George Washington Rape

He was orphaned young, about age 7, at his father's death in 1840. He enlisted at Camp Stephens in Griffin, GA on 9 September 1861 and mustered as a Private in Company H of the 27th Georgia Infantry.

He was wounded by a piece of shell to his scalp in action at Sharpsburg on 17 September 1862 and captured there.

He was treated in a US field hospital on the battlefield, admitted to US Army General Hospital #5 in Frederick, MD, then sent to Fort McHenry in Baltimore on 10 or 11 October. He was transferred to Fortress Monroe, VA for exchange on 13 October, admitted to a hospital in Richmond, VA on 23 October, and furloughed home for 40 days on 2 or 10 November. He returned to duty on 20 December 1862.

He was wounded again, near Petersburg, VA on 17 August 1864 and his right arm was amputated just below the elbow. He was furloughed from the Jackson Hospital in Richmond, VA for 60 days on 27 October 1864 with no later military record.

By 1870 and to at least 1900 he was a farmer in Henry County, GA.

His service from his Compiled Service Records,1 online via fold3. Sharpsburg wound detail from a casualty list in the Atlanta Southern Confederacy   of 18 November 1862. He's also on the Patient List,2 as J.W. Rabe. Personal details from family genealogists, his 1889 and later pension applications, and the US Census of 1870-1900. His gravesite is on Findagrave.

He married Artimesca Louise Whitaker (1840-) in February 1860 and they had 5 children. He married again, Louisa Francis Nail (1850-1914) in February 1875 and they had 2 more children.

He's easily confused with another soldier named G W Rape (1830-1900) also of Henry County and buried in McDonough, GA. That man served in the 53rd Georgia Infantry and was severely wounded at Malvern Hill, VA in July 1862.

09/26/1833 in GA

12/18/1902; McDonough, GA; burial in Bethany Baptist Church Cemetery, McDonough, GA