Maxcy Gregg (August 1, 1814 – December 15, 1862) was a lawyer, soldier in the United States Army during the Mexican-American War, and a Confederate brigadier general during the American Civil War. Gregg was born in Columbia, South Carolina, the grandson of Esek Hopkins, commodore of the Continental Navy. He was educated at the University of South Carolina. He practiced law with his father, and fought in the Mexican-American War as a major in the 12th U.S. Infantry. Gregg had many scholarly pursuits, including astronomy, botany, ornithology, and languages, and owned his own private observatory. When South Carolina seceded from the Union in early 1861, Gregg helped organize the 1st South Carolina Volunteers, and served as the regiment's first colonel. He became a brigadier general and served in A. P. Hill's Light Division. His brigade played a prominent role in Hill's assault on the Union lines at the Battle of Gaines' Mill. Gregg gained prominence at the Second Battle of Bull Run when his men repulsed six Union assaults, and he served in Robert E. Lee's Maryland Campaign. At Fredericksburg, Gregg was shot in the spine during an attack by Union Maj. Gen. George Meade that penetrated the lines of the Light Division, and he died two days later. He is buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Columbia, South Carolina. He was portrayed by actor Buck Taylor in the 2003 film Gods and Generals.
References
- Eicher, John H., and Eicher, David J., Civil War High Commands, Stanford University Press, 2001, ISBN 0-8047-3641-3.
