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Grand Army of the Republic, Department of New York, Gen. James B. McPherson Post 614 personal war sketches

Call Number

2011.011

Date

1897, inclusive

Creator

Grand Army of the Republic. Gen. James B. McPherson Post No. 614 (Brooklyn, New York, N.Y.)

Extent

1 Linear Feet in one oversize phase box.

Language of Materials

English .

Abstract

One bound commemorative volume containing handwritten sketches of the war service records of members of the Grand Army of the Republic, Gen. James B. McPherson Post No. 614, as well as sketches of the post itself. Approximately 50 sketches are included. The volume dates from 1897.

Historical Note

The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a national association of Union Army Civil War veterans organized in 1866 by Benjamin Franklin Stephenson of Illinois under three cardinal objectives: fraternity, charity, and loyalty. The GAR was divided into state departments, which were in turn divided into local posts. Common activities at the local level included regular social meetings, discussing politics, passing resolutions, and dispensing charitable assistance to fellow members in need.

The first post was chartered in Decatur, IL, on April 6, 1866. By July of that year, another 38 posts had been chartered in Benjamin Stpehenson's home state, and together they formed the Department of Illinois. The GAR grew rapidly from these regional beginnings. The Gen. James B. McPherson Post No. 614 was organized in Brooklyn, N.Y. and named after James Birdseye McPherson (1828-1864), a Brigadier General in command of the Army of the Tennessee. McPherson was killed in action during the Atlanta Campaign on July 22, 1864. In late 1896, the Gen. James B. McPherson Post No. 614 consolidated with the Brooklyn-based Charles R. Doane Post No. 499 to form the Doane-McPherson Post No. 499.

The GAR reached its zenith in 1890 with a membership of over 400,000. At its annual state or national events known as "encampments," members from different posts would congregate to socialize, reconnect, and discuss organizational business. As the Civil War veterans began to pass away, membership naturally dwindled. The last national encampment was held in Indianapolis, IN, in 1949, followed by the close of the GAR's national office in 1956.

Sources:

  1. Civil War Trust. "James B. McPherson, Major General, November 14, 1828 – July 22, 1864." Accessed September 21, 2011. http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/biographies/james-mcpherson.html
  2. "Grand Army News: Consolidation of Two Well Known Brooklyn Posts." Brooklyn Daily Eagle, November 1, 1896. Accessed September 21, 2011. http://eagle.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/Default/Skins/BEagle/Client.asp?Skin=BEagle
  3. Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library. "A Brief History of the Grand Army of the Republic." Accessed June 29, 2010. http://www.garmuslib.org/
  4. Library of Congress. "The Grand Army of the Republic and Kindred Societies." Accessed June 29, 2010. http://www.loc.gov/rr/main/gar/garintro.html

Scope and Contents

One bound commemorative volume containing handwritten sketches of the war service records of members of the Grand Army of the Republic, Gen. James B. McPherson Post No. 614, as well as sketches of the post itself. Approximately 50 sketches are included. The volume dates from 1897.

Conditions Governing Access

Open to researchers without restriction.

Preferred Citation

Identification of item, date (if known); Grand Army of the Republic, Department of New York, Gen. James B. McPherson Post 614 personal war sketches, 2011.011, Box and Folder number; Brooklyn Historical Society.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Mrs. Calvin E. Pratt, date unknown. Formally accessioned in 2011.

Related Materials

Related archival collections at the Brooklyn Historical Society:

Missing Title

  1. 1977.078, Grand Army of the Republic, Department of New York, Harry Lee Post No. 21 records, circa 1870-1935
  2. 1977.190, Grand Army of the Republic, Department of New York, Brooklyn City Post No. 233 minute book, 1909-1911

Collection processed by

Cesar Garza and Nicholas Pavlik

About this Guide

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-08-21 11:20:24 +0000.
Using Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language: English

Note Statement

change to complete_collection_level

Repository

Brooklyn Historical Society

Container

Oversize: 2011.011 1 of 1 (Material Type: Text)
Center for Brooklyn History
128 Pierrepont Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201