Evening star., 1915-09-27
Allied Organizations.

ing thousands Will be merely visitors to
the cncampment.
Allied Organizations.
the Grand Army. all of which are hold
ing their meetings and reunions here
this week, are the Woman's Relief
Corps. the Ladies of the c. A. R., the
Soas of Veterans. the Sons of Veterans
auxiliary. Daughters of Veterans, the
Loyal Legion. the Medal of Honor Lee
zion, the Volunteer Officers Associa-
tion. the Naval Veterans. eX-Prisoners
OF War, the Society OF the Army of the
Potomac. the Society of the Army of
The Cumberland and the Society of the
Army of the Ohio.
The start was in Springfield" said
COZ Snyder. Several prominent SOL
alers OF the northern army got to dis
cus>inG an organization of some kind,
and IT was decided to wait until after
Gen. Logan returned from the grand
review in Washington. Chaplain W ].
Rutiedge and Maj. B. F. Stephenson
wrote to him to go to Springfield for a
conference to formulate plans for the
new organization then in mind. We
thought we had the Grandest army in
the world, and it was from this
thought that the name of the organize
ton was selected.
Meet in March, 1866.
AT that time I was secretary to Gov.
Richard Yates, and the meeting was
held in my Office. That was in March,
1856. At that meeting We're Gen.
Logan. Nal. B. F. Stephenson, Or.
James Hamilton, Mai. Robert Mann
Wood. Maj. Robert Allen, Col Martin
Flood, Col. Daniel Grass. Col. Edward
Prince. Capt. S. Phelps, Capt. John A.
Lightfoot, Col. B. F. Smith, Maj A F.
't.1r, ,t.,ir
Rutledge. Lieut.. b. F. Hawks and my
self. We all helped perfect the ritual,
the character and bylaws. At n later
meeting the Grand Army of the Re
Stephenson was elected commander of
the Department of Illinois. He was
surgeon of the 14th Illinois Infantry,
Gen. Palmer's old regiment.
The first general order issued was
As follows:
General Order No. /, Headquarters
Department of Illinois. Grand Army of
the Republic. adjutant generals .oi.ice,
Springfield. Ill. April I, 1865. The fol-
lowing-named officers are hereby an
nounced on duty at these headquarters:
Col Jules G. Weber, aid-de-camp and
chief Of staff: Mai Robert VI. Wood.
adjutant general: Col John NJ. Snyder.
quartermas:er general; Lieut.. John S.
Phelps. aid-de-carp. and Capt. John A.
Li:atfoot. assistant adjutant general
'By order OF B. r. Stephenson,
commanding department.
"i:obert NJ. Wood. adjutant general"
Maj. Wood Prepares Ritual Charter.
Maj. Robert Mann Wood wrote the
ritual. charter. forms and reports. He
is past commander of the department
Of Illinois and now lives in Chicago.
At present he is the state patriotic in
structor. and he and 1 arc all that are
left OF tae boys who were there.
w ell. when we had the ritual ready
to print :ve couldn't find printer in
Springfield who had been a soldier, but
capt. Phelps knew of printing Office
IN Decatur conducted by ex-soldiers,
and he and Mai Stephenson went TO
Decatur with the ritual. When they
got there the Decatur soldiers wanted
the first post and they got it. 1t was
called Decatur Post, No. l. Grand ARMY
OF the Republic. II started with twelve
members, including the two printers,
who printed the ritual The printers
we're we're lsaac Coltrin and Sergt. J. NJ.
Prior The other members were Capt.
u. +. kenna, Maj. G. r. Steele. Mai.
John II. Hale. Gen. l. e. Pugh. Lieut..
Acquilla Toland. Capt. George c. Cum
ming. Capt I. j. Bishop. Capt. Christian
isiebsame. Or. J. W. Routh and Dr. B
r. Sibley.
The work of organization went for
ward rapidly. and July IL. 1865. a con-
vention of soldiers and sailors was held
IN Springfield. The order had sixty
posts at that time. and u permanent
organization was effected. Gen John
III. Palmer was elected commander
Spreads Throughout the State.
The work of organization went
steadily forward. and soon every coun-
" in Illinois had posts. This left
Commander Stephenson and Gen Wood
free to go into other states in the in
te-est of the order. and Illinois men
did the work. Capt. H. f. Howe and
SnL LLOYD " heaton organized the
lied Indiana. Col. A. H. Saunders and
Gen. Joseph II. Leek organized iowa
Gen. Woods started the order in Ohio
and appointed BENJAMIN NJ Potts do
partment commander. He also organ
ized Wisconsin and Missouri I went To
81. Paul and organized Minnesota. ap-
pointing Gen. john II. Sauborn depart
nient commander. From there / wen,
TO Chicago and organized the District
Of Cook. the first posts being No &c
and No. -.
Tnc national order was completed in
indianapolis. Ind. October 81. 1866
Gen. stephen Hurlbut of Illinois was
elected commander-in-c chief, with Mai
stephenson adjutant general
And while j am about it, ] will tell
you how Decoration day was started
believe very few know about that
At the national encampment held in
philadelphia, January I5, 1868, Gen
John A. Logan was elected commander.
!u-chief. lie held the Office three terms
While in Office he conceived setting
aside one day. the 3Oth OF May to com.
nIemorate the deeds of those who fought
for the Union. His idea was perfected
in Il general order. issued May ., 1872
and later. " hilc lie was United State.
senator. he had il made nationa
'oiiday.
only Two Founders Surviving.