Goodhue County and
Minnesota in the G.A.R.
Minnesota  had 189 known G.A.R. Posts of which 4 were known to be of  Goodhue County.
The first Post formed in Minnesota was the Muller        Post 1 Stillwater
The last Post formed in Minnesota was the S.B. Sheardon    Post 189 Winona
The G.A.R. - Grand Army of the Republic began in 1866. The last Encampment was in 1949
To be a member of the G.A.R., one must have been in the Union Army, Navy or Marine Corps between
April 12th1861 & April 9th,1865.
Minnesota held 4 National Encampments


18th Encampment   1884 in Minneapolis
At the time of this Encampment, there were 273,174 Members in the G.A.R.
32 Departments & 362 Representatives.





30th Encampment   1896 in St. Paul
At the time of this Encampment, there were 340,610 Members in the G.A.R.
45 Departments &1,122 Representatives.





40th Encampment   1906 in Minneapolis
At the time of this Encampment, there were 235,823 Members in the G.A.R.
45 Departments & 1,437 Representatives





67th Encampment   1933 in St. Paul
At the time of this Encampment, There were 10,138 Members in the G.A.R.
41 Departments & 853 Representatives.




1st Encampment  was in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1866  # of Members not found.
11 Departments & 228 Representatives.

24th Encampment in Bosten Massachusetts in 1890
At the time of this Encampment, there were 408,781 Members.
This was the high piont of the G.A.R.

83rd Encampment was the last held in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1949.
There were 16 Members at the time of this Last Encampment.
9 Departments & 16 Representatives.
Albert Woolson was at the last Encampment in 1949. He was the last survivor of the Grand Army Of The Republic as well as our last Civil War Veteran. 
He died in 1956 at age 109 in Duluth Minnesoata.
The Frank Daggett Post 35 of Litchfield is the only G.A.R. Hall left in Minnesota. The G.A.R. Hall is now a museum and has a great display of Minnesota G.A.R. artifacts. It is a must see for anyone interested in the Grand Army of the Republic.

Courtesy of
Meeker County Historical Museum

Department of  Minnesota
Ladies of the G.A.R.


G.A.R. Memorial Hall
Litchfield, Minn.
1880

Frank Daggett Post & Drum Corps
1896
1906
1933
1884 National Encampment
Minneapolis Minnesota
G.A.R.
Membership Badge
Numbered Type V

This badge would have been worn by the common member ship of the G.A.R. There were other types of membership badges as well through out the years.  There were about 28 types of badges for officers of the G.A.R. as well.

G.A.R. badges were made of brass. This brass was melted down from captured Confederate Napoleon Cannons until the mid 1880's when captured gun brass was no longer available for the making of the badges.

In c1900 the cost for a members badge was at 50 Cents. A replacement Flag was at 10 Cents.

Photos are enlarged to show a better
look at the  detail of the badge

Brass Hat Pin  G.A.R. Insignia
Some of thephotographs of this collection were offered for these pages by an undisclosed collector. Thankyou
Thanks for the visit                             Date of page February 10,  2007
This page was last updated: March 12, 2017
The Women's Relief Corps

Membership Badge

This badge would have been worn by the common membership of the Womnen's Relief Corps. There were other types of membership badges as well through out the years.   The badges were made of brass with the red white and blue being of silk.

The Women's Relief Corps Helped the G.A.R. with various programs as well as in Social Activities and with needy people in their areas.

There were four known Women's Relief Corps in Goodhue County. The Posts & Corps are listed together at the top of  this page.

The Women'd Relief Corps was organized Nationally on July 25th & 26th, 1883
Peller Post 89 Grand Army of the Republic 1905 Soldiers and Sailors Cemetery in Hastings, Minn.
This upgrading of  the cemetery was a gift for  the G.A.R. Cemetery from the V.F.W. Post 1210 in May, 1998
Private Anthony's
  Reverse
Obverse
On the evening of June 4th, 1947 only three G.A. R. members remained. With tears in their eyes, the Minnesota G.A.R. charter was turned over to national officials and disbanded. The last three men at the ceremony were Albert Woolson, 100, from Duluth, Nathan Colburn, 101 from Champlin & Anson B. Baker, 97, from Minneapolis.  Albert Woolson, the commander, surrndered the Charter.  There were three other Civil War Veterans present, Charles L. Hooker, 109, Virginia, Elias Fenstermacher, 97, Brainerd & Orrin S. Pierce, 99, Minneapolis.

At the request of Com. Albert Woolson,  Retreat , rather than Taps was played.

Retreat: The quite clear notes of rest and quiet
that tell army men night has fallen and the flag
is lowered.
Came in part by Daily Republican Eagle, Red Wing, Minn.
Music: Garry Owen
Sequenced by John Renfro Davis
The Contemplator
Used by Permission in.  All Rights Reserved.
1906 Minneapolis, Minn.