Person:George Murray (3)

George was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, which isrecognized on his grave marker as G.A.R. Following is an explanation ofwhat the group was about:

Brief History of the Grand Army of the Republic

In early 1866 the United States of America--now securely one nationagain--was waking to the reality of recovery from war, and this had beena much different war. In previous conflicts the care of the veteranwarrior was the province of the family or the community. Soldiers thenwere friends, relatives and neighbors who went off to fight--until thenext planting or harvest. It was a community adventure and their fightingunit had a community flavor.

By the end of the Civil War, units had become less homogeneous, men fromdifferent communities and even different states were forced together bythe exigencies of battle where new friendships and lasting trust wasforged. With the advances in the care and movement of the wounded, manywho would have surely died in earlier wars returned home to be cared forby a community structure weary from a protracted war and now also facedwith the needs of widows and orphans. Veterans needed jobs, including awhole new group of veterans--the colored soldier and his entire, newlyfreed, family. It was often more than the fragile fabric of communitiescould bear.

State and federal leaders from President Lincoln down had promised tocare for "those who have borne the burden, his widows and orphans," butthey had little knowledge of how to accomplish the task. There was alsolittle political pressure to see that the promises were kept.

But probably the most profound emotion was emptiness. Men who had livedtogether, fought together, foraged together and survived, had developedan unique bond that could not be broken. As time went by the memories ofthe filthy and vile environment of camp life began to be remembered lessharshly and eventually fondly. The horror and gore of battle lifted withthe smoke and smell of burnt black powder and was replaced with thepersonal rain of tears for the departed comrades. Friendships forged inbattle survived the separation and the warriors missed the warmth oftrusting companionship that had asked only total and absolute committment.

With that as background, groups of men began joining together--first forcamaraderie and then for political power. Emerging most powerful amongthe various organizations would be the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR),which by 1890 would number 409,489 veterans of the "War of the Rebelion."

Founded in Decatur, Illinois on April 6, 1866 by Benjamin F. Stephenson,membership was limited to honorably discharged veterans of the UnionArmy, Navy, Marine Corps or the Revenue Cutter Service who had servedbetween April 12, 1861 and April 9, 1865. The community levelorganization was called a "Post" and each was numbered consecutivellywithin each department. Most Posts also had a name and the rules fornaming Posts included the requirement that the honored person be deceasedand that no two Posts within the same Department could have the samename. The Departments generally consisted of the Posts within a stateand, at the national level, the organization was operated by the elected"Commandery-in-Chief."

Post Commanders were elected as were the Junior and Senior ViceCommanders and the members of Council. Each member was voted intomembership using the Masonic system of casting black or white balls(except that more than one black ball was required to reject a candidatefor membership). When a candidate was rejected, that rejection wasreported to the Department which listed the rejection in general ordersand those rejections were maintained in a "Black Book" at each Postmeeting place. The meeting rituals and induction of members were similarto the Masonic rituals and have been handed down to the Sons of UnionVeterans of the Civil War.

The official body of the Department was the annual Encampment, which waspresided over by the elected Department Commander, Senior and Junior ViceCommanders and the Council. Encampments were elaborate multi-day eventswhich often included camping out, formal dinners and memorial events. Inlater years the Department Encampments were often held in conjunctionwith the Encampments of the Allied Orders, including Camps of the Sons ofVeterans Reserve, which at the time were quasi-military in nature, oftenlisted as a unit of the state militia or national guard.

National Encampments of the Grand Army of the Republic were presided overby a Commander-in-Chief who was elected in political events which rivalednational political party conventions. The Senior and Junior ViceCommander-in-Chief as well as the National Council of Administration werealso elected.

The GAR founded soldiers' homes, was active in relief work and in pensionlegislation. Five members were elected President of the United Statesand, for a time, it was impossible to be nominated on the Republicanticket without the endorsement of the GAR voting block.

In 1868, Commander-in-Chief John A. Logan issued General Order No. 11calling for all Departments and Posts to set aside the 30th of May as aday for remembering the sacrifices of fallen comrades, thereby beginningthe celebration of Memorial Day.

