John Irvin Gregg | |
|---|---|
 Brig. Gen. John I. Gregg | |
| Nickname | Long John |
| Born | (1826-07-19)July 19, 1826 |
| Died | January 6, 1892(1892-01-06) (aged 65) |
| Place of burial | |
| Allegiance | United States of America Union |
| Branch | United States Army Union Army |
| Service years | 1846–1848, 1861–1879 |
| Rank |  Colonel BrevetMajor General |
| Commands | 16th Pennsylvania Cavalry Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac 8th U.S. Cavalry Regiment |
| Conflicts | Mexican–American War American Civil War American Indian Wars |
John Irvin Gregg (July 19, 1826 – January 6, 1892) was a careerU.S. Army officer. He fought in theMexican–American War and during theAmerican Civil War as acolonel and near the end of the war as abrevetgeneral in theUnion army. In 1866, he was nominated and confirmed as a brevetmajor general of volunteers and a brevet brigadier general in theRegular Army (United States), both to rank from March 13, 1865.
John Irvin Gregg was born inBellefonte, Pennsylvania, the grandson ofAndrew Gregg (aU.S. Senator fromPennsylvania) and a cousin of future Union generalDavid McMurtrie Gregg. He was also related to Pennsylvania governorAndrew Gregg Curtin. Gregg served in Company E, the "Centre Guards," of the5th Pennsylvania Reserve Regiment as alieutenant.[1]
During the Mexican–American War, he enlisted as a private in the 2nd Pennsylvania Infantry on December 29, 1846, and was mustered out of the volunteer service on May 6, 1847. He then received promotions tofirst lieutenant as of February 18, and tocaptain as of September 5, both in the 11th U.S. Infantry, serving as a recruiting officer. He was honorably discharged on August 14, 1848.[2]
He then entered the iron industry with the firm Irvin, Gregg & Co., owned by family members. He married Harriet Marr, the daughter of a localPresbyterian minister and schoolteacher. They had two sons, Irvin and Robert.
When the Civil War broke out, Gregg was commissioned a captain in the 3rd U.S. Cavalry on May 14, 1861. He then joined the volunteer army in June as a captain in the5th Pennsylvania Reserve Regiment. He was electedcolonel of the regiment on June 20, 1861, and resigned the following day to accept a commission in theregular army as a captain in the6th U.S. Cavalry. On November 14, 1862, Gregg was promoted to colonel of the16th Pennsylvania Cavalry. He then commanded many different cavalry brigades in the various reorganizations of theArmy of the Potomac.[2] He led the Third Brigade at the battles of Chancellorsville and Gettysburg in a division commanded by his cousin David Gregg.
In October 1863, he earned another brevet to lieutenant colonel in the regular army for his actions during theBristoe Campaign.
He was wounded at theSecond Battle of Deep Bottom and won a brevet again on October 7, 1864, to full colonel in the regular army. On December 12, 1864,PresidentAbraham Lincoln nominated Gregg for appointment to the grade of brevet brigadier general of volunteers to rank from August 1, 1864, for gallant and meritorious service in the engagement and defenses of Richmond on the Brock Turnpike and at theBattle of Trevilian Station and theUnited States Senate confirmed the appointment on February 20, 1865.[3]
Gregg briefly was in command of the Cavalry Corps, Army of the Potomac from February 10, 1865, to February 24, 1865.[2] On April 7, 1865, Gregg was slightly wounded at theBattle of Sayler's Creek, captured the next day north ofFarmville, Virginia, and was released two days later. Gregg was mustered out of the volunteer service on August 11, 1865.[2]
On June 17, 1865, ColonelJohn S. Mosby surrendered to Gregg inLynchburg, Virginia.[4]
On January 13, 1866, PresidentAndrew Johnson nominated Gregg for appointment to the grade of brevet major general of volunteers to rank from March 13, 1865, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the appointment on March 12, 1866.[5] On July 17, 1866, President Johnson nominated Gregg for appointment to the grade of brevet brigadier general in the regular army to rank from March 13, 1865, and the U.S. Senate confirmed the nomination on July 23, 1866.[6]
After the end of hostilities Gregg remained in the Army. He was named colonel of the8th U.S. Cavalry on July 28, 1866,[2] a position his cousinDavid McMurtrie Gregg had desired. He then reported for duty atCamp Whipple in theArizona Territory. He led a series of expeditions against Indians into theMojave Desert. He was sent to theNew Mexico Territory, where he commandedFort Union from 1870 to 1873, and led efforts in that region to pursue and subdue theApache. In 1872, he led a reconnaissance expedition to survey and map theTexas Panhandle.
Gregg retired from active service on April 2, 1879. He died inWashington, D.C., on January 26, 1892, and is buried inArlington National Cemetery in Virginia.[2]
pennsylvania reserves.
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