George Wood Wingate

George Wood Wingate (July 1, 1840 – March 22, 1928) was an American lawyer, soldier, civil servant and organizer of rifle practice. During the Civil War he served in the New York National Guard which later encouraged him to promote marksmanship skills for American citizens. He was the co-founder, and later president, of the National Rifle Association of America.

Biography

George Wood Wingate was born to Charles and Mary Wingate on July 1, 1840 in New York City. He studied at the New York Free Academy and worked at a law office from an early age. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1861, later establishing the firm Wingate & Cullen in 1864.

After the outbreak of the Civil War, Wingate joined the 2nd Regiment New York State Militia Infantry which mustered into volunteer service as the 82nd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, entering as a private and eventually rising to the rank of captain. In Wingate's experience, he noticed that many Union soldiers lacked basic marksmanship skills which motivated him to promote rifle proficiency among Americans. In 1874 he was made general inspector of the New York National Guard and was given the rank of Brigadier general. In this role he oversaw a new rifle training program that was used in the state as well as writing shooting manuals which would be used by the United States Army, eventually retiring from his position in 1879.

Wingate also sought to promote marksmanship skills to American citizens through instructional classes and shooting competitions. Together with editor and Union veteran William Conant Church, Wingate chartered the National Rifle Association of America in New York on November 17, 1871. General Ambrose Burnside served as the first president of the organization with Wingate acting as the first secretary. The group sought to “promote and encourage rifle shooting on a scientific basis" and Wingate sent emissaries to Canada, Germany and England to observe the training regiments of their militaries.