David M. Gregg

[Eric Wittenberg]

I have a long-standing interest in David McMurtrie Gregg. While he was a native of Huntingdon, PA, he married into the most prominent family in my hometown of Reading, PA, and spent the rest of his life there after the war--the mansion he and his wife owned was half a block to the west of the house where my maternal grandmother grew up. Despite not being from Reading, Gregg soon became one of the leading and most respected citizens of the town, and was held in great esteem.

One of the photos is of a handsome equestrian monument to him erected by the citizens of Reading. It sat right outside the office of the family doctor of my youth, so I saw it regularly. He's buried in Charles Evans Cemetery--along with Alexander Schimmelfennig of Gettysburg fame--about a block from where the monument stands. There's also a photo of his modest grave.

I also include photos of Gregg during the Civil War--impressive beard, no?--and as a West Point cadet and then later in life.

There is a Gregg Street not far from where I grew up. There are at least two of them in the county that I know of. One of the American Legion posts was the Gregg Post. Given the esteem in which he was held, it's not a surprise.

Perhaps now you have some idea of where at least a portion of my interest in Civil War cavalry comes from. I may yet tackle a biography of Gregg at some point, although I have heard that there is one in the works.

 

[Cavalier]

@Eric Wittenberg A great statue! I will have head up to Reading to see that. Another interesting guy you dont hear a lot about. I would love to see a biography of General Gregg.
Thanks very much for posting this!

John

 

[Eric Wittenberg]

@Eric Wittenberg A great statue! I will have head up to Reading to see that. Another interesting guy you dont hear a lot about. I would love to see a biography of General Gregg.
Thanks very much for posting this!

John

John, both the entrance to Charles Evans Cemetery and the equestrian monument are located on Centre Avenue, 1.5-2 miles north of the square in downtown Reading. Take 5th Street north until you come to the Y with Centre Avenue. Take that left fork, and it will take you right there.

 

[dlofting]

I've become interested in Gregg through some of your other books. I'd be interested in a biography and would love to read more of your thoughts on him.

 

[jackt62]

I have read (maybe it was in one of your books?) that Gregg unexpectedly resigned his commission at the beginning of 1865, despite his high reputation and regard. So my question is why?

 

[Eric Wittenberg]

Gregg is an enigma.

The men loved him because he was modest and unpretentious. At the same time, he had all of the charisma of an old shoe, which means that he doesn't make for the most interesting subject for a biography.

Gregg is an enigma. He was capable of brilliant performances, such as his magnificent performance on East Cavalry Field at Gettysburg. Most of the credit for the victory there belongs to him. But other times, he seemed slow and stupid. His performance at Brandy Station on June 9, 1863, as an example, left a lot to be desired. He was slow that day, and left Buford hanging for hours. During the retreat from Gettysburg, he was missing an action, a complete non-factor. Some of that was due to Alf Pleasonton's failures to be an effective corps commander, but Gregg, in the absence of orders from Pleasonton, showed no initiative, which is why he was missing in action for most of the ten days after the Battle of Gettysburg.

It's unknown why he resigned his commission in February 1865. Dr. Alphonzo Rockwell, the regimental surgeon of the 6th Ohio Cavalry, wrote a memoir near the end of his life. This is what Rockwell said: "I was not a little surprised to hear Gregg say to [Brig. Gen. Charles] Smith that he was about to resign from the army. 'The fact of it is,' said Gregg, 'I am a good deal of a coward. Every engagement tells upon my nervous system to the last degree, and it is only the exercise of all my will power that I can appear natural and unafraid.'" There is absolutely no corroboration for this claim, which was made in 1920, 55 years after the fact. Gregg himself never said, and there is nothing else to substantiate it.

My theory is this: Gregg watched Phil Sheridan wreck the careers of his West Point classmates and friends, William Woods Averell and Alfred Torbert, and figured he was next. Sheridan had already hung Gregg out to dry at Samaria Church on June 24, 1864, when Gregg's two brigades were pounced upon by six brigades of Confederate cavalry and only escaped by the skin of their teeth. Gregg was nearly captured. I think that he made a choice that he didn't want to be next, and that he was unwilling to serve under Sheridan again after what Sheridan had done to him once and what he had done to Averell and Gregg, so he resigned his commission. I have absolutely no evidence in particular to support that theory, but knowing what I know of Gregg, it is a sound and reasonable explanation.

We do know that Gregg regretted his choice later. He tried to get a Regular Army commission after the war, but Sheridan would not allow it. Big surprise, right?

 

[Pollaco]

I have read (maybe it was in one of your books?) that Gregg unexpectedly resigned his commission at the beginning of 1865, despite his high reputation and regard. So my question is why?

