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For the fictional Star Wars military force, see Army Of The Republic The Grand Army of the Republic ('''GAR''') was a Fraternal Organization composed of veterans of the Union Army who had served in the American Civil War . The GAR was among the first organized Interest Groups in American politics. It was succeeded by the Sons Of Union Veterans Of The Civil War (SUVCW). HISTORY The GAR was founded by Benjamin F. Stephenson, M.D., on April 6 , 1866 , in Decatur, Illinois . Its organization was based partly on the traditions of Freemasonry , and partly on military tradition; it was divided into "Departments" at the state level and "Posts" at the community level, and military-style uniforms were worn by its members. There were posts in every state in the U.S., and several posts overseas. The organization wielded considerable political clout nationwide. Between 1868 and 1908, no Republican was nominated to the Presidency without a GAR endorsement. In 1868, General Order #11 of the GAR called for May 30 to be designated as a day of memorial for Union veterans; originally called "Decoration Day," this later evolved into the U.S. national Memorial Day holiday. The GAR was also active in pension legislation, establishing retirement homes for soldiers, and many other areas which concerned Union veterans. The influence of the GAR led to the creation of the Old Soldiers' Homes of the late 19th century, which evolved into the current United States Department Of Veterans Affairs . The GAR created the veterans was the United Confederate Veterans . There was some controversy over the fact that the membership badge of the GAR closely resembled the Army's version of the Medal Of Honor , causing confusion and animosity among veterans. The issue was resolved with a re-design of the latter in 1896. The GAR reached its largest enrollment in 1890, with 490,000 members. It held an annual "National Encampment" every year from 1866 to 1949. In 1956, after the death of the last member, Albert Woolson , the GAR was formally dissolved. Its records went to the Library Of Congress , Washington, D.C. , and its badges, flags, and official seal went to the Smithsonian Institution . MEMORIALS on Dedham's 250th anniversary.]]
The Friends of the Grand Army of the Republic Cemetery Park , accessed May 4, 2007
Theodore Penland was the last National Commander of the Grand Army Of The Republic and one of the last surviving Union Army veterans of the American Civil War . He served as a Private in the state troops of Indiana , but from this low rank rose to command of an organization which, at its height in 1891 , had numbered a half million members. He became a symbol of the American transition from a predominantly rural federation to the strongest nation in the free world, as the evolution to hegemony took place during his lifetime. THEODORE PENLAND ''Theodore Augustus Penland'', the last commander of the GAR, was born on January 23, 1849 in New Paris, Indiana (Elkhart County), but was a resident of Portland, Oregon at the time of his death in nearby Vancouver, Washington at the age of 101. When he died on September 13, 1950 there were only eight other surviving Union Army veterans: Joseph Clovese, Hiram Randall Gale, Lansing A Wilcox, Douglas T Story, Israel Adam Broadsword, William Allen Magee, James Albert Hard, and Albert Henry Woolson. With two wives, both named Elizabeth, Penland had ten children, and at the time of his death had almost fifty living descendants. Penland enlisted in the soldiers, were imprisoned at Andersonville Prison and died shortly after the end of the war. His post-war vocations of farming and railroad work, and the lure of adventure, drew him repeatedly to the American West. In 1868 he walked from Indiana to California , lived briefly in Cheyenne, Wyoming , and took up residence in both Sacramento, California and Nevada . He worked in the Sierra Nevada Mountains on the Union Pacific Railroad through 1869 when the Golden Spike completed the transcontinental line at Promontory Point . After a brief return to Indiana , his other residences included Michigan , Los Angeles , San Diego , and, ultimately, Portland ; he continued world travels to Australia and New Zealand , and later retraced his transcontinental walks by journeys in airplanes. Throughout his long life he remained vitally interested in veterans' affairs and in the fraternal and charitable activities of the Grand Army Of The Republic . He attended battlefield reunions at Gettysburg as well as National and Department Encampments of the GAR. As one of the final survivors, he held the top office of Commander in the Department of Oregon from 1935 until his death, and was a national GAR officer from 1941 until his death. His obituary claimed he held membership in thirty-two patriotic orders including the GAR. At the last National Encampment of the GAR in Indianapolis, Indiana , 1949 , the six surviving members agreed to assume office for the remainder of their lives; Penland, Commander-in-Chief since 1948, would continue as such for only another year. According to his obituary, Penland enjoyed giving talks on his experiences in the Civil War , of the time he saw President Abraham Lincoln , and on the virtues of "living carefully". His distinctive singing voice was a feature of GAR firesides, with a favorite reportedly "Tenting On The Old Camp Ground." Reportedly he favored talking and singing on the radio, a signal accomplishment for one born in the age of telegraphy, and speaking with young people. IN POPULAR CULTURE John Steinbeck 's '' East Of Eden '' features several references to the Grand Army of the Republic. Despite having no actual battle experience during his brief military career, Adam Trask's father Cyrus joins the GAR and assumes the stature of "a great man" through his involvement with the organization. At the height of the GAR's influence in Washington, he brags to his son: ''I wonder if you know how much influence I really have. I can throw the Grand Army at any candidate like a sock. Even the President likes to know what I think about public matters. I can get senators defeated and I can pick appointments like apples. I can make men and I can destroy men. Do you know that?'' Later in the book, references are made to the graves of GAR members in California in order to emphasize the passage of time. Another Nobel Prize winning author, Sinclair Lewis, makes references to the GAR in his acclaimed novel Main Street. SEE ALSO
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