60th New York Infantry & Gettysburg Commander

Item CDV-10221

Description

GEORGE SEARS GREENE

Greene, George S., brigadier-general, was born in
Apponaug, Warwick, R. I., May 6, 1801. He was graduated at
the United States military academy in 1823, second in his
class, served in various garrisons and as instructor at West
Point until 1836, when he resigned and became a civil
engineer, building many railroads in the states of Maine,
Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Maryland and Virginia.
He served in the Croton aqueduct department in the city of New
York, and designed and built the reservoir in Central Park and
the enlargement of High Bridge. He entered the army in Jan.,
1862, as colonel of the 60th N. Y. regiment, was commissioned
brigadier-general of volunteers, April 28, 1862, commanded his
brigade at Cedar Mountain, and commanded the 2nd division of
the 1Oth corps at the battle of Antietam. He also led a
brigade at the battle of Chancellorsville, and at Gettysburg,
on the night of July 2, 1863, he held with his brigade the
right wing of the Army of the Potomac at Culp's hill against
the onslaught of more than a division of Confederate troops,
thus saving the position of the wing. He was transferred to
the western armies in Sept., 1863, and in a night engagement
at Wanhatchie, near Chattanooga, Oct. 28, 1863, was
dangerously wounded in the jaw. Returning to active service
in Jan., 1865, he rejoined the army at New Berne, N. C., took
part in the battle of Kinston, where he had a horse shot under
him, commanded a brigade at Goldsboro, and in Slocum's corps
in the march to Washington D. C., where the army was
disbanded. He was brevetted major-general in the volunteer
army for his services, March 13, 1865. He died at Morristown,
N. J., Jan. 28, 1899.

Source: The Union Army, vol. 8
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