Grand Army of the Republic
Henry Menge also took an active role in the Grand Army of the Republic, a large - there were 410,000 members at its peak - fraternal organization that advocated on behalf of Union veterans of the Civil War. It lobbied for the establishment of pensions for war veterans, and it promoted fair treatment of veterans by society - including their being allowed to vote if they happened to be black.
Like the Arcanum and the Fire Department, the G.A.R. had a serious purpose, but it was not averse to comradeship and fun. There were regular local meetings, occasional get-togethers with other nearby Posts, and annual National Encampments. In 1915, Menge attended the encampment that marked the passage of fifty years since the end of the Civil War. Ironically, President Wilson, a southerner, addressed the Union veterans.
Huntington Long-Islander, March 24? 1905
Being active in nearly everything led to scheduling conflicts. In 1915, attending the G.A.R. National Encampment in D.C. meant that Henry missed a meeting of Fire Commissioners.
Huntington Long-Islander, October 1, 1915
***
