Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States

The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States (MOLLUS), or simply the Loyal Legion is a United States patriotic order, organized April 15, 1865, by three veteran officers of the Army. The original membership was composed of members of the Army, Navy, or Marine Corps of the United States, who had served during the American Civil War as commissioned officers in Federal service, or who had served and thereafter been commissioned, and who thereby "had aided in maintaining the honor, integrity, and supremacy of the national movement" during the Civil War.

The Loyal Legion was formed by in response to rumors from Washington of a conspiracy to destroy the Federal government by assassination of its leaders, in the immediate aftermath of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. The founding members stated their purpose as the cherishing of the memories and associations of the war waged in defense of the unity and indivisibility of the Republic; the strengthening of the ties of fraternal fellowship and sympathy formed by companionship in arms; the relief of the widows and children of dead companions of the order; and the advancement of the general welfare of the soldiers and sailors of the United States. As the original officers died off, the veterans organization became an hereditary society. The modern organization is composed of men who are direct descendants, nephews or first cousins of these officers (hereditary members), and also other men who share the ideals of the Order (Associate members), who collectively are considered "Companions". A female auxiliary, Dames of the Loyal Legion of the United States (DOLLUS), was formed in 1899 and accepted as an affiliate in 1915.

Origins

Following the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865, rumors spread that the act had been part of a wider conspiracy to overthrow the legally constituted government of the United States by assassinating its chief men. Many people at first gave credence to these rumors, including three of the officers assigned to the honor guard for Lincoln's body as it was transported to Springfield, Illinois, for burial; these three men, Brevet Lt. Col. Samuel Brown Wylie Mitchell, Lt. Col. Thomas Ellwood Zell, and Captain Peter Dirck Keyser, are considered the founders of the Order. To demonstrate their loyalty, they decided to form a "Legion" modeled on the Revolutionary War Society of the Cincinnati. The Loyal Legion was organized largely during the same meetings that planned Lincoln's funeral (as well as during a mass meeting of Philadelphia war veterans on April 20), culminating in a meeting on May 31, 1865, in Independence Hall in Philadelphia, at which the name was chosen.

Originally, the Order was composed of three classes of members:

* Officers who had fought in the Army, Navy, or Marine Corps of the United States in the suppression of the Rebellion, or enlisted men who had so served and were subsequently commissioned in the regular forces of the United States, constituted the "Original Companions of the First Class." The eldest direct male lineal descendants of deceased Original Companions or deceased eligible officers could be admitted as "hereditary Companions of the First Class."
* "Companions of the Second Class" were the eldest direct male lineal descendants of living Original Companions or of living individuals who were eligible for membership in the First Class. (The use of the Rule of Primogeniture was abolished in 1905 for both the First and Second classes of membership, opening membership to all male lineal descendants, and later changes opened membership to male lineal descendants of siblings of eligible officers. As the former officers died off, and the Order became composed entirely of descendants, the Second Class of Companions was discontinued.)
* The Third Class comprised distinguished civilians who had rendered faithful and conspicuous service to the Union during the Civil War. By the law of the Order, no new elections to this class were made after 1890.

Later history

The Loyal Legion grew rapidly in the late 19th century and had Companions in every Northern state, and also in many of the states that had once formed the Confederacy. The Commandery in Chief was established on October 21, 1885 with authority over the 14 state commanderies then in existence. Previously, the Pennsylvania Commandery functioned as the "first among equals" of the commanderies as it was both the oldest and largest.

At its height about 1900, the Order had more than 8,000 Civil War veterans as active members, including nearly all notable general and flag officers and several presidents: Ulysses S. Grant, William T. Sherman, Philip H. Sheridan, George H. Thomas, George B. McClellan, Rutherford B. Hayes, Chester A. Arthur, Benjamin Harrison, and William McKinley. The Order's fame was great enough to inspire John Philip Sousa to compose the "Loyal Legion March" in its honor in 1890.

Today, the Order serves as a hereditary society (male descendants of eligible officers) rather than as a functioning military order (though many Companions are either military veterans or even on active military duty). Among other activities, Companions organize and participate in commemorative events, provide awards to deserving ROTC cadets, and assist with preservation efforts. Of special note is that, each year, the Loyal Legion commemorates President Lincoln's birthday with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. In 2009, the MOLLUS helped coordinate an extended tribute with the help of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission to celebrate the two-hundredth anniversary of Lincoln's birthday.

There are now three basic categories of membership: Hereditary, Associate (non-hereditary), and Honorary. Just as many Original Companions of the Order were also members of the Grand Army of the Republic (the "GAR"), many current Companions of the Order are also members of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, the legal heir to the GAR.

