George Dudley Nicolson

Son of wealthy physician and planter George Llewellyn Nicolson (1814-1883), in 1860 he was an 18 year old living with his father, step-mother, 5 step-siblings, and 49 slaves on their plantation at Saluda in Middlesex County, VA. He enlisted at Tappahannock, VA on 21 May 1861 and mustered as a Private in Company H of the 47th Virginia Infantry. They became Company F of the new 55th Virginia Infantry in September and he was transferred to Company C on 1 December 1861. He was wounded in the hip in action at Gaines' Mill, VA on 27 June 1862 - "while making a charge under a terrific fire, Private Nicholson went ahead of his Regt and by words and actions encouraged them ..." He returned to duty from Chimborazo Hospital #3 in Richmond, VA on 25 August.

He was sent to a hospital in Frederick, MD by 12 September, left behind, and captured there.

He was in US Army General Hospital #1 in Frederick, MD to 22 September and afterward was a prisoner at Fort Delaware to 2 October, then sent to Aikens' Landing, VA for exchange. He was formally exchanged on 10 November 1862.

He was promoted to Corporal in October (to date from 1 September) 1862. He was on furlough from 13 January to 13 February 1863, and again admitted to a hospital on 6 June and furloughed home to Saluda, VA for 30 days on 13 June. He was detailed to the Signal Corps on 1 (or 13) August 1863, was reduced to Private in March 1864, and returned to his company by January 1865.

He was appointed 2nd Lieutenant on 18 March "for valor and skill" and was captured in action at Sailor's Creek, VA on 6 April 1865. He was held at the Old Capitol Prison in Washington, DC to 19 April, then transferred to Johnson's Island near Sandusky, OH. He took an oath of allegiance to the United States there and was released on 19 June 1865.

He was struck by a train and killed at West Falls Church, VA at age 67.

His service and the Gaines' Mill quote above from his Compiled Service Records,1 online from fold3, indexed under George D Nicholson. He's also on the Confederates In Frederick List.2

08/02/1841; Middlesex County, VA

05/17/1090; West Falls Church, VA; burial in Abingdon Episcopal Church Cemetery, White Marsh, VA