Alfred Gibbs
Encyclopedia
Alfred Gibbs was a career officer in the United States Army
(Regular Army
) who served as a brigadier general
in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
("Civil War"). Gibbs graduated from the United States Military Academy
in the class of 1846, served and was twice wounded in the Mexican-American War and was wounded again by Apaches during frontier service in 1857. His pre-Civil War career was in cavalry service. During the Civil War, Gibbs commanded the only Union army volunteer regiment which was converted from an infantry regiment entirely to a cavalry regiment.
After the conversion of Gibbs's regiment to cavalry service in August 1863, he was frequently assigned to command a cavalry brigade and briefly to command a cavalry division. He only was appointed to brigadier general of volunteers to rank from the date of the Battle of Cedar Creek
, October 19, 1864, and given permanent brigade command in December 1864. He received three brevet general awards for meritorious service in three key battles, Trevilian Station
, Opequon or Third Winchester and Five Forks
.
As commander of an infantry regiment, Gibbs participated in the successful defense of Suffolk, Virginia
and Norfolk, Virginia
in April and early May, 1863 when Confederate forces under Lt. Gen. James Longstreet
tried to retake those key locations. He led his brigade or his regiment in major battles of the Overland Campaign
and Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan's
raid which led to the Battle of Yellow Tavern
. His brigade and division were detached from the Army of the Potomac
soon after the beginning of the Siege of Petersburg
in order to serve with Sheridan in all the battles of the Shenandoah Valley Campaigns of 1864
. He and his brigade returned to Petersburg with Sheridan on March 26, 1865 and played a large part in the key battles of Dinwiddie Court House
and Five Forks, which led to the breaking of the Confederate lines and the flight of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia
under the command of General Robert E. Lee
from Petersburg and Richmond, Virginia. His brigade and division, under the command of Brig. Gen. Thomas C. Devin and the overall command of Maj. Gen. Sheridan joined in the pursuit of the Army of Northern Virginia in the ensuing Appomattox Campaign
, and were engaged especially at the key Battle of Sayler's Creek
(sometimes shown as "Sailor's Creek"). Gibbs was present at the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865.
Gibbs remained in the Regular Army as a major in the 7th U.S. Cavalry after the war. His previous service apparently had taken a toll on him because he died of "congestion of the brain" on December 26, 1868, aged 45.
, Long Island
, New York
. He was the brother of chemist, medical doctor and professor Oliver Wolcott Gibbs
. He was the son of mineralogist Colonel George Gibbs
and grandson of Oliver Wolcott, Secretary of the Treasury in the administrations of Presidents
George Washington
and John Adams
Gibbs attended school in White Plains, New York
and Dartmouth College
before he was appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. He graduated from West Point forty-second of fifty-nine in the class of 1846. None of the references below were found to mention Gibbs marrying or having children.
first lieutenant and brevet captain for gallantry. He then served as aide-de-camp to Brig. Gen. Persifor F. Smith until 1856.
From 1856 through the beginning of the American Civil War
, Gibbs was on frontier duty with his troop of Mounted Rifles. He was wounded in a skirmish
with Apaches at Cooke's Spring, New Mexico
in 1857.
under the command of Lieutenant Colonel John R. Baylor during the retreat of United States Army
forces loyal to the Union
from Fort Fillmore
, New Mexico. Gibbs was paroled but not exchanged until August 7, 1862. In the meantime, on August 3, 1861, he was promoted to captain of the 3rd United States Cavalry Regiment. Gibbs was in command at Fort Wayne, at Detroit, Michigan
between December 1861 and August 1862 while serving his parole. Soon after his exchange, on September 6, 1862, Gibbs was commissioned as colonel
of the 130th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment. The regiment had been organized at Portage, New York in August 1862.
and arrived on September 13, 1862. Their position at Suffolk was located 18 miles southwest of Norfolk, Virginia
, recently recaptured by Union forces, at the junction of two railroads. The location covered the land access to Norfolk and access to the seaboard by water. Gibbs joined the regiment soon after their arrival at Suffolk. The department was commanded by Maj. Gen. John A. Dix
from Fort Monroe
and the forces in the Suffolk area were commanded by Maj. Gen. John J. Peck
.
After building fortifications, training and marching out from Suffolk on several expeditions, the regiment engaged in the Battle of Deserted House or Battle of Kelly's Store on January 30, 1863. General Michael Corcoran
was in command of the force of about 8,000 men and three artillery batteries totaling 14 guns, with Colonel Gibbs in command of nine infantry regiments and Colonel Sam Spear in command of the 11th Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry Regiment. During a three-hour artillery duel, the 130th New York Infantry lost 7 men killed, 20 wounded and 2 missing. General Corcoran quarreled with Colonel Gibbs over the disposition of troops and placed him under arrest. Gibbs was soon proved correct, however, when Corcoran's own brigade broke and ran under heavy artillery fire. While Corcoran left the field to try to reorganize his brigade, three regiments decided to charge the Confederates on their own initiative. Though under arrest and without a horse or gun, Gibbs grabbed a flag and led the charge. The 130th New York Infantry was pushing the Confederates back through the adjacent woods when Corcoran reappeared and halted the advance. The battle ended with the Confederates under Brig. Gen. Roger Pryor driven from the field.
The Confederates under Lt. Gen. James Longstreet attempted to recapture Suffolk
and Norfolk but after besieging the fortified Union forces from April 11, 1863 to May 3, 1863, the Confederates retired. Brig. Gen. Alfred Terry
now commanded the brigade and on April 17, 1863 he sent 6 companies of the 130th New York Infantry out to determine why the Confederates had ceased firing. When the Confederates resumed fire, the regiment lost one killed and five wounded. The Confederates broke off the siege on May 3, 1863. The brigade took part in Maj. Gen. Erasmus Keyes's abortive Peninsular Campaign toward Richmond between June 13, 1863 and July 12, 1863 while the Army of Northern Virginia was engaged in the Gettysburg Campaign
.
On August 11, 1863, this regiment was reorganized as a mounted troop named the 1st New York Dragoons, also known as and quite often referred to in reports and sources as the 19th New York Volunteer Cavalry Regiment. The regiment trained at Manassas and guarded the line of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad
until November 1863. The regiment also participated in the Bristoe Campaign
in September 1863 through November 1863. The Official Records of the Union Army show an order of battle for August 31, 1863 in which the 19th New York Volunteer Cavalry Regiment was assigned to the Headquarters of the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac, Maj. Gen. Alfred Pleasonton
, commanding. Later the regiment was part of the Cavalry Reserve Brigade, Army of the Potomac
("Reserve Brigade") commanded by Brig. Gen. Wesley Merritt
when it was not under Gibbs's command. The 19th New York Volunteer Cavalry Regiment, the 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment and the 1st, 2nd, 5th and 6th U.S. Cavalry Regiments comprised the brigade, which was occasionally called the "Regular Brigade."
On and after August 12, 1863, Gibbs was intermittently assigned to temporary brigade, and briefly to division, command in the cavalry corps of the Army of the Potomac and the Army of the Shenandoah through the rest of the war. Gibbs assumed command of the Reserve Brigade, guarding trains between August 12, 1863 and September 12, 1863 and, after Merritt was in command during the Bristoe Campaign, Gibbs resumed command of the brigade between November 21, 1863 and April 10, 1864. Bowen, one of Gibbs's men, states that Gibbs was in command of the brigade when the regiment became engaged at the Battle of Manassas Junction during the Bristoe Campaign on October 17, 1863. The regiment suffered 3 killed, 3 wounded, 1 captured and several injuries from falling horses. The brigade guarded a supply train during the Mine Run Campaign in December 1863. After much picket duty, scouting and guarding trains, the regiment went into winter quarters at Mitchell's Station, Virginia on December 27, 1863.
