The National tribune., 1902-07-17
FORT GREGG.
An Account of the Capture by One Of Its De-
lenders

/
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Comrade
| w. II. Chick, UniOntOwn, Pa, in a COM
munication in The National Tribune of
June II in regard to the capture Of Fort
| Gregg, April 2, 1865, makes several state
ments that are contrary to the facts. I
have no idea that he did so Intentionally,
as it would be immaterial to him who COM
manded or who composed the garrison of
| the fort as it would to the writer who
commanded the Union forces in front of
the fort, and for this reason 1 am con-
strained to reply in part to his commuEica-
| tion, In order that your many readers may
| know the facts from a rebel standpoint,
and in order that those who participated in
| the defense of the fort may receive what
| honor belongs to them.
In the first place, Comrade Chick says,
The fort was commanded by Lieut.
Col. ]. III. Duncan, with about 300 Missis-
| sippians, who made a most heroic resist
ance, losing over 30 killed; the remainder
except about 80. We're wounded"
| The facts are that the forces in Fort
Gregg Were commanded by Lieut. Frank
McElrOy, Of the Washington Artillery,
New Orleans, La, and the garrison was
composed mostly of Virginans, with few
Louisianians, which were known as a bat
TALON composed of the drivers Of the Third
| Corps of Artillery; that is, one-half Of
them, the other half being compelled to
care for their horses. This battalion took
possession of Fort Gregg, after its COM
pletion, in the Fall Of 1864, and remained
in it until it was captured on April 2,
1865, and was composed of about 70 men.
During the advance of the Union forces
on the morning of April q 1865, the skir-
miShers in front of and to the right Of
Fort Gregg were forced back, and they
took refuge in the fort until the number
was augmented to not over 200 men, and
among the number there may have been
some MlSslsslppians, but no commissioned
officer or officers. The only commissioned
officer in the fort other than Lieut.. Frank
McElroy was Capt. Chew, Chew's Bat
terry, Maryland, and he absolutely refused
to take command, as he and a few of his
men only took refuge in the fort for pro-
lection. being without arms Of any kind,
and when the fort was surrendered Lieut..
Frank McElroy was appealed to by the
men to surrender, and he refused to take
the responsibility because Capt. Chew out
ranked him. Capt. Chew was then ap-
pealed to, but absolutely refused to take
the responsibility, only because Of reasons
stated above. Then the men appealed to
me, as the First Sergeant of the command,
yourselves" They then asked, What must
we do" l told them to go to the gate
and wave a handkerchief. This they did,
and the surrender took place.
Our loss in killed ard wounded was 80,
mostly killed, and 10 taken prisoners, and
not, as Comrade Chicks communication
states, "oyer 30 killed; the remainder. ex-
cept about 80 were wounded" This,
itemized, according to his statement, would
be as follows: 30 killed, 220 wounded, 80
not hurt; total, 300-100 more than there
were men in the fort.
Comrade Chicks description of the fort
and its approaches is correct in the main,
but when he says, $50 the men had to
help each other up on the parapet until
there was sufficient force to take it, when
they went in with rush and the fight
was over" is contrary to the facts, as the
rush he alludes to did not occur until
after the surrender of the fort, as ex-
planned in this communication, after which
the Union forces did rush over the works.
l stated in previous communication
that Fort Gregg was impregnable against
attack by infantry, and on that eyentful
day the Union forces only took possession
of the fort by and with the consent of the
garrison occupying the same, and then only
after all ammunition, including shells for
had been exhausted. AS last
resort all boxes of cannon ammunition
were opened, hoping to find shells which
we intended to use as handgrenades; but
in this We were disappointed, as all had
been used as the Union forces advanced;
nothing was left for us to do,
IN order to save further loss of life, but
TO surrender. After the surrender all the
prisoners were marched back to, or very
near, the observatory, which was about
one mile and half south of Fort Gregg,
where we were halted and counted, and
well hearing the officer an
nounce the result-110 men.--GEo. W.
KENNEDY, Riees Battery, McIntosh's Bat
TALON, Third Corps, A. n. ", New Mar
iet, Va.