Cumberland Township near Gettysburg in Adams County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Brigadier General John Gibbon

Photographed By Craig Swain, December 27, 2008

1. Brigadier General John Gibbon Memorial

Inscription.

Brigadier General John Gibbon. . (Front):John Gibbon Brigadier General July 2-3, 1863. At Gettysburg commanded 2nd Division, II Corps on July 3, 1863 serving with "conspicuous gallantry and distinction" in the repulse of Longstreet's Assault, until he was wounded and carried from the battlefield., At the beginning of the Civil War, John Gibbon was a captain in the 4th Artillery serving in the Utah Territory. Assigned as Chief of Artillery in McDowell's Division, he participated in the advance on Fredericksburg during the Peninsula Campaign. He was promoted to brigadier general May 2, 1862 thereafter taking command of the IRON BRIGADE which participated in the battles of Second Bull Run, South Mountain and Antietam. In November 1862, he became commander of the 2nd Division, I Corps. He was wounded in the wrist during the battle of Fredericksburg. In April 1863, he took command of the 2nd Division, II Corps. He was wounded in the left arm and shoulder at the battle of Gettysburg. In charge of draft depots in Cleveland and Philadelphia until March 1864, he returned to the 2nd Division, II Corps participating in the battles of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor and the investment of Petersburg. Gibbon was promoted to major general effective June 7, 1864. He was in temporary command of the XVIII Corps before being placed in command of the XXIV Corps, Army of the James in January, 1865. General Gibbon was in charge of the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox, April 1865. Gibbon 1827 - 1896. (Back): John Gibbon was born April 20, 1827 in the Holmesburg section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At the age of ten he moved with his family to North Carolina where he remained until he entered the United States Military Academy at West Point. Gibbon graduated from the Academy in 1847, 20th in a class of 38, becoming an artillery officer. He served in the Mexican War fighting at Mexico City and Toluca. After serving in the Seminole Wars he spent five years as an instructor then quartermaster at the Military Academy. Gibbon authored, THE ARTILLERIST'S MANUAL, which was published by the War Department in 1860. After the Civil War, he was appointed colonel of the 36th U.S. Infantry and then in 1869 the 7th U.S. Infantry. Commanding several posts in the West, much of Gibbon's duties were against the Indians. His troops took part in the 1876 campaign in which Custer was defeated at the Little Big Horn. Gibbon's troops arrived on the field in time to rescue the survivors and bury the dead. In 1877 he took part in the campaign against the Nex Percé during which he was seriously wounded. On July 10, 1885, Gibbon was promoted to brigadier-general in the regular army. He transferred to the Department of Columbia in 1885, then served in the Department of the Pacific until his retirement. General Gibbon retired in 1891, thereafter residing in Baltimore, Maryland. He served as Commander-in-Chief of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States 1895-1896. General John Gibbon died on February 6, 1896 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

(Front):John Gibbon
Brigadier General
July 2-3, 1863
At Gettysburg commanded 2nd Division, II Corps on July 3, 1863 serving with "conspicuous gallantry and distinction" in the repulse of Longstreet's Assault, until he was wounded and carried from the battlefield.

At the beginning of the Civil War, John Gibbon was a captain in the 4th Artillery serving in the Utah Territory. Assigned as Chief of Artillery in McDowell's Division, he participated in the advance on Fredericksburg during the Peninsula Campaign. He was promoted to brigadier general May 2, 1862 thereafter taking command of the IRON BRIGADE which participated in the battles of Second Bull Run, South Mountain and Antietam. In November 1862, he became commander of the 2nd Division, I Corps. He was wounded in the wrist during the battle of Fredericksburg. In April 1863, he took command of the 2nd Division, II Corps. He was wounded in the left arm and shoulder at the battle of Gettysburg. In charge of draft depots in Cleveland and Philadelphia until March 1864, he returned to the 2nd Division, II Corps participating in the battles of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor and the investment of Petersburg. Gibbon was promoted to major general effective June 7, 1864. He was in temporary command of the XVIII Corps before

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being placed in command of the XXIV Corps, Army of the James in January, 1865. General Gibbon was in charge of the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox, April 1865.
Gibbon
1827 - 1896
(Back):
John Gibbon was born April 20, 1827 in the Holmesburg section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At the age of ten he moved with his family to North Carolina where he remained until he entered the United States Military Academy at West Point. Gibbon graduated from the Academy in 1847, 20th in a class of 38, becoming an artillery officer. He served in the Mexican War fighting at Mexico City and Toluca. After serving in the Seminole Wars he spent five years as an instructor then quartermaster at the Military Academy. Gibbon authored, THE ARTILLERIST'S MANUAL, which was published by the War Department in 1860. After the Civil War, he was appointed colonel of the 36th U.S. Infantry and then in 1869 the 7th U.S. Infantry. Commanding several posts in the West, much of Gibbon's duties were against the Indians. His troops took part in the 1876 campaign in which Custer was defeated at the Little Big Horn. Gibbon's troops arrived on the field in time to rescue the survivors and bury the dead. In 1877 he took part in the campaign against the Nex Percé during which he was seriously wounded. On July 10, 1885, Gibbon was promoted to brigadier-general

Brigadier General John Gibbon image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Henry T. McLin, August 12, 2012

2. Brigadier General John Gibbon

Taneytown Road is in the rear.

in the regular army. He transferred to the Department of Columbia in 1885, then served in the Department of the Pacific until his retirement. General Gibbon retired in 1891, thereafter residing in Baltimore, Maryland. He served as Commander-in-Chief of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States 1895-1896. General John Gibbon died on February 6, 1896 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Erected 1988.

Topics. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: War, Mexican-American • War, US Civil • Wars, US Indian. A significant historical date for this entry is July 2, 1863.

Location. 39° 48.661′ N, 77° 14.124′ W. Marker is near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, in Adams County. It is in Cumberland Township. Memorial is on Hancock Avenue, on the right when traveling north. Located south of the "Copse of Trees" and near the U.S. Regulars Memorial on Cemetery Ridge in Gettysburg National Military Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Gettysburg PA 17325, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. 121st Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers (a few steps from this marker); United States Regulars (within shouting distance of this marker); 150th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers (within shouting distance of this marker); 19th Regiment Massachusetts Infantry

Front Plaque image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Craig Swain, December 27, 2008

3. Front Plaque

(within shouting distance of this marker); Battery B, 1st New York Light Artillery (within shouting distance of this marker); First Brigade (within shouting distance of this marker); 19th Maine Infantry Regiment (within shouting distance of this marker); 15th Massachusetts Infantry (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Gettysburg.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Tablets and Monuments along Hancock Avenue on Center Cemetery Ridge.

Also see . . . Gibbon's Grave in Arlington. Short biography of the general and photos of his grave. (Submitted on February 22, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)

Photographed By Craig Swain, December 27, 2008

4. Back Plaque

Brigadier General John Gibbon Statue image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Craig Swain, December 27, 2008

5. Brigadier General John Gibbon Statue

Brigadier General John Gibbon Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mike Stroud, 2003

6. Brigadier General John Gibbon Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 22, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 2,026 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on February 22, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 2. submitted on August 14, 2012, by Henry T. McLin of Hanover, Pennsylvania. 3, 4, 5. submitted on February 22, 2009, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 6. submitted on February 23, 2009, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.