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Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 22., Memorial day. (search)
ns had formed by their four years of service and sacrifice are not easily broken however, and soon local organizations sprang up for the purpose of fostering these friendships and of honoring the memory of those who had given their lives to preserve the Union. This movement soon became nation-wide, and in 1866 a great national organization was founded under the name of the Grand Army of the Republic, with state departments and local posts. The first post was organized at Decatur, Ill., April 6, 1866. The organization was a fraternal, charitable, and patriotic association, composed exclusively of soldiers and sailors of the United States army, navy, and marine corps who served during the Civil War and had been honorably discharged. The underlying idea of the founder, Dr. B. F. Stevenson, was to have a grand organization of veterans so united by feelings of loyalty and duty that it would be a powerful factor against treason to our government. On the fifth of May, 1868, Command