George was described as being 5 feet 8 and three quarters inches tall with fair complexion, dark hair, and blue eyes. George served as a Private and later as Corporal and then Sergeant in Co. "B", 48th Regt., Ohio Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War. He enlisted in Ohio in October, 1861, and his unit served as a part of U.S. Grant's Army of the Tennessee in a number of campaigns including the battle of Shiloh in April of 1862, the siege and capture of Corinth, Mississippi in late May, Chickasaw Bluffs, Mississippi, December, 1862, and the several battles leading up to the seige and capture of Vicksburg in July of 1863. After the fall of Vicksburg, George's unit probably became part of the occupational force in Louisiana. On April 8, 1864 he was captured in action near Sabine Cross Roads, Louisiana (near Mansfield and the Texas state border.) The Confederates took him to a prison "pen" in Tyler Texas, where he remained for six months awaiting exchange. He was parolled at Red River Landing, LA in October, 1864 and reported for duty a few days later in New Orleans. Since parolled prisoners were honor-bound not to take up arms, he did not participate further until 1865 when he fought in the siege of Blackly, Alabama. (Presumeably he had been exchanged by this time, releasing him from his vow.) He later served in Texas after the war and was discharged in Galveston in May of 1866. According to his pension application, during his stay in prison he contracted through exposure "ague and fever. Also he was attacked with chronic diarrhea and Scurvy while in prison which he believes is chargable to the use of unwholesome food." Later, while stationed in Galveston, Texas after the war he contracted "sore eyes" due to the "sand which was flying in the air" which resulted in partial loss of his eyesight. He further contended that these disabilities resulted in general disability - "disease of the Kidneys and Liver, pain in the back, heart disease, and loss of teeth." Based on these contentions, he was granted a pension in 1890 of $14 per month. Shortly after the war, George married Delilah Morsman at the home of Jonathan Reuse, just outside the corporate limits of Lynchburg, Ohio. (Jonathan later married Delilah's sister.) George and Delilah lived in Lynchburg and had five children - four were living in 1900. He served as councilman in 1876. At the time of George's death, the G. A. R. post in Lynchburg Village and the Soldiers Relief fund of Highland County were assisting his widow financially, as she was without any other property or income. She applied for and received a widow's pension in 1906.

Research: George gives his birth year as 1835 in 1900, but this is prior to the marriage of his parents and disagrees with his age (12) in the 1850 census. He was probably born in Jan 1839 since his parents were married in August of 1838. He gives his middle initial as "W" on the birth record of his daughter, Blanche. George's middle initial, given on the 1900 census, could be "N" or "W".