Civil War Union Army Brigadier General. Born in Zanesville, Ohio, he graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York in 1846, placing 21st in a class that included future Civil War generals Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, and George B. McClellan. He was brevetted as a 2nd Lieutenant and assigned to the 3rd United States Infantry. He served in the Mexican-American War and participated in battles at Vera Cruz and Mexico City. He was promoted to 1st Lieutenant and assigned to posts in Texas until 1850, when he returned to West Point as an assistant instructor. In 1855, he was reassigned to the Western frontier until the start of the Civil War. He was appointed as a Captain, commanded a company with the 1st United States Infantry, and was wounded during the Battle of Wilson's Creek in Missouri in August, 1861. He then became an inspector general for the Army of the Ohio and participated in the Battle of Shiloh and the Siege of Corinth, after which he was brevetted as a Major. He became an acting Major General of Volunteers and commanded the III Corps when other selected officers declined to accept the appointment to replace Major General William Nelson. Criticized for slow decision making at the October 1862 Battle of Perryville in Kentucky, he was removed from his position and his commission as Major General was not approved by the Senate. He reverted to Major instead and was transferred to the 19th United States Infantry. He was also promoted to Brigadier General of US Volunteers and assigned to command the 10th Division in charge of guarding the Louisville and Nashville Railroad during the winter of 1862-1863. Gilbert was brevetted as a Colonel in the Regular Army and assigned to administrative positions for the remainder of the war. When the Regular Army was condensed in 1866, he was transferred to the 28th United States Infantry and assigned to service on the frontier until he retired from active duty in 1886 after 40 years of military service. He died in Baltimore, Maryland in 1903 when he was 80 years old. He was the brother of Union Brigadier General Samuel A. Gilbert.
Civil War Union Army Brigadier General. Born in Zanesville, Ohio, he graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York in 1846, placing 21st in a class that included future Civil War generals Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, and George B. McClellan. He was brevetted as a 2nd Lieutenant and assigned to the 3rd United States Infantry. He served in the Mexican-American War and participated in battles at Vera Cruz and Mexico City. He was promoted to 1st Lieutenant and assigned to posts in Texas until 1850, when he returned to West Point as an assistant instructor. In 1855, he was reassigned to the Western frontier until the start of the Civil War. He was appointed as a Captain, commanded a company with the 1st United States Infantry, and was wounded during the Battle of Wilson's Creek in Missouri in August, 1861. He then became an inspector general for the Army of the Ohio and participated in the Battle of Shiloh and the Siege of Corinth, after which he was brevetted as a Major. He became an acting Major General of Volunteers and commanded the III Corps when other selected officers declined to accept the appointment to replace Major General William Nelson. Criticized for slow decision making at the October 1862 Battle of Perryville in Kentucky, he was removed from his position and his commission as Major General was not approved by the Senate. He reverted to Major instead and was transferred to the 19th United States Infantry. He was also promoted to Brigadier General of US Volunteers and assigned to command the 10th Division in charge of guarding the Louisville and Nashville Railroad during the winter of 1862-1863. Gilbert was brevetted as a Colonel in the Regular Army and assigned to administrative positions for the remainder of the war. When the Regular Army was condensed in 1866, he was transferred to the 28th United States Infantry and assigned to service on the frontier until he retired from active duty in 1886 after 40 years of military service. He died in Baltimore, Maryland in 1903 when he was 80 years old. He was the brother of Union Brigadier General Samuel A. Gilbert.
Bio by: K Guy
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