George S. Greene
| George Sears Greene | |
|---|---|
George Sears Greene
|
|
| Nickname(s) | Pap, Pappy, Old Man |
| Born |
May 6, 1801 Apponaug, Rhode Island |
| Died | January 28, 1899 (aged 97) Morristown, New Jersey |
| Place of burial | Greene Family Cemetery, Warwick, Rhode Island |
| Allegiance |
United States of America Union |
| Service/branch |
United States Army Union Army |
| Years of service | 1823–1836 1862–1866 |
| Rank |
 Brigadier General Brevet Major General
|
| Commands held | 60th New York Volunteer Infantry |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
George Sears Greene (May 6, 1801 – January 28, 1899) was a civil engineer and a Union general during the American Civil War. He was part of the Greene family of Rhode Island, which had a record of distinguished military service to the United States. He first served in the Army from 1823 to 1836 after graduating second from his class at West Point. As a civilian, he was a founder of the American Society of Civil Engineers and Architects and was responsible for numerous railroads and aqueduct construction projects in the northeastern United States.
After 25 years as a civilian, he rejoined the Army to fight in the American Civil War. Despite his age, he quickly rose up the ranks and was appointed a brigadier general in early 1862. During the war, he took part in the Northern Virginia Campaign, the Battle of Antietam, and the Battle of Chancellorsville. His most notable contribution during the war was his defense of the Union right flank at Culp's Hill during the Battle of Gettysburg. He returned to engineering work after the war until his death in 1899.
Greene was born in Apponaug, Rhode Island, one of nine children of Caleb and Sarah Robinson (Greene) Greene. His family had roots in the founding of Rhode Island and in the American Revolutionary War, including General Nathanael Greene, George's second cousin. Caleb was a financially shrewd ship owner and merchant, but the Embargo Act of 1807, which prohibited U.S. vessels from carrying goods to other countries, and the War of 1812 left his family in financial difficulties. Young George attended Wrentham Academy and then a Latin grammar school in Providence and hoped to attend Brown University there, but his impoverished father could not afford it, so he moved to New York City and found work in a dry goods store on Pearl Street.
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