George Washington Gibson (1841 – 1929)

Private, Company D, 79^th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry

George Washington Gibson was my Great-Grandfather and, among other things, a Civil War veteran.  He enlisted in Captain McBride’s Company of the 79^th PA Volunteer Infantry at Monongahela City, PA on September 7, 1861 for “three years or the duration of the war.”

Captain McBride’s Company later became Company D, 79^th Pennsylvania Infantry.   

The regiment was formed in Lancaster County, PA.  Company D was the only company in the 79^th Pennsylvania Infantry recruited in Washington County, PA.  All other companies were originally made up of men from Lancaster County.

The records show George was 20 years old at the time; however, there is some uncertainty as to his exact age since the family Bible recording his birth was destroyed during a flood.

He received a gunshot wound in the neck at the Battle of Chaplin Hills, KY on October 8, 1862.  Records show he spent approximately two months in the hospital as a result.  The Battle of Chaplin Hills was called the Battle of Perryville by the Confederacy.

His unit (79^th PA Infantry) is also listed in the following Civil War Orders of Battle:

• Chickamauga, GA – September 19-20, 1863
• Chattanooga, TN – November 23-25, 1863
• Atlanta Campaign – May 4, 1864 through September 2, 1864.

During March and April of 1864, George was on detached service with the 78^th Pennsylvania Infantry.  There is no record of why George was on detached service.  However, during this period, 79^th Pennsylvania Infantry personnel who had re-enlisted were on furlough.  It is possible that George and others who chose not to re-enlist were put on detached duty because of this.

George was mustered out of the US Army upon expiration of his three-year enlistment in Atlanta, GA on October 3, 1864.

A roster of the men who served in the 79^th Pennsylvania Infantry, Company D, can be found here.  Note that there is a mistake in this reference.  The 79^th was an Infantry Regiment, not a Calvary Regiment.

You can find out more about George and his Civil War service at our Genealogy site.

Some of George W. Gibson’s records indicate he was a “non-veteran.”During the Civil War, soldiers who chose not to re-enlist upon expiration of their original term of service were called “non-veterans.”

George W. Gibson received a pension for his Civil War service from around 1890 until his death in 1929.