Histories

He enlisted in Captain McBride's Company of the 79th PA Volunteer Infantry  at Monongahela City, PA on September 7, 1861 for "three years or the duration of the war." The records show George was 20 years old at the time; however, there is some uncertainty as to his exact age since the family Bible recording his birth was destroyed during a flood on the Monongahela River in 1851.

He received a gunshot wound in the neck at the Battle of Chaplin Hills,KY on October 8, 1862. Records show he spent approximately two months in the hospital as a result. The Battle of Chaplin Hills was called the Battle of Perryville by the Confederacy.

His unit (79th PA Infantry) is also listed in the following Civil War Orders of Battle:

- Chickamauga, GA , September 19-20, 1863
- Chattanooga, TN, November 23-25, 1863
- Atlanta Campaign, May 4, 1864 through September 2, 1864.

During March and April of 1864, George was on detached service with the78th Pennsylvania Infantry. There is no record of why George was on detached service. However, during this period, 79th Pennsylvania Infantry personnel who had re-enlisted were on furlough. It is possible that George and others who chose not to re-enlist were put on detached duty because of this.

George was mustered out of the US Army upon expiration of his three-year enlistment in Atlanta, GA on October 3, 1864.

Some of George W. Gibson's records indicate he was a "non-veteran."During the Civil War, soldiers who chose not to re-enlist upon expiration of their original term of service were called "non-veterans."

George W. Gibson received a pension for his Civil War service from around 1890 until his death in 1929.