Organizationally, the Loyal Legion is composed of a National Commandery-in-Chief and individual state Commanderies. There are currently 20 state Commanderies. Current national officers include Commander-in-Chief Col. Robert D. Pollock (Ret.) of Ohio, Senior Vice-Commander-in-Chief Michael Timothy Bates, Esq. of New Jersey, Junior Vice-Commander-in-Chief Paul Davis of Michigan, Treasurer-in-Chief Lee Alan Tryon, CPA of Connecticut, Recorder-in-Chief Gary L. Grove, PhD. of Pennsylvania, Registrar-in-Chief Jefferson D. Lilly II, MPA of Indiana, Judge Advocate-in-Chief Gerald F. Fisher, Esq. of New York, Surgeon-in-Chief Daniel H. Heller, M.D. of Arizona, and Chaplain-in-Chief Rev. Robert G. Carroon, PhD. of Connecticut. Recent past Commanders-in-Chief include Joseph T. Coleman, Ed.D. of Pennsylvania, Col. Eric A. Rojo (Ret.) of the District of Columbia, Capt. James Alan Simmons (Ret.) of Texas, Waldron Kintzing "Kinny" Post of New York, and Jeffry C. Burden, Esq. of Virginia.

The Loyal Legion is the third-oldest hereditary military society in the United States after the Society of the Cincinnati, instituted in 1783, and the Aztec Club of 1847.

File:MOLLUS membership medal 2.jpg, A membership medal as given to an "Original Companion" (here, Capt. Edward Taylor of the 95th Ohio Infantry). The basic design of the medal remains unchanged.
File:MOLLUS membership medal.jpg, A membership medal worn by Brevet Col. Perrin V. Fox of the 1st Michigan Engineers. His son later wore this medal as a descendant member. Descendant members wore a ribbon with a blue stripe in the center until well into the twentieth century, when all members resumed using the red-center ribbon.
File:MOLLUS certificate, Col Charles Anderson.jpg, Enrollment certificate for Col Charles Anderson.

Commanders-in-Chief

*Major General George Cadwalader – First MOLLUS Commander-in-Chief, 1865–79. (Died in office.)
*Major General Winfield Scott Hancock – 1879–86. (Died in office.)
*General Philip H. Sheridan – 1886–88. (Died in office.)
*Major General Rutherford B. Hayes – 1888–93. (Died in office.)
*Rear Admiral John J. Almy – 1893.
*Brigadier General Lucius Fairchild – 1893–95.
*Major General John Gibbon – 1895–96. (Died in office.)
*Rear Admiral Bancroft Gherardi – 1896–99.
*Lieutenant General John M. Schofield – 1899–1903.
*Major General David McMurtrie Gregg – 1903–05.
*Major General John R. Brooke – 1905–07.
*Major General Grenville M. Dodge – 1907–09.
*Lieutenant General John C. Bates – 1909–11.
*Rear Admiral George W. Melville – 1911–12. (Died in office.)
*Lieutenant General Arthur MacArthur – 1912. (Died in office.)
*Colonel Arnold A. Rand – 1912–13. (First non-flag officer to serve as MOLLUS commander-in-chief.)
*Brevet Brigadier General Thomas Hamlin Hubbard – 1913–15. (Died in office.)
*Rear Admiral Louis Kempff – 1915.
*Lieutenant General Samuel B.M. Young – 1915–19.
*Lieutenant General Nelson A. Miles – 1919–25. (Died in office.)
*Rear Admiral Purnell F. Harrington – 1925–27.
*Master Robert M. Thompson, USN – 1927–30. (Died in office.)
*Brigadier General Samuel W. Fountain – 1930. (Died in office.)
*Brevet Major George Mason – 1930–31.
*Captain William P. Wright – 1931–33. (Died in office. Last Civil War veteran to serve as MOLLUS commander-in-chief. Also was Commander in Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic from 1932 to 1933.)
*Colonel Hugh Means – 1933–35.
*Colonel William Ennis Forbes – 1935–40. (Resigned.)
*Major General Malvern Hill Barnum – 1940–41.
*Mr. James Vernor, Jr. – 1941–47 (First MOLLUS commander-in-chief who did not serve in the United States Armed Forces.)
*Rear Admiral Reginald R. Belknap, USN – 1947–51.
*Donald H. Whittemore – 1951–53
*Commander William C. Duval, USNR – 1953–57
*Major General Ulysses S. Grant III – 1957–61. (Commander-in-chief of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, 1953–55.)
*Lieutenant Colonel Donald M. Liddell, Jr., USAR – 1961–62. (Resigned.)
*Lieutenant Colonel H. Durston Saylor II, USAR – 1962–64.
*Major General Clayton B. Volgel, USMC – 1964. (Died in office. Last flag officer to serve as MOLLUS commander-in-chief.)
*Colonel Walter E. Hopper, USAR – 1964–67.
*Lieutenant Colonel Lenahan O'Connell, USAR – 1967–71.
*Colonel Brooke M. Lessig USAR – 1971–73.
*Charles Allan Brady, Jr. – 1973–75.
*Colonel Joseph B. Daugherty – 1975–77.
*Thomas N. McCarter III – 1977–81.
*Lieutenant Colonel Philip M. Watrous – 1981–83.
*Alexander P. Hartnett – 1983–85.
*William H. Upham – 1985–89. (Last commander-in-chief to serve more than two years in office.)
*1st Lieutenant Lowell V. Hammer – 1989–91. (Commander-in-chief of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, 1991–92.)
*Henry N. Sawyer – 1991–93.
*Colonel Scott W. Stucky, USAFR – 1993–95. (Federal judge.)
*The Rev. Canon Robert G. Carroon – 1995–97.
*Honorable Michael P. Sullivan – 1997–99.
*Major Robert J. Bateman – 1999–2001.
*Gordon R. Bury II – 2001–03. (Commander-in-chief of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, 1986–87.)
*Douglas R. Niermeyer, 2003–05.
*Benjamin C. Frick, Esq. 2005–07.
*Karl F. Schaeffer, 2007–09.
*Keith Harrison – 2009–11. (Commander-in-chief of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, 1994–95.)
*Jeffry C. Burden, Esq. – 2011–13.
*Waldron K. Post II – 2013–15.
*Captain James A. Simmons, USAF – 2015–17.
*Colonel Eric A. Rojo, USA - 2017–2019.
*Dr. Joseph T. Coleman - 2019–2021.
*Colonel Robert D. Pollock, USAF - 2021- .

