Gibbon, John (1827-1896) to Henry Jackson Hunt
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02382.057 Author/Creator: Gibbon, John (1827-1896) Place Written: Fort Laramie, Wyoming Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 24 May 1885 Pagination: 4 p. ; 25.9 x 20.2 cm. Order a Copy
Refers to the sale of the Gettysburg painting and to Hunt's Gettysburg article. He refuses to work any further for promotion: "I contend I have already done all my work for promotion & if this does not promote me, I am afraid I shall have to live & die a Col."
Gibbon was loyal to the Union though he had three brothers fighting for the Confederacy. An 1847 West Point graduate. After serving several months as McDowell's chief artillerist, was granted a brigadier's star and assigned to the only all-Western brigade serving with the armies in Virginia. Led the brigade at Antietam and was wounded at Fredericksburg while commanding a division. He returned to fight at Chancellorsville and was seriously wounded at Gettysburg on the final day. Returned for the spring 1864 campaign and was mustered out but remained on active duty, serving against the Indians with the Little Big Horn campaign.
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