| The Grand Army of the
Republic- a fraternal charitable and loyal organization; composed of soldiers who served
in the United States Army between April 13, 1865. This organization was first instituted at Decatur, Illinois,
the founder being Dr. Benjamin F. Stephenson.
After the information of the Post
at Decatur, Illinois, other Posts were instituted in Central Illinois, but Doctor
Stephenson did not seem to think there was the enthusiasm or attention paid to the
organization that should have been. Shortly after the organization of the Illinois Posts a
committee from Indiana, consisting of General Robert S. Foster, Major Oliver Wilson, and
Captain James R. Carnahan, visited Doctor Stephenson and they were enthusiastic over what
had been done and wanted to bring the organization to Indiana. They talked with Doctor
Stephenson regarding the matter and he finally pledged these men to secrecy and gave them
a Ritual which he had written for the government of the Grand Army Posts. This committee
went to Decatur upon the suggestion of Governor Oliver P Morton of Indiana [who had the
good of the soldier at heart]. He knew that an organization such as the Grand Army of the
Republic would be beneficial to them.
The committee returned to
Indianapolis with the Ritual and took into their confidence a printer by the name of
Rollin C. Irwin, who was afterward Post Commander and a loyal and energetic worker of the
Grand Army of the republic, belonging to George H. Thomas Post No. 17, Indianapolis,
Indiana.
The ritual was printed and the
organization of the Posts throughout the State of Indiana was begun by different soldiers
in the different districts, and finally every county in the State of Indiana had one or
more Posts within its boundaries. In November, 1866, and General Stephen A. Hurlburt was
elected Commander-in-chief.
The organization was kept by these
Posts, beginning with 1866 and lasting until in the early seventies, when on account of
politics that membership began to decline until there was but one Post left in Indiana,
and that was at the small town of Newtonville in Spencer County. It finally disbanded.
The Illinois Department held its
organization, as did a great number of organizations, in the middle and eastern states. In
1879 Morton Post No. 1 of the Grand Army of the REPUBLIC AT Terre Haute, Indiana, applied
for a charter from the Department of Illinois and received it. Shortly after General
Canby Post No. 2 at Brazil,
Indiana, was organized under the authority of the State of Illinois. This was followed by
Post No. 3 known as Logan Post (now Logan-Taylor Post), of Layfette, Indiana; John C.
Fremont Post No. 4 at Covington, Indiana; Pap Thomas Post No.5, Greensburg, Indiana; James
H. Emmett Post No. 6, Wabash, Indiana; McPherson Post No. 7, Crawfordsville, Indiana;
Auten Post No. 8, South Bend, Indiana; General Steele Post No. 9, Rockville, Indiana;
Captain Floyd {Post No. 10, Annapolis, Indiana; Greencastle Post No. 11, Greencastle,
Indiana, and Sugar Creek Post No. 12, Macksville, Indiana.
The above Posts petitioned for a
charter to the national organization, the charter being granted by the National
Headquarters at Dayton, Ohio, October 3, 1879. Jonathan B. Hager was Department Commander.
Through the efforts of the
Department and the Post Commanders of the different Posts the organization spread
throughout the State of Indiana until every county in the state was represented by one or
more Posts until the Department numbered 593 Posts. The high-water mark of membership in
Indiana, as well as in the national organization, was in the years 1889 and 1890, when the
total membership in the
national organization was 409,000,
and in the Department of Indiana was over 28,000. Since that time there has been a gradual
decrease in membership.
The Grand Army of the Republic
aimed to instil the spirit of patriotism in the youth of our land and have done a great
deal to stimulate good citizenship within the boundaries of this country.
We have lived to see the United
States government the greatest government in the world.
The War of the Rebellion
accomplished two things, namely; saved the republic and freed the race.
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