Killed at Fort Fisher

From the Feb. 13th Madison County (NY) News "A Civil War Story" by Hobie Morris.

Most of the story was about two men coming together in a religious experience before the war, but one was killed at the Second Battle of Fort Fisher, so I will tell about that man.

Orimel Gillette stood 5'9" and was a farmer born in 1835 in Shelby, New York.  On August 14, 1862, he enlisted as a private in Co. I of the 117th New York Infantry, at age 27.  He volunteered for a three year tour of duty and was mustered in the next day.

On July 15, 1864, he was lightly wounded in the head at Petersburg, Virginia.

On August 25, 1864, he was captured at Bermuda Hundred near Petersburg and sent with other prisoners to a Confederate prison in Salisbury, NC.  Exchanged and paroled, he rejoined the 117th.

At age 30, he was killed at Fort Fisher, NC, where the 117th led the land assault.  He is buried at he Westernville, NY, Presbyterian Cemetery.

The Story of a Man.  --Old B-Runner