George Jacob Summat

A 23 year old wagon maker, he enlisted on 7 February 1849 in Columbus, OH as a Private in Company K, United States Mounted Rifles. He transferred to Company D and was discharged as a Sergeant on 7 February 1854 at Fort Defiance, NM. He enlisted again, at Fort Inge, TX on 1 December 1856 in Company K, 2nd United States Cavalry. He was First Sergeant when he was discharged in October 1861 "by order Gen McClellan."

He was commissioned Captain of Company H of the First Maine Cavalry on 8 October 1861 and mustered into Federal service with them on 5 November.

During the twenty months he was in command of his company, he was rarely ever known to allude to the fatherland or to mention his kinsfolks. Upon assuming command of his company, he briefiy told us we were men and soldiers now, — citizens and boys no longer, — that it became his duty to discipline and prepare us for the field, and for the stern duties we had promised to perform; that the military law was so unlike the civil, that some would, doubtless, deem the requirements hard and unjust; but when we came to test our strength and our steel with a fighting foe by the side of untrained troops, we should feel strong in the strength discipline had given us, and stronger in the faith and confidence of each other. We soon began to feel a pride in our new commander, and in the progress in drill and discipline we were making. His popularity, particularly in his own company, increased daily, and his pride in his new command never wavered ...

He was in command of the cavalry detachment serving as Fifth Corps headquarters escort - consisting of his own Company H and Company M, 1st Maine Cavalry.

He was killed in action at Aldie, VA - a cavalry fight near the beginning of what became the Gettysburg Campaign - on 17 June 1863.

Service data and the quote above from Tobie,1 who has his birthplace as Konigsburg, with further detail from the Adjutant General2 and the Registers,3 also as Sammit and Summit, and with birth in "Wurdenburg." His gravesite is on Findagrave; his stone has him as George J. Summatt. He spelled it Summat.

c. 1826; Naumburg, GERMANY

06/17/1863; Aldie, VA; burial in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA