• Born April 22, 1823, in what is present-day Astoria, New York. Graduated from the USMA in 1846.
• He was slightly wounded April 17,1847, at Cerro Gordo.
• He was wounded again in a skirmish with Apaches at Cook’s Spring (Sierra de los Miembres), New Mexico, on March 9, 1857. 
• Gibbs was captured by Confederate forces in July 1861 at San Augustine Springs, New Mexico, and was not exchanged for over a year.
• He was made colonel of the 130th New York Infantry in September 1862. In May 1863 he was given a leave because he was suffering from an attack of intermittent fever (quotidian).
• He had another sick leave in October because his health was impaired by intermittent fever and he suffered from an old abdominal wound.
• In January 1864 Gibbs had a severe attack of rheumatic gout and was ordered to Washington for treatment. However, physically unable to travel, he was treated in camp, and by January 25th he was able to perform his duties.
• His promotion as brigadier general of volunteers ranked from October 1864. He served in the Shenandoah and at Appomattox. Following the war, he remained in the army and had sick leave while at San Antonio, Texas, from December 1865 to the middle of February 1866.
• Some months before his death on December 26,1868, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, he suffered with intermittent fever, chronic diarrhoea, and haemorrhoids.
• He was buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery at Portsmouth, Rhode Island. The at­ tending surgeon reported that he died of congestion of the brain.