George G. Wortman

George G. Wortman (August 15, 1841 – May 19, 1913) was a 19th-century American soldier who served in the U.S. Army during the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. During Colonel Thomas L. Crittenden's campaign against the Apache Indians, Wortman served as a sergeant with the 8th U.S. Cavalry and participated in several notable engagements during the conflict. he later received the Medal of Honor for his service in the Arizona Territory during the summer of 1868.

Biography

Early life and military service George G. Wortman was born in Moncton, New Brunswick, British North America on August 15, 1841. He worked as a civilian marble cutter prior to the start of the American Civil War when he enlisted in the Union Army in Boston, Massachusetts. After three years of combat service, his regiment disbanded at the end of the war. Wortman served on occupation duty for another year until he was discharged and mustered out of the service. He returned to Canada for a time to visit his family before going back to the United States. He worked in various jobs on the East Coast for around a year before joining the United States Army once more as a volunteer of the newly formed 8th U.S. Cavalry.

The 8th U.S. Cavalry was formed on July 28, 1866, and officially organized at Camp Reynolds in Angel Island, California two months later. Wortman reenlisted with the U.S. Army in Carlisle, Pennsylvania on November 14 and, expressing to the army recruiter his interest in the cavalry, he was assigned to Angel Island to join the regiment. He spent over two months traveling by train, and later stage coach, before finally arriving at Angel Island on January 18, 1867. and was familiar with the area. He and his group found a small rancheria nearby, seemingly deserted like many other camps they had come across, where they were attacking in a poorly planned ambush by four Apaches. All four were killed by the troopers. One of them was killed, shot in the chest at point-blank range, by Wortman himself when the Apache charged at him with a knife.

These patrols, as well as the regiment's actions against hostile Apaches, earned many men in the regiment their medals. On July 24, 1869, Wortman was among the many men to receive the Medal of Honor for "bravery in scouts and actions against Indians". It was one of the largest MOH presentations at the time.