The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War is a patriotic and educational organization, similar to the Grand Army of the Republic, founded in 1881, and incorporated by Act of Congress, approved August 20, 1954. Founded November 12, 1881.

Eligibility

Male descendants, not less than fourteen (14) years of age, of Soldiers, Sailors, or Marines, regularly mustered, honorably discharged from the Army or Navy of the United States of America during the War of the Rebellion of 1861-1865.

Purposes and Objects

• "To perpetuate the Memory of the Grand Army of the Republic and of the men who saved the Union in 1861 to 1865;
• to assist in every way practicable in the preservation and making available for research of documents and records pertaining to the Grand Army of the Republic and its members;
• to cooperate in doing honor to all those who have patriotically served our country in any war;
• to teach patriotism and the duties of citizenship, the true history of our country, and the love and honor of our flag;
• to oppose every tendency or movement that would weaken loyalty to, or make for the destruction or impairment of, our Constitutional Union; and
• to inculcate and broadly sustain the American principles of representative government, of equal rights and of impartial justice for all."

OBLIGATION

I, in the presence of the Great Creator and the witnessing members of this Camp, hereby voluntarily and solemnly pledge myself to support and defend the government of the United States of America, to offer my life if need be to preserve the Flag from being lowered in defeat; to always observe the day set aside by the Grand Army of the Republic as Memoirial (Decoration) Day, sacred to the memory of the Union Soldiers and Sailors of 1861 to 1865 and do all in my power to persuade others to do the same; to be faithful in all the duties of citizenship, to be obedient to the law of the land, to obey the Constitution and Regulations of this Order and actively to promote its objects and interests always and everywhere, So help me God.

Though 1,500,00 men served in the Union forces during the Civil War, a person living today has between 4 and 32 direct ancestors who could have served. This number must be reduced if there are any ancestors who came to America after the Civil War, and if any ancestors lived in the Confederate States.

If you have any question as to whether you have a qualifying ancestor/person for the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, contact National Headquarters for guidance.

There may be about 100 Civil War Veterans, both Union and Confederate, to be found in Freeman Family Lines. Sgt. Mordecai S. Lawson and Pvt. William C. Morey, both Union Veterans, are the only direct ancestors with Civil War service. Cousins of Mordecai S. Lawson were Confederate Veterans. Both brothers of William Clemeth Morey served in the Union Army, brother Charles Sentell Morey being killed at the Battle of Chancellorsville, his death being recorded in a Civil War Letter of Warren B. Persons.

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