Final Civil War veteran reunions

[SARGE]

Gents,

 

After recovering (partially) from a complete computer crash that killed my hard drive I am back on line with a new computer. Some images were lost but I was able to retrieve those which were backed up. Back up your digital pictures!

 

The last of the Civil War veterans died in my lifetime. The final reunions of the blue and grey were commemorated with a US postal stamp and postal covers. Here are two such postal covers that were both "First Day of Issue" cancellations.

 

The final reunion of the Grand Army of the Republic.

 

 

The final reunion of the United Confederate Veterans.

 

 

Anyone else with anything from the final CW veterans reunions?

[SCF-Collector]

This is the official pin from the 1951 final reunion of the United Confederate Veterans held in Norfolk in 1951. Sorry, I don't have a better close-up image of this one handy.

 

 

Items from the 1951 UCV reunion are fairly scarce - but they do turn-up. They are actually sometimes easier to find than items from the reunions held after the mid/late-30's since the 1951 event had a lot of PR and therefore general attendees (vs. actual veterans).

 

Mickey (SCF-Collector)

[siege1863]

You might find this piece interesting. This plate block of stamps was autographed by Albert Woolson, the last Union veteran. Some consider him to be the last verified veteran, Union or Confederate. I also have several original newspaper clippings from the last few years of his life and notices of his death.

 

[SARGE]

Mickey,

 

A very neat lapel pin for the final UCV reunion. I think I have parts of that reunion on video tape but it has been a while since I have watched it.

 

Siege,

 

I have seen the stamp blocks before but never one signed by a CW vet. And yours is signed by Woolson no less. It seems that the GAR decided to end reunions in 1949 because of the health of the few remaining members. The UCV decided to continue as long as two veterans could still travel to meetings.

[SCF-Collector]

Here's the Badge from the 1949 Final National GAR Encampment in Indianapolis - from my collection.

 

 

Like the UCV Final Reunion pin from Norfolk that I posted earlier (which is about 1.5" across BTW) this is actually one of the easier (but not easy) GAR National Badges to find because a lot of them were minted for sale to other-than actual veterans. According to Membership and National Encampment Badges of the GAR 1866-1949 (Johnson & Floyd) there were only 16 delegates to this National Encampment.

 

Mickey (SCF-Collector)

Southern Cross Farm