George was wounded on the eighth day of battle. Part of his right leg was amputated below the knee.

In a letter to George's parents, G. Swissholm, wrote of conditions at the hospital.

I reached Fredericksburg on Sunday evening May the 15th and was sent by the surgeons to the 10th Division, 2nd corps. Hearing that this was also in the worst condition of any hospital in town I went there and there I found your son with our 80 other badly wounded men. Until Thursday I had no surgeon and no quartermaster and a set of mules that had to be watched night and day... so you can see that I could not do as much as I would like to do. But your son and three others attracted my attention as superior to most of the men. I gave him particular care because he was one of the few I thought could be saved. Three days passed before George showed Mr. Swissholm his other wound.

A bullet had passed directly downward toward the knee leaving a hole clear through, 6 or 8 inches long. At that point his chances for recovery were not good. Four days later he passed away. They found his diary in his pocket.

(A xerox is available along with other letters at the History Center.)