Civil War and the Grand Army of the Republic

[jon_norstog]

Two of my great-grandfathers (the only two that were in this country at the time) served in the Union Army. Great-grandfather Clooney has his GAR grave marker at his grave in Lake Charles, LA.

I bet that shakes up all the Confederates that are buried there.


jn

[Merc]

As strange as it sounds, there were GAR posts in the south. The little town of St. Cloud, FL was built by Union vets and their GAR post is well preserved. I visited St Cloud a few years ago and most of the little cottages that were built by the vets are still there.

[Vern Humphrey]

I bet that shakes up all the Confederates that are buried there.


jn

When I was just a little tyke, my grandfather took me into a saloon -- a real saloon, with spittoons, sawdust on the floor and so on. He held me up so I could see the dent in the surface of the bar. His father, my great-grandfather (the one with the GAR marker) had been in there one time. The old man was born in Newfoundland, and hence was a "Bluenoser."

A bluenoser is also a tee-totaler. And some guys were ragging the old man. Just to show there were no hard feelings, he put a $20 gold piece on the bar to buy drinks for everyone. And when the bartender went to pick up the coin, he had to pry it up with a knife.

My great grandfather was not a man you would want to annoy.