Gilbert Jefferson Wright

As a young man he had killed one of his friends while drinking, but was acquitted on a murder charge. He served as a Private in the (Columbus) Georgia Light Infantry - Company A, First Georgia Volunteers - in the Mexican War (1846-47) and was wounded in the neck there. On his return he studied the law, was admitted to the bar in 1848, and opened a practice in Albany, GA.

He helped raise a cavalry company who called themselves the Albany Hussars and was commissioned Lieutenant when they became Company D, Cobb's Legion Cavalry on 10 August 1861. He was promoted to Captain in 1862.

He was wounded by a gunshot to his foot in action at the Quebec Schoolhouse near Middletown, MD on 13 September 1862.

Our regiment had a number of tussels with the foe at different places, and in a charge between stone-walled lane added new lustre to its fame. Colonel P. M. B. Young and Captain Gib. J. Wright, being both badly wounded. Wright will long be remembered as he lay holding up his bleeding foot and cried to us as we passed, "give 'em h-l, boys, they've got me down!"

He was promoted to Major on 9 June 1863 at Brandy Station, VA and was wounded again on 3 August 1863. He was promoted to Colonel of the Legion Cavalry on 9 October 1863 and commanded the Brigade after General Young was wounded on 30 May 1864. He was probably appointed Brigadier General in about January 1865, but never received his commission. He and his Brigade were surrendered near Durham, NC on 26 April 1865.

He returned to the practice of the law in Albany, GA and was elected Mayor (1866-69). He was Albany Circuit Judge (1875-80), then retired and moved to a farm in Forsyth, GA.

His service from Bruce Allardice's More Generals in Gray (1995) and Rev. George White's Historical Collections of Georgia (1855). Further details from family genealogists and a bio sketch by Eric Wittenberg on his blog. The Quebec Schoolhouse quote above is from Wiley C. Howard's Sketch of Cobb Legion Cavalry and some Incidents and Scenes Remembered (1901). His gravesite is on Findagrave. His picture from a photograph in the collection of the Georgia Historical Society hosted by fold3.

He married Dorothy Chandler (1831-1918) in February 1850.

02/25/1825; Lawrenceville, GA

06/03/1895; Forsyth, GA; burial in Forsyth City Cemetery, Forsyth, GA