In the early 19th century, many Irish immigrants came to the United States hoping for a better quality of life, and a significant number fought for their new country during the Civil War.  One who is rarely mentioned in the annals of history was an Irish officer who fought with John Buford during Gettysburg’s first day battle.  He would survive the war with the rank of Brigadier General, only to die far from home and family – like so many who answered the military call.  He was Colonel William Gamble.

William Gamble was born in County Tyrone, in what is now Northern Ireland, on New Year’s Day in 1818.  He was the oldest of three sons whose parents were Joseph and Martha Gamble.  William was an intelligent young man who enjoyed scholarly pursuits as much as being around horses.  He studied civil engineering and was employed by the government of Ireland to survey the northern coast.  A few years before the potato famine in Ireland, he decided to go to the United States.  At age 20 he arrived and joined the newly created 1st U.S. Dragoons.  He served in Florida during the Seminole uprisings and then traveled all over the plains and west as a horse soldier for the Federal government.  In 1841, while on leave, he married Sophia Steingrandt in St. Louis, Missouri.  In all, thirteen children were born to the couple.¹

In the 1850s, Gamble retired from military service and moved his family to Evanston, Illinois, where he continued his work as a civil engineer along the shores of Lake Michigan.  When war erupted in 1861, he quickly enlisted.  Gamble’s eldest son, George, also enlisted to fight for the Union.  In September William was elected as lieutenant-colonel of the 8th Illinois Cavalry, second in command to Colonel John Farnsworth, the uncle of Gettysburg’s famed brigadier general Elon Farnsworth.²

The 8th Illinois was hotly engaged in the Peninsula Campaign in the spring and early summer of 1862.  During the Battle of Malvern Hill, the last battle of that campaign, Gamble was shot in the chest and seriously wounded.  The wound was, in fact, so severe that it was for a time thought to be mortal.  Out of commission for several months due to the wound, Gamble was nevertheless promoted to commander of the 8th Illinois Cavalry after the Battle of Antietam, when Colonel Farnsworth was promoted to brigade command.  Gamble spent his convalescence commanding a unit for the defenses of Washington.  Unable to return to field duty due to his long recovery, Gamble rejoined the 8th Illinois Cavalry in time for the Battle of Fredericksburg.  He showed such gallantry and leadership during that fight that he was quickly promoted to brigade command by the end of January 1863.³

Gamble joined Buford’s Division after the Battle of Chancellorsville, in time for the Battle of Brandy Station.  It was with Buford’s troops that Gamble found himself at Gettysburg.  He commanded one of Buford’s brigades, along with fellow Irishman Thomas Devin, and both were devoted military leaders and good friends.⁴  

Buford’s Cavalry Division arrived in Gettysburg on June 30, 1863 and enjoyed an enthusiastic welcome by the citizens of the town.  Confederates had already visited the town a few days earlier, and the townspeople knew the invaders were close.  Buford placed vedettes around the town, among them men from Gamble’s former command, the 8th Illinois Cavalry.  The 8th remained part of Gamble’s brigade, along with the 12th Illinois, the 3rd Indiana, and the 8th New York Cavalries.⁵

Early in the morning of July 1, 1863, the vedettes of the 8th Illinois Cavalry noticed a significantly numerous contingent of Confederates crossing Marsh Creek about 700 yards west of where the Union men waited.  A private grabbed his rifle and aimed at the men in butternut garb.  Lieutenant Marcellus Jones forbade him, saying, “Hold on…give me the honor of opening this ball.”  He fired into the advancing Southerners.  The Battle of Gettysburg had begun.⁶

Under General Buford’s direction, Colonels Gamble and Devin placed their cavalrymen on the ground, first on Herr’s Ridge, then on McPherson’s Ridge, prone like infantrymen, with one in four men holding their horses on lower ground to keep them out of harm’s way and to prevent them from fleeing.  Gamble told their accompanying artillery commander of the 2nd U.S. Artillery Battery A, Lieutenant John Calef, to place his guns near McPherson's Ridge, allowing him to choose the best position.  Calef placed them along Willoughby Run, a good choice, as it was evident the cavalry was outnumbered and would need to fall back.⁷

Buford’s men gave the rest of the Union army time to reach Gettysburg before the Confederates took over the town and preventing them from reaching the ridges south and east.  While the Southerners did gain the contested ground from the first day, and took over most of the town, they failed to gain the heights that Lee would definitely have held had the Federal cavalry not held off the advance. 

Once the Union infantry arrived on the field, it has been widely believed that Buford’s men left the area, but this is not the case.  Colonel Gamble and his brigade remained, staunchly deployed at the southern edge of the Lutheran Seminary, along with Reynolds’s men, and held the ground for many hours before being forced to retreat.  Gamble proved himself a true Irish fighter, refusing to budge and leading his brigade with aplomb and determination.  Their stand aided the Federals, granting them more time that was needed so that the high ground that became the Union fishhook line was secured.⁸

Colonel Gamble continued to serve with Buford’s Cavalry until the death of Buford on December 16, 1863.  Like the rest of the division, Gamble was deeply saddened at the passing of his commander.  He returned to duty in Washington, where Lincoln promoted him to the rank of brigadier general in January 1864, shortly after his 47th birthday.  He remained with the Department of Washington until the close of the war in 1865.  Even then, Gamble decided that he wanted to stay with the army.⁹

During the late summer of 1866, those in power of the Federal government realized that they needed additional cavalry in the plains and western territories.  The War Department issued a general order in September of that year, adding two new cavalry divisions.  The 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th U.S. Cavalries were formed, with their officers named.  Generals Gamble and Devin, Buford’s former officers at Gettysburg, were both ordered to serve in the 8th U.S. Cavalry, with Devin as its colonel and Gamble as its major.  They were to travel to California by the first of the year to join their unit.¹⁰

Gamble, who had enjoyed just over a year in civilian life, prepared to join his regiment.  Before leaving in December, he enjoyed a family celebration with the marriage of his eldest daughter, Louise, to George Huntoon, Jr.  He then boarded a ship, which would take him around Cape Horn in South America to his troops in California.¹¹

Unfortunately, he would never reach that destination.

While aboard ship near Nicaragua, Major Gamble fell ill with cholera.

Cholera is still a deadly disease, a virulent bacterial infection from contaminated water – or from contact with food and utensils washed in that water.  It causes fever and intestinal bleeding.  The disease proved fatal for William Gamble, who died aboard ship on December 20, 1866.  Since the ship was close to land, in Virgin Bay, his body was taken ashore and buried.  In the passing years, floods overtook the small cemetery and his remains were washed out to sea.¹²

From Ireland to the American shores, William Gamble was one of many whose life was shortened due to his service as a soldier.  His temerity proved invaluable at Gettysburg and beyond.  Had he lived, he would have continued as a sterling example of a man in uniform.  “ He was a thorough soldier,” one lamented at his passing.  “The breath of slander never sullied any one point of his good name.”¹³

His reputation continued to thrive in the memories of the veteran 8th Illinois Cavalry, who never forgot him.  “Its entire record,” exulted one regimental historian, “ is one of which the state was proud.”¹⁴