George Murray Guion

A clergyman's son, in 1860 he was a prosperous 22 year old druggist living with his parents and 6 siblings in Seneca Falls, NY, and was a member of the local militia unit, the Seneca Falls Zouave Cadets. He enrolled for two-years service on 9 May 1861 and mustered as Captain of Company A, 33rd New York Infantry on 22 May.

He led his company in action at Antietam on 17 September 1862 and afterward wrote his hometown paper:

I cannot speak too highly of the firmness and unflinching bravery displayed by those under my command during the entire action [at Antietam], and especially while under the fire of the enemy’s artillery and infantry. All did nobly ... The remains of the two who fell while gallantly fighting for the cause so dear to us all, were removed from the field and buried in a neighboring cemetery. The wounded are all in the hospitals receiving the best possible attention.

He was discharged on 28 September 1862 to accept the commission as Lieutenant Colonel of the 148th New York Infantry, his commission dated 17 September. He was promoted to Colonel on 9 November (to rank from 26 October) 1863 and was discharged on 16 October 1864.

In 1870 he was Seneca County Treasurer and lived with his wealthy banker father-in-law Erastus Partridge and family in Seneca Falls, NY. By 1900 he was in Chicago, IL and he moved to Colorado Springs in 1906. He was granted a veterans' pension for disability in June 1907 and his widow began receiving benefits of it in February 1911.

His war service from the State of New York.1 The post-Antietam quote above from his letter of 19 September 1862 to the Seneca Falls Reveille. Personal details from family genealogists and the US Census of 1850-1870, 1900; his birth name may have been George William Murray Guion (supported by the 1850 US Census). His gravesite is on Findagrave. His picture from a tintype of him in militia uniform immediately before the war, shared to the Seneca Falls Historical Society Facebook page in 2023 by Paul Russinoff.

He married Adelaide Cornelia Partridge (1840-1939) in February 1863 and they had 3 children.

His older brother John Marshall Guion, Jr (1832-1891) also enrolled in May 1861 in Company A of the 33rd New York Infantry, was appointed 2nd Lieutenant of Company H in January 1862, and may have been with him at Antietam. He resigned and was discharged in December 1862.

Thanks to Dave Lay for the pointer to Captain Guion, his post-battle letter, and his photograph. See much more about Guion in Dave's biographical posts covering George's service in the 33rd NY and in the 148th NY and afterward.

06/28/1836; Meriden, CT

11/09/1910; Colorado Springs, CO; burial in Evergreen Cemetery, Colorado Springs, CO