The following is a report written by my grandfather, William Dix Williams, about his grandfather, William 
Gudgel:

     My grandfather, William Gudgel, was born in Anderson County, Kentucky, on December 5, 1828, the 
son of Elijah Gudgel (1797-1866) and Lydia Ann Bell (1799-1861).  He was the oldest of seven children 
(two brothers and four sisters).
     The 1850 census lists his occupation as wagon maker and on August 26, 1852, according to marriage 
bond on file in the Anderson County Court House, he married Mary Ellen Herndon (age 18).  He was 24 
years of age at the time of the marriage.
    Although no record can be located, wife Mary Ellen must have died sometime in the 1850's.  There is 
also no record of any children born of this union.
     During the civil war, the citizens of Kentucky were divided in their sympathies between north and south.  
Kentucky did not secede and it's government remained unionist.  About one-third of those citizens actively 
joining the fight were confederate.  Most Anderson Countians were on the confederate side and my 
grandfather and his family was no exception.
     On October 2, 1861, according to his military record obtained from the General Services Administration 
National Archives and Records Service, William Gudgel enlisted in the Confederate Army at Camp Green 
River near the Kentucky-Tennessee border.  He was assigned as a private to Company G, 6th regiment, 
Kentucky Infantry.  This was part of what was later designated as the Orphan Brigade.
     His military record also indicates the following:

     At the time of his enlistment, he was 33 years of age and 6 ft. 3 in. in height.  He was detailed as a 
wagoner and his pay was 25 cents per day.  A year later, he was listed as a regimental teamster.  Early in 
1863, he was shown as absent with a forage train.  Later in 1863, he was detailed as brigade teamster 
driving General Lewis (apparently "Old Joe" Brigadier General Joseph H. Lewis) at brigade headquarters 
in Dalton, Georgia.
     Another entry in his record indicates he voluntarily surrendered to the union forces at Washington, 
Georgia, on May 6, 1865, and took the oath of allegiance to the United States of America on May 21, 1865, 
and allowed to return to his home in Anderson County, Kentucky.
     There is no record of battles in which he was engaged and no record of injuries sustained.  One of his 
younger brothers, Elijah Gudgel, was also assigned to the Orphan Brigade in Co. H, 5th Kentucky Cavalry.  
He also returned without injury.
     I have in my possession a letter written by my grandfather while in the army to his father, as follows 
(spelling has not been corrected):

                                             November the 9, 1864

"Dear farther I take the opitunity of riting you a few lines to let you know that I am well at this time and 
hope when thoes lines come to hand may find you also well.  farther the last time I saw Elijah he was well 
that is bin in three months agow I do not know where he is I think he is in virgininia.  Tell all my sisters 
and jacob to rite to me.  I have not received a letter from nun of them and allsow tell my neases and nefews 
to rite to thare old uncle.  I have ritten several letters and havent received nay once from them.  I have 
nothing of importance to rite.  The bois in my company are all well but there are but few of them.  
Youumust direct your letters to lois brigade six ky rg co g mounted infry.  We are now camping near 
jonesburow jorga but I do not know where we will bea when this comes to hand.  I must now come to a 
close give my resecks to all my in quiren friends and oblige.  Your sun so no more at present.  I remain 
your sun untell death farewell.  I send you too stamps.

                     William Gudgel to Elijah Gudgel."

     William's father, Elijah, got to see his son return unharmed from the war but the older man died in 1866.
     On October 25, 1869, according to marriage bond on file in the Anderson County Court House, William 
married Elizabeth (Herndon) Bledsoe (1841-1914) who apparently was a younger sister of his first wife, 
Mary Ellen Herndon.
     His new wife, Elizabeth, was thirteen years younger than William and was a widow with three small 
children (two sons and one daughter).  Her first husband is thought to have been killed in the war.
     Over the next eleven years, they had four daughters, the youngest of which, Maud Alzora Gudgel (1880-
1946) was my mother.
     William Gudgel died May 11, 1893.  A photo copy of the Louisville Courier-Journal dated May 14, 
1893, filed at the Louisville Public Library, noted his death as follows:

     "Wm Gudgel, sixty three years, intestinal nephritis, City Hospital."

Wm Gudgel's remains was most likely buried at Salt River Cemetery at the time of his death, however, his 
name appears on his wife's headstone in Hebron Cemetery in Anderson Co., KY.