Civil War Honorees
The Civil War touched nearly every family in the United Sates in so many ways. It is the costliest war in terms of death toll in United States history. While precise numbers are debated or even nonexistent, it is generally accepted that over 600,000 casualties resulted from the Civil War.
The sacrifices were not easily forgotten by either side, and tributes to fallen soldiers and veterans prevail, even to today.
One of the honors afforded the veterans, whether killed in the war or veterans who died much later was the placement of a veteran medallion on their grave. This was a practice for both GAR (Grand Army of the Republic) and CSA (Confederate States of America)
Medallion Variations
A wide variety of medallion designs can be seen. There was a national GAR design, but then many GAR lodges created their own; sometimes including their state and lodge number in the design. The lodge number can lead you to the lodge name and location by checking the lodge list on a Library of Congress web page. See the Resources section below.
Here are a few designs, some national, one a Kansas lodge and a replacement design.
GAR Medallions
CAS Medallions
While not as numerous, Variations of CSA medallions are found also.
GAR Insignia
Multiple emblems on some medallions pay tribute to different branches of the GAR.
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Medallion Design
The GAR Medal was modeled after the Medal of Honor,authorized by Congress in 1866, and initially awarded for meritorious and gallant conduct.
The GAR Medal was awarded to all Union Veterans.
The basic grave medallion design came from the original GAR Medal.
The five points and the branch insignia in each point were copied into the grave marker design. |
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Stolen and Replacement Medallions
Sadly, many original medallions have been stolen. Some are sold for scrap metal, a few have appeared on eBay or in flea markets. Please discourage (maybe report to the authorities) any theft of these historical and important markers.
Several companies sell replica markers, some quite nice in bronze or aluminum. Frequently you will see newer hard plastic versions on grave sites; as there is no resale value for them, they are not stolen. |
My Ancestors
I have two civil war veterans in my ancestor lineage. The first image below is the grave of Capt. Mathew J. J. Cagle, one of my G-G-Grandfathers. He died in 1892, and was a veteran of the Tennessee Volunteers.
The next gravestone and emblem mark the grave of Allen Baggett, one of my G-Grandfathers. Interestingly, he married the daughter of the above Mathew Cagle: America Cagle. Allen served in the 56th Illinois Infantry.
His original medallion was stolen some years back, and a replacement now graces his site. An older picture, taken in 1996, shows the original bronze marker.
Allen Baggett's original GAR marker in 1996. Irreplaceable as a historic item, this was one of the original designs.
FCL: Fraternity, Charity, and Loyalty
Some medallions contain the letters F C L. These were the GAR's objectives: Fraternity, Charity, Loyalty. These letters are frequently seen on various medals, medallions, and other objects.
Resources
LOC: Lodge Numbers and other Info
The Library of Congress has a great set of pages on the GAR. These include a list of most lodges and their number. This may help identify some GAR markers as some include lodge numbers.
The Introduction link on the main page gives a nice summary of the establishment and history of the GAR. This is recommended reading.
Library of Congress: GAR Guide to Resources
Southern Cross History
Marker Replacement Sources
There are several replacement marker sources. Here are a couple. I have not conducted business with any of these, have no relationship, and am not endorsing them.
http://www.gettysburgflag.com/grave-marker.php
http://www.flagguys.com/gmarker.html
http://www.txudc.org/markers.html (CSA)
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