The Grand Army Of The Republic Remembered

Originally published May 2017 · p. 17

GETTYSBURG, PENN.— Following the Civil War, in 1866 Union Veterans of the Civil War formed the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) which became a powerful and influential social and political force for over a half century. Last year was the 150th anniversary of the formation of the GAR. Their legacy lives on through the efforts of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW). The GAR named the SUVCW as their legal heir since membership in the GAR was limited to Civil War Union Veterans and they realized the GAR would eventually cease to exist. Albert Woolson was the last surviving member of the GAR, as well as the last surviving member of the Union Army. He died on August 2, 1956 at the age of 106. Prior to his death, the Auxiliary to the SUVCW convinced him to allow them to create a statue of him for placement in the Gettysburg National Military Park as a memorial to the Grand Army of the Republic. The memorial was completed and placed in Ziegler’s Grove in 1956. In September 1956, shortly after Woolson’s death, the memorial to the Grand Army of the Republic was dedicated by the SUVCW in a ceremony attended by over 3,000 people. That event marked the beginning of the Gettysburg Remembrance Day Parade now organized and sponsored by the Sons of Veterans Reserve (SVR), the military department of the SUVCW. For the past 60 years, the SUVCW and the Allied Orders of the GAR have conducted a Remembrance Day ceremony at the Woolson monument to the GAR. In addition to that ceremony, the SVR and SUVCW have organized and sponsored the Gettysburg Remembrance Day Parade which has become the highlight of Remembrance Day week-end. They also hold a Military Ball on Saturday night. The proceeds from the Ball are donated to the Gettysburg National Military Park for monument and memorial preservation of both Union and Confederate memorials located on the battlefield. To date more than $82,000 has been donated to the Gettysburg National Military Park

Michael Crutcher, Sr. a/k/a Fredrick Douglass, gave a very moving speech during the GAR Memorial program. Jeremey Murphy, Chief Ranger, Gettysburg National Military Park, accepts a $2,000 check from Major General Robert E. Grim, National Commander of the Sons of Veterans Reserve (SVR), during the SVR’s annual Remembrance Day Woolson Monument Ceremony. The $2,000 donation was the proceeds from last year’s annual Remembrance Day Military Ball held at the Wyndham Hotel by the SVR. All proceeds from that annual Military Ball are donated to the Gettysburg Military Park for monument preservation. The GNMP selects the monument the donation will help preserve. To date, the SVR has donated over $82,000 to the Gettysburg National Military Park for Civil War monument preservation. The 2016 Remembrance Day Ball proceeds will be donated to the GNMP during the SVR’s Woolson Monument Ceremony in 2017.