THE SOLEMN PLEDGE - Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

COLLECTING THE SONS
TELLING OUR STORY, ONE PICTURE AT A TIME
By PDC Robert Wolz, National Historian
Commander-in-Chief Walter S
Payne (1885)
Adjutant General T. G. Carlisle
(1885)
Post System Brother (note the
post system badge) prior to
1887
Here is something we can all collect. If a picture is worth a thousand words, than think of the pictures you can
collect to tell our story to future generations. Please be sure to identify people, places and date them. Keep
photos from direct sunlight and moisture.
Installations, Department and National Encampments, Lincoln’s Birthday and Tomb Ceremonies, the Civil
War Sesquicentennial events of the next 5 years, and of course, activities of the last 125 years. Here are some
of the pictures I have saved, that might inspire you to get started.
Second Regt Pa. Brig SVR
Drum & Bugle Corps
Pennsylvania Brigade, SVR (1916)
Parade from 1912 National
Encampment in St Louis
The Alliance Ohio Camp 91 Drum
Corps, featuring PNP Edith Niles
second from the left.
Camp Barton black segregated Camp
(May 30, 1917)
Fortunately, all had written I.D.s on the back. I was lucky enough to receive a few from the original owner.
Many I purchased on eBay over the years. The Edith Niles photo actually lists a number of Alliance brothers
and sisters I knew as a young man. It’s interesting that a whole series of photos of CinC Bill Coffin at the 1925
Lincoln Birthday observance are being offered as reprints on eBay now. As digital reproduction becomes
easier, we’ll probably see more of these for sale.