Private Nicholas George

Nicholas George (Georges) was a twenty-five year old resident of Bellevue, Iowa at the time of his enlistment on August 13, 1862. He had immigrated to America from Belgium. He served in Company H until he was mustered out on June 17, 1865 in Nashville, Tennessee at the war's end.

In an 1879 pension application, he described his military service. The description reveals that he spent a significant time hospitalized in Louisville, Kentucky.

I enlisted, & was sent to Camp Mac Clellan, Davenport Iowa. There we were examined by three Doctors of U.S.A. & were mustered in by Captain Henry Shot and were found fit for the service. There we remained for six weeks & were transported St Louis Missouri. There we got our horses and were transferred from St Louis to Fort Donelson, Tennessee, we arrived shortly after the battle. As we were new recruits, then we were divided into the Company of the Fifth Iowa Cavalry… The whole regiment was transferred scouting… we had to stand pickets for Fort Donelson & Heiman until after the Battle of Stone River.

We still remained there until Forest & Wheeler tried to recapture Fort Donelson. After the Stone River fight we went on to Murfreesboro, Tennessee. There they placed us between Rebel Bragg & Rosenkranz there we had to stand pickets and do the scouting-and attacked Rebel Bragg on June 23rd, at Geiss Gap, it lasted three days, raining day and night! After being wet to skin, I took sick…

There our regiment was ordered back to Murfreesboro, Tennessee. To guard the Rail Road. And I was taken to the Fifth Iowa Regimental Hospital in Murfreesboro and was treated by assistant surgeon Dewitt of the Fifth Iowa. He is of Dubuque Iowa. After recovering I was sent to the regiment for a big raid. After traveling many days I took sick again, as we had no ambulances or accommodations for our sick, the surgeon sent us on horseback to Deckart Station to go to the Hospital. After arriving there the Rebels had taken the place and had taken all our comfort with them. Nothing to eat and nothing to sustain all the sick.

The medical train arrived from Nashville and took all the sick and wounded to the Nashville Hospital, two weeks after this I and some worst of the sick were taken to Louisville, Kentucky, into Clay Hospital. After recruiting some I was put on guard about the Hospital. The night guarding was injurious to my health and I was not able to stand it long. There I was put on Duty of Alex. D. Watson, surgeon in charge of all the Hospital and Doctors. He (Dr. Watson) had me examined every now and then, and was found unfit for the regiment. After this we moved from Clay Hospital to general Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky.

I remained until Doctor Major Green took Dr. Watson's place in charge of all the Hospitals. There I was kept as orderly in his Office until [18]65, and was sent to join the regiment in Gravel Springs, Tennessee and before the… capturing of Jefferson Davis. I stayed with the regiment about two weeks, and was not able to do any service. Then I was sent to headquarters of the Medical department of Major General Ouptan to serve as orderly for Major Green who had been transferred from the General Hospital in Louisville, to General Ouptans' staff.

Then we started on the big raid, to take way a Fort and City as : Mouts Valley, Selma, Columbus, Alabama and Montgomery, Macon Georgia, etc and the same time we captured Jeff Davis on the Oomulgee River. That was the time of our mysteries [miseries?] the "End of the war." Every man who was able sent to get his discharge at Nashville Tennessee. And all were transferred by the Goverment to our Home. As soon as I got to Iowa I tried to work again at the stonecutting trade, but took sick again, right away…