George Somerfield Lauman

Giving his age as 22 (he was probably 18), he enlisted in Reading and mustered as Private in the Ringgold Battery, Pennsylvania Light Artillery on 18 April 1861, but he was commissioned shortly after as 2nd Lieutenant, 10th United States Infantry to date from 26 April. He was promoted to First Lieutenant on 25 June 1861.

He commanded Company E of the 10th US Infantry at Antietam.

He was promoted to Captain on 16 October 1863 but died of disease, at home, on 3 October 1864.

Service information from Heitman1 and the Card File.2 Personal details from the US Census of 1860 (then age 17) and family genealogists; one has his middle name as Summerfield. Genealogies have his birth year variously as 1830, 1838, 1840, and 1842. His gravesite is on Findagrave.

His father George Myers Lauman (1812-1871) had been a Captain and Assistant Quartermaster, USA during the Mexican War 1846-47, and grew wealthy building railroads in Pennsylvania, New York, and Canada.

His First Lieutenant's commission, signed by President Lincoln and Secretary of War Stanton was sold at auction by Heritage Auctions in November 2025.

1842; Lancaster, PA

10/03/1864; Reading, PA; burial in Charles Evans Cemetery, Reading, PA