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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Sergeant · U.S. Army

Wesley Gibbs

Sergeant Wesley Gibbs, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on April 2, 1865 in Petersburg, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War April 2, 1865

Sergeant Wesley Gibbs, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on April 2, 1865 in Petersburg, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company B, 2d Connecticut Heavy Artillery. Gibbs was 22 years old.

65 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on May 10, 1865.

Gibbs was born on July 24, 1842 in Sharon, Litchfield County, Connecticut. His Medal of Honor is credited to Salisbury, Litchfield County, Connecticut. Gibbs died on May 29, 1917 in Winsted, Connecticut, at the age of 74. He is buried at Forest View Cemetery in Winsted, Connecticut.

Gibbs is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 57 credited to Connecticut.

★ Flags & Colors

Official Medal of Honor citation

Capture of flag.

Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.

Battles and campaigns

1864 · Civil War

Battle of Franklin

Result: Union victory

4 Medal of Honor recipients

Places

  • Born: Sharon — map
  • Buried: Winsted — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Connecticut →

Timeline

  1. July 24, 1842
    Born in Sharon, Litchfield County, Connecticut
  2. April 2, 1865
    Act of valor — Petersburg, Virginia
    Age 22. Company B, 2d Connecticut Heavy Artillery
  3. May 10, 1865
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. May 29, 1917
    Died in Winsted, Connecticut
    Age 74.
  5. Resting place
    Forest View Cemetery
    Winsted, Connecticut

Biography

Wesley Gibbs (July 24, 1842 - May 29, 1917) was an American soldier who fought in the American Civil War. Gibbs received the United States' highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor. Gibbs's medal was won for his capturing the flag during the Third Battle of Petersburg on April 2, 1865. He was honored with the award on May 10, 1865. Following his Medal of Honor his rank was subsequently reduced to Private, for reasons unknown. Gibbs was born in Sharon, Connecticut. He joined the Army from Salisbury, Connecticut in August 1862, and mustered out with his regiment in August 1865. Gifford was buried in Winsted, Connecticut, at Forest View Cemetery.

From the Wikipedia article “Wesley Gibbs”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on April 2, 1865

AA Abner Peeler Allen Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 AA Andrew O. Apple Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 William J. Babcock Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 JB James Albert Barber Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 EB Eugene Beauharnais Beaumont Major and Assistant Adjutant General · Army Civil War · 1865 William Robert douglas Blackwood Surgeon · Army Civil War · 1865 JB John W. Boutwell Private · Army Civil War · 1865 JB John E. Buffington Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 CC Carlton N. Camp Private · Army Civil War · 1865 JC John Corcoran Private · Army Civil War · 1865 Stephen Potter Corliss First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865 JC Josiah M. Curtis Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865

See all 66 recipients for April 2, 1865 →

Same unit

EB Elijah A. Briggs Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865

More Civil War recipients from Connecticut

JM James T. Murphy Private · Army Civil War · 1865 SH Samuel Belton Horne Captain · Army Civil War · 1864 William Edgar Simonds Sergeant Major · Army Civil War · 1863 William B. Hincks Sergeant Major · Army Civil War · 1863 OP Oscar E. Peck Second Class Boy · Navy Civil War · 1862 CF Christopher Flynn Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863
Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Wikidata and Wikipedia. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.