Private George W. Giddings was born ca. 1817 in Georgia.

He married Sarah Conner on January 25, 1849 at Jackson County, Florida.

In 1860 he was living near Rico’s Bluff, Liberty County, Florida, along with Sarah and a daughter. He was by occupation a wood chopper.

He enlisted in Davidson’s Company on March 12th, 1862 at Quincy, Gadsden County, Florida. He was left sick at Gadsden County, Florida when his company left the state. He rejoined the company shortly after June 30th, 1862, but was again absent sick at Knoxville, Tennessee on October 28th, 1862. He was granted a furlough of 5 days, beginning on November 20th; he was reported as absent without leave in Florida from November 25th, 1862 through March 21st, 1863. He was listed as sick in a hospital at Columbus Georgia from March 21st, 1863 through July 9th, 1863; he apparently returned to the company prior to August 22nd, as he was detailed on guard duty at the jail iat Knoxville, Tennessee from August 22nd until August 23rd, 1863. He was ordered into the hospital under Surgeon’s order on October 26th, 1863. He is believed to have returned to the company, but was again ordered by the Surgeon into the hospital near Dalton, Georgia on February 4th, 1864. He was diagnosed with scrofula[1] and general debility[2], and discharged from service at Dalton Georgia on March 4th, 1864.

He married Emiline Miley at Thonotosassa, Hillsborough County, Florida on April 3rd, 1870. He died while away from his home on Died January 28th, 1876 at Pasco County, Florida. His place of internment is unknown.

Emeline applied for and was awarded a Florida Confederate Pension for George’s service.

[1] “Scrofula” is a tuberculosis infection of the lymph nodes in the neck. Reference: NIH U.S. National Library of Medicine, https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001354.htm, accessed 2016-05-22

[2] “Debilitas (Latin) or debility were diagnostic terms used by Civil War surgeons, especially Confederates, to describe general, severe, disabling weakness in patients. Some doctors also used the terms cachexia for such weakness. Both Union and Confederate forms for listing the number of patients with each type of diagnosis included debility in the category "all other diseases". Reference: Schroeder-Lein, Glenna R. (2015). The Encyclopedia of Civil War Medicine. Routledge, 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY. p. 457. ISBN 0765621304.

George W Giddings