With membership limited strictly to "veterans of the lateunpleasantness," the GAR encouraged the formation of Allied Orders to aidthem in its various works. Numerous male organizations jousted for thebacking of the GAR and the political battles became quite severe untilthe GAR finally endorsed the Sons of Veterans of the United States ofAmerica (later to become the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War) asits heir. A similar, but less protracted, battle took place between theWomans' Relief Corps (WRC)and the Ladies of the Grand Army of theRepublic(LGAR) for the title "official auxiliary to the GAR." That battlewas won by the WRC, which is the only Allied Order open to women who donot have an hereditary ancestor who would have been eligible for the GAR.But in this case the LGAR retained its strength and was made one of theAllied Orders.

Coming along a bit later, the Daughters of Union Veterans of the CivilWar, similar to the SUVCW but for women, also earned the designation asan Allied Order of the GAR. Rounding out the list of Allied Orders is theAuxiliary to the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, which is opento women with hereditary ties to a veteran or who is the spouse, sisteror daughter of a member of the SUVCW.

The final Encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic was held inIndianapolis, Indiana in 1949 and the last member, Albert Woolson died in1956 at the age of 109 years.

Submitted by: Glenn B. Knight Past Department Commander Department of Pennsylvania Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

MURRAY, GEORGE. Age, 27 years. Enlisted, August 20, 1862, at Fremont, toserve three years; mustered in as private, Co. F, October 8, 1862;promoted corporal, no date; wounded in action, July 20, 1864, at PeachTree Creek, Ga.; promoted sergeant, September 1, 1864; mustered out, June5, 1865, at Albany, N.Y.

143rd New York Volunteer Infantry

"Sullivan County Regiment"

History and Campaigns August 14, 1862, Mr. John C. Holley received authority to recruit thisregiment in Sullivan county; it was organized at Monticello, with DavidP. DeWitt as Colonel, and there mustered in the service of the UnitedStates for three years October 8, 1862. The companies were recruited principally: A at Monticello, Fremont,Bethel, Rockland, Forestburg, Liberty and Beaver Kill; B at Bethel,Thompson, Fallsburg, Forestburg and Stormville; C at Fallsburg, Rockland,Grahamville and Neversink; D at Ithaca and Lansing; E at Wurtsborough,Bridgeville, Monticello and Phillipsport; F at Fremont, Callicoon,Jeffersonville, Rockland and Monticello; G at Fremont, Bloomingburg,Neversink, Monticello, Thompson, Cochecton and Tusten; H at Liberty,Monticello and Rockland; I at Dryden and Cochecton; K at Cochecton,Monticello, Tusten, Callicoon, Highland and Thompson. The regiment left the State October 14, 1862; it served in the defensesof Washington in the 3rd Brigade, Abercrombie's Division, from October16, 1862; in 3d, Hughston's, Brigade, Gurney's Division, Department ofVirginia, at Suffolk, Va., from April, 1863; in the 1st Brigade, Gordon'sDivision, of 7th Corps, from May, 1863; of 4th Corps, from June, 1863; inthe 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 11th Corps, from July 14, 1863; in the 3dBrigade, 1st Division, 20th Corps, from April, 1864; in the 2d Brigade,Bartlett's Division, 22d Corps, from June 30, 1865; and, under Col.Horace Boughton, it was honorably discharged and mustered out July 20,1865, at and near Washington, D.C. During its service the regiment lost by death, killed in action, 3officers, 13 enlisted men; of wounds received in action, 2 officers, 25enlisted men; of disease and other causes, 1 officer, 177 enlisted men;total, 6 officers, 215 enlisted men; aggregate, 221; of whom 3 enlistedmen died in the hands of the enemy; the large loss by accident (9), wasprincipally caused by a railrod accident March 20, 1863; and it took partin the following engagements, etc.:

