GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC, TYPE IVa, CIVIL WAR VETERANS, BADGE, SERIAL NUMBERED
This GAR Star is serial numbered, “A3734”
Hanger / Brooch: In 1886, the GAR made the last changes to its membership badge. Rounded wings, nice fletching to the wings, pin back with open loop catch. Reverse depicts a camp fire scene. Hallmarked “PAT. MAY 4. 1886 / JUNE 22. 1886” The clasp is composed of the figure of an eagle, with cross cannon and ammunition, representing defense; the eagle with drawn sword hovering over and always ready to protect from insults or dishonor of the National Flag.
Pendant: On the GAR star, the obverse arms have the insignia of the five major services, Infantry, Navy, Marines, Cavalry, and the Artillery. In the star points are the emblems of different arms of service, bugle for infantry, cannon for artillery, muskets for marines, swords for cavalry, and an anchor for sailors. Each of the five star arms have a raised star. The central section of the GAR star has liberty, a soldier, a sailor, two children, an eagle, a fasces (an axe with a bundle of rods representing authority) and two angled flags in the background. This star has the central area surrounded by the phrase “Grand Army of the Republic / 1861 Veteran 1866”. The date 1866, represents the beginning of the GAR. The date of 1866 is sometimes called an error, by those who think that the dates are inclusive dates of the Civil War, which they are not.
The reverse represents a Branch of Laurel - the crown and reward of the brave - in the upper two points of the star. The national shield in the center, surrounded by the 24 recognized Corps’ Badges, numerically arranged, each on a keystone, and all linked together, showing they are united---. Around the center is a circle of 34 stars, representing the States of the Union and the Departments composing the Grand Army Of the Republic.
This is type IVa whereas the 16th Corps symbol was recut. The type IV 16th Corps had an X centered within a circle. The type IVa changed the 16th Corps badge to a more traditional Maltese cross with rounded arm outside edges. In 1886, changes were again made to the reverse of the star pendant. This time, three new corps badges were added. Instead of adding these corps badges to an already crowded center of the star, the laurel branches on the three lower star arms were replaced by the corps insignias of Hancock's Veteran Corp, Wilson's Cavalry and Sheridan's Cavalry as this star displays.
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), and the Marines who served in the American Civil War. It was founded in 1866 in Decatur, Illinois, and grew to include thousands of "posts" (local community units) across the North and West. It was dissolved in 1956 at the death of its last member, Albert Woolson.
The Grand Army of the Republic, the largest of all Union Army veterans' organizations, was the most powerful single-issue political lobby of the late nineteenth century, securing massive pensions for veterans and helping to elect five postwar presidents from its own membership. To its members, it was also a secret fraternal order, a source of local charity, a provider of entertainment in small municipalities, and a patriotic organization.
After the end of American Civil War, various state and local organizations were formed for veterans to network and maintain connections with each other. Many of the veterans used their shared experiences as a basis for fellowship. Groups of men began joining, first for camaraderie and later for political power. Emerging as most influential among the various organizations during the first post-war years was the Grand Army of the Republic, founded on April 6, 1866, on the principles of "Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty," in Decatur, Illinois, by Dr. Benjamin F. Stephenson. The GAR almost disappeared in the early 1870s, and many state-centered divisions, named "departments", and local posts ceased to exist.
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