Civil War Grand Army Of The Republic Veteran Post 78 GAR Grave Marker/Flag Holder

Provenance unknown.

These specific grave markers/flag holders are in the shape of a star with a round moon face in the center and have military branch insignia's in each arm of the star, along with small stars on the very tips of each marker. Both grave markers have "POST 78 GAR" stamped in the center on the front and "M.D. JONES & CO. BOSTON" stamped on the reverse of the markers which might be the company that manufactured the grave markers/flag holders at that time.

Typically, crossed muskets represent the Marines, crossed canons represent Artillery, bugles represent Infantry, anchors represent the Navy, and crossed sabers represent Calvary.

The grave makers/flag holders themselves seemed to have been provided by individual GAR Posts. The style of the markers varied. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs offers markers or headstones for marked and unmarked graves in certain situations.

The markers were placed near the soldier’s headstone, as described in a 2011 book about veterans from the Brothertown Indian Nation in New England. On Memorial Day, a flag is placed in the holder on the grave marker, according to the book. The markers were either made of iron, bronze, or aluminum, which was used to replace originals that had disappeared (or were stolen) over the years. ***NOTE: Though SOME grave markers have been stolen through the years, the MAJORITY have NOT been stolen from graves but instead removed from literally thousands of grave yards from the grounds crews due to age and inconvenience (to lawn tractors!) They are then either stored or thrown away sadly. These specific grave markers are only up for auction for those who wish to preserve it's history and remember those that fought for our country. Not to let it meet it's demise, forever forgotten in the scrape pile and melted down.

After some research, we suspect that these markers may have originated from GAR Post No. 78 in Muncie, Indiana, but we are uncertain.

With that said, GAR members instituted Williams Post No. 78 in 1884 in Muncie, Indiana. The Post continued to meet through 1930; the last meeting minutes are recorded in December 1930. The GAR met on the first floor of the Delaware County Courthouse; the county commissioners set apart an assembly room and a social room for the veterans. The Post was probably named for Colonel Samuel J. Williams of the 19th Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He was killed in action on May 6, 1864, at the Battle of the Wilderness. Williams was a resident of Selma, Indiana, and is buried in White Cemetery.

The last Civil War soldier from Delaware County was George H. Robinson, Private, 1st West Virginia Light Artillery, Battery H (5/25/1846 - 8/30/1942). Buried in Beech Grove Cemetery, Muncie, Indiana. Member of the Williams Post No. 78 GAR of Muncie.

In 1866, the United States of America — now securely one nation again — was waking to the reality of recovery from war, and this had been a much different war. In previous conflicts the care of the veteran warrior was the province of the family or the community. Soldiers then were friends, relatives and neighbors who went off to fight–until the next planting or harvest. It was a community adventure and their fighting unit had a community flavor.

By the end of the Civil War, units had become less homogeneous, men from different communities and even different states were forced together by the exigencies of battle where new friendships and lasting trust was forged. With the advances in the care and movement of the wounded, many who would have surely died in earlier wars returned home to be cared for by a community structure weary from a protracted war and now also faced with the needs of widows and orphans. Veterans needed jobs, including a whole new group of veterans–the colored soldier and his entire, newly freed, family. It was often more than the fragile fabric of communities could bear.

State and federal leaders from President Lincoln down had promised to care for “those who have borne the burden, his widows and orphans,” but they had little knowledge of how to accomplish the task. There was also little political pressure to see that the promises were kept.

But probably the most profound emotion was emptiness. Men who had lived together, fought together, foraged together and survived, had developed an unique bond that could not be broken. As time went by the memories of the filthy and vile environment of camp life began to be remembered less harshly and eventually fondly. The horror and gore of battle lifted with the smoke and smell of burnt black powder and was replaced with the personal rain of tears for the departed comrades. Friendships forged in battle survived the separation and the warriors missed the warmth of trusting companionship that had asked only total and absolute commitment.

With that as background, groups of men began joining together — first for camaraderie and then for political power. Emerging most powerful among the various organizations would be the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), which by 1890 would number 409,489 veterans of the “War of the Rebellion.”