His resignation has been called one of the mysteries of the Civil War. General Sheridan expressed his regrets at Gregg's decision.

 

[Cavalier]

First, thanks for the detailed directions. I will get there by the springtime.
Second, thanks for post #6.

John

 

[Pollaco]

Custer gets the credit for thwarting Stuart's attack on the Union Rear at Gettysburg but it was supposedly really the actions of Gregg. In 1907 Gregg published his account of this action in "The Second Cavalry Division of the Army of the Potomac in the Gettysburg Campaign". I don't know if this is in book or serial form.

 

[Andy Cardinal]

Thanks for posting this Eric. I would like to see a good bio of Gregg written sometime. Whatever his flaws may have been, he was certainly one of the most important cavalry commanders in East although he is overshadowed by just about everyone else.

 

[Eric Wittenberg]

Custer gets the credit for thwarting Stuart's attack on the Union Rear at Gettysburg but it was supposedly really the actions of Gregg. In 1907 Gregg published his account of this action in "The Second Cavalry Division of the Army of the Potomac in the Gettysburg Campaign". I don't know if this is in book or serial form.

Not supposedly. It was 100% due to Gregg. But for Gregg, Custer would not have been there to go along for the ride. Gregg ordered both charges, not Custer.

It's not a book. It's a pamphlet. You can read it in its entirely here--it's 32 pages long: https://archive.org/details/cu31924...my+of+the+Potomac+in+the+Gettysburg+Campaign"

 

[Eric Wittenberg]

Thanks for posting this Eric. I would like to see a good bio of Gregg written sometime. Whatever his flaws may have been, he was certainly one of the most important cavalry commanders in East although he is overshadowed by just about everyone else.

I agree, Andy. I've considered tackling it for years.

In the end, David Gregg commanded a Union cavalry division longer than anyone else in the Civil War. Period. End of story.

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

My theory is this: Gregg watched Phil Sheridan wreck the careers of his West Point classmates and friends, William Woods Averell and Alfred Torbert, and figured he was next. Sheridan had already hung Gregg out to dry at Samaria Church on June 24, 1864, when Gregg's two brigades were pounced upon by six brigades of Confederate cavalry and only escaped by the skin of their teeth. Gregg was nearly captured. I think that he made a choice that he didn't want to be next, and that he was unwilling to serve under Sheridan again after what Sheridan had done to him once and what he had done to Averell and Gregg, so he resigned his commission. I have absolutely no evidence in particular to support that theory, but knowing what I know of Gregg, it is a sound and reasonable explanation.

We do know that Gregg regretted his choice later. He tried to get a Regular Army commission after the war, but Sheridan would not allow it. Big surprise, right?

Sounds perfectly plausible to me, Sheridan could be a jerk like that.

 

[captaxe]

Great background Eric, as always. Brooke Rawle was a big fan of Gregg, and became quite friendly with him later in life. They corresponded on more than a few occasions about Gettysburg.

Here is a copy of the work written by Gregg. I actually have another one signed by Gregg, but can't locate it just now

 

[Eric Wittenberg]

Great background Eric, as always. Brooke Rawle was a big fan of Gregg, and became quite friendly with him later in life. They corresponded on more than a few occasions about Gettysburg.

Here is a copy of the work written by Gregg. I actually have another one signed by Gregg, but can't locate it just now

View attachment 343184

View attachment 343185

Thank you! As you know, I am an admirer of Brooke-Rawle and the work he did to document East Cavalry Field after the war.

I posted a link to that pamphlet on archive.org. It's a worthwhile piece.

 

[infomanpa]

I have been confused at times with Colonel Irvin Gregg, who I believe commanded the 3rd brigade in General Gregg's division. I assume that they were related?

 

[dlavin]

Reading eh? My wife grew up outside of Reading and her parents live in Elverson a 20 minute drive from Reading. Been in reading many a time but never knew about Gregg.

 

[Eric Wittenberg]

I have been confused at times with Colonel Irvin Gregg, who I believe commanded the 3rd brigade in General Gregg's division. I assume that they were related?

First cousins.

They were also first cousins with wartime Pennsylvania Governor Andrew Gregg Curtin.

 

[Eric Wittenberg]

Reading eh? My wife grew up outside of Reading and her parents live in Elverson a 20 minute drive from Reading. Been in reading many a time but never knew about Gregg.

Where outside of Reading? I grew up in a suburb of Reading.

 

[dlavin]

Where outside of Reading? I grew up in a suburb of Reading.

South of Reading, in Morgantown. Then moved down the street to Elverson. I usually get the reference of "lived sorta near where Taylor Swift grew up" . LOL not really, but I'll let her have it.

I can remember going to Reading to get our marriage license.