George H. Pettis

George Henry Pettis was an American Civil War veteran and writer, born in 1834 and died in 1909. He is best known for The California Column, a history of the Union force that marched through the Southwest during the war, as well as other writings drawn from his military experience.

During the war he served with the California Volunteers, and later became closely associated with preserving the story of that campaign. His writing is especially useful because it combines historical narrative with the perspective of someone who was there.

Although detailed personal information is limited in the sources reviewed, Pettis is clearly remembered as both a participant in and chronicler of the Civil War in the far West. For listeners interested in memoir, military history, and overlooked corners of the war, his work offers a direct and engaging voice from the period.