Knights of Pythias, Drill Regulations and 50 similar items

James R. Carnahan, Commander of the Uniformed Rank (UR) James Richards Carnahan, Past Department Commander of Indiana, Grand Army of the Republic and Major General of the Uniform Rank, Knights of Pythias of the World was born in Dayton, Tippecanoe, Indiana November 18 1841. In 1878, the Uniform Rank of Knights of Pythias came into legal being by action of the Supreme Lodge. The membership mushroomed. The URKP was organized completely along U. S. Army lines into Companies, Bridgades, Regiments, etc. Named as Major General or Commanding officer was James R. Carnahan. The emblem chosen for the organization was that of the Lilly and the URKP became known as the “Army of the Lilly” The Uniform Rank, Knights of Pythias, grew out of various drill corps units that had been organized in the various lodges after the order was originated in 1864. Bear in mind that many of the members of the Knights of Pythias were men who had been active in the Civil War and who enjoyed the disciplined way of life. In 1876, under the leadership of James R. Carnahan of Lafayette, Ind., there grew a movement to consolidate these various drill corps into a separate but attached organization. In 1878, the Uniform Rank of Knights of Pythias came into legal being by action of the Supreme Lodge. The membership mushroomed. The URKP was organized completely along U. S. Army lines into Companies, Bridgades, Regiments, etc. Named as Major General or Commanding officer was James R. Carnahan. The emblem chosen for the organization was that of the Lilly and the URKP became known as the “Army of the Lilly”Although actual numbers are not available to me at this time. There were believed to be more than 100,000 members at its height. As the veterans of the Civil War began to pass on, there was a declining interest in the Uniform Rank, and the membership began to quickly drop after WWI