Civil War Union Brevet Brigadier General. Fourth Commander (out of five total) of the 1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment, during the Civil War. Born on the isle of Massena in Ontario, Canada, in the Saint Lawrence River, his father, a Canadian farmer, had been a sergeant in the 1st Stormont Canadian Militia during the War of 1812, and had fought against the Americans at Fort Niagara and at Ogdensburg, New York. Raised as a farmer, he moved to St. Catharines, Ontario, where he taught music, teaching himself to play each instrument. In 1854, he moved to St. Anthony, Minnesota, to take advantage of the economic opportunity that the rapidly expanding area afforded. He founded the first Foundry and Steamship Building Company in that area, and became a prosperous man of St. Anthony. In the late 1850s, as the threat of Civil War became serious, he joined the Minnesota Militia as a Private. In 1861, the Minnesota Militia was called to arms, and was formed into the 1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment. George Morgan was elected Captain of Company E, 1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, and the unit was shipped via railroad from Fort Snelling to Washington DC, where it joined the new Army of the Potomac. His unit participated in the First and Second Battle of Bull Run, the Peninsula Campaign, and Fredericksburg. As several commanders of the 1st Minnesota moved on to higher rank and greater responsibility, George was advanced quickly to Major and then to Lieutenant Colonel, and finally to Colonel, commanding the 1st Minnesota. He commanded the unit at the Battle of Fredericksburg. While visiting his men at the hospital, he came down with consumption (known today as Tuberculosis), and it took a serious toll of his health. His health rapidly declining, he resigned as Commander of the 1st Minnesota on May 5, 1863, and returned to St. Anthony (Minneapolis today), where upon his recovery, he was made Colonel of the 2nd Veterans Reserve Corps. In early 1863, the Lakota Sioux Indians had risen up against the whites in the St. Anthony area, and the State organized returning Civil War veterans into a Reserve militia, to handle any threats to the citizens. Morgan was also appointed as Commander of Fort Snelling, which had the mission of preparing future regiments of soldiers for the Civil War by giving them their initial training. On March 13, 1865, Morgan was brevetted to Brigadier General of US Volunteers, for "gallant and meritorious services during the war." Unfortunately, in the spring of 1866 his consumption took a turn for the worse, and he died in 1866, at Fort Snelling. His first-born son, George Horace Morgan, went to West Point and had a military career, earning the Medal of Honor and retiring with the rank of Colonel. His last child, Alfred Sully Morgan, also had a military career in the United States Army and retired with the rank of Colonel; both men fought in several wars during their military service.