After graduating from the American Literary Scientific and Military Academy at Norwich, Vermont, Gove served in the Mexican–American War.

During the Civil War he was colonel of the 22nd Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry and was killed leading that regiment in the Battle of Gaines' Mill.

[1] Gove was born in Weare, New Hampshire, and, electing to pursue a career in the army, he was educated at Norwich Military Academy.

At the outbreak of the Civil War, Gove's regiment was still garrisoned in Utah, however he returned to Washington in the summer of 1861 to seek a more active post.

Gove took advantage of the next four months to rigorously train his regiment while they were in winter camp at Halls Hill, Virginia just outside Arlington.

[5] The 22nd Massachusetts became part of the Army of the Potomac and left their winter quarters on March 10, 1862, to participate in Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan's Peninsular Campaign.

When Confederate forces finally evacuated Yorktown, Col. Gove, according to historian John Parker, was the first Union officer to climb over the earthworks surrounding the town.