This photo shows him wearing the insignia (the 'shoulder straps') of a
Major on his navy blue
Union Army officer's coat. The caption at the bottom of the image
says "George T. Simonson 80 Ind" and
"Lieut
Colonel." On the back are the printed words "Specialite"
and "J. Perry Elliott's City
Gallery" on "No. 8
Second St." in "Evansville,
Ind." It is believed that he had
his 'image' taken sometime between September 1862 and January 1863. An electronic copy of the original image,
and written permission to post it on the 80th Indiana website, were provided courtesy of
Brian and Triva
Schrader.
George was a resident of Princeton in Gibson County, Indiana when he was
commissioned August 11, 1862 by Indiana Governor Oliver P. Morton
as the Captain of Company A of the 80th Indiana.
He was mustered into the Union Army at that rank for a 3 year term of service on September
3, 1862 at Camp
Gibson near Princeton. The next day he was commissioned by
Gov. Morton as the 80th's Major (third in command). On January 18, 1863 Gov.
Morton commissioned him as the 80th's Lieutenant Colonel (second in
command) to replace Lewis
Brooks who had been promoted to be the 80th's Colonel (its commanding officer). Lieut. Col. Simonson resigned his commission
March 13, 1863 and left the Army due to ill health.
Source: Regimental Descriptive Rolls, 1861-1865, Volumes III, IV, and
VIII, Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Indiana
(Indianapolis, Indiana, 1866).
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