HERE’S A RARE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC
“SOUVENIR” 3-SECTION BADGE for the 49th NATIONAL ENCAMPMENT
HELD at WASHINGTON, D. C. FROM SEPT. 27th TO OCT. 1, 1915
The badge was manufactured by the historic
Whitehead & Hoag Co., Newark NJ, as stamped on the verso of the medal
This item is an original 49th National Encampment badge
pinback, issued by the GAR. The Badge is surmounted by a spread-winged
eagle. Suspended from this top piece is a medal featuring a GAR veteran’s medal
insignia, and the Lord’s Prayer on the verso.
Representing one of the last major
high-attendance gatherings of aging Union Civil War veterans in the nation's
capital, this piece is a highly prized historical collectible (exonumia).
A VERY BEAUTIFUL &
PATRIOTIC NATIONAL ENCAMPMENT GAR BADGE –measures 4” x 1¾” & is complete
with its original pinback attachment. The silk ribbon shows
some wear, but is intact and sturdy.
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The GAR
The Grand Army of the Republic
(GAR) was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army, US Navy, Marines and Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War. Founded in 1866 in Decatur, Illinois, it was dissolved in 1956 when its last member died. Linking men through their experience
of the war, the GAR became among the first organized advocacy groups in American politics, supporting
voting rights for black veterans, lobbying the US Congress to establish
veterans' pensions, and supporting Republican political candidates. Its peak
membership, at more than 490,000, was in 1890; a high point of Civil War
commemorative ceremonies. It was succeeded by the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW), composed of male descendants
of Union veterans.
After
the end of American Civil War,
organizations were formed for veterans to network and maintain connections with
each other. Many of the veterans used their shared experiences as a basis for
fellowship. Groups of men began joining together, first for camaraderie and
later for political power. Emerging as most influential among the various
organizations was the Grand Army of the Republic, founded on April 6, 1866, on
the principles of "Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty," in Decatur,
Illinois, by Benjamin F. Stephenson.
The
GAR initially grew and prospered as a de facto political arm of the Republican Party
during the heated political contests of the Reconstruction
era. The commemoration of Union veterans, black and white, immediately became
entwined with partisan politics. The GAR promoted voting rights for black
veterans, as many veterans recognized their demonstrated patriotism. Black
veterans, who enthusiastically embraced the message of equality, shunned black
veterans' organizations in preference for racially inclusive groups. But when
the Republican Party's commitment to reform in the South gradually decreased,
the GAR's mission became ill-defined and the organization floundered. The GAR
almost disappeared in the early 1870s, and many divisions ceased to exist.
In
the 1880s, the organization revived under new leadership that provided a
platform for renewed growth, by advocating federal pensions for veterans.
As the organization revived, black veterans joined in significant numbers and organized
local posts. The national organization, however, failed to press the case for
pensions for black soldiers. Most black troops never received any pension or
remuneration for wounds incurred during their service.
The
GAR was organized into "Departments" at the state level and
"Posts" at the community level, and military-style uniforms were worn
by its members. There were posts in every state in the U.S., and several posts
overseas.
The
pattern of establishing departments and local posts was later used by other
veterans' organizations, such as the American
Legion (WWI) and the Veterans of Foreign Wars
(WWII).
In
1868, Commander-in-Chief General John
A. Logan established May 30 as Decoration Day, later known as
Memorial Day.
(Numerous people and places claim this credit.) In its first celebrations,
people used this day to commemorate the dead of the Civil War by decorating
their graves with flowers and flags.
The
GAR's political power grew during the latter part of the 19th century, and it
helped elect several Republican United States presidents, beginning with Ulysses
S. Grant and ending with William
McKinley. Five members were elected president of the United
States. For a time, candidates could not get nominated to the Republican ticket
without the endorsement of the GAR voting bloc.
With
membership strictly limited to "veterans of the late unpleasantness,"
the GAR encouraged the formation of Allied Orders to aid them in various works.
Numerous male organizations jousted for the backing of the GAR, and the
political battles became quite severe until the GAR finally endorsed the Sons of Union Veterans
of the Civil War as its heir. Although a male
organization, the GAR admitted its sole woman member in 1897. Sarah Emma Edmonds
served in the 2nd Michigan Infantry as a disguised man named Franklin
Thompson from May 1861 until April 1863. In 1882, she collected affidavits
from former comrades in an effort to petition for a veteran's pension which she
received in July 1884. Edmonds was only a member for a brief period as she died
September 5, 1898, however she was given a funeral with military honors when
she was reburied in Houston in 1901.
The
GAR reached its largest enrollment in 1890, with 490,000 members. It held an
annual "National Encampment" every year from 1866 to 1949. At that
final encampment in Indianapolis, Indiana,
the few surviving members voted to retain the existing officers in place until
the organization's dissolution; Theodore Penland of Oregon,
the GAR's Commander at the time, was therefore its last. In 1956, after the
death of the last member, Albert
Woolson, the GAR was formally dissolved.
I am a proud member of the Universal Autograph Collectors Club
(UACC), The Ephemera Society of America, the Manuscript Society and the
American Political Items Collectors (APIC) (member name: John Lissandrello). I
subscribe to each organizations' code of ethics and authenticity is guaranteed.
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GAR MEDAL BADGE PINBACK