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G.A.R. - Grand Army of the Republic


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From the wikipedia, The Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army, US Navy, US Marines and US Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War. Founded in April 6, 1866 in Decatur, Illinois on the principles of "Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty" by Benjamin F. Stephenson, it was dissolved in 1956 when its last member died."

According to the West Virginia Genealogy Project, "Reno Post No. 7, the Grafton Unit of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was organized" in 1882. The GAR is credited with changing the name of Flower Strewing Day (when school children laid flowers on the graves in the Grafton National Cemetery) to Memorial Day, as it is now known around the country.

From a Web page devoted to a history of the 7th West Virginia Company: "... Organized in August 1861 with 984 men. They mustered the 7th West Virginia into active service with the Grand Army of the Republic. At Grafton and Wheeling, West Virginia in early 1862. The 7th trained and drilled at Camp Carlise in Wheeling. In September 1862, they ordered that the regiment join the 2nd Corps, 3rd Division of the Army of the Potomac. The 7th West Virginia Regiment participated in more major battles and lost more men than any other Union regiment in the state."

 

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