George Washington Bowie

Who was George Washington Bowie?

George Washington Bowie, was a Civil War Union officer, commander of 5th Regiment California Volunteer Infantry, brevetted Brigadier General of Volunteers.

George Washington Bowie was born in Maryland in 1827. He came to Burlington, Iowa while it was Iowa Territory. He became a delegate to the Second Constitutional Convention, which met at Iowa City in 1846. He was a representative from Des Moines County in the First General Assembly of Iowa. In the Mexican–American War he was commissioned a first lieutenant of U. S. infantry March 8, 1847 and assigned to Company K, Fifteenth Infantry. He was commissioned captain July 8, 1847. For his gallant and meritorious conduct at Battle of Contreras and Battle of Churubusco he was brevetted major. After he was mustered out of the service August 4, 1848, he returned to Burlington where he was one of its leading lawyers. He made his home there until 1850, when he emigrated to California.

In California Bowie became involved in politics, elected to the California state assembly in 1854. He made unsuccessful campaigns for the United States House of Representatives in 1854, Governor of California in 1858, and California Attorney General in 1860.