Dee ihe na-aga n'ihu maka paragraf a - N'oge Agha Obodo America, Geddes jere ozi n'usuu ndị agha nke Union, na-edebanye aha dị ka onye nkịtị na 8th Iowa Infantry. E buliri ya n'ọkwa onye isi na mgbe ahụ lieutenant colonel, na mgbe February 1862 dị ka colonel nke ndị ọrụ afọ ofufo. O so lụọ agha na Shaịlo
, bụ ebe e merụrụ ya ahụ ma jide ya. A tụrụ ya mkpọrọ ruo oge ụfọdụ na Madison, Georgia, na n'Ụlọ Mkpọrọ Libby dị na Richmond, Virginia. Mgbe a gbanwere ya, ọ lụrụ ọgụ na Vicksburg na Jackson. N'ọnwa Ọktoba 1863, e nyere ya ọrụ ịchị otu brigade ma ziga ya na Brownsville, Texas. Mgbe nke ahụ gasịrị, ọ rụrụ ọrụ dị ka onye isi ndị uwe ojii nke Federal nọ na Memphis, Tennessee, nke ọ zọpụtara site na njide nke ndị agha Confederate n'okpuru Nathan Bedford Forrest. Ọ duziri otu brigade na Mobile Campaign ma lụọ ọgụ na Agha Spanish Fort. Na Jenụwarị 13, 1866, Onye isi ala Andrew Johnson họpụtara Geddes maka nhọpụta n'ọkwa nke brevet brigadier general nke ndị ọrụ afọ ofufo, ka ọ bụrụ ọkwa site na June 5, 1865, na United States Senate kwadoro nhọpụta ahụ na Machị 12, 1866.