Gillis was born and raised in Wilmington.
He moved to Illinois with his family as a teen, but later moved back to Wilmington. He
began the Civil War commanding the Pocahontas, which removed Union troops from Fort
Sumter after the siege. He was cited for bravery at Hatteras Inlet and Battle of Port
Royal Sound. From late 1862 to early 1863, Gillis commanded divisions in the Gulf of
Mexico and captured blockade runners off Mobile Bay. In 1864, Gillis was forced to leave
the war because of illness. |
