The Grand Army of the Republic

Annual meeting of the Connecticut GAR, somewhere in the state, probably around the turn of the century.

The Grand Army of the Republic, or GAR, was created in 1867 by John Stephensen as a fraternal order of Union Civil War veterans. He sought a venue to maintain the comradery that many soldiers had formed during the war. The GAR was never really popular until the mid-1880's; at that time, the GAR's membership rose to 450,000.

Unknown GAR member, circa 1895.

The standard dress for a general (non-officer) of the GAR included the hat pin and the GAR membership badge. The metal, 5-pointed star was made from melted-down Confederate cannons. At formal public events, such as parades or funerals, officers of the GAR donned an elaborate sword, belt and gloves.

In order to be eligible for membership in the GAR, an individual had to be an honorably discharge Union veteran of the infantry, cavalry, navy, or artillery. The Grand Army of the Republic was the first group to use the word "veteran" and also the first organization to decorate the graves of fellow veterans. They are also the group to first place American flags on veterans' graves on Memorial Day.

As an organization they fostered patriotism, donated American flags to schools, assisted former soldiers, widows and children of soldiers, and also lobbied for pensions for all veterans and their widows. Around the turn of the 19th century, the GAR was such a powerful voting lobby that the group managed to successfully petition Congress to secure pensions for all Civil War veterans and their widows. The group helped put five Republican presidents in office and many senators, congressmen, governors, mayors, and so forth. Their choice in candidates lead critics of the Grand Army to quip that GAR stood for "generally all Republican."

By 1905, one American tax dollar in four was going to pay for Civil War soldiers' pensions, and the American people were becoming disenchanted with the old boys in blue. Because the GAR would not admit anyone other than a Civil War veteran, they were doomed to extinction. In 1949, they held their last national meeting. In 1956, the last member of the GAR passed into history and with him, the Grand Army of the Republic.