Thank you for visiting the home of Alfred Gibbs!

I have been asked why I have spent almost thirty years researching Alfred Gibbs and the Frist New York Dragoons. I have further been asked, “why bother?” Why spend my free time studying a previously unknown Civil War General and a New York Civil War unit that few people have ever heard of?

I am a researcher passionate about history and the Civil War, and studying and organizing the history of an obscure General and military unit may provide a new and unique perspective on the Civil War, allowing future researchers to explore a lesser-known aspect of the conflict and uncover further information or insights about the Dragoons and Alfred Gibbs. Those of us who enjoy the research must contribute to the historical record.

Far too often, stories of less well-known historical figures get lost in the shuffle, and we amateur researchers must help preserve and share their legacy. We do that specifically by researching and sharing information online about these individuals.

You would be forgiven for thinking that nobody would care. This site’s web traffic is on par with live video feeds of paint drying. And yet I don’t care because history is not just a matter of what happened. History should be bout how and why it happened.

Understanding the context in which the figures I researched and how they had to lead their troops is extremely important to me, and having a more complete understanding of what happened is always worthwhile and, in my opinion, something that is needed. History has repeated a narrative far too often wrong or a downright fabrication of the truth. I am talking about you, General Custer!

History can be more than a collection of facts and dates. For this reason, I am sharing my research on General Gibbs and the First New York Dragoons with you. Sharing my work with you is my way of ensuring that we do not lose their contributions’ that shaped the individuals and groups of individuals they led. On this website, I will share with you, and future historians, the documents I have that capture their words and actions, I can gain a deeper understanding of the context and events that shaped the larger narrative of history.

This work is a labor of love, and I am gaining a deeper understanding of the events that shaped the history captured in our older history books. This work is personally rewarding and provides an opportunity to learn about the history of my ancestors while at the same time developing research skills that I can apply to my personal life.

Not unlike most amateur researchers, I have a day job and family that rightfully have claims to my time. Still, in the background, I am moving my original paper research over to digital and adding more of my findings on the web to this site. Efforts are welcome if you are a researcher interested in collaborating on the information shared here. Please get in touch with me and see what we
can do together.

Check back from time to time since I will add content when time permits and new research demands an update.

“Semper Paratus”
Garland H. Green, Jr.

PS: Dad, I’m on it!