OHIO GENEALOGY EXPRESS

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Union County, Ohio
History & Genealogy

Source: 
WAR HISTORY
of
UNION COUNTY,

Containing A History of the Services of Union County Soldiers in the
War of the Revolution, the War of 1812, the War with Mexico,
1846-47, and the War of the Rebellion, 1861-65
-----
By W. L. Curry
Marysville, Ohio
1883

CHAPTER V.
War of the Rebellion.
Pg. 120 - 122

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GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC

     A Post of the Grand Army of the Republic was organized in Marysville, Aug. 25, 1881.  The Post was named Ransom Reed Post, in honor of the first soldier from Union County who lost his life in the war for the preservation of the Nation.  Ransom Reed was a private, Company F, Thirteenth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, who fell at the battle of Carnifex Ferry, Sept. 10, 1861.

Pg. 121 -
     The number of the Post is 113, Department of Ohio.  The Post was organized and instituted by Capt. D. Lanning, of Columbus, Ohio, mustering officer.  The charter members were W. L. Curry, M. C. Lawrence, John Hobensack, Andrew Sabine, J. V. Pearse, W. P. Anderson, S. G. Fry, S. M., S. M. Landon, D. T. Elliott, D. W. Ayers, J. L. Cameron, William M. Winget, J. B. Cole, G. P. Robinson, Frank Filler, T. P. Freeman, William H. Robb, William M. Liggett, Homer Thrall, John L. Porter, I. N. Hamilton, Thomas Martin, T. S. Mullen, B. W. Keyes, D. Webb, John Wiley, W. E. Baxter, W. H. Robinson and William Torrence.
     The first officers chosen were:  W. L. Curry, Post Commander; John Hobensack, Senior Vice Commander; M. C. Lawrence, Junior Vice Commander; W. M. Liggett, Adjutant; W. H. Robb, Quartermaster; Andrew Sabine, Surgeon; Homer Thrall, Chaplain; W. P. Anderson, Officer of the Day; S. G. Fry, Officer of the Guard; D. T. Elliott, Sergeant Major; S. M. Landon, Quartermaster Sergeant; J. B. Cole, Assistant Inspector; and W. M. Winget, Aid-de-Camp.
     Ransom Reed Post has had uninterrupted growth and prosperity.  There have been only one or two meetings in eighteen months that recruits have not been mustered.  The total number mustered in the Post since its organization is 220; of these ten have been transferred to the Scribner Post, since organized at Plain City.  In this large number of comrades there are representatives of over seventy different regiments and battalions.
     Only one member of the Post has died since the organization, M. C. Lawrence, late Lieutenant Colonel of the One Hundred and Twenty-first Ohio Infantry, who at the time of his death was Junior Vice Commander.  His death occurred Dec. 15, 1881, and on the 18th he was buried by the Post according to the service prescribed in the ritual for the burial of the dead.
     As the public are interested in knowing the objects of the Grand Army of the Republic, it may be well to give a brief statement of them here.  First, the object is not political; this is distinctly declared in the following emphatic language in the rules:
     "No officer or comrade of the Grand Army of the Republic shall in any manner use this organization for partisan purposes, and no discussion of partisan questions shall be allowed at any of its meetings, nor shall any nomination for political office be made."
     The objects are: 1st, "the preservation of the spirit of comradeship, to preserve and strengthen those kind and fraternal feelings which bind together the soldiers, sailors and marines who united the suppress the late rebellion, and to perpetuate the memory and history of the dead."
     To secure the last-mentioned object, a day is set apart, the 30th of May, to be observed as Decoration Day.  The Post has an impressive service to be used on that day.  2d, mutual helpfulness.  "To assist such former comrades in arms as need help and protection, and to extend needful aid to the widows and orphans of those who have fallen."  It is the design of each Post to accumulate a fund to be used for charitable purposes.  3d, the promotion of loyality to the Nation.  "To maintain true allegiance to the United States of American, based upon a paramount respect for an fidelity to the National Constitution and laws, to discountenance whatever tends to weaken loyality, incites to insurrection, treason or rebellion or in any manner impairs the efficiency and permanency of our free institutions; and to encourage the spread of universal liberty, equal rights and justice to all men."  No man can become a member of the Grand Army of the Republic who has ever borne arms against the Government, or upon whom "the stain of treason rests."  All honorably discharged soldiers and sailors of the war for the preservation of the Nation are eligible to membership.  All distinction of rank are done away,

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the title by which members are addressed or referred to in the meetings and business of the Post being "Comrade."
     The several constituted bodies of the association are Post, the State organization or Department, and the national organization, known as the National Encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic.
     A badge, consisting of a bronze star made out of cannon captured during the war and upon which is represented every corps of the army, is given to each comrade at his muster in.
     The Commander of a Grand Army Post ranks as Colonel; S. V. Commander, Lieutenant Colonel; J. V. Commander, Major; Surgeon, Major; Officer of the Day, Captain; Quartermaster, First Lieutenant; Adjutant, First Lieutenant; and Officer of the Guard, Second Lieutenant.

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NOTES:

 

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