Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Woods - River Forest, IL
Posted by: 
adgorn
N 41° 52.987 W 087° 49.548
16T E 431483 N 4637128
Memorial plaque with eagle clutching arrows,on stone, at end of a walkway, with flagpole, in woods that are part of the Cook County Forest Preserves in the western suburbs of Chicago.
Waymark Code: WM6VZ3
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 07/25/2009
Views: 7
Plaque reads:
Grand Army of the Republic
Memorial Woods
In honor of the men who wore the Blue and served
in the Union Army of the Civil War USA 1861-1865
dedicated
by the Past President's Club of the Daughters
of the Union Veterans of the Civil War.
October 27, 1930
"Greater love hath no man than this,
that a man lay down his life for his friend."
St. John XV:XII
From description of nearby geocache GCRPBE:
"Men who had lived together, fought together, foraged together and survived, had developed an unique bond that could not be broken. As time went by the memories of the filthy and vile environment of camp life began to be remembered less harshly and eventually fondly. The horror and gore of battle lifted with the smoke and smell of burnt black powder and was replaced with the personal rain of tears for the departed comrades. Friendships forged in battle survived the separation and the warriors missed the warmth of trusting companionship that had asked only total and absolute committment.
With that as background, groups of men began joining together--first for camaraderie and then for political power. Emerging most powerful among the 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 Union Army, Navy, Marine Corps or the Revenue Cutter Service who had served between April 12, 1861 and April 9, 1865."
Date Installed or Dedicated: 10/27/1930
Name of Government Entity or Private Organization that built the monument: Past President's Club of the Daughters of the Union Veterans of the Civil War
Union, Confederate or Other Monument: Union
Rating (1-5): 
Photo or photos will be uploaded.: yes
Related Website: Not listed
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