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| Born: | Friday, April 20, 1827 Philadelphia PA | |
| Died: | Thursday, February 06, 1896 Baltimore MD | |
| Buried: | Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia | |
| Plot: | Section 2, Lot 986 | |
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Born: Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, April 20, 1827. As small boy, he was taken to Charlotte,
North Carolina, from which state was appointed to West Point. He graduated
in 1847, ranking in middle of his class; his most famous classmates were
Ambrose P. Hill of the Confederate Army and Ambrose E. Burnside of the
Union. Before outbreak of Civil War, he saw service in Mexico, against Florida Seminole Indians, and at West Point where he was on duty for 5 years as an artillery instructor and Quartermaster. In 1861 he was Captain of the 4th Artillery stationed at Ft Leavenworth, Kansas. Although his wife was from Baltimore and three of his brothers entered the Confederate Army, he adhered to the Union. After some months as Chief of Artillery in Irvin McDowell's Division, was made Brigadier General of Volunteers May 2, 1862, and assigned to command of the "Iron Brigade," which he led at 2nd Manassas and in the Maryland Campaign. In November 1862, he was advanced to command of the 2nd Division of John F. Reynolds' I Corps and was badly wounded at the battle of Fredericksburg the following month. Back to duty after a 3-month convalescence, he directed the 2nd Division of Winfield S. Hancock's II Corps - and on two occasions the Corps itself - with conspicuous gallantry and distinction at Gettysburg, until he was again wounded and carried from field. Upon recovery he commanded the Cleveland and Philadelphia draft depots until commencement of US Grant's Overland Campaign in 1864, when he assumed command of his old Division. With it he fought in all the battles between the Wilderness and the investment of Petersburg, and was prom Major General to rank from June 7, 1864. In January 1865, he was given command of newly organized XXIV Corps, Army of James. At Appomattox he was one of commissioners designated to receive surrender of Army of Northern Virginia. After the war, he received the usual brevets and was appointed Colonel of the 36th US Infantry and 1869 of the 7th US Infantry. His service was mainly against Indians on the frontier, where the fallacy of pursuing the world's finest horsemen with foot soldiers was indelibly illustrated. Nevertheless, his overall conduct of operations was highly commendable. He shared no blame in Custer's headstrong conduct at Little Big Horn, arriving in time only to rescue survivors of Custer's command and bury the dead. The following year he conducted a successful campaign against Nez Perces and on July 10, 1885, was made Brigadier General in the Regular Army. After retiring in 1891, he made his home in Baltimore where he died February 6, 1896, serving at the time as Commander-in-Chief of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion. Author: The Artillerist's Manual, published by the War Department in 1860 and Personal Recollections of the Civil War, written in 1885 but not published until 1928. Wrote "Hunting Sitting Bull," American Catholic Quarterly (2), 1877, "Last Summer's Expedition Against the Sioux," American Catholic Quarterly, (2), 1877, "The Battle of the Big Hole," Harpers Weekly (39), 1895, "Gibbon on the Sioux Campaign of 1876." He is buried in Section 2, Grave 986, Arlington National Cemetery. GIBBON,
JOHN |
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| My Source: Arlington National Cemetery Website | ||
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Civil War When war broke out between the states, Gibbon was serving as a captain of the 4th U.S. Artillery and became chief of artillery to Major General Irvin McDowell. In 1862, he was appointed brigadier general of volunteers and commanded the brigade of westerners known as the "Black Hat Brigade" (due to their distinctive black Hardee caps that Gibbon selected for them). He led the brigade into action against the famous Confederate Stonewall Brigade at Brawner's Farm in the Second Battle of Bull Run. He was still in command of the brigade during their strong uphill charge at the Battle of South Mountain, where General Joseph Hooker exclaimed that the men "fought like iron". From then on, the brigade was known as the "Iron Brigade". Gibbon led the brigade for the last time at the Battle of Antietam, where he was forced to take time away from brigade command to personally man an artillery piece in the bloody fighting at the Cornfield. Gibbon was promoted to command the 2nd Division, I Corps at the Battle of Fredericksburg, where he was wounded. He recovered in time for the Battle of Chancellorsville, but his division was in reserve and saw little action. At the Battle of Gettysburg, he commanded the 2nd Division, II Corps and temporarily commanded the corps on July 1 and July 2, 1863, while Maj. Gen. Winfield S. Hancock was elevated to command larger units. At the end of the council of war on the night of July 2, army commander George G. Meade took Gibbon aside and predicted, "If Lee attacks tomorrow, it will be on your front." And his division did bear the brunt of fighting during the defense against Pickett's Charge on July 3, when Gibbon was again wounded. While recovering from his wounds, he commanded a draft depot in Cleveland, Ohio. Gibbon was back in command of the 2nd Division at the battles of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, and Cold Harbor. During the Siege of Petersburg, Gibbon became disheartened when his troops refused to fight at Ream's Station. He went on sick leave, but his service being too valuable, he returned to command the newly created XXIV Corps in the Army of the James. His troops helped achieve the decisive breakthrough at Petersburg, capturing Fort Gregg, part of the Confederate defenses. He led his troops during the Appomattox Campaign and blocked the Confederate escape route at the Battle of Appomattox Courthouse. He was one of three commissioners for the Confederate surrender. |
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| My Source: Wikipedia Website | ||