Siege of Suffolk, Va., April 15 - May 4, 1863,--no losses during thiscampaign, which included Providence Church Road. Providence Church Road, May 3, 1863,--no losses. See line above. Bottom's Bridge, Va., June 22, 1863,--no losses. Wauhatchie, Tenn., October 28-29, 1863,--1 enlisted man killed; 5enlisted men wounded but recovered. Chattanooga & Rossville Campaign, Tenn., November 23-27, 1863,--1enlisted man killed during this campaign, particular engagement notspecified. Missionary Ridge, November 25, 1863,--1 officer killed. Atlanta Campaign, Ga., May 3 - September 2, 1864 Resaca, May 14-15, 1864,--1 enlisted man killed; 2 enlisted men mortallywounded; 10 enlisted men wounded but recovered. Dallas, May 25 - June 4, 1864,--1 enlisted man killed; 2 enlisted menmortally wounded; 1 officer and 12 enlisted men wounded but recovered; 2enlisted men missing. Ackworth, June 4, 1864,--2 enlisted men wounded but recovered. Kennesaw Mountain, June 9 - July 2, 1864,--The losses during thiscampaign for Golgatha, Nose's Creek, and Culp's Farm grouped togetherwere: 10 enlisted men mortally wounded; 2 officers and 62 enlisted menwounded but recovered; 2 enlisted men missing, individual battle notspecified. Golgotha, June 16-17, 1864,--See above, Kennesaw Mountain. Nose's Creek, June 19-20, 1864,--See above, Kennesaw Mountain. Culp's Farm, June 22, 1864,--See above, Kennesaw Mountain. Peach Tree Creek, July 20, 1864,--1 officer and 6 enlisted men killed; 1officer and 8 enlisted men mortally wounded. Atlanta, July 21 - August 6, 1864,--1 enlisted man killed; 1 enlisted manmortally wounded; 4 enlisted men wounded but recovered. Gen. Sherman's Savannah Campaign, Ga., November 15 - December 21,1864,--no losses during this campaign, which included March to the Seaand Savannah. March to the Sea, November 15 - December 10, 1864,--no losses. See Gen.Sherman's Savannah Campaign, above. Savannah, December 10-21, 1864,--no losses. See Gen. Sherman's SavannahCampaign, above. Campaign of the Carolinas, January 26 - April 26, 1865,--1 officer and 1enlisted man missing. Robertsville, S.C., January 29, 1865,--no losses. Lawtonville, S.C., February 2, 1865,--no losses. Averasboro, N.C., March 16, 1865,--1 enlisted man killed; 1 officer and 1enlisted man mortally wounded; 2 officers and 2 enlisted men wounded butrecovered. Bentonville, N.C,. March 19-20, 1865,--1 enlisted man killed; 1 enlistedman mortally wounded; 2 enlisted men wounded but recovered. Near Goldsboro, N.C., March 27, 1865,--no losses. Aiken's Creek, N.C., April 10, 1865,--no losses. Bennett House, N.C., April 26, 1865,--no losses. On detached service, March 6, 1865,--1 officer killed. Total loss: 3 enlisted men and 13 officers killed; 2 officers and 25enlisted men mortally wounded; 6 officers and 130 enlisted men woundedbut recovered; 1 officer and 5 enlisted men missing. Aggregate: 185

Source: The above paragraphs on history and campaigns were copied frompages 3656-3657 of New York in the War of the Rebellion. Third Edition.Volume V. Compiled by Frederick Phisterer. J.B. Lyon Company, StatePrinters, 1912. (The list of battles and of casualties, which appeared asa table in the original, has been paraphrased in its presentation here.)

From Jeannie Murray Mullin November 2002:

I wish my Dad (Glenn Murray) had talked more about his childhood. He didsay that he remembers his Father never being really well. He should haveremembered his death, but never spoke of it.

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Sullivan, New York, United States. 1865 New York State Census.

   1865 New York State Census, Sullivan County, Town of Fremont, June 19, 1865, Family

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Emmet County, Iowa Death Register.
3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 Sullivan, New York, United States. 1850 U.S. Census Population Schedule.

   1850 U.S. Census, New York, Sullivan County, Callicoon, M432 603, Page 157.

4. ↑ ^4.0 4.1 Sullivan, New York, United States. 1860 U.S. Census Population Schedule.

   1860 U.S. Census, New York, Sullivan County, Fremont, M653 866, Image 560 (ancestry.com).

5. ↑ ^5.0 5.1 Ogle, Illinois, United States. 1870 U.S. Census Population Schedule.

   1870 U.S. Census, Illinois, Ogle County, Dement Township, M593 265, Page 207.

6. ↑ ^6.0 6.1 The History of Ogle County, Illinois: containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc., a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion, general and local statistics, portraits of early settlers and prominent men, history of the Northwest, history of Illinois, map of Ogle County, Constitution of the United States, miscellaneous matters, etc. (Chicago: H.F. Kett & Co., 1878).
7. ↑ ^7.0 7.1 Ogle, Illinois, United States. 1880 U.S. Census Population Schedule.
8. ↑ Emmet, Iowa, United States. 1885 Iowa State Census.

   1885 Iowa State Census, Emmet County, Armstrong Grove Township, Volume 183, Page 8.

9. ↑ Death Records.