The Won Cause: Black And White Comradeship In The Grand Army Of The Republic (civil War America)

In the years after the Civil War, black and white Union soldiers who survived the horrific struggle joined the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR)--the Union army's largest veterans' organization. In this thoroughly researched and groundbreaking study, Barbara Gannon chronicles black and white veterans' efforts to create and sustain the nation's first interracial organization. According to the conventional view, the freedoms and interests of African American veterans were not defended by white Union veterans after the war, despite the shared tradition of sacrifice among both black and white soldiers. In The Won Cause , however, Gannon challenges this scholarship, arguing that although black veterans still suffered under the contemporary racial mores, the GAR honored its black members in many instances and ascribed them a greater equality than previous studies have shown. Using evidence of integrated posts and veterans' thoughts on their comradeship and the cause, Gannon reveals that white veterans embraced black veterans because their membership in the GAR demonstrated that their wartime suffering created a transcendent bond--comradeship--that overcame even the most pernicious social barrier--race-based separation. By upholding a more inclusive memory of a war fought for liberty as well as union, the GAR's "Won Cause" challenged the Lost Cause version of Civil War memory. "According to the conventional view, the freedoms and interest of African American veterans were not defended by white Union veterans after the war, despite the shared tradition of sacrifice among both black and white soldiers. In The won cause, however, Gannon challenges this scholarship, arguing that although black veterans still suffered under the contemporary racial mores, the GAR honored its black members in many instances and ascribed them a greater equality than previous studies have shown. Using evidence of integrated posts and veterans' thoughts on their comradeship and the cause, Gannon reveals that white veterans embraced black veterans because their membership in the GAR demonstrated that their wartime suffering created a transcendent bond -- comradeship -- that overcame even the most pernicious social barrier -- race-based separation. By upholding a more inclusive memory of a war fought for liberty as well as union, the GAR's "won cause" challenged the lost cause version of Civil War memory"--Jacket The only association where black men and white men mingle on a foot of equality Comradeship tried : the GAR in the South The African American post The black GAR circle Heirs of these dead heroes : African Americans and the battle for memory Memorial Day in black and white Where separate Grand Army posts are unknown, as colored and white are united : the integrated post Community, memory, and the integrated post Comrades bound by memories many And if spared and growing older Liberty and union, now and forever, one and inseparable : what they remembered they won The won cause at century's end A story of a slaveholding society that became a servant of freedom : the won cause in the twentieth century Epilogue: all one that day if never again : the final days of the GAR Appendix 1: African American GAR posts Appendix 2: Integrated GAR posts. In the years after the US Civil War, black and white Union soldiers who survived the horrific struggle joined the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) - the Union army's largest veterans' organisation. In this thoroughly researched and groundbreaking study, Barbara Gannon chronicles black and white veterans' efforts to create and sustain the US's first interracial organisation. In the years after the Civil War, black and white Union soldiers who survived the horrific struggle joined the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR)-the Union army's largest veterans' organisation. In this thoroughly researched and groundbreaking study, Barbara Gannon chronicles black and white veterans' efforts to create and sustain the nation's first interracial organisation. In this thoroughly researched and groundbreaking study, Gannon chronicles black and white veterans' efforts to create and sustain the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR)--the Union army's largest veterans' organization and the nation's first interracial organization