cw_gar

GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC
(GAR)

Alexander County Illinois Genealogy Trails

Contributed by J. C. McNelly

The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army who had served in the American Civil War. The successor organization is the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW). Founded by Benjamin F. Stephenson on April 6, 1866 in Decatur, Illinois, the organization was based partly on the traditions of Freemasonry, and partly on military tradition, being divided in "Department" at the state level and "Posts" at the community level; military-style uniforms were worn by its members. It reached its largest size in 1890, with 49,000 members. There were posts in every state in the U. S., and several posts overseas. SUVCW is a Congressionally Chartered Corporation with headquarters in the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, Pennsylvannia.

The GAR created SUVCW in 1881 to ensure the preservation of its own mission following the death of the last Union Civil War veterans. It is based on the principles of the GAR--Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty. Full membership of SUVCW is open to any man who can prove ancestry to a member of the GAR or to a veteran eligible for membership in the GAR. Associate membership is available to men who do not have the ancestry to qualify for hereditary membership, but who demonstrate a genuine interest in the Civil War and agree to support the purpose and objectives of the SUVCW.

The GAR was active in pension legislation, establishing retirement homes for soldiers, and many other areas which concerned Union veterans. Their influence led to the creation of the Old Soldiers' Homes of the late 19th century which evolved into the current United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

In 1868, Commander-in-Chief John A. Logan issued General Order #11 of the GAR calling for all Departments and Posts to set aside the 30th of May as a day for remembering the sacrifices of fallen comrades, thereby beginning the celebration of Memorial Day, originally called "Decoration Day," this later evolved into the U. S. National Memorial Day holiday. Local camps are responsible for decorating graves on Memorial Day in addition to continuing to preserve history.

The GAR also generated several auxilliary organizations (National Woman's Relief Corps, Ladies of the GAR), some of which are still extant. A comparable organization for Confederate veterans was the United Confederate Veterans. The organization held an annual "National Encampment" every year from 1866 to 1949.

In the 79 National Civil War cemeteries, 54 percent of the graves are those of unknown soldiers. The largest Civil War cemetery is at Vicksburg, where 16,000 soldiers rest; only 3, 896 are known. At the Confederate prison site in Salisbury, North Carolina, where 12,126 Union soldiers are buried 99 percent are unknown.

NOTES: Illinois 18th Infantry Volunteers from the Thebes area were: Henry Hoshouser, Marsh Buster, Wiley Clutts, John Wallace, Lee Bedwell, and Dick Brown. Each year this group of Civil War veterans would spend a week together in the Thebes area. At one Post meeting of the Grand Army of the Republic soldiers meeting at the Thebes High School were the following: B. F. Brown, Ben and Dexter Bedwell, Mr. Jordan, Horace Lee Caldwell, Wiley Clutts and Marshall Buster.

Elco also had a post. Miles Cauble was Commander of the Elco Post No. 547 at the time of his death in 1890. This Post met on Memorial Day in 1905 with the following present: W. W. White, Rev. Long, Salmon Hazelwood, William Davis, Paul Miller, John Thompson, George Thompson, Croft Braddy, Alexander Jordan, John Heater, Valentine McCrite and Jerry Wilson. (Paul Miller is the grandson of Christian Miller. Alexander Jordan was the grandson of John Jordan.)

Other Posts in Alexander County were: Brown Culley in Thebes and two Posts in Cairo: Warren Stewart and Jas. P. Foster.

Villa Ridge in Pulaski County also had a Post called William Hugner.