General John Gibbon
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General John Gibbon As Portrayed By Joshua Ours John Gibbon was born on April 20, 1827 in Philadelphia, PA, to Dr. and Corps, while having to command larger units. At the end of the council Mrs. John H. Gibbon. The family moved to Charlotte, NC in 1838 after of war on the night of July 2nd, army commander Maj. Gen. George G. his father was appointed as chief assayer of the U.S. Mint. John Meade took Gibbon aside and predicted, "If Lee attacks tomorrow, it will graduated from West Point in 1847 and was commissioned as a 2nd Lt. in be on your front." And his division did bear the brunt of fighting during 3rd US Artillery. Gibbon served in the Mexican-American the defense against Pickett's Charge on July 3rd, when War without seeing combat, attempted to keep the peace Gibbon was again wounded. While recovering from his between Seminoles and settlers in south Florida, and wounds, Gibbon commanded a draft depot in Cleveland, taught artillery tactics at West Point, where he wrote The Ohio, and attended the dedication of Soldiers' National Artillerist's Manual in 1859. Cemetery and heard Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. Gibbon was back in command of the 2nd Division In 1854, Gibbon served as an assistant artillery instructor at the battles of the Wilderness, North Anna, Totopotomoy, at West Point, and in 1855, he married Frances North Spotsylvania Court House, and Cold Harbor. During the Moale. Following the firing on Fort Sumter, Gibbon was Siege of Petersburg, Gibbon became disheartened when his appointed Chief of Artillery for Irvin McDowell. Despite troops refused to fight at Ream's Station. the fact that his father was a slaveholder and that three of his brothers, two brothers-in-law and his cousin J. Gibbon briefly commanded the XVIII Corps before going Johnston Pettigrew served in the Confederate military, on sick leave. However, his service being too valuable, Gibbon decided to uphold his oath to the Union. Gibbon returned in 1865 to command the newly created XXIV Corps in the Army of the James. His troops helped In 1862, Gibbon was promoted to Brigadier General and achieve the decisive breakthrough at Petersburg, capturing placed in charge of 4 regiments, the 2nd, 6th, and 7th Fort Gregg, part of the Confederate defenses. He led his Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry and the 19th Indiana troops during the Appomattox Campaign and blocked the Volunteer Infantry, which later became known as the 'Iron Confederate escape route at the Battle of Appomattox Brigade.' Courthouse. Gibbon was one of three commissioners General Gibbon’s Iron Brigade fought in several selected by General Ulysses S. Grant for the surrender of the engagements, including Brawner Farm, Second Manassas, R.E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. and Antietam. In November, 1862, Gibbon was placed in In 1864, Col. Lyman said of General Gibbon, "Thither came command of the 2nd Division, I Corps of the Army of the steel-cold General Gibbon, the most American of Potomac, requiring him to leave the Iron Brigade. At the Battle of Americans, with his sharp nose and up-and-down manner of telling the Fredericksburg, Gibbon was wounded leaving him with a crippled left truth, no matter whom it hurts.” hand. In 1863, Gibbon was placed in command of the 2nd Division, II Corps of General Gibbon is portrayed by Joshua Ours, who resides in Petersburg, the Army of the Potomac, leading his division at Chancellorsville. At WV. Gettysburg, Winfield S. Hancock placed Gibbon in command of the II .