A Grand Army of the Republic Uniform

[SARGE]

Gents,

 

Here is an interesting Grand Army of the Republic uniform made in 1937. By the date, I suspect that this Civil War Veteran had a new suit of clothes made to wear to attend the last big reunion held at Gettysburg in 1938.

 

 

The uniform was made in Hoboken, NJ. It has the veteran's name in the interior but I have been unable to decipher it entirely or find a matching CW vet in the records. Of course the correct name spelling would help. It appears to be "A. Stochowski" but I am unsure and it could have been ordered by the vet's son-in-law or somesuch of course.

 

 

Closeup view of the vest showing the GAR buttons on blue twill material.

 

 

Finally, a veiw of the trousers made in the same blue twill material.

 

[cpatrick]

I love these GAR & UCV uniforms! You may want to try www.civilwardata.com - that is the best CW database in existance. You may also want to slightly alter the name spelling. See if that helps.

 

Chris

[SARGE]

Chris,

 

Thanks for the link. Unfortunately I am not a paid member there. I tried the US and NJ Archives but found nothing on him with my best guess spelling. I hate trying to research those Smith and Jones guys and you would think that a name like this would be researchable.

 

I do have several other identified GAR and UCV uniforms but there are a couple that are just frustrating because I can't find a name and unit match. I do love it when a plan comes together though and there is enough information to dig out unexpected stuff. I have several pieces like that belonging to folks that jumped regiments or were mentioned in General Orders or who were Court Martialed that prove to be very interesting. This guy just eludes me and I know darn well that he must have gone to the 75th Gettysburg Reunion in this uniform. The name might well be his escort but there is no list of those folks that I know of (even though they got government issued named badges). Drat...

[KevinBeyer]

...This guy just eludes me and I know darn well that he must have gone to the 75th Gettysburg Reunion in this uniform. The name might well be his escort but there is no list of those folks that I know of (even though they got government issued named badges). Drat...

 

Sarge,

 

First off, that uniform is fantastic! How long have you had it? Where did you get it?

 

Second, wouldn't there be a record of who attended that particular reunion somewhere? A registration list, or something? Since these later Civil War reunions had fewer and fewer attendees, I thought that they were keeping records of which veterans were still around to participate. If so, then it might aid you in identifying the soldier.

 

Kevin

[Jim Baker]

Forgive my ignorance, but when you call these uniforms, were there regulations that were followed when these were made? Any specific patterns that had to be followed?

 

Thanks!

[SARGE]

Kevin,

 

I have had this particular uniform for years and I thought it was probably researchable because of the name. Silly me. There probably is a list of participants somewhere but I have not found it. With my luck, he probably bought it for the reunion and then was one of the many that could not attend because of failing health.

 

"Hands Across the Wall" published in 1982 by Stan Cohen describes the 50th and 75th Gettysburg Reunions. According to Cohen, there were 53,000 Civil War veterans who attended the 1913 reunion. There were 3,690 veterans and attendants there in 1938, but over 4,000 had signed up. There were 6,800 vets, attendants, army, police, medical personnel, cooks, Boy Scouts, etc. with a total public attendance figure of over 200,000 by the end of the reunion. The Army constructed a tent city of 2,679 tents to house 7,000 people. President Roosevelt dedicated the Peace Light memorial on Sunday. It was quite a show.

 

Jim,

 

Yes, there were regulation uniforms for the GAR. Regulations were published in GAR General Orders and regalia supply houses and tailors were supposed to follow those regulations. This 1937 coat style is a late single breasted style. One will see this particular coat in wear in photos of the 1938 CW Reunion. The GAR started out wearing their old Union uniforms then wore a loose sack coat style that would mimic the four button fatigue blouse. This changed to a more tailored 1872 style five button coat when the military changed uniform styles. The most often seen GAR coat was a double breasted coat that remained in use for a very long time.

 

Here is an example of the double breasted GAR coat. Notice that this coat is appreciably the same coat as the single breasted one with the exception of the number and placement of the front buttons.

 

 

Here is a period catalog showing GAR regulation uniforms and regalia.

 

[KevinBeyer]

Here is an example of the double breasted GAR coat. Notice that this coat is appreciably the same coat as the single breasted one with the exception of the number and placement of the front buttons.

 

Sarge,

 

Would it be fair to say that the medal adorning this double breasted uniform coat is that of a Knights Templar and not that of a "G.A.R. mourning medal". (A term that frustrates me for its perpetual misidentification.)

 

Kevin

[SARGE]

Kevin,

 

Yes that is the Knights Templar, aka GAR Mourning, medal often seen on these GAR tunics in period photographs. The lapel pin is the bronze GAR membership "button" that was made from melted down Confederate cannon.

[BEAST]

Sarge,

Was it the 1938 or the 1913 reunion where the vets reenacted Picket's charge? If I recall correctly, it turned into a free-for-all with the fighting being almost as viscious as it was in 1863!

[Jim Baker]

Sarge,

 

Thanks!! You learn something new everyday.