, the Reserve Brigade became part of the 1st Division of the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac under the new corps commander, Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan
, who was appointed April 4, 1864. Command of the Reserve Brigade was transferred to Brig. Gen. Wesley Merritt from April 10, 1864 through the Battle of the Wilderness
, May 5–6, 1864 and Gibbs resumed command of the 19th New York Cavalry (1st New York Dragoons). Then, on May 7, 1864, Merritt had to take command of the 1st Division of the Cavalry Corps to which the Reserve Brigade was assigned because its commander, Brig. Gen. Alfred T. A. Torbert needed an emergency operation to remove a painful abscess from his spine. Gibbs again assumed command of the Reserve Brigade, which saw much hard duty at the Battle of Todd's Tavern. At these battles, Merritt led the First Division of the Cavalry Corps and Gibbs was in command of the Reserve Brigade (which was the third brigade of three in the division).
As the Battle of the Wilderness wound down, the commander of the Army of Northern Virginia, General Robert E. Lee, anticipated Union Army
General-in-Chief
, Lt. Gen.
Ulysses S. Grant's
move to the south and west. Lee sent cavalry to block the roads in the direction of Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia near Todd's Tavern, about a mile from the edge of the Wilderness battlefield. Todd's Tavern and the Brock Road, which had been abandoned on May 6, had to be retaken by Union forces on May 7. The fight at and near the tavern became the largest dismounted cavalry fight during the war. The 1st and 2nd brigades of the Army of the Potomac's 1st Cavalry Division drove the Confederate forces of Brig. Gen. John Gregg
to the south across the Po River (Virginia)
and the forces of Maj. Gen. Fitzhugh Lee
back to Todd's Tavern. In the afternoon, Sheridan committed the Reserve Brigade, then under Gibbs, to the battle. Gibbs ordered the 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry to probe Fitzhugh Lee's line and to dismount and the other regiments to dismount and drive the Confederates back. By dark, Lee's men had been pushed so far south that the Brock Road was open to immediate use by Grant and Meade. Gibbs's brigade lost the majority of the 154 Union casualties. Most of them were in his own regiment, which suffered more than 80 casualties, the most casualties of any mounted Union regiment in a single engagement.
After the Confederate infantry beat the Union infantry to Spotsylvania Court House, Sheridan was permitted to conduct a raid in the direction of Richmond in order to draw off the Confederate cavalry and to proceed against them. Confederate Cavalry Corps commander, Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart
learned of Sheridan's departure within hours and pursued his more than 10,000 Union cavalrymen with fewer than 5,000 troopers so as to leave General Robert E. Lee with cavalry support. On May 11, 1864, Stuart caught up to Sheridan at the Yellow Tavern
, six miles north of Richmond and brought on a general engagement. Colonel Thomas C. Devin's brigade, assisted by Gibbs's brigade, held the Brook Turnpike while other units, including George Armstrong Custer's
brigade fought with Stuart's forces. Stuart was mortally wounded by one of Custer's men, according to Longacre, and died the next day.
On May 24, 1864, Sheridan's force returned to the Army of the Potomac and just before the Battle of Cold Harbor
, May 26–June 3, 1864, Torbert returned to command of the division, Merritt to command of the Reserve Brigade and Gibbs to command of the 19th New York Volunteer Cavalry Regiment. They engaged in bloody preliminary battles at the Battle of Haw's Shop
and the Battle of Old Church
or the Battle of Matadequin Creek. Then, they took Confederate positions at Cold Harbor, held them against a counterattack and turned them over to the infantry on June 1, 1964.
Gibbs and his regiment fought with distinction under Maj. Gen. Sheridan at the Battle of Trevilian Station
, June 11–12, 1864, part of a diversionary operation by Sheridan against the Virginia Central Railroad
during Union Lt. Gen. Grant's stealthy transfer of his forces from the lines after the Battle of Cold Harbor to the south side of the James River
in an effort to take Petersburg and Richmond while they were only lightly defended. Torbert and Merritt remained in command of the 1st Division and the Reserve Brigade, respectively, during Sheridan's Trevilian Raid. The Battle of Trevilian Station was the largest all-cavalry battle of the Civil War and it resulted in a victory by Confederate cavalry under the command of Maj. Gen. Wade Hampton
. Confederate forces counterattacked the Reserve Brigade early on June 11, 1864 after elements of that brigade attacked advance Confederate pickets. Gibbs quickly mounted his men who left their breakfast unfinished and sent them into battle. The Confederates killed and wounded several Union troopers and took several others prisoner, including Lieutenant Colonel Thorp of the 19th New York Cavalry (1st New York Dragoons). Later, Merritt's brigade had to cut their way through Confederate resistance to free Custer's brigade, which had become surrounded. Although the Reserve Brigade cut through to Custer, Custer lost 22 per cent of his men on that day, most of them missing or captured. After eight hours of fighting on a hot day without food or drink, Gibbs was overcome by sunstroke and had to leave the field. The Union forces sustained heavy losses again on June 12, 1864 and were turned back without achieving their objectives of doing significant damage to the Virginia Central Railroad and linking up with Union Maj. Gen. David Hunter
and returning with his force to the Army of the Potomac.
After a period of rest, the brigade took part in the Battle of Darbytown Road
on July 27–28, 1864 when it was attacked while dismounted by three brigades of Confederate infantry. Then they marched to the Petersburg lines in time to witness the Battle of the Crater
.
for service under Sheridan from August 6, 1864. He was with Sheridan in all the battles of the Shenandoah Valley Campaigns of 1864
from that date. Gibbs commanded the Reserve Brigade between August 6, 1864 and September 8, 1864, his regiment between September 9, 1864 and December 8, 1864 while it was with the Second Brigade, the Reserve Brigade between December 13, 1864 and December 30, 1864, the division between December 30, 1864 and January 15, 1864, the brigade between January 15, 1865 and January 18, 1865, and after a short leave of absence between January 19, 1865 and February 5, 1865, the division between February 5, 1865 and February 10, 1865 and the brigade between February 10, 1865 and March 25, 1865. Cullum (1891) states that Gibbs took a short leave of absence after his promotion to brigadier general, which appears to account for his time between January 19, 1865 and February 5, 1865. Gibbs was promoted to brigadier general of U.S. Volunteers as of the date of the 1864 Valley Campaign's decisive Battle of Cedar Creek
, Virginia, October 19, 1864, but this promotion did not take effect until December 8, 1864 after it had been confirmed and communicated. Gibbs resigned as colonel of the 19th New York Cavalry on December 8, 1864 when his promotion to brigadier general came through.
On August 11, 1864, the 19th New York Cavalry met an entire division of Confederate Lt. Gen. Jubal Early's force under Maj. Gen. John B. Gordon at the Battle of Newtown
. The depleted regiment, armed with 7-shot Spencer repeating rifles, held off the Confederates until they could be reinforced by the rest of the brigade. They suffered 29 killed and seriously wounded and several felled by sunstroke. On August 13, 1864, Confederate guerrilla forces under Col. John S. Mosby
destroyed 75 of the brigade's wagons and captured 200 prisoners, including a few of the men of the 19th New York Cavalry. At the Battle of Shepherdstown, near Leetown and Kearneysville, on August 24, 1864, Custer came to the rescue of the surprised and nearly surrounded 19th New York Cavalry (1st New York Dragoons) much as he had been aided by their brigade at Trevilian Station. The brigade and Custer's brigade fought two more sharp engagements at Smithtown on August 28–29, 1864.
