Taphophile Corner - Displaced Honor

Over the years as I make my way through cemeteries gathering Civil War veterans burial information, I have noticed a common occurrence, one of misplaced GAR flag markers. 

The GAR (Grand Army of the Republic) was an organization much like today’s American Legion and was made up of honorably discharged Union Veterans, not every veteran joined the GAR but those who were members would receive a flag holder for their grave so a flag could be placed for Decoration Day.

But as I make my way across states and cemeteries I see the same theme, that of these markers on the wrong graves, such as a child’s grave, that of a woman, on a man’s grave who was not even born during the Civil War and even propped up near a fence. 

Women were not permitted to be G.A.R. members

I have had the chance to talk to some cemetery groundskeepers who have told me that the markers are moved a lot of times so they can mow around a stone and then either forgotten about or misplaced.

 A person whose relative who fought in WWII needed a flag holder and this GAR marker on a grave seemed like a good holder, and even some cemeteries will help a person remove the marker to place elsewhere. 

The reasons are many of why they are removed and still some are removed and sold on Ebay,  

which is against Ebay policies. In some states it is against the law to even sell these.

One day I walked into a cemetery office and asked about the misplaced markers. I was told that they had no idea of what to do and for me to just fix it if I like…WHAT!!! Ok, so I can just remove any grave marker??? I know there were laws protecting grave markers. What about cemetery rules??? 

Born after the Civil War - could not have earned a G.A.R. marker

Before removing a marker you need permission from the cemetery commission and from a relative of the person whose grave it is on. That can take a long time and research.

But I am starting to notice that this trend is now not being limited to just the GAR markers but is also effecting other veterans from other wars. It is sad that these men and woman who gave so much and asked so little can not even keep a simple flag holding to honor them, just because someone is too lazy to buy their own or to replace it correctly after mowing.

One day I was talking with a member of an American Legion and he asked me to ID an item. He showed me a GAR Marker, I explained to him what it was and the organization. He told me that the Legion Post had a 55-gallon barrel full of them and they were going to scrap them because they didn’t know what they were. I took them all and have since replaced them back into their local cemetery.

 I am a believer also that the correct marker should be placed at the correct grave, GAR or Civil War Vet for Civil War Veterans, Span Am for Spanish American Veterans, WWII Markers for WWII Vets.

 

I have been seeing VFW Markers for Civil War Veterans and this is a miss representation as there were no VFW’s around at that time and if you want to spend the time marking graves then it should be done with the right marker. 

A special Thank You to Daniel Meehan my guest blogger. 

Daniel has spent countless hours in the cemeteries of New Hampshire documenting Veteran's graves and compiling their photos and histories. Daniel is a War reinactor as well as a Veteran advocate. He was intricately involved in the moving and honorable re-interment of a Civil War Veteran and his family due to a construction project in his area. Daniel personally provides the flags to various cemeteries in his town since the VFW has refused to do so. He feels passionately about honoring the service of Veterans across the board and I believe, was the perfect person to speak on this topic.