Exposed himself to great danger by voluntarily making his way through the enemy's lines to communicate with Gen. Sheridan. While rendering this service he was captured, but escaped; again came in contact with the enemy, was again ordered to surrender, but escaped by dashing away under fire. Gillespie graduated 2nd in his class at West Point in 1862. He entered service in Chattanooga, TN. He commanded two companies of the engineer battalion which built fortifications and pontoon on bridges in the Virginia campaigns of the Civil War. Gillespie was promoted to Brigadier General in the Spanish-American war. He served as President of the Board of Engineers for the Mississippi River Commission. He redesigned the Medal of Honor in 1904, replacing the “Minerva repelling Discord” scene with a simple portrait of the helmeted Minerva, and replacing the red/white/blue ribbon with a light blue one.
Additional Information:
Awarded Posthumously:
NO
Born:
OCTOBER 7, 1841, KINGSTON, ROANE COUNTY, TENNESSEE
