George Washington Rains
George Washington Rains | |
|---|---|
George W. Rains during the Civil War | |
| Nickname(s) | Chief Chemist of the Confederacy |
| Born | 1817 Craven County, North Carolina |
| Died | March 21, 1898 Newburgh, New York |
| Buried | Saint George's Cemetery, Newburgh |
| Allegiance | United States of America Confederate States of America |
| Branch | United States Army Confederate States Army Georgia Militia |
| Years of service | 1842–1856 1861–1865 |
| Rank | Captain (USA) Colonel (CSA) Brigadier General (not confirmed) |
| Unit | 4th U.S. Artillery Bureau of Nitre and Mining |
| Commands | Augusta Powderworks 1st Regiment, Georgia Local Defense |
| Battles / wars |
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| Relations | Brig. Gen. Gabriel J. Rains (brother) |
| Other work | College professor, author, inventor |
George Washington Rains (1817 – March 21, 1898) was a United States Army and later Confederate States Army officer. A skilled engineer and inventor; he was instrumental in providing the Confederacy with much-needed gunpowder throughout the American Civil War. He also was the younger brother of fellow Confederate general Gabriel J. Rains.