The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) is a fraternal organization dedicated to preserving the history and legacy of veteran heroes who fought and worked to save the Union in the American Civil War. In 1866 Union veterans of the Civil War organized into the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) and became a social and political force that would control the destiny of the nation for more th
an six decades. Membership in the veterans' organization was restricted to individuals who had served in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps or Revenue Cutter Service during the Civil War, thereby limiting the life span of the GAR. In 1881 the GAR formed the Sons of Veterans of the United States of America (SV) to carry on its traditions and memory long after the GAR had ceased to exist. Membership was open to any man who could prove ancestry to a member of the GAR or to a veteran eligible for membership in the GAR. In 1925 the SV name was changed to Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW), under which its federal charter was issued in 1954. The SUVCW is legally recognized as the heir to and representative of the GAR. Today, the National Organization of the SUVCW, headed by an annually elected Commander-in-Chief, oversees the operation of 26 Departments, each consisting of one or more states, and about 180 community based Camps. More than 6,500 men enjoy the benefits of membership in the only organization dedicated to the principles of the GAR -- Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty. It publishes the BANNER quarterly for its members. The SUVCW is one of five Allied Orders of the GAR. The other four Orders are: Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic, Woman's Relief Corps, Auxiliary to the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War and Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War. Our Purpose is...
General John A. Logan's Order (Creating Memorial Day Observance)
What We Do:
Preserving the Memory of the Grand Army of the Republic and our Ancestors who Fought to Preserve the Union
Membership Requirements and Application (In PDF format)
Membership Eligibility: All males descendants, lineal or collateral, through paternal or maternal lines, of soldiers, sailors or marines, who were regularly mustered and served honorably in, or who were honorably discharged from, the Army or Navy of the United States during the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865, and who have never been convicted of any heinous crime, or who have not, or whose ancestors have not borne arms against the Government of the United States. Associate memberships are available for those supporters who are not a lineal descendant but follow the same requirements as a regular member.
