George A. Cullison was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1835. He was working as a teamster in Cincinnati, Ohio when he enlisted into Army on November 23, 1861 at the age of 26. Lieutenant Smith enlisted him into Company K, 1st U.S. Cavalry. His enlistment documents describe him as 5’ 3 ½” tall, with hazel eyes, dark hair, and a fair complexion.
Private Cullison served out his first enlistment in the 1st Cavalry without incident. He married Sarah A. Richards in Brooklyn, New York while on leave on March 25, 1863, and had a daughter, Selina, later that year.
During the winter of 1863-1864, Private Cullison re-enlisted. Lieutenant Thomas Burns, a former first sergeant, enlisted him into Company H at Mitchell’s Station, Virginia on February 13, 1864. He was promoted to corporal shortly thereafter.
Corporal George A. Cullison was killed by a gunshot wound to the head on October 19, 1864 at the battle of Cedar Creek.
Sources:
NARA, RG 94, U.S. Army Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914
NARA, Register of Deaths in the Regular Army, 1860-1889
NARA, U.S. Civil War Pension Index, 1861-1934