Mustered in Sep 4, 1862 7th Infantry Company H and received a Honorable discharge Nov 25, 1863

The 7th’s first service was in guarding the City of Baltimore in anticipation of an attack by Gen. Stuart’s cavalry. Sept. 8, 1862 at the beginning of Gen. Lee’s invasion of Maryland, they became a part of the famous Maryland brigade composed of the 1st, 4th, 6th and 7th infantry and Alexander’s battery and were ordered to march to Antietam, Md. The battle began on Sep 17, 1862 and they arrived there on the 18th as Gen. Lee was withdrawing his troops. They were ordered to advance to Williamsport and support Pennsylvanian troops who were involved in a skirmish.

For some days the 7th was the only Union force on the Virginia side of the Potomac at Boliver Heights, except for a few cavalry. Guerrillas were reported in front, and the regiment was much weakened by heavy details for picket and scout duty. On the 23rd of May, 1863 an unfortunate incident occurred at an outpost at Loudoun Heights at Harper’s Ferry on the Blue Ridge, where several demonstrations had been made on the pickets of the 7th Regiment. Lieutenant Gorrell of Company H (Harford Co.) was in command of this outpost of twenty men, and ventured beyond his advanced sentries on a private reconnaissance. Returning, he failed to hear the challenge of the sentry, who failed to recognize his officer in the darkness. He was shot through the lung and disabled for further service.

He was taken to Boliver Heights, then to Harper’s Ferry to Frederick to a hospital in Baltimore. On June 26, 1863 a Surgeon in U.S.A. in charge of Invalid Officers declared that due to a gunshot wound to the left arm and shoulder he was not fit for duty for at least 20 days. On Aug 20, 1863 at Darlington Harford Co. , Md . Dr. Ramsey determined the round entered his left deltoid muscle and exited through his back. His whole arm was paralyzed. As a result he was honorably discharged from service and he did receive a Civil War Pension dated Mar 9 1864.

13 Jan 1892, The Sun (Baltimore Sun newspaper)
"Skipworth C. Gorrell died suddenly on the 11th inst., at the residence of his son, near Level, Harford county, of congestion of the lungs, in the seventy-third year of his age. He was first lieutenant of Company H, Seventh Maryland Infantry, in the late war, and was wounded on Louden Heights, Va., on [illegible] duty."

Skipworth Cole Gorrell