Fisher, Gilbert E.

Birth

Gilbert E. Fisher was born on July 31, 1831 to Isah Fisher and Nancy Ward. His maternal grandparents were Gilbert Ward (B. abt 1781), his namesake, and Phebe (B. 1782).

Marriage & Children

Gilbert may have married two times. In the 1860 he is living with his wife Hannah (B. 1841) and daughter Emma (B. abt Nov 1859), but by the 1870 his wife was recorded as Mary (Arnold) and he had two children Lewis Fisher (B. abt 1859, D. after 1900) and Edwin D. Fisher (B. Jan 1866, D. aftr 1900).

Occupation

Gilbert worked as a farmer and laborer.

Military Service

Residence at Enlistment:	Westerlo
Date of Birth:	31 July 1831
Names of Parents:	Isah (Fisher) and Nancy Ward
Marital Status:	Married
Occupation:	Farmer
Term of Enlistment:	3 years
Bounty Received:	None
Enlistment Date:	6 Oct 1863
Enlistment Place:	Albany, New York
Enlistment Rank:	Private
State Served:	New York
Regiment:	7th Regiment NY Heavy Artillery
Company:	Company H
Wounded Date:	3 June 1864
Wounded Place:	Cold Harbor
Wounded Date:	25 Aug 1864
Wounded Place:	Reams Station
Muster Out Date:	1 Aug 1865
Muster Out Place:	Baltimore, MD

Additional Remarks: Enlisted at the age of 33 "Was in the Battles of Ponchtula and Port Hudson" Wounded first in the left hand then two months later in the head. Gilbert has not been found in the 1890 US Veterans Census.

Sources Used: Ancestry.com, American Civil War Soldiers; Town and City Registers of Men Who Served in the Civil War; Carnival of Blood

Military Service

Gilbert enlisted in Albany on October 6, 1863 in Co H of the 7th Regiment NY Heavy Artillery. The first year and a half of his service was a relatively easy assignment defending the nation's capital in Washington DC. Then in the spring of 1864 the Regiment was called into battle and over the next few months they saw some of the most brutal battles and experienced some of the highest casualty rates in the war. During this time, Gilbert was wounded twice. The first time at the battle at Cold Harbor when he was wounded in the left hand. Then nearly 3 months later, having recovered, he was wounded in the head at Reams Station. He obviously recovered from this injury as he remained in service until August 1, 1865 when he mustered out in Baltimore.

Also serving in the 7th Regiment NY Heavy Artillery, but in Company K was his relative Ludlow B. Ward (B. July 1845, D. Dec 29, 1921), who had enlisted on August 9, 1862 at the age of 17 as a musician.

Life

In 1850, Gilbert was living with his maternal grandfather and namesake Gilbert Ward, who was a farmer and land owner in Westerlo. Gilbert was working as a laborer, while living with his grandparents, aunts, uncle and nieces and nephews. In the next decade, he married and had his first child Emma in November of 1859. He was working as a farmer when he enlisted in the Civil War. After his return, he was disabled and on December 31, 1869 he filed for an invalid pension. In 1870, he was living in Lisha Kill, Watervliet, Albany Co, NY with his wife Mary and two young boys, Lewis and Edwin. By 1880 Gilbert, Mary and his youngest son Edwin had moved back to Westerlo, where Gilbert was working as a farm laborer. Gilbert can not be found in the 1890 US Veterans census.

Death

Gilbert E. Fisher died on January 4, 1900, aged 68 years and was buried at the Hannacroix Rural Cemetery, Dormansville. His widow, Mary Arnold Fisher, died on November 5, 1914 and is buried beside him.

Postscript

After his death, his wife Mary can be found living in Coxsackie, Greene County, NY with their youngest son Edwin D. Fisher (B. Jan 1866, D. after 1900) and his wife and four children.

Additional Media

Town and City Registers of Men Who Served in the Civil War

• 

  Civil War Pension Index

Sources