George Francis McGinnis
George Francis McGinnis (March 19, 1826 – May 29, 1910) was an American soldier who fought in the Mexican–American War and became a Union general in the Civil War. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts. His mother died when he was a baby, and he lived with his aunt for a while. At age 11 he moved with his father to Ohio, where his father worked as a hatter. When the Mexican War began, George volunteered for service.
In the Mexican–American War he served as a lieutenant in the 2nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry and left the army as a captain in 1848. He then returned to Ohio to work as a hatter.
When the Civil War began, McGinnis joined the 11th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, raised by Lew Wallace for a three‑month term. He quickly rose from private to captain and then to lieutenant colonel by April 25, 1861. The regiment, known as Wallace’s Zouaves, helped in early campaigns. Wallace was promoted to brigadier general on September 3, and McGinnis became the regiment’s colonel. He led his men at Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Shiloh, and Corinth. He was promoted to brigadier general on April 4, 1863 (backdated to November 29, 1862) and commanded a brigade in the XIII Corps.
McGinnis fought with distinction at Champion Hill during the Vicksburg campaign, where his troops held a central section of the Union siege lines near Fort Garrott. After Vicksburg, he held a series of commands and was moved among different units, partly due to his associations with Wallace and McClernand. In 1864–65 he commanded the 3rd Division and then “Forces on the White River” in Arkansas.
He mustered out of the volunteer service on August 24, 1865. He moved to Indianapolis, ran a fiduciary business, and held local offices, including Marion County auditor (1867–1871) and postmaster of Indianapolis in 1900. McGinnis died on May 29, 1910, in Indianapolis and is buried at Crown Hill Cemetery (Section 16, Lot 23).
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 12:01 (CET).