Founded in Decatur, Illinois on April 6, 1866 by Benjamin F. Stephenson, membership was limited to honorably discharged veterans of the Union Army, Navy, Marine Corps or the Revenue Cutter Service (which later became part of the Coast Guard) who had served between April 12, 1861 and April 9, 1865. The community level organization was called a “Post” and each was numbered consecutively within each department. Most Posts also had a name and the rules for naming Posts included the requirement that the honored person be deceased and that no two Posts within the same Department could have the same name. The Departments generally consisted of the Posts within a state and, at the national level, the organization was operated by the elected “Commandery-in-Chief.”

Post Commanders were elected as were the Junior and Senior Vice Commanders and the members of Council. Each member was voted into membership using the Masonic system of casting black or white balls (except that more than one black ball was required to reject a candidate for membership). When a candidate was rejected, that rejection was reported to the Department which listed the rejection in general orders and those rejections were maintained in a “Black Book” at each Post meeting place. The meeting rituals and induction of members were similar to the Masonic rituals and have been handed down to the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War.

The official body of the Department was the annual Encampment, which was presided over by the elected Department Commander, Senior and Junior Vice Commanders and the Council. Encampments were elaborate multi-day events which often included camping out, formal dinners and memorial events. In later years the Department Encampments were often held in conjunction with the Encampments of the Allied Orders, including Camps of the Sons of Veterans Reserve, which at the time were quasi-military in nature, often listed as a unit of the state militia or national guard.

National Encampments of the Grand Army of the Republic were presided over by a Commander-in-Chief who was elected in political events which rivaled national political party conventions. The Senior and Junior Vice Commander-in-Chief as well as the National Council of Administration were also elected.

The GAR founded soldiers’ homes, was active in relief work and in pension legislation. Five members were elected President of the United States and, for a time, it was impossible to be nominated on the Republican ticket without the endorsement of the GAR voting block.

The GAR also fought for the rights of African American veterans to vote, and some blacks organized their own posts, in some instances because they were excluded from local white G.A.R. groups. The national organization also lobbied the government for pensions but did not include blacks among the potential pensioners. Most African American veterans received no pensions from their time as soldiers.

In 1868, Commander-in-Chief John A. Logan issued General Order No. 11 calling for all Departments and Posts to set aside the 30th of May as a day for remembering the sacrifices of fallen comrades, thereby beginning the celebration of Memorial Day, but several groups also take that claim.

With membership limited strictly to “veterans of the late unpleasantness,” the GAR encouraged the formation of Allied Orders to aid them in it's various works. Numerous male organizations jousted for the backing of the GAR and the political battles became quite severe until the GAR finally endorsed the Sons of Veterans of the United States of America (later to become the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War) as it's heir. A similar, but less protracted, battle took place between the Woman's Relief Corps (WRC) and the Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic (LGAR) for the title “official auxiliary to the GAR.” That battle was won by the WRC, which is the only Allied Order open to women who do not have an hereditary ancestor who would have been eligible for the GAR. But in this case the LGAR retained it's strength and was made one of the Allied Orders.

Coming along a bit later, the Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War, similar to the SUVCW but for women, also earned the designation as an Allied Order of the GAR. Rounding out the list of Allied Orders is the Auxiliary to the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, which is open to women with hereditary ties to a veteran or who is the spouse, sister or daughter of a member of the SUVCW.

The final Encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic was held in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1949 and the last member, Albert Woolson, died in 1956 at the age of 109 years.

***Please look at the attached photos for size and condition. Photos are part of the description representing the condition report and can be used for authentication prior to the sale date. We urge bidder's to view all attached photos in detail. All items are sold "AS IS". Thank you for your interest and good luck bidding.

Notes: Please inspect all photos carefully before bidding. Thank you for your interest and good luck bidding.

Consistent with age and use.

18%

Vincenza Marsullo | (860) 997-3332 | fil14fy@gmail.com

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Private Residence

Torrington, CT 06790

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Sunday, 7/25, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm

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