On September 9, 1864, the 19th New York Cavalry was transfer to the second brigade of Brig. Gen. Thomas C. Devin. The volunteers welcomed this move because the soldiers of the Regular regiments had fled from the field on more than one occasion and always seemed to get undeserved credit for actions won or carried by the volunteers, as Bowen and other writers from the volunteer ranks such as Capt. R. A. Britton, who is quoted by Bowen, observed. On September 19, 1864, Sheridan's forces attacked Early's forces at the Battle of Opequon
or Third Battle of Winchester. The 19th New York Cavalry struck the Confederate outposts on the Opequon Creek
at Sewer's Ford, about seven miles northeast of Winchester, Virginia
. Captain Alexander K. Thorp, brother of the regiment's Lt. Col. Thomas Thorp, who had been taken prisoner at Trevilian Station, was killed near the beginning of this battle. At a key point in the battle, Devin sent his entire division charging into the Confederate infantry's line of battle inflicting a great number of casualties, including the taking of many prisoners. Devin wrote that Gibbs led his regiment in gallant style. The cavalry charges sent the remaining Confederate infantry fleeing from the field.
After his promotion to brigadier general in December 1864, Gibbs took command of the Reserve Brigade, which became the Third Brigade of the 1st Division of the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Shenandoah, under Brig. Gen. Wesley Merritt
until Merritt's promotion to Sheridan's chief of staff in February 1865. The division then was under the command of Brig. Gen. Thomas Devin. Gibbs led the brigade on Sheridan's raid against the Virginia Central Railroad
, the Richmond and Danville Railroad
and the James River Canal between February 27, 1865 and March 20, 1865, including the actions against the North Anna and South Anna bridges on March 14–15, 1865.
with Sheridan on March 26, 1865. The brigade included the First, Fifth and Sixth United States Cavalry Regiments, the Second Massachusetts Volunteer Cavalry Regiment and the 6th Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry Regiment (6 companies).
On March 31, 1865, Lt. Gen. Grant placed General Sheridan in command of Gouverneur Warren's
V Corps of Army of the Potomac infantry and of all cavalry. The two divisions of cavalry from the Army of the Shenandoah in the cavalry corps were under the command of Brig. Gen. Wesley Merritt. Gibbs headed the 3rd Brigade of the 1st Division under the command of Brig. Gen. Thomas Devin. The 3rd Division of this corps was under the command of Brig. Gen. George Custer. The 2nd Division, from the Army of the Potomac, was under the command of Maj. Gen. George Crook
. Two cavalry brigades from the cavalry division of the Army of the James under the command of Brig. Gen. Ranald S. Mackenzie
also were under Sheridan's overall command.
Merritt's cavalry, including Devin's division which included Gibbs's brigade, played a significant part in the Union Army's near surrounding of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and stretching their lines to the breaking point in the last days of the Siege of Petersburg. The brigade fought in the Battle of Dinwiddie Court House
on March 29, 1865 and in the action that forced the Confederates to abandon their Petersburg and Richmond, Virginia defenses at the Battle of Five Forks
on April 1, 1865. At the Battle of Dinwiddie Court House, the brigades of Gibbs and John Irvin Gregg
were held in reserve until 4:00 when they fought a two-hour action to hold back Confederate Maj. Gen. George E. Pickett's advance toward Dinwiddie Court House. They then rallied with Custer's brigade about three-quarters of a mile from Dinwiddie. Pickett could not achieve a breakthrough before nightfall halted the battle. Both armies concentrated on defenses on March 31. Early on April 1, Pickett learned that Union infantry reinforcements were coming up, so he withdrew his forces northward to Five Forks, which Lee had ordered him to hold at all costs. Devin's cavalry, including Gibbs's brigade, hit the front of Pickett's defense on April 1, 1864 while Brig. Gen. Romeyn B. Ayres
infantry division of V Corps hit the left flank and Brig. Gen. Custer's cavalry brigade attacked the right flank. The attack led to the collapse of Pickett's position and required the Confederates to abandon Petersburg and Richmond.
Additional infantry corps and accompanying cavalry were placed under Sheridan's command during the Appomattox Campaign
. Gibbs's brigade fought at the Battle of Sayler's Creek
, Virginia on April 6, 1865, three days before the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia by General Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, on April 9, 1865, where Gibbs was present.
Devin's 1st Cavalry Division was the third division after Maj. Gen. Meade and his headquarters staff and General Merritt and his headquarters staff to march in the grand review in Washington on May 23, 1865. Gibbs's brigade marched first in the division. Only the volunteer regiments marched in the review with Gibbs. The 5th U.S. Cavalry Regiment marched as Maj. Gen. Merritt's headquarters escort. Gibb's old regiment, the 19th New York Cavalry (1st New York Dragoons) marched with the next brigade under their final brigade commander, Col. C. L. Fitzhugh.
On January 13, 1866, President
Andrew Johnson
nominated Gibbs for the award of the honorary rank of brevet major general, United States Volunteers
, to rank from March 13, 1865, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the award on March 12, 1866. On July 17, 1866, President Johnson nominated Gibbs for the award of the honorary rank of brevet major general, United States Army
(Regular Army
), to rank from March 13, 1865, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the award on July 23, 1866. Gibbs received his brevet awards for service at the Battle of Trevilian Station, the Third Battle of Winchester and the Battle of Five Forks.
Gibbs remained in the Regular Army
following the war. After a leave of absence between January 15, 1866 and April 30, 1866 and recruiting service between April 30, 1866 and September 30, 1866, he served in various forts around Kansas, being transferred 9 times in 14 months. He died while on active duty as a major
in the 7th U.S. Cavalry at Fort Leavenworth
, Kansas
of "congestion of the brain" on December 26, 1868. Alfred Gibbs is buried in Saint Mary's Episcopal Churchyard Portsmouth, Rhode Island
.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
(Regular Army
Regular Army
The Regular Army of the United States was and is the successor to the Continental Army as the country's permanent, professional military establishment. Even in modern times the professional core of the United States Army continues to be called the Regular Army...
) who served as a brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
("Civil War"). Gibbs graduated from the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
in the class of 1846, served and was twice wounded in the Mexican-American War and was wounded again by Apaches during frontier service in 1857. His pre-Civil War career was in cavalry service. During the Civil War, Gibbs commanded the only Union army volunteer regiment which was converted from an infantry regiment entirely to a cavalry regiment.
After the conversion of Gibbs's regiment to cavalry service in August 1863, he was frequently assigned to command a cavalry brigade and briefly to command a cavalry division. He only was appointed to brigadier general of volunteers to rank from the date of the Battle of Cedar Creek
Battle of Cedar Creek
The Battle of Cedar Creek, or Battle of Belle Grove, October 19, 1864, was one of the final, and most decisive, battles in the Valley Campaigns of 1864 during the American Civil War. The final Confederate invasion of the North, led by Lt. Gen. Jubal A. Early, was effectively ended...
, October 19, 1864, and given permanent brigade command in December 1864. He received three brevet general awards for meritorious service in three key battles, Trevilian Station
Battle of Trevilian Station
The Battle of Trevilian Station was fought on June 11–12, 1864, in Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign against Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. Union cavalry under Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan fought against Confederate cavalry under Maj. Gens...