Prominent Companions

Note – the ranks indicated are the highest the individual held in the armed forces of the United States and not necessarily the highest rank held during the Civil War.

Presidents of the United States

*Abraham Lincoln (Captain, Illinois Militia) – Posthumously enrolled.
* Ulysses S. Grant (General, U.S. Army) – Veteran Companion.
*Rutherford B. Hayes (Brevet Major General, Volunteers) – Veteran Companion and MOLLUS Commander in Chief from 1888 to 1893.
*Chester A. Arthur (Brigadier General, New York Militia) – 3rd Class Companion.
*Benjamin Harrison (Brevet Brigadier General, Volunteers) – Veteran Companion.
*William McKinley (Brevet Major, 23rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry) – Veteran Companion.
* Herbert Hoover – Honorary Companion (elected in 1964).
* Dwight Eisenhower (General of the Army, U.S. Army) – Honorary Companion (elected in 1953).

Note – Presidents Andrew Johnson and James Garfield were both generals in the Union Army during the Civil War, and were thus eligible to be veteran companions of MOLLUS, but did not join the Order.

Vice Presidents

*Vice President Hannibal Hamlin, who had served under President Lincoln from 1861 to 1865, was elected as a MOLLUS Companion of the 3rd Class. While he was vice president, he served as a corporal with Company A of the Maine State Guard (a.k.a. Maine Coast Guards) at Fort McClary in Kittery, Maine from July to September 1864.
*Vice President Henry Wilson, who served under President Grant from 1873 until his death in 1875, was colonel of the 22nd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry and was a MOLLUS Companion of the First Class.
*Vice President Charles G. Dawes, who served under President Coolidge from 1925 to 1929, became a First Class Companion in succession to his father, Brevet Brigadier General Rufus Dawes. Vice President Dawes served as a brigadier general with the U.S. Army during World War I and also received the Nobel Peace Prize.

In addition to the above, President Andrew Johnson, who was vice president prior to the death of President Lincoln and the founding of MOLLUS, was eligible to become a First Class Companion of MOLLUS but did not join the Order. President Chester A. Arthur, who was vice president prior to the death of President Garfield, was elected in 1882 as a 3rd Class Companion, while he was serving as president.

Honorary Companions

A limited number of individuals may be elected as Honorary Companions of MOLLUS. They are usually individuals who have had distinguished careers either in public service or the military.

* President and General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower (elected in 1953)
* President Herbert Hoover (elected in 1964)
* Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz – Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet and Chief of Naval Operations.
* General of the Army Omar Bradley – Chief of Staff of the United States Army and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
* Lieutenant General Milton G. Baker
* Lieutenant General John L. Ballantyne III
* Rear Admiral Thomas V. Cooper
* HRH Amadeo, Prince of Savoy
* Mr. Ken Burns - Filmmaker.
* Mr. Don Troiani - Artist.

