George B Clark was born in Pennsylvania in 1842 and came to Minnesota with his family in the 1850's. His father became Register of Deeds for Scott County as well as homesteaded a farm in Eagle Creek township, south of Shakopee. His neighbor, Henry Cole, spent many days working with him on their farms and remembered him as a "stout, healthy young man" who was temperate in his manner. When war broke out George did not enlist immediately but within a month traveled up the Minnesota River to Fort Snelling and enlisted in Company A, First Minnesota Infantry. He was 23 years old, stood 5' 8 3/4" tall, had a florid complexion, light hair and blue eyes. George was a dutiful soldier, who was present at all the battles in which the regiment was involved. At the battle of Antietam, George became separated from his company and was captured. In December he and the other captured veterans of the First Minnesota, were released during a prisoner exchange, which meant that all men involved could go back to their respective units to fight again. George survived the battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and the desperate charge at Gettysburg but was not so fortunate at Bristow Station. By that time in late 1863, the regiment's strength was down to only 180 men. On October 14, 1863, they were detailed to be used as skirmishers. Their line was nearly trapped between the Confederates and a tall railroad embankment. At the last moment the Union line rose from behind the embankment and devastated the attacking rebels. During this time George was wounded by a bullet that penetrated his left hip. He was helped off the field and spent the next two months in Grosvenor Hospital in Virginia. He returned home that winter and was mustered out in May, 1864. A successor unit was formed and known as the First Battalion of Minnesota Infantry. He was one of about 58 veterans to re-enlist and head back east. At the battle of Petersburg the Battalion found itself in an advanced position, in trenches directly in front of the Confederate army. They were waiting for other units of the Fifth Corps to support them. For some reason the support never came and the Confederates attacked, where there was a gap in the line, cutting off the Battalion. Some, like George, tried to make a stand but it was no use and they were soon captured. George, along with twenty other men from the Battalion were soon carted off to prison, for what would be the most trying time of their military duty. The practice of exchanging prisoners had been drastically reduced by order of General Grant. He hoped this would burden the South by having to care for prisoners and not receiving repatriated rebels back, who could fight again. This was a sound strategy, in theory, but for George and his comrades it meant much suffering. He was incarcerated for eight months. He was confined in Richmond on June 24th, and then sent to Andersonville prison in Lynchburg, Va on June 29th. Later he was sent to a prison at Florence, S C. The South could not feed its own troops let alone its prisoners. The result was virtual starvation for George. Because of the filthiness of the prisons and improper food he contracted scurvy and malarial fever. He lost all his teeth, caused by the scurvy, and was in a very broken condition. When Sherman's troops threatened to capture Andersonville he and six other men from the Battalion were shipped up to a prison in Florence SC. One of the men, Theodore Irvine, was deathly ill, and was paroled in December. He died a few weeks later at his old home in New York. George and the others remained until February 27, 1865, when he and probably the others were paroled and sent north. He was sent to the hospital in Annapolis, Md. He was there for about five weeks before being sent to a hospital in Baltimore. He returned to the Battalion and was promoted to the rank of sergeant. Frank Houston recalled later that Clark "looked like a ghost of the man, who was captured in June, 1864, and that he complained of having no teeth and always felt exhausted." George was discharged at Jeffersonville, Indiana, on July 14, 1865. After the war George returned home to Eagle Creek. He had a farm near Dean Lake in Scott County, MN, but the farming life was too demanding for him. In 1866, his doctor suggested that he head west for a better climate and job. In Helena, Montana, he met his old neighbor Henry Cole, who in turn got him a job working in the mines. Cole later wrote the following affidavit to support George, when the latter applied for a disability pension. "I was intimately acquainted the claimant from 1855 until he enlisted in Co A First Minnesota Vol. We were neighbors in the Town of Eagle Creek, Scott County Minn and we exchanged farm work a great deal until he enlisted. He was a stout healthy young man and capable of doing a full days work. I did not see him again until 1866, when I met him in Helena, Montana. I was very much surprised to see him so much emaciated. He told me he had not been well since he was in prison and the hard ships he had to endure completely broke him down. Being well acquainted with the miners in that section, I suceeded in getting him a situation in the mines, but found him unable to do an ordinary day's work. He had a very hard time to get along. He lived with me several weeks. I found him to be as he had stated, completely broken down. I returned from the mines in 1867 and my recollection is that Mr Clark returned in 1870 and remained home with his parents 1 short time. His health not improving, he left for California and was absent from home three or four years, when he again returned home, and stayed with his parents in the Town of Eagle Creek until 1878. During his stay at home I lived near him and met him frequently and know that he was not able to do but a little work. He was anything but a well man." George next moved to Murray County, in southwestern Minnesota, where he tried to farm, having some success. Affidavits dating from June 22, 1880 and later indicate that he was, by that time, living in the town of Des Moines River, in Murray County. His post office address was Avoca. On Sept 14, 1880, he married Cora Low at Des Moines River. Together, they raised three children, Fred (2/13/82), Sumner (10/17/84) and George B (12/26/86). By 1886, his health was so bad that he couldn't care for his family or himself. Since the family was living off the small income from their farm and his army pension there wasn't enough money to seek proper care except at a Military Home. He was admitted to the Milwaukee Soldiers Home. Why he did not move into the Minnesota Home is not known. George went to the Home for treatment but little could be done for him. He died on March 16, 1887, of "softening of the brain" caused by his sickness. George was buried at the Valley Cemetery in Shakopee, MN. Sources: Minnesota 1860 Census, MHS. St Paul Daily Union, St Paul, MN, Jan 7, 1863, p 1. Minnesota, History of the State, Blegen, University of Minnesota, 1963. Roster of the First Minnesota Infantry, 1910. National Archives pension records, George B Clark. National Archives pension records, John S May. Winona Daily Republican, Thursday, Oct 22, 1863, p 2. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
