Brigadier General
George D. Ramsay

Brigadier General George D. Ramsay was born in Dumfries, Virginia on February 21, 1802. He entered the United States Military Academy when he was only 12 and graduated 6 years later with the class of 1820.

While serving as Chief of Ordnance from September 1863 to September 1864, he used his extensive knowledge and experience in Ordnance to continue the policies of Brigadier General Ripley, his predecessor. Brigadier Ramsay believed that the Ordnance Department should serve as a production facility rather than a research facility while the American Civil War was in progress. During his tenure, the U.S. Army was adequately supplied with Ordnance Materiel.

After his retirement from active service, Brigadier General Ramsay continued to serve by special assignment as Inspector of Arsenals until 1866 and later as Commander of Washington Arsenal until 1870. Having served for exactly half a century, General Ramsay retired in 1870 and died in May 1882.