, Opequon or Third Winchester and Five Forks
Battle of Five Forks
The Battle of Five Forks was fought on April 1, 1865, southwest of Petersburg, Virginia, in Dinwiddie County, during the Appomattox Campaign of the American Civil War. The battle, sometimes referred to as the "Waterloo of the Confederacy," pitted Union Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan against...
.
As commander of an infantry regiment, Gibbs participated in the successful defense of Suffolk, Virginia
Siege of Suffolk
The Siege of Suffolk was fought around Suffolk, Virginia, from April 11 to May 4, 1863, during the American Civil War.-Background:In 1863 Lt. Gen. James Longstreet was placed in command of the Confederate Department of Virginia and North Carolina. Longstreet was given four objectives: 1) to...
and Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
in April and early May, 1863 when Confederate forces under Lt. Gen. James Longstreet
James Longstreet
James Longstreet was one of the foremost Confederate generals of the American Civil War and the principal subordinate to General Robert E. Lee, who called him his "Old War Horse." He served under Lee as a corps commander for many of the famous battles fought by the Army of Northern Virginia in the...
tried to retake those key locations. He led his brigade or his regiment in major battles of the Overland Campaign
Overland Campaign
The Overland Campaign, also known as Grant's Overland Campaign and the Wilderness Campaign, was a series of battles fought in Virginia during May and June 1864, in the American Civil War. Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, general-in-chief of all Union armies, directed the actions of the Army of the...
and Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan's
Philip Sheridan
Philip Henry Sheridan was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War. His career was noted for his rapid rise to major general and his close association with Lt. Gen. Ulysses S...
raid which led to the Battle of Yellow Tavern
Battle of Yellow Tavern
The Battle of Yellow Tavern was fought on May 11, 1864, as part of the Overland Campaign of the American Civil War. Union cavalry under Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan was detached from the Army of the Potomac to conduct a raid on Richmond, Virginia, and challenge legendary Confederate cavalry...
. His brigade and division were detached from the Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
soon after the beginning of the Siege of Petersburg
Siege of Petersburg
The Richmond–Petersburg Campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War...
in order to serve with Sheridan in all the battles of the Shenandoah Valley Campaigns of 1864
Valley Campaigns of 1864
The Valley Campaigns of 1864 were American Civil War operations and battles that took place in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia from May to October 1864. Military historians divide this period into three separate campaigns, but it is useful to consider the three together and how they...
. He and his brigade returned to Petersburg with Sheridan on March 26, 1865 and played a large part in the key battles of Dinwiddie Court House
Battle of Dinwiddie Court House
The Battle of Dinwiddie Court House was a minor engagement in the Appomattox Campaign of the American Civil War that was the immediate prelude to the decisive Battle of Five Forks. On March 29, 1865, with the Cavalry Corps and the II and V Corps of the Army of the Potomac, Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan...
and Five Forks, which led to the breaking of the Confederate lines and the flight of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia
Army of Northern Virginia
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...
under the command of General Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
from Petersburg and Richmond, Virginia. His brigade and division, under the command of Brig. Gen. Thomas C. Devin and the overall command of Maj. Gen. Sheridan joined in the pursuit of the Army of Northern Virginia in the ensuing Appomattox Campaign
Appomattox Campaign
The Appomattox Campaign was a series of battles fought March 29 – April 9, 1865, in Virginia that culminated in the surrender of Confederate General Robert E...
, and were engaged especially at the key Battle of Sayler's Creek
Battle of Sayler's Creek
-External links:* * : Maps, histories, photos, and preservation news...
(sometimes shown as "Sailor's Creek"). Gibbs was present at the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865.
Gibbs remained in the Regular Army as a major in the 7th U.S. Cavalry after the war. His previous service apparently had taken a toll on him because he died of "congestion of the brain" on December 26, 1868, aged 45.
Early life
Gibbs was born on his father's estate, now within AstoriaAstoria, Queens
Astoria is a neighborhood in the northwestern corner of the borough of Queens in New York City. Located in Community Board 1, Astoria is bounded by the East River and is adjacent to three other Queens neighborhoods: Long Island City, Sunnyside , and Woodside...
, Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He was the brother of chemist, medical doctor and professor Oliver Wolcott Gibbs
Oliver Wolcott Gibbs
For the writer, see Wolcott Gibbs.Oliver Wolcott Gibbs was an American chemist. He is known for performing the first electrogravimetric analyses, namely the reductions of copper and nickel ions to their respective metals.- Biography:Oliver Wolcott Gibbs was born in New York City in 1822 to...
. He was the son of mineralogist Colonel George Gibbs
George Gibbs
George Gibbs may refer to:*George Gibbs, 1st Baron Wraxall , British member of parliament and peer*George Gibbs, 2nd Baron Wraxall , British peer and kidnapping victim...
and grandson of Oliver Wolcott, Secretary of the Treasury in the administrations of Presidents
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
and John Adams
John Adams
John Adams was an American lawyer, statesman, diplomat and political theorist. A leading champion of independence in 1776, he was the second President of the United States...
Gibbs attended school in White Plains, New York
White Plains, New York
White Plains is a city and the county seat of Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located in south-central Westchester, about east of the Hudson River and northwest of Long Island Sound...
and Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
before he was appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. He graduated from West Point forty-second of fifty-nine in the class of 1846. None of the references below were found to mention Gibbs marrying or having children.
Mexican-American War; Frontier service
After Gibbs graduated from the U. S. Military Academy in 1846, he served in the Mexican-American War in the Regiment of Mounted Rifles and was wounded. He was awarded the ranks of brevetBrevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
first lieutenant and brevet captain for gallantry. He then served as aide-de-camp to Brig. Gen. Persifor F. Smith until 1856.
From 1856 through the beginning of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Gibbs was on frontier duty with his troop of Mounted Rifles. He was wounded in a skirmish
Battle of Cooke's Spring
The Battle of Cookes Spring was a typical Indian War skirmish which took place in 1857. Apache raiders were tracked through the frontier by a party of United States Army cavalry who intercepted the native warriors at Cooke's Spring in the Black Range of New Mexico.-Battle:On March 8, 1857 eight...
with Apaches at Cooke's Spring, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
in 1857.
Mesilla, San Agustin Springs
At the start of the Civil War, Gibbs was first lieutenant of the Regiment of Mounted Rifles of the U.S. Army (Regular Army). Gibbs was taken prisoner after fighting in the First Battle of Mesilla at San Agustin Springs, New Mexico by Confederate forces from TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
under the command of Lieutenant Colonel John R. Baylor during the retreat of United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
forces loyal to the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
from Fort Fillmore
Fort Fillmore
Fort Fillmore was a fortification established by Col Edwin Vose Sumner in September of 1851 near Mesilla in what is now New Mexico, primarily to protect settlers and traders traveling to California. Travelers in the Westward Migration were under constant threat from Indian attack, and a network of...
, New Mexico. Gibbs was paroled but not exchanged until August 7, 1862. In the meantime, on August 3, 1861, he was promoted to captain of the 3rd United States Cavalry Regiment. Gibbs was in command at Fort Wayne, at Detroit, Michigan
Fort Wayne (Detroit)
Fort Wayne is located in the city of Detroit, Michigan, at the foot of Livernois Avenue in the Delray neighborhood. The fort is situated on the Detroit River at a point where it is about a mile to the Canadian shore. The original 1848 limestone barracks still stands, as does the 1845 star...
between December 1861 and August 1862 while serving his parole. Soon after his exchange, on September 6, 1862, Gibbs was commissioned as colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
of the 130th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment. The regiment had been organized at Portage, New York in August 1862.
