Stop 7: George Justice and Joseph Seiger
Like the two men we met at the previous stop, Lieutenant George Justice was a member of the 15th NJ killed on May 12, 1864 at Spotsylvania. The thirty-six year old was seen on top of the enemy works waving his sword, then he was shot in the back by a Confederate who had surrendered but then grabbed a musket. George left behind a widow and seven children between the ages of three and sixteen. He was lucky enough to be buried with ten of his comrades, and thus identifiable later; over forty of his regimental dead were left on the field unburied.
Joseph M. Seiger, twenty-two year old sergeant of Company E in the 140NY, was wounded on May 5, 1864 as his regiment attacked the Confederate line in Saunder’s Field. He was wounded in three places: one through the hip and out the groin, one through his stomach and left breast, and one through his left arm. He was found by a conscripted soldier, John McGraw, whom Sieger had looked after in the army. John dressed Joseph’s wounds and helped him walk ¾ mile before he could be placed on a stretcher for the remaining three miles to the hospital. McGraw was “overcome with grief” as he helped his friend to safety, and Sieger would die of his wounds that day.
George Justice is buried in grave #3351; Joseph Seiger is buried in grave #3778.