er the close of the war,
another reason beyond all questions of sentiment or association,
demanding some form of organization among the returned soldiers and
sailors. Empty sleeves, single legs, eyeless sockets, and emaciated
bodies were too often coupled with personal necessities, and the maimed
and diseased in need of charity or employment began to point out the
larger and growing demand for organized work in behalf of suffering and
dependent ones; and to what hands could this be so well committed as to
those of old comrades in arms? The Post of the Grand Army of the
Republic holding the first regular charter was organized in Dakota,
Illinois, in the early spring of 1866, and in July following a
department, including then some forty posts, was organized in that
State.

In October of the same year the association had extended into eight or
nine other States, and a call was issued for a convention to be held at
Indianapolis, Indiana, November 20, 1866, and here the National
Encampment had its organization.

Massachusetts was not represented in the gathering, the Grand Army at
that time having but just obtained a foothold in this State. In
September, 1866, a convention of returned soldiers and sailors
representing nearly all the northern States was held at Pittsburg, Penn.
Among those present from Massachusetts were Gen. Charles Devens, Gen. N.
P. Banks, Major A. S. Cushman, and Chaplain A. H. Quint. On reaching
Pittsburg, the attention of the Massachusetts comrades was attracted by
badges worn by a large number of delegates, particularly from Indiana
and Illinois, bearing the legend, "Grand Army of the Republic;" and so
numerous were these badges that a spirit of inquiry was quite naturally
awakened as to the character and objects of this "Soldiers' Masonic
Order," as it was termed by the uninitiated. After some consultation, a
number of the Massachusetts delegates, including those we have named,
were informally inducted into the organization, in the parlor of B. F.
Stevenson, who at the first national encampment a few weeks later was
made provisional Commander-in-chief; the ritual and unwritten work was
communicated to the new members, and they were fully empowered to
organize posts in Massachusetts, General Devens being appointed
provisional Grand Commander of the department. On returning from
Pittsburg there was something of a rivalry for the organization of the
first post. Comrade Cushman, who had been active in t