Evening star., 1911-05-28

and prf0ations or many Gays OF cdih-
pajgnins.
When Gen. ". T. Sherman made his
expedition TO Meridian. Miss. in Febru-
ary. 1864. the Rev. william ]. Rutledge,
chaplain OF the 18th Illinois Infantry. and
his terminate, DR.. B. r. Stephenson. spent
many hours IN converse ton over their
respective prospects at the close of the
war The hardships and periis through
which they had passed had made bosom
friends OF the two: It made them hore
for an intimate friendship after the army
had disbanded.
one night toward the close of the cam
raign. while the army lay bivouackei, DR..
Stephenson said:
IT shall regret the separation. chaplain,
after we are disbanded. And ] shall al
WAYS cherish the memories OF my asSo-
ciates."
Let rs preserve TIE friendship and
memories by frequent meetings the
chaplain suggested.
II was those words which led TO the
formation Of the same idea by each OF
the two men. Six months after the close
of hostllities they met at Springfield. III,
10 discuss the plans upon which they had
dwelt while they Were Yet in the service
There had been various small OrSanfZa-
tious Of veterans formed ii, the different
communities, independent in character,
ard merely for the sake Of relating the
experiences Of the war. Chaplain Rut-
ledge and Or. Stephenson wished for an
amalgamation of these smaller organiza-
tipns under one head. and formed into
one grand organization which might ex-
telad throughout all the states The ira
ternaIisn Of those who had taken part In
The great contictiswas their object, and
they drew ritual ta--%~ern an organl-
zatinn somewhat on these lines
21Vith this ritual completed they called
fifteen Of their former comrades into
conSula ton The meeting took place In
the office of DR.. Stephenson in March
1866. and II is the first on record OF any
formal gathering Of members OF the Gra nj
Army OF tie RepuToiic With some Few
changes each man signifed his approval
of the document over his own signature,
and before the session adjourned those
seventeen men had taken the solemn on
heation ny which each member Of the
Grand Army Of the Republic now abfdes
One Of the most important questions
which came up at this meeting was a
name for the organization. Perhaps 1T
may have been a coincidence that certain
public-spirited citizens OF the Missis sippi
river section had conceived the same idea
Tor constructing the business of their
reepective states. They had formed an
association at the close OF the civil war,
and had called It the Grand Army of
Progress. It was this fa1~ reaching spirA
which appealed to the founders of the
Gran6 Army Of the Republic IN selecting
the name OF their organization
Each OF those original seventeen men,
bers took an oath to maintain and
strengthen fraternity. charity and love
between the soldiers. sailors and marines
petuate the memory Of those who had
died IN the conflict and who might later
die, anG TO give assistance 10 the needy
and to the widows and orphans OF their
comrades. Any man who had served
during that period was eligible to take
such an oath and to receive the benefits
The formal swearing IN of these seven
teen men took place In the office of Dr.
Stephenson at Springfield. While the
ceremony was OF q private nature, the
news OF its occurrence went the rounds
of the public press of the country. A few
days later DIR. J. W. Routh OF Decatur,
IN. called In person upon Or. stephen,
son TO inquire about tie organ zation, and
,L1on~tefng furn1s hedSfne details went d. :
reetlv~te his home and~ealled a meeting
OF the ex-soldiers IN the vicinity. 1t was
an informal mass meeting, but fuli or
enthusiasm, and before the adjournment
was taken every man had signed the ap-
pEcation for a charter. A month later,
Apr!i e, 1864. those men again assembled
and were formally mustered into the order
by Chaplain Rutledge forming the nrst
post of the Grand Army of the Republic.
One OF the clauses m the regnlatf tons
governing the order provided Tor the as
seHbling in reunion. termed an en-
:arnpment, every three years of as many
comrades who could attend. Such
meeting was designed not only to trans
act the business OF tho body, but to ce-
nent the fraternity among the members.
10 renew their solemn pledges.
The first regular encanpment was held
4 Indianapolis. Ind. November 20. 1885,
Much business had to be transacted at
Ihat meeting. Az yet there had been no
sormA head chosen beyond the chair
nan Of the meeting OF those original sev-
nteen msmbars. nor any general ofaoers-
70 Gem g. A. Hurrhut fell the honor
sf sbefns elected tho nrst oommander~in-
,ht6es Of the organization Under his su-
,eryiston the sessions Of the veterans at
hat sneanrprnent constructed and adopt
ID q constitution and revised the original
ut of regulations. But their greatest
work at that meeting consisted OF adopt
ns Q uniform and badge.
To select either OF these was not q
natter OF g few days discussion. and a
committee composed OF Col A. Webber.
-
s'as appointed 10 submit suitable designs.
Tho original badge adopted at that en-
,ampmont was composed of a small
bronze medal. on which was designed in
Egaias representing every branch OF the
service. BY degrees It has since under
zone a gradual change In October, 1868.
IN eagle was added 10 the top with a
metal circle below. IN which was a de-
sign to denote the rank of the officers
The next change came IN February.
$50. and brought on a controversy for
which the designers were unconsciously
10 blame In selecting the Style OF eagle
% surmount the flag ribbon they had un-
willingly copied that desi gned and adopt
cd tsy Congress for tho famous medal of
honor. But soldiers are quick to recog-
aiZe honor paid TO those who deserve II,
and IN 1874 the design was again changed
and the present style adopted. thus guard
ng against a possible uisconstruing of
heir badge. Ten years later at the en-
.amprnent in Minneapolis Mimi the con-
Fention adopted the little round button
which has since been worn with pride
oy so many veterans. The metal from
which these badges and buttons were
cast was taken from the antiquated can
aon stored at Governors Island IN New
York harbor.
One OF the features OF the first en-
campment OF the Grand Army OF the Re
pubItc ar INDIANAPOLIS was the MIXTURE