Suffolk, Peninsula, Bristoe, Mine Run
Gibbs's regiment was sent from Portage to Suffolk, VirginiaSuffolk, Virginia
Suffolk is the largest city by area in Virginia, United States, and is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 84,585. Its median household income was $57,546.-History:...
and arrived on September 13, 1862. Their position at Suffolk was located 18 miles southwest of Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, recently recaptured by Union forces, at the junction of two railroads. The location covered the land access to Norfolk and access to the seaboard by water. Gibbs joined the regiment soon after their arrival at Suffolk. The department was commanded by Maj. Gen. John A. Dix
John Adams Dix
John Adams Dix was an American politician from New York. He served as Secretary of the Treasury, U.S. Senator, and the 24th Governor of New York. He was also a Union major general during the Civil War.-Early life and career:...
from Fort Monroe
Fort Monroe
Fort Monroe was a military installation in Hampton, Virginia—at Old Point Comfort, the southern tip of the Virginia Peninsula...
and the forces in the Suffolk area were commanded by Maj. Gen. John J. Peck
John J. Peck
John James Peck was a United States soldier who fought in the Mexican-American War and American Civil War.-Early life:...
.
After building fortifications, training and marching out from Suffolk on several expeditions, the regiment engaged in the Battle of Deserted House or Battle of Kelly's Store on January 30, 1863. General Michael Corcoran
Michael Corcoran
Michael Corcoran was an Irish American general in the Union Army during the American Civil War and a close confidant of President Abraham Lincoln. As its colonel, he led the 69th New York regiment to Washington, D.C. and was one of the first to serve in the defense of Washington by building Fort...
was in command of the force of about 8,000 men and three artillery batteries totaling 14 guns, with Colonel Gibbs in command of nine infantry regiments and Colonel Sam Spear in command of the 11th Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry Regiment. During a three-hour artillery duel, the 130th New York Infantry lost 7 men killed, 20 wounded and 2 missing. General Corcoran quarreled with Colonel Gibbs over the disposition of troops and placed him under arrest. Gibbs was soon proved correct, however, when Corcoran's own brigade broke and ran under heavy artillery fire. While Corcoran left the field to try to reorganize his brigade, three regiments decided to charge the Confederates on their own initiative. Though under arrest and without a horse or gun, Gibbs grabbed a flag and led the charge. The 130th New York Infantry was pushing the Confederates back through the adjacent woods when Corcoran reappeared and halted the advance. The battle ended with the Confederates under Brig. Gen. Roger Pryor driven from the field.
The Confederates under Lt. Gen. James Longstreet attempted to recapture Suffolk
Siege of Suffolk
The Siege of Suffolk was fought around Suffolk, Virginia, from April 11 to May 4, 1863, during the American Civil War.-Background:In 1863 Lt. Gen. James Longstreet was placed in command of the Confederate Department of Virginia and North Carolina. Longstreet was given four objectives: 1) to...
and Norfolk but after besieging the fortified Union forces from April 11, 1863 to May 3, 1863, the Confederates retired. Brig. Gen. Alfred Terry
Alfred Terry
Alfred Howe Terry was a Union general in the American Civil War and the military commander of the Dakota Territory from 1866 to 1869 and again from 1872 to 1886.-Early life and career:...
now commanded the brigade and on April 17, 1863 he sent 6 companies of the 130th New York Infantry out to determine why the Confederates had ceased firing. When the Confederates resumed fire, the regiment lost one killed and five wounded. The Confederates broke off the siege on May 3, 1863. The brigade took part in Maj. Gen. Erasmus Keyes's abortive Peninsular Campaign toward Richmond between June 13, 1863 and July 12, 1863 while the Army of Northern Virginia was engaged in the Gettysburg Campaign
Gettysburg Campaign
The Gettysburg Campaign was a series of battles fought in June and July 1863, during the American Civil War. After his victory in the Battle of Chancellorsville, Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia moved north for offensive operations in Maryland and Pennsylvania. The...
.
On August 11, 1863, this regiment was reorganized as a mounted troop named the 1st New York Dragoons, also known as and quite often referred to in reports and sources as the 19th New York Volunteer Cavalry Regiment. The regiment trained at Manassas and guarded the line of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad
Orange and Alexandria Railroad
The Orange and Alexandria Railroad was an intrastate railroad in Virginia, United States. It extended from Alexandria to Gordonsville, with another section from Charlottesville to Lynchburg...
until November 1863. The regiment also participated in the Bristoe Campaign
Bristoe Campaign
The Bristoe Campaign was a series of minor battles fought in Virginia during October and November 1863, in the American Civil War. Maj. Gen. George G. Meade, commanding the Union Army of the Potomac, began to maneuver in an unsuccessful attempt to defeat Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern...
in September 1863 through November 1863. The Official Records of the Union Army show an order of battle for August 31, 1863 in which the 19th New York Volunteer Cavalry Regiment was assigned to the Headquarters of the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac, Maj. Gen. Alfred Pleasonton
Alfred Pleasonton
Alfred Pleasonton was a United States Army officer and General of Union cavalry during the American Civil War. He commanded the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac during the Gettysburg Campaign, including the largest predominantly cavalry battle of the war, Brandy Station...
, commanding. Later the regiment was part of the Cavalry Reserve Brigade, Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
("Reserve Brigade") commanded by Brig. Gen. Wesley Merritt
Wesley Merritt
Wesley Merritt was a general in the United States Army during the American Civil War and the Spanish-American War. He is noted for distinguished service in the cavalry.-Early life:...
when it was not under Gibbs's command. The 19th New York Volunteer Cavalry Regiment, the 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment and the 1st, 2nd, 5th and 6th U.S. Cavalry Regiments comprised the brigade, which was occasionally called the "Regular Brigade."
On and after August 12, 1863, Gibbs was intermittently assigned to temporary brigade, and briefly to division, command in the cavalry corps of the Army of the Potomac and the Army of the Shenandoah through the rest of the war. Gibbs assumed command of the Reserve Brigade, guarding trains between August 12, 1863 and September 12, 1863 and, after Merritt was in command during the Bristoe Campaign, Gibbs resumed command of the brigade between November 21, 1863 and April 10, 1864. Bowen, one of Gibbs's men, states that Gibbs was in command of the brigade when the regiment became engaged at the Battle of Manassas Junction during the Bristoe Campaign on October 17, 1863. The regiment suffered 3 killed, 3 wounded, 1 captured and several injuries from falling horses. The brigade guarded a supply train during the Mine Run Campaign in December 1863. After much picket duty, scouting and guarding trains, the regiment went into winter quarters at Mitchell's Station, Virginia on December 27, 1863.
Overland Campaign; Trevilian Station
As preparations began for the Overland CampaignOverland Campaign
The Overland Campaign, also known as Grant's Overland Campaign and the Wilderness Campaign, was a series of battles fought in Virginia during May and June 1864, in the American Civil War. Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, general-in-chief of all Union armies, directed the actions of the Army of the...
, the Reserve Brigade became part of the 1st Division of the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac under the new corps commander, Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan
Philip Sheridan
Philip Henry Sheridan was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War. His career was noted for his rapid rise to major general and his close association with Lt. Gen. Ulysses S...
