A Biography of Union county Soldiers. Veterans' Photographic Souvenir. (G.A.R)

GEORGE T. LANE

George T. Lane was born May 29,1838; was married March 6th 1860 to his present wife. He enlisted in the state service during the summer of 1861 and made one trip to Marysville, Missouri and also one trip to St. Joe, on the Craner expedition. Then, shortly after returning, was ordered into camp at Bedford, Iowa. Soon after George Freedley, then captain of the Home Guards, received a letter from his father in Indiana stating that he and his son had both enlisted and George Freedley, after reading it, stood up before the company and asked how many of the boys would enlist in the United States service with him? Nearly the whole company walked forward and the subject of this sketch with them and enlisted in the 4th Iowa Infantry in the fall of 1861. They rushed this regiment forward to reinforce Lyons and at Reighley, Missouri, met General Seegle coming back. Lyons had been killed. Their next engagement was at Pea Ridge, Arkansas, then they went down White river as the "Lost Army," and in July landed at Helena and there we began drawing government rations again. Their next engagement was at Chicasaw Bayon. Mr. Lane was transferred from there to the First Iowa Battery. As Mr. Lane says: "There we were licked like blazes and then started out for Arkansas Post. From there we went back to Millican's Bend where we cut the canal across the bend in the river. We went from there to Fort Gibson where I was hit with a splint ball. From there we went to Jackson, Mississippi, thence to Black river and on to Vicksburg. Then back to Jackson. After the fall of Jackson we went up the river to Memphis, Tennessee, then to Tuscumbia, Alabama. Then we went with Sherman on his march to Atlanta, thence to Dallas, Georgia, where I was wounded in my arm and leg. I was in sixteen hard fought battles each one lasting over three days and the longest one lasting forty-seven days. I received two bad wounds and three light ones. I was then sent home on a wounded furlough and was at home three months, then I was ordered to Davenport, Iowa, where I was discharged in March,1865". Mr. and Mrs. Lane now reside in Afton honored and respected by all. The above pictures give one a good idea of Geo. W. Lane, the soldier boy and Geo. W. Lane, the citizen.