Department of the Columbia
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

Preserving the lessons of the Civil War for the next generation

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Gov. Isaac Stevens Camp No. 1 of Olympia, WA

With a date of rank of June 10, 1995, this camp serves the 19 counties of Western Washington.

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Fort Walla Walla Camp No. 3 of Kennewick, WA

With a date of rank of March 30, 2015, this camp serves the 20 counties of Eastern Washington.

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Col. Edward D. Baker Camp No. 6

With a date of rank of November 20, 2004, this camp serves the state of Oregon.

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Gen. George Wright Camp No. 1865

With a date of rank of October 6, 2015, this camp serves the state of Alaska.

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Gov. Isaac Stevens Auxiliary No. 1

Serving Washington and Alaska. The Auxiliary to Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War is the female counterpart to the SUVCW.

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Sons of Veterans Reserve

The Sons of Veterans Reserve (SVR) is the ceremonial uniformed military component of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW).

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Mary Ann Lee Baker Auxiliary No. 6

Serving Oregon. The Auxiliary to Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War is the female counterpart to the SUVCW.

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The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) is a fraternal organization dedicated to preserving the history and legacy of the heroes who fought and worked to save the Union during the American Civil War. Organized in 1881 and chartered by Congress in 1954, we are the legal successor to the Grand Army of the Republic. More historical information can be found here. Our Principles, Vision, Purpose, and Mission can be found here. The Department of the Columbia is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

The Department of the Columbia oversees camps and SUVCW members in the Pacific Northwest, covering Alaska, Oregon, and Washington. A roster of our current Department officers can be found here.

SUVCW members enjoy fellowship and engage in many projects to preserve the memory of those who served the Union. We also work to educate the next generation about the Civil War and its impact on our nation. Click here to find a Camp near you and join us!

Join us! Our main path to SUVCW membership is to be a male descendant of a Union veteran from the Civil War. (Females are invited to join the Auxiliary to Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, also listed here.) However, you can also join as an Associate if you are not descended from a Union Veteran. Details about hereditary vs. associate membership are available here.

Click here to find your camp and follow the instructions from your Camp page to join or just to learn more. If you are not sure which camp applies to you, or if you have other questions about joining, e-mail us at join@suvpnw.org and we will assist you.

Graves Registration, Protection, and Last Union Veteran Projects

We locate the final resting places of all Union Civil War Soldiers, Sailors and Marines, in our area and enter that into our authoritative database for researchers. We ascertain the condition of and bring to the attention of proper authorities the need for repair or replacement of grave markers of Civil War veterans. We also locate and appropriately mark the final resting place of the last Union Civil War Veteran buried in each county/borough and in each state.

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Monument Protection and Preservation

As legal heir to the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), preservation and protection of GAR monuments and memorials is one of the most important purposes of the SUVCW. The purpose of this program is to physically search out, inspect, and catalog each and every GAR and Civil War monument and memorial that can be found.

Remembering the Grand Army of the Republic

The SUVCW is the legal heir and successor to the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), and in accordance with our Congressional Charter and the Deed of Conveyance between the GAR and the SUVCW, we are directed "to assist in every practicable way in preserving, and making available for research, documents and records pertaining to the Grand Army of the Republic and its members."

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Our Union Ancestors

Department Brothers and Auxiliary Sisters honor Union Veterans of the Civil War by learning about them through research, discovering the facts of their military service, and understanding the times in which they lived. See our list of Union ancestors and learn more about their service.

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Recognizing Future Leaders

We are pleased to recognize the achievements of our next generation of leaders. The SUVCW recognizes Eagle Scouts and deserving ROTC and JROTC cadets and the ASUVCW recognizes Girl Scout Gold Award recipients.

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Fellowship and Fraternity

Members of the SUVCW refer to each other as "Brothers". We are part of a long tradition of service and camaraderie. We meet and work with our fellow Brothers at the Camp level, and there are opportunities to meet at the Department and National levels as well.

21May

8th Department Encampment

5/21/2022 10:00 AM
100 Southwest Veterans Way, Chehalis, WA 98532, USA

To be held in hybrid format at the Veterans Memorial Museum in Chehalis, WA.

11Aug

SUVCW 141st National Encampment

8/11/2022 12:00 AM - 8/14/2022 12:00 AM
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Grand Rapids, MI, USA

SAVE THE DATE!

20Nov

Remembrance Day 2021

11/20/2021 11:00 AM
500 South Everest Road, Newberg, OR, USA

Remembrance Day for the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War has been set for Saturday, November 20, 2021. Col. Edward D. Baker Camp No. 6 will host this annual observance in the GAR Cemetery in Newberg at 11:00. A special highlight will be the dedication of the restored GAR monument. Some of you haven’t yet seen the monument in its pristine glory. The boys outdid themselves on this one.

14Oct

Zoom Presentation on John Bell Hood’s disastrous campaign in Tennessee

10/14/2021 06:45 PM
Online Event

Department Historian Jim Dimond, PCC will be doing a presentation, via Zoom, to the Puget Sound Civil War Round Table.

Department of the Columbia
Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War