, who was appointed April 4, 1864. Command of the Reserve Brigade was transferred to Brig. Gen. Wesley Merritt from April 10, 1864 through the Battle of the Wilderness
Battle of the Wilderness
The Battle of the Wilderness, fought May 5–7, 1864, was the first battle of Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Virginia Overland Campaign against Gen. Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Both armies suffered heavy casualties, a harbinger of a bloody war of attrition by...
, May 5–6, 1864 and Gibbs resumed command of the 19th New York Cavalry (1st New York Dragoons). Then, on May 7, 1864, Merritt had to take command of the 1st Division of the Cavalry Corps to which the Reserve Brigade was assigned because its commander, Brig. Gen. Alfred T. A. Torbert needed an emergency operation to remove a painful abscess from his spine. Gibbs again assumed command of the Reserve Brigade, which saw much hard duty at the Battle of Todd's Tavern. At these battles, Merritt led the First Division of the Cavalry Corps and Gibbs was in command of the Reserve Brigade (which was the third brigade of three in the division).
As the Battle of the Wilderness wound down, the commander of the Army of Northern Virginia, General Robert E. Lee, anticipated Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
General-in-Chief
General-in-Chief
General-in-Chief has been a military rank or title in various armed forces around the world.- France :In France, General-in-Chief was first an informal title for the lieutenant-general commanding over others lieutenant-generals, or even for some marshals in charge of an army...
, Lt. Gen.
Lieutenant General (United States)
In the United States Army, the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, lieutenant general is a three-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-9. Lieutenant general ranks above major general and below general...
Ulysses S. Grant's
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
move to the south and west. Lee sent cavalry to block the roads in the direction of Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia near Todd's Tavern, about a mile from the edge of the Wilderness battlefield. Todd's Tavern and the Brock Road, which had been abandoned on May 6, had to be retaken by Union forces on May 7. The fight at and near the tavern became the largest dismounted cavalry fight during the war. The 1st and 2nd brigades of the Army of the Potomac's 1st Cavalry Division drove the Confederate forces of Brig. Gen. John Gregg
John Gregg (CSA)
John Gregg was an American judge, politician, and general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He was killed in action during the Siege of Petersburg.-Early life and career:...
to the south across the Po River (Virginia)
Mattaponi River
The Mattaponi River is a tributary of the York River estuary in eastern Virginia in the United States.It rises as four streams in Spotsylvania County, each of which is given a shorter piece of the Mattaponi's name:...
and the forces of Maj. Gen. Fitzhugh Lee
Fitzhugh Lee
Fitzhugh Lee , nephew of Robert E. Lee, was a Confederate cavalry general in the American Civil War, the 40th Governor of Virginia, diplomat, and United States Army general in the Spanish-American War.-Early life:...
back to Todd's Tavern. In the afternoon, Sheridan committed the Reserve Brigade, then under Gibbs, to the battle. Gibbs ordered the 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry to probe Fitzhugh Lee's line and to dismount and the other regiments to dismount and drive the Confederates back. By dark, Lee's men had been pushed so far south that the Brock Road was open to immediate use by Grant and Meade. Gibbs's brigade lost the majority of the 154 Union casualties. Most of them were in his own regiment, which suffered more than 80 casualties, the most casualties of any mounted Union regiment in a single engagement.
After the Confederate infantry beat the Union infantry to Spotsylvania Court House, Sheridan was permitted to conduct a raid in the direction of Richmond in order to draw off the Confederate cavalry and to proceed against them. Confederate Cavalry Corps commander, Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart
J.E.B. Stuart
James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart was a U.S. Army officer from Virginia and a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War. He was known to his friends as "Jeb", from the initials of his given names. Stuart was a cavalry commander known for his mastery of reconnaissance and the use...
learned of Sheridan's departure within hours and pursued his more than 10,000 Union cavalrymen with fewer than 5,000 troopers so as to leave General Robert E. Lee with cavalry support. On May 11, 1864, Stuart caught up to Sheridan at the Yellow Tavern
Battle of Yellow Tavern
The Battle of Yellow Tavern was fought on May 11, 1864, as part of the Overland Campaign of the American Civil War. Union cavalry under Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan was detached from the Army of the Potomac to conduct a raid on Richmond, Virginia, and challenge legendary Confederate cavalry...
, six miles north of Richmond and brought on a general engagement. Colonel Thomas C. Devin's brigade, assisted by Gibbs's brigade, held the Brook Turnpike while other units, including George Armstrong Custer's
George Armstrong Custer
George Armstrong Custer was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. Raised in Michigan and Ohio, Custer was admitted to West Point in 1858, where he graduated last in his class...
brigade fought with Stuart's forces. Stuart was mortally wounded by one of Custer's men, according to Longacre, and died the next day.
On May 24, 1864, Sheridan's force returned to the Army of the Potomac and just before the Battle of Cold Harbor
Battle of Cold Harbor
The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought from May 31 to June 12, 1864 . It was one of the final battles of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign during the American Civil War, and is remembered as one of American history's bloodiest, most lopsided battles...
, May 26–June 3, 1864, Torbert returned to command of the division, Merritt to command of the Reserve Brigade and Gibbs to command of the 19th New York Volunteer Cavalry Regiment. They engaged in bloody preliminary battles at the Battle of Haw's Shop
Battle of Haw's Shop
The Battle of Haw's Shop or Enon Church was fought on May 28, 1864, in Hanover County, Virginia, as part of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign against Confederate Gen. Robert E...
and the Battle of Old Church
Battle of Old Church
The Battle of Old Church, also known as Matadequin Creek, was fought on May 30, 1864, as part of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign against Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia during the American Civil War....
or the Battle of Matadequin Creek. Then, they took Confederate positions at Cold Harbor, held them against a counterattack and turned them over to the infantry on June 1, 1964.
Gibbs and his regiment fought with distinction under Maj. Gen. Sheridan at the Battle of Trevilian Station
Battle of Trevilian Station
The Battle of Trevilian Station was fought on June 11–12, 1864, in Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign against Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. Union cavalry under Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan fought against Confederate cavalry under Maj. Gens...
, June 11–12, 1864, part of a diversionary operation by Sheridan against the Virginia Central Railroad
Virginia Central Railroad
Virginia Central Railroad was chartered as the Louisa Railroad in 1836 by the Virginia Board of Public Works and had its name changed to Virginia Central Railroad in 1850. It connected Richmond with the Orange and Alexandria Railroad at Gordonsville in 1854, and had expanded westward past the Blue...
during Union Lt. Gen. Grant's stealthy transfer of his forces from the lines after the Battle of Cold Harbor to the south side of the James River
James River
The James River may refer to:Rivers in the United States and their namesakes* James River * James River , North Dakota, South Dakota* James River * James River * James River...
in an effort to take Petersburg and Richmond while they were only lightly defended. Torbert and Merritt remained in command of the 1st Division and the Reserve Brigade, respectively, during Sheridan's Trevilian Raid. The Battle of Trevilian Station was the largest all-cavalry battle of the Civil War and it resulted in a victory by Confederate cavalry under the command of Maj. Gen. Wade Hampton
Wade Hampton
Wade Hampton may refer to:*Wade Hampton I , American soldier in Revolutionary War and War of 1812*Wade Hampton II , American plantation owner and soldier in War of 1812...
