Post Civil War
Post-1866 Civil War Grand Army of the Republic Memorial
Post-1866 Civil War Era, Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), Printed Linen Textile Memorial Banner, Fine.
Post-1866 Civil War Era, Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Printed Linen Textile Banner. This authentic Banner measures 17.5" x 23.5" and reads, in full: "In Memoriam" at the top and "Honor the Noble Dead" at the bottom. Historical Note: In his General Order No. 11, dated May 5, 1868, First GAR Commander-in-Chief, General John A. Logan, declared that May 30th to be "Memorial Day" (also referred to for many years as "Decoration Day"), and calling upon the GAR membership to make the May 30th observance an annual occurrence. Although not the first time war graves had been decorated, General Logan's order effectively established "Memorial Day" as the day upon which Americans now pay tribute to all their War casualties, Missing-in-action, and deceased Veterans. This well worn original Banner provides a stirring tribute to Logan's declaration and the formation of "Memorial Day" as an American National holiday. This textile printed Banner exhibits wear with scattered surface linen at times frayed or moth eaten, with expected overall age tone as shown. Printed with heavy black memorial or mourning borders, plus blue and red on a white field Regardless, it would be a tremendous addition to any Civil War or American Veteran's collection.
The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army (United States Army), Union Navy (U.S. Navy), Marines and the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War. It was founded in 1866 in Springfield, Illinois, and grew to include hundreds of "posts" (local community units) across the nation (predominantly in the North, but also a few in the South and West). It was dissolved in 1956 at the death of its last member, Albert Woolson (1850-1956) of Duluth, Minnesota.
Linking men through their experience of the war, the G.A.R. became among the first organized advocacy groups in American politics, supporting voting rights for black veterans, promoting patriotic education, helping to make Memorial Day a national holiday, lobbying the United States Congress to establish regular veterans' pensions, and supporting Republican political candidates. Its peak membership, at 410,000, was in 1890, a high point of various Civil War commemorative and monument dedication ceremonies. It was succeeded by the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW), composed of male descendants of Union Army and Union Navy veterans.
In his General Order No. 11, dated May 5, 1868, first GAR Commander-in-Chief, General John A. Logan declared May 30 to be Memorial Day (also referred to for many years as "Decoration Day"), calling upon the GAR membership to make the May 30 observance an annual occurrence. Although not the first time war graves had been decorated, Logan's order effectively established "Memorial Day" as the day upon which Americans now pay tribute to all their war casualties, missing-in-action, and deceased veterans.
As decades passed, similarly inspired commemorations also spread across the South as "Confederate Memorial Day" or "Confederate Decoration Day", usually in April, led by organizations of Southern soldiers in the parallel United Confederate Veterans.
Our Auction Contents:
Black History & Slavery: (Lots 1 - 63)
Abraham Lincoln Related: (Lots 64 - 74)
Historic Autographs: (Lots 75 - 235)
Colonial America: (Lots 236 - 261)
Revolutionary War: (Lots 262 - 304)
George Washington Related: (Lots 305 - 306)
Early American Guns & Weapons: (Lots 307 - 318)