History

History of THE SONS OF UNION VETERANS OF THE CIVIL WAR

The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) is a fraternal organization dedicated to preserving the history and legacy of veteran heroes who fought and worked to save the Union in the American Civil War. Organized in 1881 and chartered by Congress in 1954, SUVCW is the legal heir and successor to the Grand Army of the Republic.

In 1866, Union Veterans of the Civil War organized into the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) and became a social and political force that would control the destiny of the nation for more than six decades. Membership in the veterans’ organization was restricted to individuals who had served in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, or Revenue Cutter Service during the Civil War, thereby limiting the life span of the GAR. The GAR existed until 1956.

In 1881 the GAR formed the Sons of Veterans of the United States of America (SV) to carry on its traditions and memory long after the GAR had ceased to exist. Membership was open to any man who could prove ancestry to a member of the GAR or to a veteran eligible for membership in the GAR. In later years, men who did not have the ancestry to qualify for hereditary membership, but who demonstrated a genuine interest in the Civil War and could subscribe to the purpose and objectives of the SUVCW, were admitted as Associates. This practice continues today.

Many GAR Posts sponsored Camps of the SV. In 1925 the SV name was changed to Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW), under which its federal charter was issued in 1954. The SUVCW is legally recognized as the heir to, and representative of, the GAR.

Today, the National Organization of the SUVCW, headed by an annually elected Commander-in-Chief, oversees the operation of 32 Departments, each consisting of one or more states, a Department-at-Large, a National Membership-at-Large, and over 200 community-based camps. More than 6,300 men enjoy the benefits of membership in the only male organization dedicated to the principles of the GAR — Fraternity, Charity, and Loyalty. It publishes “The BANNER” quarterly for its members. The SUVCW National Headquarters is located in the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

The SUVCW is one of five Allied Orders of the GAR. The other four Orders are: Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic, Woman’s Relief Corps, Auxiliary to the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War and Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War.

ABout General gRANT

Savior of the Union, 18th U.S. President, and Advocate for Civil Rights

Born Hiram Ulysses Grant in Ohio, his name was mistakenly changed at West Point, and he decided to keep it. After graduation, Grant fought in the Mexican American War. He did not fair well as a career soldier after the war however and was forced to resign his commission due to depression and drinking.

Life led him to Galena, Illinois, where he became a tanner in his father's leather goods store. Grant despised the work and when the Civil War broke out, he volunteered to serve. In short order he was promoted and began impressing his superiors with his knowledge and skill. Victory after victory led to Grant being placed in command of the entire Western theater of war.

Upon winning the Battle of Vicksburg in 1863, President Lincoln elevated Grant to command the entire Union army. General Grant was an aggressive and determined military leader. His leadership culminated with the Confederate General Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox in April of 1865.

In 1868, the Republican Party nominated General Grant for president, he was elected to two terms (1869-1877). His presidency focused on Reconstruction, as he sought to protect the civil rights of newly freed Black slaves, overseeing the ratification of the 15th Amendment, and taking action to destroy the first version of the Klu Klux Klan.

After his presidency Grant and his wife Julia traveled the world for two years, visiting multiple nations and meeting countless dignitaries including Queen Victoria and the King of Siam. Upon their return, General Grant wrote one of the great presidential memoirs. The book was completed just days before his death and published by the famous author and his good friend, Mark Twain. When General Grant passed away, he was the most famous man in the world.

"Keep Green the Memory of the boYS IN blUE."

History of THE SONS OF UNION VETERANS OF THE CIVIL WAR

"How many of our comrades of those days paid the latter price for our preserved Union! Let their heroism and sacrifices be ever green and in our memory."

ABout General gRANT

Savior of the Union, 18th U.S. President, and Advocate for Civil Rights