Sampson County NcArchives Photo Tombstone.....Gregory, Samuel Stanford 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/nc/ncfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Robert Fortner rfortner@centurylink.net July 3, 2018, 4:49 pm

Cemetery:           Personal
Name:               Samuel Stanford Gregory
Photo can be seen at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/nc/sampson/photos/tombstones/personal/gregory2783gph.jpg
Image file size: 132.6 Kb

      Samuel Stanford Gregory was born near the town of Turkey, located in 
Sampson County, North Carolina, in the summer of 1844. His father was Wright 
Gregory and his mother was Calista Stanford. Samuel was reared on a plantation 
that had many slaves that toiled in the fields, and worked in the plantation 
home. This was the type of life that he had since birth. His father Wright was 
financially able to send him to the United States, Naval Academy in September of 
1859. He served as a midshipman in the US Navy until his home state of North 
Carolina seceded from the union on the 20th of May 1861. So he resigned his 
position in the US Navy, to help defend his home, way of life and his state.
   After resigning his position, he promptly enlisted in the Navy of the 
Confederate States of America and was made an active midshipman in Norfolk 
Virginia, on June 20th, 1861. He took part in major battles, off the coast of 
North Carolina & Virginia so that supplies could be brought in to the coast to 
defend the North Carolina Shores. Midshipman Gregory served on the Mosquito Fleet 
guarding and defending Roanoke Island and Elizabeth City, NC. After his fleet was 
destroyed he was transferred and assigned to the James River Squadron, on March 
31, 1862. He was later transferred to a defensive position on the shore of the 
river at Drewry's Bluff, there he helped to repulse the Union advancement toward 
Richmond on May 15, 1862. He remained at Drewry's Bluff until his rank of 
midshipman was confirmed. This was due to his service at the Battle of Hampton 
Roads, that was very popular in the South. He would receive many more rewards for 
his services to the Confederacy.
    In 1863, Samuel Gregory was assigned to a commerce raider that was being 
built in Scotland. The CSS Texas was meant to harass the mercantile ships of the 
United States and was set to launch in late 1863 and he was to serve as an 
officer on this ship. But the CSS Texas was seized by British authorities and 
Gregory was sent back to the Confederacy, depriving him of an illustrious career 
and possibly a fortune serving on this ship. Upon his arrival he was assigned to 
the Battery Buchanan, that was main defense of Fort Fisher on the Cape Fear River 
inlet near Wilmington N.C. He was also promoted to the rank of master, and later 
to lieutenant on May 2nd day of June, 1864. He probably took part in the Battles 
for Fort Fisher in December of 1864, and January of 1865. If so he was very lucky 
to escape from capture after the fall of the fort. It appears that he was present 
at the surrender of the Northern Army of Virginia on the 9th day of April, 1865.
  After being paroled at Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia, Samuel Gregory 
returned his home near Turkey, North Carolina, where he petitioned for amnesty on 
22nd of August, 1865, from then President Johnson. Citing youth and inclination 
that he was too young to realize how it would affect his life after the war 
ended. Nearly all Southerners, firmly believed that victory would be theirs and 
that their way of life would continue after the war ended.
        After the war ended, Sam enlisted in the Columbian Navy in Columbia, 
South America, he contracted a tropical disease and  he returned to his home near 
Turkey, NC, where he died and was buried in his family cemetery at the age of 24.


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/sampson/photos/tombstones/personal/gregory2783gph.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ncfiles/

File size: 4.1 Kb