Death of a Southern Radical

Maxcy Gregg of South Carolina was among the South's most ardent advocates for independence, arguing for secession long before most, seeking not only the protection of slavery but its expansion into the West, and urging the reopening of the prohibited African slave trade through the seizure of people in Africa, their transport to the United States, and their perpetual enslavement. In 1861, like many pre-war politicians, Gregg sought a command among his state's troops. On December 13, 1862, on this ride, his brigade of South Carolinians confronted a charging line of U.S. soldiers, and a bullet struck Gregg in the side, piercing his spine. Two days later, he died, consumed by the war he helped provoke.

Fredericksburg, Virginia · United States