MAJOR GENERAL THOMAS W. SHERMAN CAMP NO. 1
Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty
The Major General Thomas West Sherman Camp no. 1, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War is Aquidneck Island's local chapter! Join us in our mission to honor the service and sacrifice of our Union ancestors.
THE SONS OF UNION VETERANS OF THE CIVIL WAR
Legal Heir and successor to The Grand Army of the Republic
The SUVCW is a lineal, fraternal, patriotic organization made up of the descendants of the Union soldiers who sacrificed their lives and livelihoods in the United States Civil War 1861-1865. In the years following the war, Union soldiers and sailors joined together the form The Grand Army of the Republic, the Nation's first veterans organization that included the private soldier as well as officers. The soldiers and sailors of Newport, Middletown and Portsmouth served with bravery and honor during the conflict, in every role from Private to General and from Seaman to Commodore. At the twilight of the G.A.R., the old "Boys in Blue" determined that they would name a successor organization to "keep green the memory" of those who had come before, and so the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War became the Congressionally Chartered legal heir to the G.A.R. for all posterity. Named for Newport's own Major General Thomas West Sherman, the members of Camp no. 1, RISUVCW strive to honor all of Aquidneck Island's heroes, and all of the Union soldiers who fought to preserve the Union and free a People.
CEMETERY CLEANUPS AND ANNUAL FLAGGING
We uphold the charge issued to our Order by the G.A.R. itself: to decorate the graves of the Comrades and to keep Memorial Day.
We undertake cemetery cleanups and headstone restoration, as well as transcription and cataloguing to ensure our Civil War soldiers' final resting places are recorded and cared for. We participate in the Rhode Island Veterans Cemetery flag program for the purpose of placing U.S. Flags on the graves of veterans all across Newport County, with "flagging days" where the public is welcome to join in the completion of this duty.​
​
Fill out the contact form below for more info!
PARTNERSHIPS AND SPECIAL PROJECTS
Our nationwide Eagle Scout and ROTC programs reward the dedication to service that our scouts and cadets have given to their respective programs, and the SUVCW awards scholarships annually to undergraduate students.
​
The SUVCW Monuments and Memorials Grant is awarded for the restoration of parks, statues, structures and more erected in the honor and memory of Union soldiers and sailors and The Grand Army of the Republic.
​
Fill out the contact form below for more info!
LEST WE FORGET
We aim to educate as well as commemorate, with a variety of publicly accessible events and presentations regarding the Union soldier and sailor's role in the Civil War. Headstone rededication's, graveside honors, Memorial Day services, public lectures and library displays are just some of the avenues that the SUVCW employs in the fulfillment of its Mission. ​
All For theUnion and the Boys in Blue!
​
Fill out the contact form below for more info!
"Through this organization the declining days of the Union Veteran will be made pleasant, his record of service to his country preserved, his memory honored, patriotism promoted."