Evening star., 1938-05-29
BIZ John Clagen Proctor.


~ VOW that We are on the thresh-
old of another Memorial Day
it might be interesting to the
4 people of the Nations Capital
to know that the order establishing q
Memorial Day by the Grand Army
OF 8he Republic was issued in this city
onsMay S, 1868, and that this order
was sent out from the Office of Chip
man e. Hosmer, attorneys at law and
claim agents. whose Office was at 446
Fourteenth street NV, which was on
the east side of the street. between G
street and New York avenue. This
number was soon afterward changed,
wien the present system of street
numbering was adopted.
The Chapman Of the firm mentioned
was Gen. N P Chapman, the useless
Delegate in Congress during the days
when the District of Columbia was.
in ssome respects, a Territory. His
partner, Addison A. Hosmer, resided
in sthe adjoining house to his Office,
ana later practiced law with Abram
H. Heylmun
The Grand Army of the Republic
had its beginning in 1866, when it
was organized on April 6 of that year
In, Decatur, III. Its founder was Ben
jamin Franklin Stephenson. Six
months later-on October IL, 1866
John A. Rawlins Post, No. /. was
granted the first charter in the Dis
trist of Columbia-or, perhaps more
correctly. in the Department of the
Potomac.
IN 1863 Gen. John A. Logan, who
was then commander in chief OF
the Grand Army of the Republic,
was living at the Willard Hotel, ac-
cerding to the recollections of Mrs.
Mary Logan Tucker. surviving daugh-
ter of Gen. Logan. and it was while re-
siding there that he directed Gen.
Chipman to issue the famous General
Order No. II. which brought into being
Memorial Day. so far as the Grand
Army of the Republic was concerned.
The order follows:
Headquarters, Grand Army of the
Republic,
washington, D. c., May S, 1868.
"446 Fourteenth Street.
General Orders No. IL:
"I. The 30th day Of May, 1868,
Is designated for the purpose of strew-
ing with flowers or otherwise deco
rating the graves of comrades who
died in defense of their country dur
ing the late rebellion, and whose
bodies now lie in almost every city,
village and hamlet churchyard in the
land. In this observance no form or
ceremony is prescribed, but posts and
comrades will. in their own way, ar
range such fitting services and testi-
nonials of respect as circumstances
may permit.
1--WE are organized. comrades. as
our regulations tell us, for the pur-
pose, among other things, of pre-
serving and Strengthening those kind
and fraternal feelings which have
bound together the soldiers, sailors
and marines who united to suppress
the late rebellion What can aid
more to assure this result than by
cnerlSnlng tenderly the memory OF
our heroic dead who made their
breasts barricade between our coun-
try and its foes? Their soldier lives
were the reveille of freedom to q
race in chains and their deaths a
tattoo of rebellious tyranny in arms.
ar'We should guard their graves with
sacred vigilance. All that the con-
secrated wealth and taste of the
Nation can add to their adornment
and security is but fitting tribute
to the memory of her slain Defend
ers. Let no wanton foot tread rudely
on such halloWed grounds. Let pleas
ant paths invite the coming and going
of reverent visitors and fond mourn
ers. Let no vandalism of avarice
or neglect, no ravages of time, tes-
tify to the present or to the COM
Ing generations that we have forgotten