Eliza George facts for kids

Elizabeth "Eliza" George (born October 20, 1808 – died May 9, 1865) was a brave volunteer nurse during the American Civil War. Soldiers in the Union Army called her "Mother George" because she cared for them so well. Even though she was 54 years old and a widow, she left her home in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 1863 to help.

She worked as a nurse for the last two and a half years of her life. Eliza George sadly died in May 1865 from typhoid fever. She caught the illness while nursing soldiers and civilians in Wilmington, North Carolina. This was just one month after the war ended. She was buried with full military honors in Fort Wayne, Indiana. A special monument honors her service.

Who Was Eliza George?

Elizabeth "Eliza" Hamilton was born in Bridport, Vermont, on October 20, 1808. She married Woodbridge C. George. They had three daughters: Belle, Eliza, and Jane.

Before the Civil War began, Eliza George was a widow. She lived with her daughter Eliza and son-in-law, Sion St. Clair Bass, in Fort Wayne. Sion Bass was a Colonel in the Union Army. He helped start the 30th Indiana Infantry Regiment and became its first leader.

Sion Bass was badly wounded at the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862. He later died from his injuries. His death inspired Eliza George to become a wartime nurse.

Becoming a Civil War Nurse

In January 1863, Eliza George, who was 54, wanted to volunteer as a nurse. She applied to the Indiana Sanitary Commission. They told her that she was too old and that wartime conditions were too harsh. They also said there were no open spots.

But Eliza George did not give up. She was told to apply to the U.S. Sanitary Commission in Chicago, Illinois. Soon after, the Indiana Sanitary Commission contacted her. They urgently needed nurses in Memphis, Tennessee.

In February 1863, Eliza George left Fort Wayne. She went to the Union army hospital in Memphis. Wounded Union soldiers were brought there after the Siege of Vicksburg.

Helping Soldiers Across the South

In October 1863, Eliza George moved to a hospital in Corinth, Mississippi. Soldiers there began calling her "Mother George." She often traveled between Corinth and Memphis, a distance of about 80 miles (130 km). She delivered wagons full of supplies for hospitals and soldiers.

Later in 1863, she went to Pulaski, Tennessee. This town is about 70 miles (110 km) south of Nashville. There, she and two other nurses, Mary Ann Bickerdyke and Eliza Emily Chappell Porter, set up a hospital. Eliza George also brought medical supplies from Indiana to Pulaski during the winter of 1863–64.

By June 1864, Eliza George was working on hospital trains. These trains carried injured Union soldiers to Chattanooga, Tennessee. This was during General William T. Sherman's Atlanta campaign. She worked in field hospitals near the front lines. She was even at the Battle of Jonesborough in August and September 1864. Sometimes, she slept on the ground, covered only by a blanket. She did this to stay close to her patients. She often cared for thousands of men at a time.

In the fall of 1864, she returned home for a short break. After her return, she spent the winter of 1864–65 in hospitals in Nashville, Tennessee. This was during the Franklin–Nashville Campaign. Confederate General John Bell Hood tried to take Nashville in December 1864 but failed.

Eliza George wanted to join General Sherman's troops in Savannah, Georgia. But she could not get a pass or transportation. She was determined to keep helping in the South. So, she went to Washington, D.C.. There, she met Dorothea Dix, who was in charge of Union army nurses. Dix told her to go to Wilmington, North Carolina.

Her arrival in Wilmington happened when nearly 11,000 Union prisoners were freed from Salisbury Prison. Eliza George spent the last months of the war nursing sick and starving soldiers in Wilmington. She then became ill with typhoid fever herself.

Death and Lasting Memory

A doctor from Indiana was sent to care for Eliza George in Wilmington. But she did not get better. She died on May 9, 1865. This was just one month after Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered, ending the war.

Eliza George spent two and a half years as a Civil War nurse. She cared for thousands of sick and wounded soldiers. Her body was brought back to Fort Wayne, Indiana. She was buried on May 16, 1865, with full military honors.

Honors and Tributes

• In December 1865, a monument was built near Eliza George's grave. It was paid for by donations and honors her service.
• George Street in Fort Wayne was named after her. However, its name was later changed to West Brackenridge.
• In May 1965, a historical marker was placed on Berry Street in Fort Wayne. This is near where Eliza George first lived in the city.
• The LaSalle Bed and Breakfast Inn in Fort Wayne has a room named in her honor. This inn includes the historic Sion Bass House.