Luray-Carlisle Reunion Camp #1881, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

The Luray-Carlisle Reunion Camp #1881 was organized in March 2006 by eight members who could claim a connection with distant grandfathers or grand uncles who served in the Union army. With the release of Department Order #12, on 22 April 2006, the camp was officially welcomed as a part of the Maryland Department, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. To date, we are one of six active SUVCW camps in the Commonwealth of Virginia and we are the only SUVCW camp in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Even in the years after the Civil War and well into the twentieth century, the only post of the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) known to exist in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia was the Mulligan Post #30 in Winchester, Virginia. Named for Col. James Adelburt Mulligan, little is actually known about this post and an active search is being made to find more records of the post and its members.

The unique aspect of the Luray-Carlisle Reunion Camp #1881 is the fact that the camp was formed by men who are also proud of their lineal ancestry to Confederate soldiers. Therefore several of our members also belong to Confederate heritage organizations. However, we do not require that potential members have Confederate AND Union ancestry - rather, membership in Camp #1881 only requires that you can show a close familial tie to a Union ancestor. More details about the requirements for membership can be found on the "Membership" page.

Nevertheless, because our charter members were all descended from soldiers of both sides, we found it most appropriate to name our camp - the Luray-Carlisle Reunion Camp #1881 - in honor of the two Blue-Gray reunions that took place between the Confederate Veterans of Luray and Page County, Virginia and the Union Veterans of Carlisle, Pennsylvania in July and September 1881. More details about this reunion can be found on our "History" page.

With all of this in mind, the camp we have formed represents "REUNION" in both its membership and in its name. There is no antagonism or carryover of sectional differences in the camp name or in our actions as a camp. We prefer, instead to reflect on the many benefits that we, as citizens of the United States, have benefited from in dealing with the multiple crisis that our nation has encountered in over 145 years after the close of the Civil War. While we move on and progress, we enjoy the opportunity to come together as a camp and recognize our rich and diverse histories, as well as the courage, sacrifices, and humanity in our Civil War era ancestors.

"Cowards bear malice -
It is the part of the brave to forgive,
and he, who deaf to his country's call, refused to bear his breast to the leaden storm of bullets,
is the last to smoke the calumet of peace."
- Andrew Jackson Broaddus (1840-1898),
Page County Confederate Veteran & former 3rd Lieutenant,
Co. C, 39th Battalion Virginia Cavalry (Gen. Robert E. Lee's Scouts & Bodyguard)