George Mason Lovering was a Union Army

Union Army

The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...

 soldier who received the Medal of Honor

Medal of Honor

The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...

 for meritorious service during the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

.

Biography

He was born to James and Catherine Lovering on January 10, 1832, in Springfield, New Hampshire

Springfield, New Hampshire

Springfield is a town in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,311 at the 2010 census. Gile State Forest is located within the town.-History:...

. The family soon moved to East Randolph (now Holbrook, Massachusetts

Holbrook, Massachusetts

Holbrook is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. At the 2010 census, the town population was 10,791.- History :Before European settlement, the area now known as Holbrook, Massachusetts, like all of New England, had long been inhabited by Algonquian-speaking peoples.Holbrook was...

), and George eventually joined the Randolph Light Infantry, a militia

Militia

The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...

 unit that was called into active service at the start of the Civil War. He served as First Sergeant

First Sergeant

First sergeant is the name of a military rank used in many countries, typically a senior non-commissioned officer.-Singapore:First Sergeant is a Specialist in the Singapore Armed Forces. First Sergeants are the most senior of the junior Specialists, ranking above Second Sergeants, and below Staff...

 in Company I of the 4th Massachusetts Infantry. On June 14, 1863, Lovering took part in the Siege of Port Hudson

Siege of Port Hudson

The Siege of Port Hudson occurred from May 22 to July 9, 1863, when Union Army troops assaulted and then surrounded the Mississippi River town of Port Hudson, Louisiana, during the American Civil War....

, a Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi River

Mississippi River

The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...

. His courage in this battle resulted in Lovering being awarded a Medal of Honor in 1891, the only such recipient from Holbrook.

Lovering was commissioned as a First Lieutenant in the renamed 75th Regiment of U.S. Colored Troops, which was formed from the 3rd Infantry Corps d'Afrique. He participated in the Red River Campaign

Red River Campaign

The Red River Campaign or Red River Expedition consisted of a series of battles fought along the Red River in Louisiana during the American Civil War from March 10 to May 22, 1864. The campaign was a Union initiative, fought between approximately 30,000 Union troops under the command of Maj. Gen....

, then served in the bayou

Bayou

A bayou is an American term for a body of water typically found in flat, low-lying areas, and can refer either to an extremely slow-moving stream or river , or to a marshy lake or wetland. The name "bayou" can also refer to creeks that see level changes due to tides and hold brackish water which...

s of Louisiana

Louisiana

Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...

 until he was mustered out in 1865.

He eventually moved to Maine

Maine

Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...

, spending his final years living at a veterans home. He died at the age of 87 at St. Mary's Hospital in Lewiston, Maine

Lewiston, Maine

Lewiston is a city in Androscoggin County in Maine, and the second-largest city in the state. The population was 41,592 at the 2010 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included within the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine...

. He is buried in Union Cemetery in Holbrook.

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: First Sergeant, Company I, 4th Massachusetts Infantry. Place and date: At Port Hudson, La., June 14, 1863. Entered service at: East Randolph, Mass. Born: January 10, 1832, Springfield, N.H. Date of issue: November 19, 1891.

Citation:

During a momentary confusion in the ranks caused by other troops rushing upon the regiment, this soldier, with coolness and determination, rendered efficient aid in preventing a panic among the troops.

See also

• List of Medal of Honor recipients
• List of American Civil War Medal of Honor recipients: G–L