Grand Army of the Republic Charles Devens Jr. Commander-in-Chief 1873 / 1874 and 1874 / 1875

Charles Devens, Jr., fifth Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts, April 4, 1820. He enlisted April 19, 1861, in the 3rd Battalion, Massachusetts Rifles and was commissioned a major. He was appointed colonel of the 15th Massachusetts Volunteers, July 1861 and general to date April 3, 1865. During his service he was wounded three times.

He held a number of civic positions after the war and served as Attorney General during the administration for President Rutherford B. Hayes. In 1873 he was elected Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic and presided at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in May 1874. He was again elected in 1874 and on January 7, 1891 he passed from this life to the Great Beyond.

Source:
Final Journal of the Grand Army of the Republic, 1957. Compiled by Cora Gillis, Jamestown, New York, Past National President, Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War, 1861-1865, Inc. and last National Secretary of the Grand Army of the Republic.

Submitted by:
Lorraine Orton, Past Department President
Woman's Relief Corps, Aux. to GAR
Camillus, New York
November 25, 1999