George William Fitch was born in Youngstown, Ohio, on October 14th, 1844. He enlisted as a private in Company D of the 62nd Regiment, Pennsylvania Infantry of the Union Army during the American Civil War. His regiment was a part of the Potomac Army, which was under the command of Major General George B. McClellan. The 62nd Regiment took part in strengthing fortifications around Washington, D. C., in the late 1861, until the Peninsula campaign in early 1862. During the campaign, Fitch and his regiment were captured by Confederate forces at the Battle of Gain's Mill, around six miles away from Richmond. Eventually, Fitch was exchanged for another prisoner of war the same year, and he continued to fight in such battles as the second Battle of Bull Run, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg. After mustering out, Fitch re-enlisted in the Union Army and served in Company A of the 155th Regiment, Pennsylvania Infantry in December 1863. Fitch was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on February 2nd, 1865. Ultimately, he mustered out on June 21st, 1865.

Fitch married Roxcie A. Moore on April 15th, 1866, and they had seven children. He became a teacher, and the family settled on a farm in Bethel, Iowa. From 1877 to 1886, Fitch served as the Fayette County superintendent, during which time he advocated for rural schools and compulsory education. Fitch also established the first county school newspaper in Iowa. He later began research and writing histories and genalogies.

Fitch died on November 10th, 1920.

External Sources:

"Joseph Hooker", National Park Service's Civil War Database, https://www.nps.gov/people/joseph-hooker.htm

"Fitch, George", National Park Service's Civil War Database, https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-soldiers-detail.htm?soldierId=0EA71B9D-DC7A-DF11-BF36-B8AC6F5D926A

G. Blessin, "George William Fitch", in Fayette County, Iowa History Directory: Past and Present of Fayette County Iowa, Vol. I, Biographical Sketches, p. 1334, B. F. Bowen & Company, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1910, available online at IAGenWeb Project, http://iagenweb.org/fayette/hist/1910/1334.htm

"George William Fitch", www.findagrave.com, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/155639673/george-william-fitch

"62nd Regiment, Pennsylvania Infantry," National Park Service's Civil War Database, https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battle-units-detail.htm?battleUnitCode=UPA0062RI