Civil War GAR (Grand Army of the Republic) Metal Grave Marker/Flag Holder, Post 135

This is a Civil War grave marker/flag holder marked GAR Post 135. It is made of iron and is one piece with some surface rusting appropriate for its use and age.
The Marker is in the shape of a star with a round moon face in the center and symbols carved in relief on each point of the star.
Clockwise from the top - Crossed Muskets representing Marines, Crossed Canons representing Artillery, Bugle representing Infantry, Anchor representing Navy and Crossed Sabers representing Calvary.

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), Marines and the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War.
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 together, 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 Springfield, Illinois, by Dr. Benjamin F. Stephenson and the first GAR Post was established in Decatur, Illinois.
and grew to include hundreds of "posts" (local community units) across the nation

Linking men through their experience of the war, the G.A.R. became among the first organized advocacy groups in American politics, supporting voting rights for black veterans, promoting patriotic education, helping to make Memorial Day a national holiday, lobbying the United States Congress to establish regular veterans' pensions, and supporting Republican political candidates. Its peak membership, at 410,000, was in 1890, a high point of various Civil War commemorative and monument dedication ceremonies. It was succeeded by the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW), composed of male descendants of Union Army and Union Navy veterans.

This marker measures 25 3/4" x 7" x 6 3/4"
***Note many grave markers were NOT stolen from graves but instead removed from literally thousands of grave yards from the grounds crews due to age and inconvenience (to lawn tractors!) They are then either stored or thrown away sadly. This is for sale for those who wish to preserve it's history and remember those that fought for our country. Not to let it meet it's demise, forever forgotten in the scrape pile and melted down.