. Confederate forces counterattacked the Reserve Brigade early on June 11, 1864 after elements of that brigade attacked advance Confederate pickets. Gibbs quickly mounted his men who left their breakfast unfinished and sent them into battle. The Confederates killed and wounded several Union troopers and took several others prisoner, including Lieutenant Colonel Thorp of the 19th New York Cavalry (1st New York Dragoons). Later, Merritt's brigade had to cut their way through Confederate resistance to free Custer's brigade, which had become surrounded. Although the Reserve Brigade cut through to Custer, Custer lost 22 per cent of his men on that day, most of them missing or captured. After eight hours of fighting on a hot day without food or drink, Gibbs was overcome by sunstroke and had to leave the field. The Union forces sustained heavy losses again on June 12, 1864 and were turned back without achieving their objectives of doing significant damage to the Virginia Central Railroad and linking up with Union Maj. Gen. David Hunter
David Hunter
David Hunter was a Union general in the American Civil War. He achieved fame by his unauthorized 1862 order emancipating slaves in three Southern states and as the president of the military commission trying the conspirators involved with the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.-Early...
and returning with his force to the Army of the Potomac.
After a period of rest, the brigade took part in the Battle of Darbytown Road
Battle of Darbytown Road
|The Battle of Darbytown Road was fought on October 13, 1864, between Union and Confederate forces. The Confederates were attempting to retake ground they had lost to Federal forces during battles near Richmond, Virginia. Their efforts failed....
on July 27–28, 1864 when it was attacked while dismounted by three brigades of Confederate infantry. Then they marched to the Petersburg lines in time to witness the Battle of the Crater
Battle of the Crater
The Battle of the Crater was a battle of the American Civil War, part of the Siege of Petersburg. It took place on July 30, 1864, between the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by General Robert E. Lee and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Major General George G. Meade The...
.
Shenandoah Valley
Gibbs's brigade was transferred to the Shenandoah ValleyValley Campaigns of 1864
The Valley Campaigns of 1864 were American Civil War operations and battles that took place in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia from May to October 1864. Military historians divide this period into three separate campaigns, but it is useful to consider the three together and how they...
for service under Sheridan from August 6, 1864. He was with Sheridan in all the battles of the Shenandoah Valley Campaigns of 1864
Valley Campaigns of 1864
The Valley Campaigns of 1864 were American Civil War operations and battles that took place in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia from May to October 1864. Military historians divide this period into three separate campaigns, but it is useful to consider the three together and how they...
from that date. Gibbs commanded the Reserve Brigade between August 6, 1864 and September 8, 1864, his regiment between September 9, 1864 and December 8, 1864 while it was with the Second Brigade, the Reserve Brigade between December 13, 1864 and December 30, 1864, the division between December 30, 1864 and January 15, 1864, the brigade between January 15, 1865 and January 18, 1865, and after a short leave of absence between January 19, 1865 and February 5, 1865, the division between February 5, 1865 and February 10, 1865 and the brigade between February 10, 1865 and March 25, 1865. Cullum (1891) states that Gibbs took a short leave of absence after his promotion to brigadier general, which appears to account for his time between January 19, 1865 and February 5, 1865. Gibbs was promoted to brigadier general of U.S. Volunteers as of the date of the 1864 Valley Campaign's decisive Battle of Cedar Creek
Battle of Cedar Creek
The Battle of Cedar Creek, or Battle of Belle Grove, October 19, 1864, was one of the final, and most decisive, battles in the Valley Campaigns of 1864 during the American Civil War. The final Confederate invasion of the North, led by Lt. Gen. Jubal A. Early, was effectively ended...
, Virginia, October 19, 1864, but this promotion did not take effect until December 8, 1864 after it had been confirmed and communicated. Gibbs resigned as colonel of the 19th New York Cavalry on December 8, 1864 when his promotion to brigadier general came through.
On August 11, 1864, the 19th New York Cavalry met an entire division of Confederate Lt. Gen. Jubal Early's force under Maj. Gen. John B. Gordon at the Battle of Newtown
Battle of Newtown
The Battle of Newtown , also known as the Battle of Chemung, was the only major battle of the Sullivan Expedition, an armed offensive led by General John Sullivan that was ordered by the Continental Congress to end the threat of the Iroquois who had sided with the British in the American...
. The depleted regiment, armed with 7-shot Spencer repeating rifles, held off the Confederates until they could be reinforced by the rest of the brigade. They suffered 29 killed and seriously wounded and several felled by sunstroke. On August 13, 1864, Confederate guerrilla forces under Col. John S. Mosby
John S. Mosby
John Singleton Mosby , nicknamed the "Gray Ghost", was a Confederate cavalry battalion commander in the American Civil War...
destroyed 75 of the brigade's wagons and captured 200 prisoners, including a few of the men of the 19th New York Cavalry. At the Battle of Shepherdstown, near Leetown and Kearneysville, on August 24, 1864, Custer came to the rescue of the surprised and nearly surrounded 19th New York Cavalry (1st New York Dragoons) much as he had been aided by their brigade at Trevilian Station. The brigade and Custer's brigade fought two more sharp engagements at Smithtown on August 28–29, 1864.
On September 9, 1864, the 19th New York Cavalry was transfer to the second brigade of Brig. Gen. Thomas C. Devin. The volunteers welcomed this move because the soldiers of the Regular regiments had fled from the field on more than one occasion and always seemed to get undeserved credit for actions won or carried by the volunteers, as Bowen and other writers from the volunteer ranks such as Capt. R. A. Britton, who is quoted by Bowen, observed. On September 19, 1864, Sheridan's forces attacked Early's forces at the Battle of Opequon
Battle of Opequon
The Battle of Opequon, more commonly known as the Third Battle of Winchester, was fought in Winchester, Virginia, on September 19, 1864, during the Valley Campaigns of 1864 in the American Civil War....
or Third Battle of Winchester. The 19th New York Cavalry struck the Confederate outposts on the Opequon Creek
Opequon Creek
Opequon Creek is a tributary stream of the Potomac River. It flows into the Potomac northeast of Martinsburg in Berkeley County, West Virginia, and its source lies northwest of the community of Opequon at the foot of Great North Mountain in Frederick County, Virginia...
at Sewer's Ford, about seven miles northeast of Winchester, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
. Captain Alexander K. Thorp, brother of the regiment's Lt. Col. Thomas Thorp, who had been taken prisoner at Trevilian Station, was killed near the beginning of this battle. At a key point in the battle, Devin sent his entire division charging into the Confederate infantry's line of battle inflicting a great number of casualties, including the taking of many prisoners. Devin wrote that Gibbs led his regiment in gallant style. The cavalry charges sent the remaining Confederate infantry fleeing from the field.
After his promotion to brigadier general in December 1864, Gibbs took command of the Reserve Brigade, which became the Third Brigade of the 1st Division of the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Shenandoah, under Brig. Gen. Wesley Merritt
Wesley Merritt
Wesley Merritt was a general in the United States Army during the American Civil War and the Spanish-American War. He is noted for distinguished service in the cavalry.-Early life:...
until Merritt's promotion to Sheridan's chief of staff in February 1865. The division then was under the command of Brig. Gen. Thomas Devin. Gibbs led the brigade on Sheridan's raid against the Virginia Central Railroad
Virginia Central Railroad
Virginia Central Railroad was chartered as the Louisa Railroad in 1836 by the Virginia Board of Public Works and had its name changed to Virginia Central Railroad in 1850. It connected Richmond with the Orange and Alexandria Railroad at Gordonsville in 1854, and had expanded westward past the Blue...
, the Richmond and Danville Railroad
Richmond and Danville Railroad
The Richmond and Danville Railroad was chartered in Virginia in the United States in 1847. The portion between Richmond and Danville, Virginia was completed in 1856...
and the James River Canal between February 27, 1865 and March 20, 1865, including the actions against the North Anna and South Anna bridges on March 14–15, 1865.
