Civil War Book Index

These images are from the Personal War Sketches of the Members of Rob’t F. Lowe Post No. 167, dated 1899 and prepared by the G.A.R.  As you study the pages, you’ll see that in many cases, a wealth of information is provided—names, place/date of birth, and war experiences of all kinds. Using the table below you can search, sort by column, or feel free to browse and enjoy the entire book!

WordPress Table

Below is a little information about the G.A.R., from Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska Civil War Veterans: Compilation of the Death Rolls of the Departments of Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska, Grand Army of the Republic, 1883–1948 by Dennis Northcott. Used with permission by Dennis Northcott, all rights reserved. For more information on this book click here. (Webmaster’s note: The original site is offline. This link is to an archived copy of the page.)

The Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) was founded in 1866 in Illinois and became the largest association of Civil War Union veterans. The G.A.R.’s national membership reached its peak in 1890 at 409,489, but as the veterans died, the membership inevitably declined. The national membership dropped to 213,901 in 1910 and 16,597 in 1930. The last surviving G.A.R. member died in 1956.

Those eligible for membership were: “Soldiers and sailors of the United States Army, Navy or Marine Corps, who served between April 12, 1861, and April 9, 1865, in the war for the suppression of the rebellion, and those having been honorably discharged therefrom after such service, and of such state regiments as were called into active service and subject to the orders of U.S. general officers, between the dates mentioned. No person shall be eligible to membership who has, at any time, borne arms against the United States.”*

*Membership application of W.A. Hequembourg in Ransom Post No. 131, Department of Missouri, January 9, 1892, Grand Army of the Republic Collection, Missouri Historical Society Archives, St. Louis.