At least 33 Gudgel's fought for the Union in the War Between The States. About nine fought for the south. Fourteen were from Illinois, Henry T, Gudgel my Great Great Grandfather was one of them. Nine others fought for the Union from Indiana. Thomas Jefferson Gudgel, Henry T. Gudgel's son, who was my Great Grandfather was one of them. Three were from Iowa. Two were from Missouri, Henry T. Gudgel's widow was the 715th in the nation to receive a pension from the US Government., The pension was eight dollars a month plus two for each child under sixteen of which she had four.
Henry T Gudgel enlisted by claiming he was single. He was six feet tall, brown hair, blue eyes and had a fair complexion. He died at Mound city Illinois hospital acquiring typhoid fever in camp at Ft Holt Kentucky across from Cairo Illinois. Shortly after enlisting the Menard County accessor put his farm up for sale for non payment of taxes in the amount of $3.17.
Henry enlisted in the 28th Illinois infantry regiment. Shortly afterwards four of his brothers enlisted in the 58th Indiana Volunteers. Some of them were wounded in the war.
Of the other Gudgel's that fought for the union; three were wounded, two died and one was captured. All of them to varying degrees suffered ailments of various sorts for the remainder their lives resulting from their service.
Of the nine that fought for the Confederacy the results were more disastrous, All were from Kentucky, several were captured, some died, one of them in an attack at Green River Kentucky. One died in a prison camp on Johnson Island in the Mississippi river.
Most of them fought for the dashing confederate cavalry General Morgan. After their release from Northern prison camps they returned to fight the remainder of the war with the Cavalry and finally helped to provide the military escort for Confederate President Jefferson Davis in his attempt to escape capture after the war. They surrendered several weeks after the war at Washington Ga.
Thomas Jefferson Gudgel went to live with his grandfather William at Owensville Indiana. Two years after his father died of typhoid fever he enlisted in the tenth Indiana cavalry. His service was in Tennesse and Kentucky. A lot of the time was spent in hospitals in Indiana and Illinois.
Following the war he married his childhood sweetheart at Frederickstown Missouri. The place and date recorded in the family bible in possession of Doyal Gudgel Sr
Not many can claim two ancestors from one line in one war.
(From Doyal Gudgel October 1997)
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