JOHN GEBO – 3(rd) CAVALRYWAS HE IN 2 REGIMENTS? - John Gebo (Jean-Baptiste Gibault), who was bornin Saint-Philippe, Quebec to Joseph Gibault and Marie Giroux, was on the1863 Draft Registration list for Plattsburgh. It wasn’t until September1864 that he enlisted and was mustered into Company K on the 14th day ofthe month. He received a town bounty of $500 and a county bounty of $300for his enlistment in the 3rd Cavalry. He and 8 other men enlisted inPlattsburgh that September – all returned home in June 1865, 3 monthsbefore completing the 1-year term they promised.John left his wife, Adelaide Gaulin at home with their three childrenand went to Virginia. His first engagement with 1st Brigade XVIII Corpsof the Army of the James could have been at Chaffin’s Farm at the end ofSeptember. More likely, it was as Darbytown Road on October 7th wherethey suffered 52 casualties, 31 of them captured by the enemy. Theyfought until December before going into winter quarters – 5 more battlesincluding 2nd Fair Oaks at the end of October.On January 2, 1865, they were engaged at Benvard’s Mills, on March 11th,at South Quay and on March 15th, Suffolk, VA, and that was the end oftheir fighting in Virginia. John was mustered out with his companions onJune 7, 1865, by General Order No. 83 of the War DepartmentIn 1890, he 8 was farming in Cadyville and the Veterans Schedules statethat he was in the military for 2 years months and 11 days – was John inanother regiment before he was in the 3rd Cavalry or was this an erroron the enumerator’s part when he recorded West Plattsburgh? The NewYork, Registers of Officers and Enlisted Men Mustered into FederalService, 1861-1865 seem to verify that he was only in one regiment, butwith so many variations of his name, it’s hard to verify the record –Jabo, Jibbo, Jebo, Gebo, Gibault.In 1901, John’s pension was increased to $12 a month. He died inPlattsburgh when he was 78 years old in 1905 and was buried in St.Alexander’s Old Catholic Cemetery under a beautiful obelisk. Adelaidelived until 1916.Thanks to the Pombrio Family for the photo.