Veteran Companions

United States Army

Note – The rank indicated is the highest held in the Regular Army, the Volunteers or in retirement.

*General Ulysses S. Grant – United States Army Commanding General.
*General William Tecumseh Sherman – United States Army Commanding General.
*General Philip H. Sheridan – United States Army Commanding General and MOLLUS Commander in Chief, 1886–88.
*Lieutenant General John M. Schofield – United States Army Commanding General and MOLLUS Commander in Chief, 1899–1903.
*Lieutenant General Nelson A. Miles – United States Army Commanding General and MOLLUS Commander in Chief, 1919–25.
*Lieutenant General John C. Bates – Army Chief of Staff and MOLLUS Commander in Chief, 1909–11.
*Lieutenant General Adna R. Chaffee – United States Army Chief of Staff.
*Lieutenant General Henry C. Corbin – Adjutant General of the United States Army.
*Lieutenant General Samuel B.M. Young – First United States Army Chief of Staff and MOLLUS Commander in Chief, 1915–19.
*Lieutenant General Arthur MacArthur – Medal of Honor recipient and MOLLUS Commander in Chief, 1912 (father of General Douglas MacArthur).
*Brevet Lieutenant General Winfield Scott – United States Army Commanding General (1841–1861) and hero of the War of 1812.
*Major General Thomas M. Anderson – Nephew of Brevet Major General Robert Anderson.
*Major General Christopher C. Augur – Veteran of the Mexican War and wounded in action at the Battle of Cedar Mountain.
*Major General Frank Baldwin – Two time Medal of Honor recipient.
*Major General Nathaniel P. Banks – Governor of Massachusetts and Congressman.
*Major General Zenas Bliss – Medal of Honor recipient.
*Major General Joseph Cabell Breckinridge, Sr. – Cousin of Vice President and Confederate general John C. Breckinridge.
*Major General John R. Brooke – MOLLUS Commander in Chief, 1905–07.
*Major General Ambrose Burnside – GAR Commander-in-Chief, 1871–73; Governor of Rhode Island and United States Senator.
*Major General Daniel Butterfield – Medal of Honor recipient.
*Major General George Cadwalader – First MOLLUS Commander and Chief, 1865–79.
*Major General Silas Casey – Career Army Officer.
*Major General John Clem – Youngest Union soldier in the Civil War.
*Major General George Armstrong Custer – Legendary Cavalryman and cultural icon.
*Major General Napoleon J.T. Dana
*Major General Grenville M. Dodge – MOLLUS Commander in Chief, 1907–09.
*Major General William H. Emory
*Major General Francis Fessenden – Lost a leg while commanding a brigade in the Red River Campaign. Mayor of Portland, Maine.
*Major General James W. Forsyth – Commander of the 7th Cavalry Regiment at the Wounded Knee Massacre
*Major General William B. Franklin
*Major General John Gibbon – MOLLUS Commander in Chief, 1895–96
*Major General George L. Gillespie – Medal of Honor recipient, Chief Engineer and Assistant Chief of Staff of the United States Army
*Major General Gordon Granger - Author of the Juneteenth proclaimation
*Major General Adolphus Greely – Arctic explorer and Medal of Honor recipient
*Major General George S. Greene – Hero of Culp's Hill in the Battle of Gettysburg
*Major General Schuyler Hamilton – Grandson of Alexander Hamilton
*Major General Winfield Scott Hancock – MOLLUS Commander in Chief, 1879–86
*Major General Guy V. Henry - Recipient of the Medal of Honor
*Major General Oliver Otis Howard – Founder and namesake of Howard University
*Major General Henry Jackson Hunt – Commanded Union artillery during Picket's Charge at the Battle of Gettysburg
*Major General Erasmus D. Keyes
*Major General J. Warren Keifer – U.S. Representative and veteran of the Spanish–American War
*Major General William August Kobbé
*Major General Henry W. Lawton - Medal of Honor recipient
*Major General John A. Logan – GAR Commander-in-Chief, 1868–71; founder of Decoration Day; United States Senator and vice presidential candidate
*Major General George B. McClellan – United States Army Commanding General.
*Major General Henry C. Merriam - Medal of Honor recipient.
*Major General Wesley Merritt – Superintendent of West Point.
*Major General Robert Patterson – Veteran of the War of 1812, Mexican War and Civil War.
*Major General John Pope
*Major General John C. Robinson – Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, 1877–79; Lieutenant Governor of New York, 1873–74; and Medal of Honor recipient.
*Major General William S. Rosecrans
*Major General Thomas H. Ruger
*Major General Theodore Runyon – Mayor of Newark, New Jersey

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