Petersburg; Appomattox
Gibbs commanded the brigade after the division's reassignment to the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac between March 25, 1865 and May 25, 1865. Gibbs's brigade returned to the Siege of PetersburgSiege of Petersburg
The Richmond–Petersburg Campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War...
with Sheridan on March 26, 1865. The brigade included the First, Fifth and Sixth United States Cavalry Regiments, the Second Massachusetts Volunteer Cavalry Regiment and the 6th Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry Regiment (6 companies).
On March 31, 1865, Lt. Gen. Grant placed General Sheridan in command of Gouverneur Warren's
Gouverneur K. Warren
Gouverneur Kemble Warren was a civil engineer and prominent general in the Union Army during the American Civil War...
V Corps of Army of the Potomac infantry and of all cavalry. The two divisions of cavalry from the Army of the Shenandoah in the cavalry corps were under the command of Brig. Gen. Wesley Merritt. Gibbs headed the 3rd Brigade of the 1st Division under the command of Brig. Gen. Thomas Devin. The 3rd Division of this corps was under the command of Brig. Gen. George Custer. The 2nd Division, from the Army of the Potomac, was under the command of Maj. Gen. George Crook
George Crook
George R. Crook was a career United States Army officer, most noted for his distinguished service during the American Civil War and the Indian Wars.-Early life:...
. Two cavalry brigades from the cavalry division of the Army of the James under the command of Brig. Gen. Ranald S. Mackenzie
Ranald S. Mackenzie
Ranald Slidell Mackenzie was a career United States Army officer and general in the Union Army during the American Civil War, described by General Ulysses S. Grant as its most promising young officer...
also were under Sheridan's overall command.
Merritt's cavalry, including Devin's division which included Gibbs's brigade, played a significant part in the Union Army's near surrounding of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and stretching their lines to the breaking point in the last days of the Siege of Petersburg. The brigade fought in the Battle of Dinwiddie Court House
Battle of Dinwiddie Court House
The Battle of Dinwiddie Court House was a minor engagement in the Appomattox Campaign of the American Civil War that was the immediate prelude to the decisive Battle of Five Forks. On March 29, 1865, with the Cavalry Corps and the II and V Corps of the Army of the Potomac, Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan...
on March 29, 1865 and in the action that forced the Confederates to abandon their Petersburg and Richmond, Virginia defenses at the Battle of Five Forks
Battle of Five Forks
The Battle of Five Forks was fought on April 1, 1865, southwest of Petersburg, Virginia, in Dinwiddie County, during the Appomattox Campaign of the American Civil War. The battle, sometimes referred to as the "Waterloo of the Confederacy," pitted Union Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan against...
on April 1, 1865. At the Battle of Dinwiddie Court House, the brigades of Gibbs and John Irvin Gregg
John Irvin Gregg
John Irvin Gregg was a career U.S. Army officer. He fought in the Mexican-American War and during the American Civil War as a general officer in the Union army.-Early life and career:...
were held in reserve until 4:00 when they fought a two-hour action to hold back Confederate Maj. Gen. George E. Pickett's advance toward Dinwiddie Court House. They then rallied with Custer's brigade about three-quarters of a mile from Dinwiddie. Pickett could not achieve a breakthrough before nightfall halted the battle. Both armies concentrated on defenses on March 31. Early on April 1, Pickett learned that Union infantry reinforcements were coming up, so he withdrew his forces northward to Five Forks, which Lee had ordered him to hold at all costs. Devin's cavalry, including Gibbs's brigade, hit the front of Pickett's defense on April 1, 1864 while Brig. Gen. Romeyn B. Ayres
Romeyn B. Ayres
Romeyn Beck Ayres was a Union Army general in the American Civil War.-Early life:Ayres was born at East Creek, New York, along the Mohawk River in Montgomery County. He was the son of a small-town doctor who urged all of his sons into professional careers...
infantry division of V Corps hit the left flank and Brig. Gen. Custer's cavalry brigade attacked the right flank. The attack led to the collapse of Pickett's position and required the Confederates to abandon Petersburg and Richmond.
Additional infantry corps and accompanying cavalry were placed under Sheridan's command during the Appomattox Campaign
Appomattox Campaign
The Appomattox Campaign was a series of battles fought March 29 – April 9, 1865, in Virginia that culminated in the surrender of Confederate General Robert E...
. Gibbs's brigade fought at the Battle of Sayler's Creek
Battle of Sayler's Creek
-External links:* * : Maps, histories, photos, and preservation news...
, Virginia on April 6, 1865, three days before the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia by General Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, on April 9, 1865, where Gibbs was present.
Devin's 1st Cavalry Division was the third division after Maj. Gen. Meade and his headquarters staff and General Merritt and his headquarters staff to march in the grand review in Washington on May 23, 1865. Gibbs's brigade marched first in the division. Only the volunteer regiments marched in the review with Gibbs. The 5th U.S. Cavalry Regiment marched as Maj. Gen. Merritt's headquarters escort. Gibb's old regiment, the 19th New York Cavalry (1st New York Dragoons) marched with the next brigade under their final brigade commander, Col. C. L. Fitzhugh.
Brevet awards; Post-war service; Death
Gibbs commanded the 1st Brigade Cavalry Forces, Military Division of the Gulf, between August 20, 1865 and October 17, 1865 and the 1st Division between October 17, 1865 and December 15, 1865. He was mustered out of the volunteer service on February 1, 1866 and became major of the 7th United States Cavalry Regiment.On January 13, 1866, President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
nominated Gibbs for the award of the honorary rank of brevet major general, United States Volunteers
United States Volunteers
United States Volunteers also known as U.S. Volunteers, U. S. Vol., or U.S.V.Starting as early as 1861 these regiments were often referred to as the "volunteer army" of the United States but not officially named that until 1898.During the nineteenth century this was the United States federal...
, to rank from March 13, 1865, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the award on March 12, 1866. On July 17, 1866, President Johnson nominated Gibbs for the award of the honorary rank of brevet major general, United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
(Regular Army
Regular Army
The Regular Army of the United States was and is the successor to the Continental Army as the country's permanent, professional military establishment. Even in modern times the professional core of the United States Army continues to be called the Regular Army...
), to rank from March 13, 1865, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the award on July 23, 1866. Gibbs received his brevet awards for service at the Battle of Trevilian Station, the Third Battle of Winchester and the Battle of Five Forks.
Gibbs remained in the Regular Army
Regular Army
The Regular Army of the United States was and is the successor to the Continental Army as the country's permanent, professional military establishment. Even in modern times the professional core of the United States Army continues to be called the Regular Army...
following the war. After a leave of absence between January 15, 1866 and April 30, 1866 and recruiting service between April 30, 1866 and September 30, 1866, he served in various forts around Kansas, being transferred 9 times in 14 months. He died while on active duty as a major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
in the 7th U.S. Cavalry at Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth is a United States Army facility located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, immediately north of the city of Leavenworth in the upper northeast portion of the state. It is the oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C. and has been in operation for over 180 years...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
of "congestion of the brain" on December 26, 1868. Alfred Gibbs is buried in Saint Mary's Episcopal Churchyard Portsmouth, Rhode Island
Portsmouth, Rhode Island
Portsmouth is a town in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 17,389 at the 2010 U.S. Census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water. Most of its land area lies on Aquidneck...
.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals