http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/soldiers.cfm
Looks like dear old Dad may have served.
Mathew Gayle
Regiment Name 61st Virginia Militia. (Matthews Battalion.)
Side Confederate
Company G
Soldier's Rank_In Private
Soldier's Rank_Out Private
Film Number M382 roll 21
along with:
Gayle, Joshua
Unknown Co. Sgt. Maj. Sgt. Maj.
Gayle, Thomas J.
Co D Private Private
Gayle, William H.
Co D Pvt. Unknown
61st Regt (Matthews County)
Bohannan, John G., Col., 1861-1862
This regiment was called out July 18, 1861, under the proclamation of the Governor dated July 13, 1861; composed of nine companies, which volunteered for twelve months in Confederate States service. The regiment reported to have been disbanded in May 1862, and the men subject to conscription assigned to other organizations. This regiment was also called the Matthews Battalion.
Co D = Capt. Robert W. Brownly's Company; enlisted July 20, 1861 for one year
Co G = Capt. William Horatio Brown's Co, the Providence Co; enlisted July 20, 1861; disbanded May 14, 1862.
Looks like Thomas J. Gayle also served:
U.S. Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865
Name: Thomas J. Gayle
Side: Confederate
Regiment State/Origin: Virginia
Regiment Name: Capt. Armistead's Company Virginia Light Artillery. (Matthews' Light Artillery.)
Regiment Name Expanded: Armistead's Company, Virginia Light Artillery (Matthews')
Rank In: Private
Rank In Expanded: Private
Rank Out: Private
Rank Out Expanded: Private
Film Number: M382 roll 21
And Willioam H. Gayle went with him.
U.S. Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865
Name: William H. Gayle
Side: Confederate
Regiment State/Origin: Virginia
Regiment Name: Capt. Armistead's Company Virginia Light Artillery. (Matthews' Light Artillery.)
Regiment Name Expanded: Armistead's Company, Virginia Light Artillery (Matthews')
Rank In: Private
Rank In Expanded: Private
Rank Out: Private
Rank Out Expanded: Private
Film Number: M382 roll 21
My guess would be that Matthew [the father] did not re-enlist after May 14, 1862. William seems to be a popular name among the Gayle's of Mattews and Middlesex Counties, and there are a lot of Gayles living there in 1850-1860.
Name: William A. Gayle
Side: Confederate
Regiment State/Origin: Virginia
Regiment Name: Capt. Fleet's Co. Virginia Artillery. (Middlesex Artillery.)
Regiment Name Expanded: Fleet's Company, Virginia Artillery (Middlesex Artillery)
Rank In: Private
Rank In Expanded: Private
Rank Out: Private
Rank Out Expanded: Private
Film Number: M382 roll 21
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unvarified on-line genealogies show:
William A. Gayle [son of Matthew Gayle 1806-1859 and Ann Elizabeth Fitchett 1820-]
Born: 1 Aug 1839 Urbana, Middlesex Co, Virginia
Died: 3 [22] Mar 1878 Urbanna, Middlesex, Virginia
Marriage: 26 Dec 1860
Spouse
Eliza Coleman Chandler [daughter of James Coleman Chandler 1802-1865 and Eliza A. White 1807-1850]
Born: 11 Dec 1841 York, Virginia
Died: after 1891 Middlesex, Virginia
Children:
William Franklin Gayle 1861–
Emma Lee Gayle 1865–1880
Elizabeth M Gayle 1866–
John [Matthew] Gayle 1868–1880
Maria [Louisa] Gayle 1870–1880
[James Edward Gayle 1871-1880]
[Bernard]Ashby Gayle 1874–1893
[Silas Ashby Gayle 1874-]
[Mary]Ida Gayle 1876–