Sons of Union Veterans of The Civil War - The SV's Relationship With The GAR

The SV's Relationship With The GAR

The SV had a fairly complex relationship with the GAR. While GAR members generally believed there should be a worthy organization for their sons to join, they felt the GAR membership should be limited to those who had shared the experience of war. While the GAR gave its approval to the SV, it would not make the SV part of the GAR. On July 25, 1883, the GAR national encampment recognized the SV as "entitled to the confidence and support of all comrades of the Grand Army of the Republic."

Final and complete acceptance by the GAR came in 1888. In his report to the National Encampment of the GAR, Commander-in-Chief John P. Rea stated, "It will be but a short period until our ranks are so meager and the surviving Comrades so weighed down with the burden of years that our organization will have ceased to be an active force in the work of loyal love and charity which it has ordained. The tender ceremonies of Memorial Day will then be performed by others or not at all. It seems to me that it would be the part of wisdom for us while yet in our vigor to establish such relationship between our Order and the Sons of Veterans as to properly recognize the organization."

As a result of Commander-in-Chief Rea's presentation the GAR adopted the following resolution:

"RESOLVED: That this encampment endorse the objects and purposes of the Order of Sons of Veterans of the United States of America and hereby give the Order the official recognition of the Grand Army of the Republic and recommend that Comrades aid and encourage the institution of Camps of the Sons of Veterans of the USA."

In contrast to the 1890 SV membership numbers {above}, membership of the GAR in 1890 was reported to have been 490,000.