4/6/2012:
Every day and every night, soldiers stand in stony vigil in North Dakota. That’s because these guardians are statues, actually made of stone. Their sole post is to serve as remembrance for their fallen comrades in arms – comrades who served in the American Civil War.
Perched atop their pillars in Fargo, Grand Forks and Devils Lake the union soldiers can still be seen. The statues were placed there by their human counterparts and descendants who were members of the G.A.R. – Grand Army of the Republic. C
The GAR was created in Springfield, Illinois by northern army veterans on this date in 1866. The G.A.R.’s mission was to provide relief for union army veterans and their dependents. The new organization was comprised of the northern veterans of domestic war. (Confederate veterans had the United Confederate Veterans).
Following the war (1861 through 1865) Civil War veterans re-located across the United States. Many headed into the western frontier, including Dakota Territory. War veterans, wherever they were, could take advantage of the organization that established state and local chapters throughout the nation.
North Dakota eventually had 43 chapters in various cities. Fargo’s John F. Reynolds Post No. 44 was typical; organized on February 22, 1884 with 64 charter members. The post had a membership of 287 at one time, but slowly declined until its demise in the 1930s. Its last member, Col. John W. Carroll died in 1942, during the early days of America’s involvement in World War II.
The Grand Forks chapter lasted a bit longer. Yet any organization whose members are veterans of a single historical event, have a guaranteed end. In 1949, the six surviving vets of the Grand Army of the Republic permanently closed their chapter. Most records of the Devils lake post are gone, much like their membership.
150 years ago, the nation was divided by the Civil War. Today, under the skies of a united nation, the soldier statues remain – standing and vigilant.
Dakota Datebook written by Steve Stark
Sources:
Http://eee.loc.gov