Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 3.djvu/344

 April the first Post of the Grand Army of the Republic was organized at Decatur, Illinois. A district organization was also made and officers chosen. The Constitution of the order made provision for precinct Posts, District, State and National organizations.

The National organization was to be known as “The Grand Army of the Republic,” the officers to be a Commander, Adjutant-General and Quartermaster-General. The purpose of the organization was stated in the “Declaration of Principles” to be as follows:

“The soldiers of the Volunteer Army of the United States, during the Rebellion of 1861-5, actuated by the impulses and convictions of patriotism and eternal right, and combined in the strong bands of fellowship and unity by the toils, the dangers and the victories of a long and vigorously waged war, feel themselves called upon to declare in definite form of words and in determined coöperative action those principles and rules which should guide the earnest patriot and the enlightened freeman and the Christian citizen in his course of action; and to agree upon those plans and laws which should govern them in a united and systematic working method with which, in some measure, shall be effected the preservation of the grand results of the war, the fruits of their labor and toil, so as to benefit the deserving and worthy.”

The first National Convention of the order was held at Indianapolis, Indiana, on the 20th of November, 1866, and a National Encampment was held at Philadelphia, January 16th, 1868.

The local Posts are numbered and named for some locality, battle, or deceased loyal person, usually a Union soldier or sailor. There are State organizations called Departments. The motto of the order is “Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty.” It is the custom of members of the local Posts to visit the cemeteries on Memorial Day and decorate the graves of their fallen comrades. The original purpose of the organization was to emphasize, by mutual assent, the principles of Union and National honor to which its members had given devoted adherence in the field. Each Post is required to establish a relief fund for