Memories of the Civil War: The Grand Army of the Republic in Olympia
The American Civil War was one of the most devastating conflicts in the nation’s history. After the war, veterans organized themselves into groups for The largest organization of Union veterans was the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR). Founded in 1866, the organization grew to over 400,000 members at its height, including a chapter in Olympia.
Source: thurstontalk.com