Eau Claire County, Wisconsin - Chapter 12: Eagle Post, G. A. R, 1914

L. A. Brace

The Grand Army of the Republic was organized at Decatur, Illinois, April 6, 1866, by Dr. B. F. Stephenson, of Springfield, Illinois, who had served as surgeon of the Fourteenth Illinois Infantry. At the close of the war he resumed his practice in Springfield, where, in February, 1866, he first suggested the organization of the G. A. R., and made a draft of a ritual. Through his efforts, assisted by comrades, the first post, known as No. 1, was organized at Decatur, Illinois, April 6, 1866, Dr. Stephenson being in general charge of the organization of posts in other states. On October 31, 1866, he issued a call for a national convention of the G. A. R., which was held in Indianapolis, November 20, 1866. Gen. John M. Palmer, the first department commander, presided.

An appropriate monument has been erected iu the city of Washington, District of Columbia, in honor of and love for the comrade who so faithfully labored for the success of the G. A. R. and through the efforts of the comrades of the G. A. R. Dr. Stephenson will long be remembered, not only by members of the organization, but by an appreciative people who may chance to see it.

On December 31, 1913, the members of the G. A. R. numbered 180,203, of which Wisconsin furnished 5,703. The losses by death for the year 11,338, of which Eagle Post lost eight. The whole number of posts in the states and territories, 5,663.

Eagle Post, No. 52, Department of Wisconsin, G. A. R. Eagle Post takes its name from "Old Abe," the war eagle, which was carried through the war by Company C of the Eighth Wisconsin Infantry, Victor Wolf, captain, after the death of Capt. J. E. Perkins, its first commander. Eagle Post was organized on the eighth day of November, A. D. 1882, with thirteen charter members. E. jM. Bartlett, who served as lieutenant colonel of the Thirteenth Wisconsin, was elected its first eom- mander, with Bentley S. Phillips its first adjutant. Since organization there has been added to the post by muster and transfer 427 members. Lost by death, transfer and other causes, 337, still leaving a membership of 104.

Eagle Post has always held a position in the front rank of the state department, has had the honor of giving two department commanders, Michael GrifSn and Charles H. Henry, two adjutant generals in the persons of George A. Barry and R. B. Rathbun, and senior and junior vice commander in the person of L. A. Brace. Eagle Post has been highly favored and owes much to the Women's Relief Corps, No. 20, for its successful growth and present prosperous condition, which is evidenced by the regular attendance of so many comrades, several of whom are past the eightieth milestone.

The following members were enrolled for the year 1912, with their company and regiment : William Allen, Company A, Seventeenth Wisconsin Infantry; Benjamin W. Brown, Company H, Twenty-ninth Wisconsin Infantry; G. L. Beardsley, Company F, Thirtieth Wisconsin Infantry; John C. Barland, Company H, Sixteenth Wisconsin Infantry; George W. Britton, Company G, Seventh Wisconsin Infantry; Robert K. Boyd, Company H, Eleventh Minnesota Infantry ; L. A. Brace, Company K, Twentyeighth New York Infantry ; W. II. Biesecker, Company A, Twentieth Wisconsin Infantry ; J. M. Botsford, Company E, Thirteenth Wisconsin Infantry ; Charles E. Bruce, Company A, Fourteenth Maine Infantry ; G. N. Bostwick, Company H, Sixtieth New York Infantry; Thomas 0. Bowman, Company E, Eighteenth Illinois Infantry; R. N. Brewer, Company B, One Hundred and Fortyseventh Illinois Infantry ; George Bagley, Company B, Sixteenth Maine Infantry; Willis Britton, Company I, Fiftieth Wisconsin Infantry; Frederick Batzold, Company G, Twenty-seventh Wis-

John E. Perkins Post, No. 98, was organized in Augusta on August 3, 1883, ill what Avas called Beebe's Hall. Two years later the hall was burned, including books of record and entire working paraphernalia. It was not long, however, before that indomitable pluck so characteristic of our Wisconsin boys was again brought into action, and things began to come our way, and, Phoenix like, out of the old came the new, being now located in William's Hall, where we remained until forced to vacate on account of remodeling and enlarging of the building. It was some time before we were again located in our present cjuarters in Teare's Hall, where we continued along the same old line of teaching patriotism and love for "Old Glory," as well as seeking out and caring for and administering to our needy eo-ijartners of the great conflict of long ago.

Our post at this date (1914) has only twenty members in good standing, some of which are getting old and feeble and soon will have finished here and pass on to fairer climes to join the great majority. We continue to pay our annual tribute to the dead by strewing flowers over the graves of the Blue and the Grey. Why not? One country and one flag is our slogan.

The time and place of meeting is Teare's Hall every second and fourth Friday evenings. The following are the commanders of John E. Perkins Post since its inception to the present time:

Capt. R. D. Campbell, C. W. Culbertson, C. A. Kirkham, F. N. Thomas, H. H. Kyle, W. H. H. Coolidge, G. F. Caldwell. We have a large and flourishing Women's Relief Corps, alert and watchful contributors to the old boys' best interests. "God bless the Women's Relief Corps of the old Badger state."