Alex Gilchrist joined the Union Army in 1862...

This is a picture of my great grandfather, Alexander Gilchrist (1846-1936) and his wife Ellen at a Grand Army of the Republic event around 1900. In 1864 when Sherman began his march, my great grandfather would have been 18 years old. He joined the Union Army in 1862 at age 16. He was mustered in at Camp Chase.

They are buried in Wellsburg, West Virginia in a cemetery overlooking the Ohio River. I visited their graves one last time before moving from the area in 1985. Even though the cemetery was in poor repair the graves of the Civil War Veterans were still being meticulously maintained.

Article from The Wheeling Intelligencer December 14, 1936.

LAST SURVIVOR OF REBELLION HERE TOOK PART IN 3 BATTLES.

Alexander Gilchrist fought in the battles of Gettysburg, Chancellorsville, Shenandoah Valley, Enlisted when 16....

Alexander Gilchrist, last survivor of the Civil War in Wellsburg, participated in three major engagements during the conflict and marched with Gen. Sherman through GA to the Atlantic Coast....

At the age of 16 in March 1862, Mr. Gilchrist enlisted in Company B 61st Ohio Volunteer Infantry, 30th division, 11th Corps. He is the only one in his company still living...

Shortly after joining the colors, he was placed under the command of Gen. Hooker in the Shenandoah valley, where he took part in the second battle of Bull Run in August 1862.

In May, 1863 Mr. Gilchrist still under the command of General Hooker fought in the commemorable battle of Chancellorsville, where the Union forces lost about 17,000

men, the Confederates about 13,000. Hooker had commanded 63,500 to Lee's 62,000, but Hooker again experienced difficulty getting his forces into action simultaneously..

A few days prior to the battle of Gettysburg, Hooker resigned and command was taken over by Gen. Meade. During that great battle, Mr. Gilchrist was stationed in a wheat field where stirring action took place.

In November, 1863, following the battle of Gettysburg, Gilchrist was moved along with 20,000 other soldiers south. They crossed the river into Ohio at Bellaire. A number of barges were tied together in order that the troopers could walk over....The destination of the troops was Chattanooga where communications had been cut off from the Union army stationed there.

Mr. Gilchrist had two brothers and an uncle with the Unionists at that point. The soldiers were moved by railroad to Bridgeport, Ala. marched to Chattanooga. During the winter of '63-'64 they were inactive....In the spring of '64 Sherman started his March on Atlanta. Practically every day or two the Unionists engaged in skirmishes with the rebels along the route. Reaching Atlanta in September 1864, Sherman decided to proceed to the Atlantic coast. They moved through SC into NC where they were located when Lee surrendered.

All western troops were sent to Louisville, KY and there mustered out of service.... Never once, during the whole period of his enlistment did Mr. Gilchrist leave his company.

As the country returned to the plow and normalcy, Mr. Gilchrist on Oct 29, 1868 was united in marriage to Miss Ellen Bucey. Seven of their nine children are living, two daughters, Mrs. Bessie Lowmiller of Wellsburg, and Mrs. Margaret Antill, of Lancaster Ohio. and five sons, Elmer of Brooke Co. Theodore of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania (my grandfather), Clifton, Blaine and Alexander Jr. all of Wellsburg..

Mr. Gilchrist, who was born on Feb 17 1846 has long been identified with the coal mining industry. For 18 years he operated at Brilliant, Ohio and for many years operated a mine above Wellsburg.