Civil War Veterans Buried In Washington State - George Seese

George R Seese

Representing: Union


Unit History

  • 4th Pennsylvania Cavalry C

See full unit history

George  Seese
Full Unit History

4th PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEER CAVALRY
Organized: September/October, 1861 Camp Curtin Harrisburg, PA
Mustered In: Date Not Avail. Washington, D.C.
Mustered Out: 7/1/65 Lynchburg, VA

Regimental History

REGIMENTAL HISTORY:
 

The 4th - the 64th Infantry regiment of the line - was a three year eastern theater organization. Mustered into Federal service in Washington, D.C., the unit spent the winter of 1861/'62 in that city perfecting its drill and discipline. Still, it was difficult to keep the command together because the cavalry arm of the U.S. Army was not yet in favor.
 

In May, 1862 the regiment moved into Virginia for Union Gen. George McClellan's Peninsula Campaign. During those times it was stationed at Yorktown and Williamsburg. It also saw action during the famous "7 days" battles before moving back to Washington City in late August.
 

September 17, 1862 saw the regiment active at Antietam, MD. It ended the combat year in the December battle of Fredericksburg, VA.
 

1863. January found the 4th participating in Union Gen. Ambrose Burnside's infamous "Mud March." In early April at Chancellorsville, VA it was held in reserve.
 

During the Gettysburg, PA campaign the 4th arrived in that town on July 2nd Beginning on July 5th it took part in the pursuit of the retreating Rebel army as it sought to make its way back across the Potomac River into Virginia.
 

At Jeffersonton, VA (10/63) the regiment lost over 200 killed, wounded and captured out of the 375 men in action. Many of the captured later died at Andersonville, GA. In the winter of 1863/'64 over two thirds of the 4th veteranized.

With the beginning of Union Gen. U.S. Grant's Overland Campaign into Virginia during May, 1864 the 4th, however, was a veteran unit in name only as less than 20 of the original enlisted men were present for duty. That changed as the veterans returned from their thirty day furloughs.
 

The latter part of 1864 saw the 4th active in many of the conflicts around Petersburg and Richmond. Two of those engagements included the Boydton Plank Road in October and the Weldon Railroad in December.
 

February, 1865 found the regiment at Hatcher's Run. The final campaign of that year saw the 4th almost constantly on the march and fighting. On the April 9th morning of Confed. Gen. R.E. Lee's surrender, General Gregg’s Union troopers had a body of the enemy cavalry cut off, but further operations were stopped upon receipt of the capitulation news.
 

With the shooting war ended the 4th moved to Petersburg and from there into North Carolina. Returning to Virginia it was stationed at Lynchburg until mustered into history.

 

REGIMENTAL LOSSES:
Officers Killed Or Mortally Wounded:  9; Officers Died Of Disease, Accidents, Etc.:  3; Enlisted Men Killed Or Mortally Wounded: 89; Enlisted Men Died Of Disease, Accidents, Etc.: 257.

Soldier History

SOLDIER:
Residence: Inf. Not Avail.   Age: 20.5 yrs.
Enlisted/Enrolled: 8/1/64   Rank: Pvt.
Mustered In: 8/1/64
Discharged: 5/15/65
Highest Rank: Pvt.
Rank At Discharge: Pvt.

Family History

PERSONAL/FAMILY HISTORY:
 

NOTE: The birth - to - death biographical profile of George Seese was created in October, 2020 during the Covid-19 medical pandemic. It contains less depth of detail than many other biographies within this website because military service, pension and other veteran-related files housed in Washington, D.C.'s National Archives were not available. At a later time those documents will be obtained and the data contained therein added to the narrative which follows.
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George R. Seese was born on February 22, 1844. The state of his birth was Pennsylvania. Although not documented, very likely the location was the community of Allegheny located in Westmoreland County.
 

Parents of George were William (b. 1814 loc. unk. - d. 1856 Leechburg Armstrong County, PA) and Mary Ann (nee Gumbert b. 1821 loc. unk. - d. 1892 Leechburg Armstrong County, PA) Seese. In the 1850 U.S. Census William listed his occupation as "boatman", so perhaps he was employed on a canal boat.
 

William and Mary produced eight children of which George was the third.  Older than he were Susan Seese (b. 6/17/40 PA) and Hannah E. Seese (b. 4/15/42). Those younger were Agnes Seese (b. 2/27/46 Armstrong County, PA), William Seese Jr. (b. 1847), Mary Seese (b. 9/27/49 Armstrong County, PA), Martha Seese (b. 1852) and John Sease (b. 1854).
 

After William's death in 1856 Mary re-wed to Joseph Fooce. This union provided George with at least two step siblings: Joseph Fooce (b. ca. 1857) and Levi S. Fooce (b. ca. 1859.
 

On August 1, 1864 George enlisted in the U.S. Army. His unit of service was the 4th Pennsylvania Cavalry.  Without having access to his military records, about all we can say about his army tenure is that he survived The War and returned to civilian life.
 

By 1870 George had married and started a family. His bride was Ellen Stuart (b. 10/30/44 PA). The U.S. Census tally for that year found the couple and their one year old son residing in Washington Westmoreland County, PA. George's occupation was noted as being "underground laborer", so perhaps he was working as a coal miner.
 

Ellen would give birth to four Seese children all of whom were living as of 1900 The Seese children were Margaret "Maggie" E. Seese (b. l867), William O. Seese (b. 1869), Park Hayes Seese (b. 1871) and Minorra May Seese (b. 1873).  All were born in Pennsylvania.
 

As of 1880 the Seese family had quitted Pennsylvania and removed to Little Sauk Todd County, MN. There George was farming. This would be his line of employment for the remainder of his working life.
 

On 5/1/85 the Seese family was still in Little Sauk, MN, but by May of 1889 they had travelled westward to the Puget Sound region of Washington Territory. What had drawn them to this area of the Pacific Northwest may have been their adult children and grandchildren residing here.
 

In Washington Territory/State's King County U.S. Census tallies would note George in four communities of residence: Kent (1889), Meeker (1900), McKinley (1910) and Seattle.   He died in the fourth.
 

Former Civil War cavalryman George Seese died on 10/13/18 in Seattle King County, WA. Cause of the seventy four year old's passing was Acute Endo colitis. (Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the colon) He was/is buried in the Riverton Crest Cemetery located in Tukwila King County, WA.
 

Back on 8/2/84 while still in Minnesota, George had applied for and been granted a U.S. Government disability pension based on his days of Civil War soldiering. According to available documentation, a monthly stipend was granted. While the initial amount is not known. It appears, however, that as of February, 1914 the payment had increased to $17 per month as of February, 1914. Pension files will help clarify this issue.
 

Following George's death Ellen petitioned the U.S. Government to continue receiving a portion of her late husband's pension stipend. The petition was granted, so as of February, 1919 she was in receipt of a $22 per month payment. Again, obtaining pension records will help clarify this matter.
 

Ellen lived out her years in the Seattle area. She died on 12/31/37 in the Seattle home of married daughter Margaret. At passing she was 93.2 years of age. Burial was/is in the Riverton Crest cemetery beside George.

Cemetery

Buried at Riverton Crest Cemetery


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