preserve the friendships form
ed among comrades and keep alive
memories of their common trials and
dangers. In March, 1866, the two
met by appointment in Springfield
and further discussed the matter. The
first post was organized at Decatur,
ILL.,, April 16, 1866. The first ma
tional encampment was held in In
jianapolis, Ind, beginning on No
vember 20, 1866.
1t was q grievous disappointment
to DR.. Stephenson when representa-
.tives Of the Grand Army, assembled
at Springfield. Ill.,, to form a depart
ment organization, selected another
for the highest honors of the order
he had founded. A similar disap-
pointment awaited him at Indianapo-
lis, when the national encampment
was formed. Although Major Ste.
phenson then accepted a subordinate
position, as adjutant general. he felt
until his death that he had been
sighted by his comrades in these
instances. Stephenson died in Men.
ard county Illinois AupuSt % 1871