Our minds are not equipped to fully comprehend the horrors of the War Between the States. Brother was pitted against brother in a war that all felt was justified. Soldiers from the North fought to preserve the Union created by the Constitution. Soldiers from the South saw the War as a continuation of the Revolution, a fight against an oppressive government. More Americans died in the War Between the States than any war in the history of the United States. At Cold Harbor, over 10,000 Union soldiers perished in 10 minutes during a futile charge on fortified Confederate positions. The rate of recovery from wounds was atrocious. One of the commanding generals, who oversaw the Battle of Shiloh from his headquarters, died of blood poisoning brought on by a bad scrape. If life was precarious for generals away from the lines, imagine how much higher the risks were for the lowly private. Those who did not die from their wounds were often left crippled, by amputations or by wounds that did not heal. In addition to the hazards of battle, thousands of soldiers died from dysentery and other diseases brought on by living outdoors and in close proximity to thousands of other men in unsanitary conditions. Those who did not die often never fully recovered. On the home front, the horrors of the battlefield were often exceeded by the predations of renegades who viewed the War as an opportunity to settle old scores. Border States such as Kentucky and Tennessee suffered the worst.

Despite these horrors, many Dibrells fought in the War- on both sides. Like their famous cousin, Robert E. Lee, most Dibrell descendants appear to have fought for the South, including George Gibbs Dibrell.

Below is a list of Dibrell descendants who fought in the War, their highest rank, and the unit they were with at the time.  Please let me know if I have missed any or if any of the information presented herein is incorrect.

Dibrell, Anthony W. (1814-1875) - 8th Regiment, Texas Infantry (Hobby’s)
Dibrell, Anthony, 4th (1842-1893) - 1st Richmond Howitzers Artillery Regiment
Dibrell, Charles Lee, Jr. (1840-1895) - 2nd Lt., Brig. General John Echoll's Staff, ANV
Dibrell, George Gibbs (1822-1888) - Brigadier General, Forrest's "Old Brigade"
Dibrell, James E. (1834-????) - Deneale’s Regiment, Choctaw Warriors, CSA
Dibrell, Jeptha Wesley (1842-1920) - 8th Regiment, Texas Infantry (Hobby’s)
Dibrell, John Lee (1840-1861) - 4th Regiment, Texas Infantry
Dibrell, Joseph Anthony (1845-1913) - 13th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry (Gore’s)
Dibrell, Joseph Burton (1841-1883) - Deneale’s Regiment, Choctaw Warriors, CSA
Dibrell, Montgomery Crockett (1813-1881) - Captain, Quartermaster
Dibrell, Waman Leftwich (1842-1932) - 2d Lt., Co. A, 25th TN Infantry
Dibrell, Watson S. (1844-1900+) - 1st Richmond Howitzers Artillery Regiment
Dibrell, William H. (1838-1877) - Deneale’s Regiment, Choctaw Warriors, CSA
Harris, Joseph J. (????-????) - Co. F, 25th Mississippi Infantry, CSA
Harris, Mercer J. (????-????) - Co. C, 49th Tennessee Infantry, CSA
Hatcher, Robert Anthony (1819-1886) - Major, Aide de Camp to General A. P. Stewart
Hendrick, Anthony Dibrell (1832-1902), 1st Sgt, Co. C, 51st Alabama Partisan Rangers
Hendrick, James Edward (1834-????), Pvt, Co. C, 51st Alabama Partisan Rangers
Mitchell, Edward (1842-1913), ???, 27th Arkansas Infantry
Patteson, Augustus (1831-186?) - 46th Virginia Infantry (died during the War)
Patteson, Benjamin S. (1844-1864)
Patteson, David Nicholson (1834-1865) - Lt., 46th Virginia Infantry (died after Boydton Plank Road Battle)
Patteson, George Robert (1840-1912) - 1st Sgt, Co. E, 21st VA (captured at Gettysburg)
Patteson, George Washington (1846-1926)
Patteson, Thomas Anthony (1825-1900) -
Patteson, William Henry (1842-1863) - 4th Sgt, Co. E, 21st VA (died after Gettysburg)

Others Listed in National Park Service Database (there may be duplications):

Dibrell, Burris H. - Newsome Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry
Dibrell, C. L. - Benton’s Company, Texas Volunteers
Dibrell, J. B. - 4th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry
Dibrell, J. B. - Texas Reserve Corps
Dibrell, J. M. - 20th Regiment, Texas Infantry (Elmore’s)
Dibrell, J. W. - 21st Regiment, Texas Cavalry (1st Texas Lancers)
Dibrell, John - 26th Regiment, Texas Cavalry (Debray’s) (Davis’ Mounted Battalion)
Dibrell, W. C. - Texas Conscripts
Dibrell, William C. - 12th Regiment, Texas Infantry (Young’s)

As Christmas of 1864 approached, Lt. David Nicholson Patteson, sitting in the trenches outside of Petersburg, wrote this poem for his wife, Mollie:

I think of thee at twilight dear,
When blessed day is gone.
I think of thee at midnight dear;
I think of thee at dawn.

I think of thee in rainy weather,
Although it does me drenches.
I think of thee in rifle pits,
And also in the trenches.

I think of Fannie, 'dearest girl,'
I think of Willie's squall;
I think of Maggie and the babe,
I think, I think of all.

I think of home and all its sweets,
Would like to be there, too;
But while the foe doth me confront,
I know that will not do.

So be content and let us wait
A few more years at best;
Until we whip old Grant, old Meade,
And old Butler, the "Beast."

And in conclusion, let me say,
I have eat up all my meal;
So by the boat, when Captain comes,
Send on that Christmas veal.

On 29 Mar 1865, David was mortally wounded in battle.  Less than a month later, the war ended at Appomattox Court House - ironically - only a few miles from his home.

[Captain Bruce R. Boynton, USN, "A Scottsville Family in Love and War: Mollie Harris"]

Many years after the War, veterans groups - both North and South - organized events to honor the combatants.

In 1908, a Confederate Reunion was held at Scottsdale, Albemarle County. The Patteson family played a big role in this event. Mary Gannt Lewis Patteson (a Dibrell descendant) was President of Scottsville's United Daughters of the Confederacy chapter and was in charge of the Dinner Committee. Her husband, the honorable Warwick Douglas Patteson delivered the Address of Welcome.