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What is this? GAR? Something else?


jeb137
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OK, I’m hoping that someone out there can help me identify this medal. I thought it might be a variation of a GAR type medal, but I am clueless. We picked it up at a local auction over the weekend.

 

The front has ILLINOIS in gold letters on a black background in a framework of gold. It is an old style pin clasp, without the rolling catch. There is a unique pin style of hook for the ribbon to hang on. It is fixed to the back of the “ILLINOIS” with one end becoming the hook, and one end bent to be the “hanger” the ribbon is suspended from. There is a gold bar suspended from the ILLINOIS bar that has SILOAM No. 54 on it.

 

It appears to have the Civil War style Eagle, (Coat of Arms) I’ve seen on CW type buttons on the pendenat. E. Pluribus Unum is written around the top half of the circle the eagle is in. The back of the pendant has “ROBBINS CO, ATTLEBORO, MASS” written on the bottom section in 3 lines.

 

I tried looking up SILOAM, IL and found there is such a place, and tried looking up ILL GAR Posts, and found there was no post No. 54 in ILL. So I have no idea what this is for.

 

So now here are my questions.

Is this medal GAR? If not what is it, who issued it, etc,

Is that a military type eagle on it? From what era?

Does this have any value?

 

The Pendant came off of the ribbon as I was taking pictures of it. Arrrrg. The ribbon is pretty tattered and worn, so I should have expected it.

 

 

Any help identifying this would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks,

 

Jon B

Newaygo MI.

 

post-4767-1239031457.jpg

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I've seen these represented as GAR, but I've never believed it or seen any documentation proving it. I, too, have always thought it was Masonic.

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Its not military its a Knights Templar Medal, and a nice one at that hold on to it those are pretty neat items to collect and sometimes are worth just as much and sometimes more than GAR medals.

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I've gotten them with GAR groupings.. Was told it was a 'Funeral Cross' for wear at burials by the honor guard.. Now, the guys wearing it may have also been Masons, I don't know. BUt you can find it listed in the Schuyler, Hartley, and Graham catolog of 1863.(just the plain medal without the bars. I Know they were used after WW1 to tho as I saw one once with a Pacific Theatre ribbon bar attatched to the medal.. The girl's father had worn it for funeral services when he was in the VFW.. He was a WW2 Pacific vet.. don't know if he was a Mason or not.

 

Fins..

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These have never been part of GAR regalia. I'd interested to know what the 1863 catalog called it, considering that the GAR was not formed until 1866.

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Thank you all for your help in identifying this. Once again the information from this forum has helped me out.

 

I've gone on from the masonic lead and now beleive this to be a branch of the masons - the Knights of Malta.

 

Since this is not military, would the administrator be kind enough to remove this thread, unless there is a place on the forum for non-military medals that is used for general identification reference.

 

If anyone is interested in this medal pm me. I dont think its anything I'll keep.

 

Thank you

Jon B.

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These have never been part of GAR regalia. I'd interested to know what the 1863 catalog called it, considering that the GAR was not formed until 1866.

 

 

There's no name in the catalog, just an order number.. It's listed as misc. medals.. Only ever heard it refured to as a Death Cross for funeral use. All the ones I have were purchased with GAR or silly war veteran groupings back in the early 80's.. That was the common consensus at the time..Found it in the catalog about 10 years or so ago. Don't have any of it handy.. All my silly war stuff is boxed up in the garage or in the trunk of my mustang.. Haven't pulled it out since I did a musuem display about 5 years ago.. I'll try to find the catalog if it's still around..

 

Fins..

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There was a monograph on GAR material published in the 1960's or so that referred to this a "Funeral Cross", without any documrentary evidence. In spite of being provided with the correct identification (and documentation), the author published a second edition with the same bogus information. Luckily that monograph has mostly disappeared from the scene, but his bogus identification lives on and on.

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Is that the little black booklet that has the standard GAR medal on the front in silver?? I have that one somewhere, but I don't remember what all was in it.. Don't remember if this was or not.. the funeral cross idea does make sense as like I said, I saw one used after WW2 by a guy in the VFW and that was what he wore it for.. That booklet must be where the sellers got thier info from.. The first one I got came with a large group from a 31st OVI vet. The seller was a generic antiques dealer and just sold the lot of GAR and ACW stuff.. No ID on anything other than as a GAR group with the name and a pic of the vet wearing a couple of the medals included.. The cross was not one of them in the picture, just in the case with the others.. The way Shuyler, Hartley and Graham have it in the catalog makes it look like a generic medal that could be used for anything.. If used by the military, it'd be unofficial like the state medals after WW1 that were the same medal and ribbon with different states added to a generic design.. Not trying to justify it, just a possibility as an unofficial thing that may have been a 'by the post' use..

 

Fins.

 

OK.. Found my catalog.. It's a 1864 edition.. It's NOT in it.. I know I have it in a catalog and it only has a number and no ID.. BUT.. It's not listed in the Masonic section of the catalog..Also found my one with the bars.. Mine is Illinois, Mt Olivet No. 38. Always found it odd for GAR as it didn't say 'POST 38'.. Will keep searching for what I have it in.. I know it's a line drawing like in the SHG catalog, so that narrows it for me.

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