The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States Records

In response to the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States (MOLLUS) was founded on April 15, 1865, in Philadelphia by Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Brown Wylie Mitchell, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Ellwood Zell and Captain Peter Dirck Keyser. The object of MOLLUS was and is “to cherish the memories and associations of the war waged in defense of the unity and indivisibility of the Republic; to strengthen the ties of fraternal friendship and sympathy formed from companionship-in-arms; to advance the best interests of the soldiers and sailors of the United States, especially of those associated as members of this Order, and to extend all possible relief to their widows and children; to foster the cultivation of Military and Naval Science; to enforce unqualified allegiance to the General Government; to protect the rights and liberties of American citizenship, and to maintain National Honor, Union and Independence.”

The MOLLUS is organized into “Commanderies.” The “Commandery-in-Chief” is the main organizational body of the MOLLUS. The first Commandery was the Commandery of the State of Pennsylvania (formed April 15, 1865), which also administered the MOLLUS at the national level until the Commandery-in-Chief formed in 1885.

The MOLLUS collection dates from 1857 to 2012. The majority of the collection consists of record books, meeting records, scrapbooks, correspondence, financial records, registers, published addresses, membership records, photograph books, photographs of members, and songbooks. The collection documents the administration and membership of MOLLUS since its creation, focusing primarily on the Commandery-in-Chief and the Pennsylvania Commandery, but also covering other states, as well as the sister organization Dames of the Loyal Legion of the United States (DOLLUS).

The collection thus represents a significant resource for genealogists and researchers interested in fraternal organizations in the late 19th century United States, postbellum activities of Civil War veterans, or veterans groups in general and their role in the establishment of national monuments. Researchers interested in these subjects would be particularly interested in the member scrapbooks, which are rich with biographical information about MOLLUS members; the member photograph books, which contain rare photographs of members; and the anniversary scrapbooks, which document the former prominence of MOLLUS in Philadelphia. The Civil War scrapbooks and various correspondence involving notable figures such as William Tecumseh Sherman are also of historical interest. Additionally, documents within this collection associated with Gettysburg and the Soldier’s Home attest to MOLLUS’s significant involvement with the establishment of national monuments.