GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC, TYPE IVa, COMMANDER, CIVIL WAR VETERANS, BADGE In 1874, a recommendation that a badge for past officers be made available was adopted. The official description is as follows: " The official badge to consist of a miniature strap and plain ribbon, to which shall be pendant the bronze star of the membership badge; that this strap be 1/2 inches in length, one half inch in width, enameled, with a border of gold or gilt, and on it the insignia of official position in the GAR, making use of the familiar star, eagle, leaf and bar of the old service.... . The enamel field is to be black for National and Department Officers and dark blue for Post Officers. On the GAR star, the obverse arms have the insignia of the five major services, Infantry, Navy, Marines, Cavalry, and the Artillery. In the star points are the emblems of different arms of service, bugle for infantry, cannon for artillery, muskets for marines, swords for cavalry, and an anchor for sailors. Each of the five star arms have a raised star. The central section of the GAR star has liberty, a soldier, a sailor, two children, an eagle, a fasces (an axe with a bundle of rods representing authority) and two angled flags in the background. This star has the central area surrounded by the phrase ?Grand Army of the Republic / 1861 Veteran 1866?. The date 1866, represents the beginning of the GAR. The date of 1866 is sometimes called an error, by those who think that the dates are inclusive dates of the Civil War, which they are not. The reverse represents a Branch of Laurel - the crown and reward of the brave - in the upper two points of the star. The national shield in the center, surrounded by the 24 recognized Corps? Badges, numerically arranged, each on a keystone, and all linked together, showing they are united---. Around the center is a circle of 34 stars, representing the States of the Union and the Departments composing the Grand Army Of the Republic. This is type IVa whereas the 16th Corps symbol was recut. The type IV 16th Corps had an X centered within a circle. The type IVa changed the 16th Corps badge to a more traditional Maltese cross with rounded arm outside edges. In 1886, changes were again made to the reverse of the star pendant. This time, three new corps badges were added. Instead of adding these corps badges to an already crowded center of the star, the laurel branches on the three lower star arms were replaced by the corps insignias of Hancock's Veteran Corp, Wilson's Cavalry and Sheridan's Cavalry as this star displays. The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army (United States Army), Union Navy (U.S. Navy), and the Marines who served in the American Civil War. It was founded in 1866 in Decatur, Illinois, and grew to include thousands of "posts" (local community units) across the North and West. It was dissolved in 1956 at the death of its last member, Albert Woolson. The Grand Army of the Republic, the largest of all Union Army veterans' organizations, was the most powerful single-issue political lobby of the late nineteenth century, securing massive pensions for veterans and helping to elect five postwar presidents from its own membership. To its members, it was also a secret fraternal order, a source of local charity, a provider of entertainment in small municipalities, and a patriotic organization. After the end of American Civil War, various state and local organizations were formed for veterans to network and maintain connections with each other. Many of the veterans used their shared experiences as a basis for fellowship. Groups of men began joining, first for camaraderie and later for political power. Emerging as most influential among the various organizations during the first post-war years was the Grand Army of the Republic, founded on April 6, 1866, on the principles of "Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty," in Decatur, Illinois, by Dr. Benjamin F. Stephenson. The GAR almost disappeared in the early 1870s, and many state-centered divisions, named "departments", and local posts ceased to exist. International Buyers Please Note: We do not ship outside of the United States! No Exceptions. In addition, we will not ship to third party shippers or any other international shipping hubs such as International Shipping (EIS), EIS 110 INTERNATIONALE BLVD, GLENDALE HEIGHTS IL 60139-2080. If you place a bid, or make a purchase, we will cancel your bid, and or cancel your purchase! If you wish to make a purchase, you will have to find someone located within the United States to make the purchase for you. They would be responsible to send the package to you.