Gideon T. French, Enlisted on 8/1/1861 as a Private. Gideon served in the 25th. Tenn. Company H. Infantry with several family members from Overton and surrounding counties. One of the family members he served with was Jason Ramsey, the husband of his sister Elizabeth. When their unit returned to Livingston from a defeat in a battle with the Yankees at Fishing Bridge, Kentucky, Gideon and Jason received a short leave to go home to check on their families. While home and chopping wood, Jason cut one of his feet very badly. Gideon apparently reported this to their company commander when he returned. Jason eventually returned, but was sent back home and given a disability discharge.
Gideon served honorably in several battles with the 25th Tenn, and the unit eventually made camp at Wartrace, Tenn. Confederate records that I have personally seen, indicate that he was hospitalized in May 1863 at Wartrace, Tennesee and died of disease. The record didn't elaborate on what type of disease he succumbed to. This information comes from Doug Pellom.

From Chart #110 William French www.frenchfamily assoc.com/FFA/

Gideon T. French married. Tennessee Speck on 30 Oct 1862. He fought in the Civil War for the Confederacy and died. Many boys in the area were killed, especially at the Battle of Ravenscliff. Following one battle, the Confederate soldiers were left dead in the field. Late that night, Martin Luther, Gideon's father, and his sisters took a cart and brought the boys back and prepared them for burial. One day some Union soldiers came to the French home. They destroyed many things and walked with muddy boots on the white bed clothes. When they left, they took the mare that belonged to Rebecca. This mare was her favorite, but her father had a broken hip and the soldiers would have killed him if he protested. When they left, they went down the main path on the mountain. Rebecca knew a shortcut to the bottom and she took it. She met them at the bottom and demanded her mare back. The soldiers said that they didn't take the mare, and that the mare had followed them. Even so, they returned the mare to Rebecca.