Treasures Abound...

[St. George]

I like GAR/UCV memorabilia.

I collect the various Ladder Badges, pins, ribbons and medals, and the like.

I've even written about it in 'North-South Trader's Civil War' magazine - with a smattering of information here, as well - and have a couple of articles currently in the hopper - expanding on them as I find interesting things.

Consequently, I keep my eyes open for all manner of Veteran's memorabilia, since other folks also seem to find it interesting, and a piece or two can add to your Impression, since pretty much all men of the time had served, and even the women had their patriotic organizarions as well - with many variations on the theme of commemorating those sacrifices made by their families.

The other day - something surfaced...

Most Veteran's memorabilia consists of a badge or medal or other souvenir, and they're fairly common - especially around the larger cities that held Conventions.

This was different - it actually has a post-convention use beyond being worn at a local Post meeting.

It's a pocket flask...

One of the unifying phrases of the time was 'We Drank From the Same Canteen' - signifying the pure 'humanity' of soldiery.

This became even more evocative after the War, as those men aged, and feelings mellowed, and the souvenir sellers/sutlers exploited this with celluliod pins and buttons - but the Philadelphia firm of 'A.Ledig & Son' produced a truly 'usable' souvenir in the shape of an issue canteen - complete with correctly-made cork stopper and chain.

Helluva deal, when you think of it - a canteen whose contents could be shared with compatriots that could also be used as a personal flask later on, and in a time when a large portion of men enjoyed a 'wee taste of the crayture' - it was both handy to own and signified wartime service at the same time.

It's complete - made of pewter - with a tasseled Red,White and Blue braided cord that serves as the 'strap', and the boss on its center features an intertwined 'GAR' in brass.
It measures 4 1/2" across and is about 1 1/4" wide at the center.

Whether is was sold 'filled' is anyone's guess - though no doubt a purveyor of spirits was nearby - small funnel at the ready.

Keep your eyes open - treasures abound...

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Great post - especially in view of the GAR lapel pin I just received.

By the way, were Civil War vets - who continued in active service after the War allowed to join GAR, or did they have to wait until they retired from active duty?

[St. George]

They could join no matter what their status.

At the time - most men belonged to a Lodge - the Masons, Knights of  Pythias and Odd Fellows to name a small few.

If you were a Veteran - then belonging to your local GAR Post was almost expected, and regular meetings were held - including inspection of the official Membership Badge - to ensure that it had been purchased from an authorized supplier to the GAR.

'Official' ones are numbered on the edge of one of the stars' arms - the letter prefix indicated the first letter of the last name of the National Commander.

Once purchased - the only different Badges came about because of elected rank within the Organization - they didn't require a purchase when the National Commander changed.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

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[Steel Horse Bailey]

Thanks

[River City John]

In addition to my GGDad's medal I have several rosters from encampment reunions of his regt., the 'Old Fourth Michigan' that lists by state all the survivors. Needless to say it gets thinner as the year date advances.
Plus a couple of silver souvenir spoons with the handle molded as a musket, with dates and unit engraved in the bowl.
Must have been a very brisk business providing all these rememberance trinkets to those vets.

(And along with his correspondance with the Pension Bureau to apply for increases is a x-ray photo mounted on card showing the metal left in his hip from a shell burst received during the action in the wheatfield at Gettysburg.)

[Doc Cuervo]

GAR was a yankee orginization, was it not?

[Dr. Bob]

Doc C.,

You're right!  Grand Army of the Republic.  The Son's of the Confederacy was the South's equivalent.  Fraternal organizations for veterans.    Today it's the VFW and American Legion.

[St. George]

Actually - the South had the 'United Confederate Veterans' as their organization.

Powerful in the South - they never wielded the political clout of the GAR and the GAR eventually held sway in Southern states as time went by.

The 'Sons' groups came about long after the War - they pre-date the Spanish-American War.

All of those early Veteran's groups were absorbed after WWI into the newly-formed American Legion, where they would remain as their last members died off.

The 'Sons'  and 'Daughters' of these groups are still active groups - membership in them must prove a 'direct' link to the original Veteran.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Hi,

My maternal grandmother was a 'Real Daughter of the Confederacy' And they printed a book called 'Father work Grey' ... it had a short bio of the Original Wadd Watson Ellis ...

['Monterrey' Jack Brass]

St Geo – GAR stuff is definitely cool, and it’s getting harder to find as you know. If I knew 20 years ago what I know today….

Not to change the subject of your thread, but this might be of interest to you regarding a couple GAR repop items of interest. You likely already know about this site but it’s worth posting as a ‘just in case’: www.cwmedals.com.

This place sells repop GAR medal ribbons that are really decent in appearance. They’re synthetic and appear to be a bevo type weave, however such ribbons employed to make parts whole medals again are worth a look. Cwmedals has both regular member and camp officer ribbons. I restored both a regular and a camp officer medal and am very pleased with them.

Here is a picture of the restored medals along with a close copy of a post-ACW Army of the Cumberland Society repop medal (per page 245 The Fighting Men of the Civil War by W. C. Davis), also from cwmedals,  from which I polished off the ‘antiqued’ patina. I’m a Mudsill from the late ‘80s and the AoC Society medal struck a cord with me.



So if you’re wondering what to do with your GAR member medal components this might be a chance to restore a couple medals and spruce up a display case.

Brass

[Major 2]

I though you fellows would like to see the last GAR Hall in the South.

The Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Hall  in St. Cloud, Florida.
The city of St. Cloud had been founded by the Grand Army of the Republic or GAR, as a retirement colony for its members. The hall was built in 1914 by members of the GAR as a memorial to the Union Army veterans of the Civil War. It was one of many such halls built in the country. On February 21, 1997, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
I was present at the presentation of the plaque.
It is privately owned , however it is in a fine state and a survivor, just as it was in teens.
The small museum on the second floor, houses some very nice artifacts, Open only by appointment however.

[GunClick Rick]

Wow ,i would love to see that place....My dream home