George W. Strong was born in Oswego, New York near the year 1833. He worked as a farm laborer, a lumber man and a sailor, and as of 1861 was in Michigan. That year, he enlisted as a drum major in the Fifteenth Michigan Infantry Volunteers, where he attained the position of second lieutenant in Company F. In 1863, he went to the First West Tennessee Infantry of African descent as captain of Company H. He served in this company until 1864, when he was discovered to be involved in fradulent practices in the enlistment of African American soldiers. Before he could be arrested, he deserted his company and regiment and escaped. He was never captured, but documents in this collection indicate that he likely cleared his legal difficulties and enlisted in the Iowa Volunteers in 1866.

From: Cowden, Colonel Robert. A Brief Sketch of the Organization and Services of the Fifty-Ninth Regiment of United States Colored Infantry, and Biographical Sketches. Dayton, Ohio: United Brethren Publishing House, 1883. P. 232-233.