 

I remember my Dad talking about meeting old Confederate soldiers when he was a kid. Hard to imagine.

[SARGE]

Beast,

 

Some of the old boys recreated Pickett's charge in 1913. Of course they were just in their 70s then. They were in their 90s in 1938 with some over 100. No charge in 1938 but some did come to the wall to shake hands as they had in 1913.

 

Jim,

 

I know what you mean about CW vets. My neighborhood had WWI vets when I was a kid. My uncle was a WWI vet and his younger brothers (including my father) were WWII vets. Civil War vets are all gone. The War to end all Wars vets are almost all gone nowadays. My father-in-law is a Pearl Harbor survivor and we attended the 65th Pearl Harbor Reunion in Hawaii in December. The WWII vets are slipping away at an alarming rate. We need to remember these old vets and preserve their artifacts and legacy.

[SCF-Collector]

Sarge -

 

There are several books in which the veterans attending the 1938 Gettysburg reunion are listed. I collect materials from the Gettysburg reunions (primarily 1913 and 1938). I did a quick check of one of the better sources and I can't find any name even close to "Stochowski".

 

FYI - there were 1200-1500 veterans that were invited to and attended the 1938 reunion (all were invited individually by the US Government). If it makes you feel any better I've found the lists to not be 100% accurate/complete. For example I have a photo of a Confederate Veteran that clearly shows him wearing the very distinct Veteran's medal for the 1938 reunion - but I've yet to find his name listed officially anywhere.

 

Could be any number of reasons this name is not showing up for the 1938 reunion. The veteran could have passed away, this could be the uniform of one of the Attendant's (each Veteran was allowed one Attendant who received a medal with their name engraved on it), or it could be for a Veteran that chose not to attend the reunion (there were other GAR reunions after 1938).

 

BTW, I did a quick check of Civil War Data - stuck out on that search as well. Tried a number of spelling variants with no luck. But again, that list isn't 100% correct either.

 

Will poke around in a few other sources I have just in case I get lucky and help you track down the owner of this uniform.

 

Mickey

Southern Cross Frarm

[SARGE]

Sarge -

 

There are several books in which the veterans attending the 1938 Gettysburg reunion are listed. I collect materials from the Gettysburg reunions (primarily 1913 and 1938). I did a quick check of one of the better sources and I can't find any name even close to "Stochowski".

 

FYI - there were 1200-1500 veterans that were invited to and attended the 1938 reunion (all were invited individually by the US Government). If it makes you feel any better I've found the lists to not be 100% accurate/complete. For example I have a photo of a Confederate Veteran that clearly shows him wearing the very distinct Veteran's medal for the 1938 reunion - but I've yet to find his name listed officially anywhere.

 

Could be any number of reasons this name is not showing up for the 1938 reunion. The veteran could have passed away, this could be the uniform of one of the Attendant's (each Veteran was allowed one Attendant who received a medal with their name engraved on it), or it could be for a Veteran that chose not to attend the reunion (there were other GAR reunions after 1938).

 

BTW, I did a quick check of Civil War Data - stuck out on that search as well. Tried a number of spelling variants with no luck. But again, that list isn't 100% correct either.

 

Will poke around in a few other sources I have just in case I get lucky and help you track down the owner of this uniform.

 

Mickey

Southern Cross Frarm

 

 

Mickey,

 

Thanks for looking.

 

I have not been able to find him either. Sometimes these guys are just plain elusive. I have a Confederate Veteran uniform that is identified to a Trooper in Co.C, 3rd Mo. Cavalry (Shelbys Old Brigade). I have numerous photographs, articles in the Confederate Veteran, his obituary where he received a UCV funeral, etc but there is hardly a trace of him in the official records.

 

Sometimes these old guys can be pretty slippery...

[Bob Hudson]

Ancestry.com shows "Anthony Stachowski" of Wisconsin in the Civil War Pension Index. And I found this cemetery listing for Wood National Cemetery Milwaukee, Wisconsin"

 

"Stachowski, Anthony A, d. 04/18/1938, MUS CO H, 4 WIS INF"

 

He does not show up in the online roster of the 4th Wisconsin Volunteers although at the site at http://www.hughesfamilies.com/fourth/fourth.cfm notes, ""This history and catalogue, is published particularly for the benefit of the regiment and its friends, and is as correct as can be made from its records, though in the large number of names and dates, there are doubtless some errors. The history is necessarily brief in a record of this kind, without details or enlargement-the catalogue is given complete, showing the present and all gains and losses from the organization of the regiment June, 1861 to March, 1864, exclusive of recruits in depots."

 

It would not have been unusual to have a mail order suit made, especially for lodge and GAR type things when there were often companies that specialized in making organizational uniforms.

 

By the way, the company that made it, Geismar's - well they were the tailor of teenaged Frank Sinatra:

 

"Frankie always had new clothes. And he had a bicycle when no one else did. Later on, his parents opened an account for him at Geismar's, a local clothing store."

[SARGE]

Well, I will be darned...

