Brevet Brigadier General George Bell, USA

1828 - 1907

George Bell was the son of William Duffield Bell, developer of South Prospect Street and editor of the Hagerstown

Torchlight newspaper. He grew up in this neighborhood. An 1853 graduate of West Point, Bell served at several posts

in Texas and the east coast, including Fort McHenry. His accomplishments include:

1861 - Courier for General-Chief Winfield Scott, carrying secret dispatches to Texas. He was then assigned to the

field artillery, but soon was transferred to the Commissary Department.

1861 - As a lieutenant and commissary officer, he arranged to provide food for General McDowell's army during the

First Manassas Campaign.

1861 - 1865 - Stationed at the Annapolis, Alexandria and Washington DC depots as the regional commissary officer.

Arranged for the purchase, preparation and distribution of the food necessary to daily feed tens of thousands of soldiers

and prisoners of war held in the region. Promoted several times. [Picture included]

1865 - Breveted (honorary) promotion to brigadier general for meritorious service.

1892 - Retired with rank of colonel. When he died his remains were returned to Hagerstown and interred in Rose

Hill Cemetery.

Fascinating Fact

As an example of how the Civil War was a war of "brother against brother", George's brother Henry C. Bell served as a

private in the 1st Maryland Cavalry Battalion in the Confederate Army.

Marker is on West Washington Street (U.S. 40) near South Prospect Street, on the right when traveling west.

Courtesy hmdb.org

Credits and Sources: