Grand Army of the Republic

Grand Army of the Republic
The Grand Army of the Republic badge. Authorized by the U.S. Congress to be worn on the uniform by Union Army veterans.
AbbreviationG.A.R.
SuccessorWoman's Relief Corps and Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War
FormationApril 6, 1866 (1866-04-06)
FounderBenjamin F. Stephenson
DissolvedAugust 2, 1956 (1956-08-02)
TypeVeterans' organization
PurposeSocial, literary, historical, benevolent

The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a fraternal organization for veterans that were in the Union Army (United States Army), Union Navy (U.S. Navy), and the Marines during the American Civil War. It started in 1866 in Springfield, Illinois. It ended in 1956 when its last member, Albert Woolson (1850–1956), died.[1]

References

  1. ↑ Knight, Glenn B. "Brief History of the Grand Army of the Republic". suvcw.org. Archived from the original on 2011-01-07. Retrieved 2011-01-18.

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