 

There he is and he died shortly after the uniform was made. That explains why he never made it to the July 1938 reunion and is not listed as an attendee. One can only wonder if he ordered this suit of clothes in anticipation of attending. Most certainly it was his last GAR uniform.

 

I will see what else I can come up with from the archives with this new information.

 

Thanks guys!!!

[SCF-Collector]

Sarge -

 

It's possible he did receive an invitation to the 1938 Gettysburg reunion, but as I recall, the invitations didn't go out until late 1937, or even early 1938. That wouldn't fit with the date on the label.

 

So I checked out another possibility - that he could have had this uniform made for, and used it at a GAR National Encampment. I checked and what do you know - the 71st National Encampment was in Madison, Wisconsin, Sept 5-10, 1937! Wasn't he in a Wisconsin unit? I wonder if he didn't have this uniform made to attend that home-state event. It appears there were still about 3325 members registered in the GAR at the time of that reunion - and that there were 488 representatives (official delegates) at that Wisconsin event. Maybe he was one of them? If you can track down what GAR Post he was a member of you might be able to verify that - or find the proceedings for that event - which often list the attending representatives.

 

FYI, it would have the be the 1937 National - the 1938 National wasn't held until September 4-8 (Des Moines, Iowa) - he was gone by then.

 

Anyway, hope that helps.

 

Mickey

Southern Cross Farm

[SARGE]

Mickey,

 

I bet you are right. The 1937 Madison Wisconsin reunion is the most probable event where the uniform was to be worn. I just love it when bits of obscure information like this comes together.

 

I have wondered about this soldier for years. It does not seem that the 4th Wisconsin was anywhere near Gettysburg during the war as it spent a lot of time in Louisiana. Of course, the Peace Light Gettysburg Reunion was sort of the signal event for Civil War Veterans from both the North and South as a form of reconcilliation. Now at least I have some proper information to try to expand my search.

 

I love this collegial give and take with other military historians.

[Bob Hudson]

Wasn't he in a Wisconsin unit?

 

He lived in Milwaukee Wis.

[SARGE]

You know, I bet there was only one GAR Hall in Milwaukee by 1937 too.

[Bob Hudson]

You know, I bet there was only one GAR Hall in Milwaukee by 1937 too.

 

"The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was the largest organization of the Union's Civil War veterans, and the forerunner of the modern American veterans' association. The organization originated in Illinois in 1866. Wisconsin's first post was organized in 1866, and in all Civil War veterans formed 280 GAR posts in the Badger State."

 

http://museum.dva.state.wi.us/His_republicposts.asp

 

 

Turns out Milwaukee alone had nine GAR posts. You can see them here:

 

The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was the largest organization of the Union's Civil War veterans, and the forerunner of the modern American veterans' association. The organization originated in Illinois in 1866. Wisconsin's first post was organized in 1866, and in all Civil War veterans formed 280 GAR posts in the Badger State.

[SARGE]

Oh my, you would have thought that the number of local posts would have dwindled by 1937. I sent a search request off to the Wisconsin Veteran Museum. We will see what they have to say since the name search brings up nothing.

 

If he was indeed a Musician, then he might have been carried on a separate muster roll. As a matter of fact, I just noticed that there is a photograph of the grave of a Musician from Company H shown on the images portion of the website listed under Staff & Field. Bandsmen were often carried on separate rolls as I have run into that issue before.

[SCF-Collector]

Sarge -

 

Actually, just FYI - I don't believe a veteran had to have been at Gettysburg to be invited to the 1938 reunion. I could be wrong about that - but as I recall service in the battle wasn't required for an invite.

 

Mickey

 

P.S. The only way we can learn and/or figure our some of the mysteries is by sharing information!

[SCF-Collector]

Mickey,

 

I bet you are right. The 1937 Madison Wisconsin reunion is the most probable event where the uniform was to be worn. I just love it when bits of obscure information like this comes together.

 

I have wondered about this soldier for years. It does not seem that the 4th Wisconsin was anywhere near Gettysburg during the war as it spent a lot of time in Louisiana. Of course, the Peace Light Gettysburg Reunion was sort of the signal event for Civil War Veterans from both the North and South as a form of reconcilliation. Now at least I have some proper information to try to expand my search.

 

I love this collegial give and take with other military historians.

 

Sarge -

 

You might actually be surprised at how much "reconciliation" was going on between the Northern and Southern Veterans even before the Gettysburg reunions. One of the things I collect are items from these Blue/Gray events. Here's a picture of a ribbon from one such event in 1884. Would you have believed that the 28th New York Volunteers would be attending at joint event at the invitation of the 5th Virginia (Stonewall Brigade) - in Virginia no less?

 

 

I have another example (ribbon) of Robert E. Lee Camp No. 1 of the United Confederate Veterans (Richmond, Virginia), invited by a Trenton, NJ GAR Post to visit them in the North (who had been welcomed and entertained the previous year by the R.E. Lee Camp Veterans in Richmond).

 

These kinds of things are what keeps me collecting and researching these Veteran organizations.

 

Mickey