Grand Army of the Republic Gun Exhibition, Clarksburg, W. Va.

Identifier:

052295

Collection Number:

4113

Title:

Grand Army of the Republic Gun Exhibition, Clarksburg, W. Va.

Date:

ca. 1900-1920

Creator:

Washburn, Bruce Harrison County, W. Va.

Description:

The Grand Army of the Republic, or G.A.R., was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army, Union Navy, Marines and the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War for the Northern/Federal forces. Its peak membership, at more than 490,000, was in 1890, a high point of various Civil War commemorative and monument dedication ceremonies. It was succeeded by the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, composed of male descendants of Union Army and Union Navy veterans.The G.A.R. was organized into "departments" at the state level and "posts" at the community level. This old artillery gun monument was dedicated by the G.A.R. Department of West Virginia, Custer Post No. 8.The plaque beneath the gun reads, "This gun was cast at Sevilla Spain, May 9th 1795, is 12 ft. in length, Caliber 6 3/8 inches weighs 6283 lbs. It was captured from the Spanish by Admiral Dewey, at Cavite Arsenal, near Manila, P.I. [Philippines] in May 1898, brought to N. Y. Navy Yard in the U. S., S. Buffalo [South Buffalo, New York]. Loaned by the Navy Department to Custer Post No. 8 G.A.R. was Mounted on Platform June 23rd, 1899. On July 4th, 1899, the Gun was unveiled by members of Custer Post with suitable ceremonies."

Acquisition Source:

Nichols, Ken

Acquisition Method:

Gift

Medium:

glass plate negative

Projects:

West Virginia History OnView