|
Grzegorczyk
Family Genealogy
|
| In 2000, I made a research trip to the National
Archives and the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. I was looking
for all records of any Gregorczyks who might have fought in the Civil War.
The following is a short summary I have thrown together of what I have discovered
so far. Francz "Frank" Grzegorczyk was mustered into service on April 11th, 1862 in Victoria, TX by Major Phillips for the duration of war. Frank was a private in Company I of the 6th Texas Infantry. The battles he was involved in with the 6th were the Corinth Campaign (April-June 1862) and the Arkansas Post battle (January 4th-11th, 1863). At the Arkansas Post we had 5,000 men and were attacked by 30,000 Union troops. Eventually, we surrendered and the men were taken prisoner to prison camps up North. Frank however, managed to escape capture at the Arkansas Post. Frank then became part of the 17th Consolidated Regiment Texas Dismounted Cavalry, Company H. The 17th Consolidated Regiment Texas Dismounted Cavalry was a field organization formed July 1st, 1863, in the Trans-Mississippi Department principally of men who had formally belonged to the 15th, 17th, 18th, 24th, and 25th Regiments Texas Cavalry and to the 6th and 10th Regiments Texas Infantry and who had not been captured at Arkansas Post, Ark., January 11, 1863. The 6th Texas Infantry and the 17th Texas Cavalry regiments that were taken prisoner up North were released through a prisoner exchange in May of 1863. These units were now all a part of the famous Granbury's Texas Brigade. For the rest of the war Granbury's Texas Brigade was engaged in some of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War: Chickamauga (September 19-20, 1863) Chattanooga Siege (September-November 1863) Chattanooga (November 23-25, 1863) Atlanta Campaign (May-September 1864) Pickett's Mill (May 27, 1864) New Hope Church (June 27, 1864) Atlanta Siege (July-September 1864) Jonesboro (August 3 1 -September 1, 1864) Franklin (November 30, 1864) Nashville (December 15-16, 1864) Carolinas Campaign (February-April 1865) Bentonville (March 19-21, 1865) On March 30th, 1865, these regiments arrived at Hempstead, TX. On April 9th, 1865 there was another consolidation and Frank Grzegorczyk was now a private in Company A of Granbury's Consolidated Texas Brigade. On May 2nd, 1865, four hundred and forty Texans from Granbury's Old Brigade signed paroles. Except for those of the 17th Consolidated Regiment Texas Dismounted Cavalry, this was all that was left of the over eleven thousand men who had served in the Texas regiments comprising Granbury's brigade. I found even less information on John due to the fact that a lot of the Civil War records were destroyed after the war. John Gregorczyk married Albena Bomba on March 3rd, 1862; one month prior to Frank's entering the Civil War. Since John did not have is first child until after the Civil War ended, I believe he entered the Civil War about the same time as Frank, right after he got married. In fact, it would not surprise me if John had entered the army in late 1861 when the 2nd Sharpshooters were formed and then got married on a few days leave before marching North. John entered the 2nd Texas Infantry Regiment, Company K, also known as the 2nd Sharpshooters as a private. The first battle was the battle of Shiloh on April 6th, 1862. More men died in that battle than in all the wars in the history of the United States. The 2nd Texas Infantry went on the fight in the following battles: Shiloh (April 6-7, 1862) Corinth Campaign (April-June 1862) Farmington (May 9, 1862) Iuka (September 19, 1862) Corinth (October 3-4, 1862) Hatchie Bridge (October 5, 1862) Chickasaw Bayou (December 27-29, 1862) Fort Pemberton (March I I -April 5, 1863) Vicksburg Campaign (May-July 1863) Champion's Hill (May 16,1863) Big Black River Bridge (May 17, 1863) Vicksburg Siege (May-July 1863) At the Vicksburg Siege we surrendered on July 4th, 1863. The morale of the soldiers in the 2nd Texas Infantry was really bad so instead of sending them to paroled prisoner camps to await exchange, General Pemberton gave them a 45 day furlough, so the 2nd Texas returned home. The Tri-Weekly Telegraph of Houston published this short article in August of 1863: These gallant men are now home on furlough and as paroled prisoners of war. We trust they will be everywhere welcomed to the homes of the people, and made to feel that they have been fighting for a people worthy of brave soldiers. But alas! Where are the fifteen hundred men who left with or who have since joined this noble band. Where are our own beloved friends, brothers, sons, and fellows, who come not back to us with these war-worn veterans? Mourn ye bereaved for your loved ones who lie low in distant vales, their silent beds scarce marked enough to be found by the eye of affection that may search for them; but ye men and women of Texas, glory in their fame, for they fell upon the field of immortal honor and the noblest cause ever fought for. The day will come, yes is now, when to have belonged to the Second Texas will be an honor more to be prized that any that man can confer. The 2nd Texas was declared exchanged by the Federals in October, 1863 and was to be reorganized in Houston. The call went out to reassemble, but by January,1864 there were only three companies available for field duty. By April, the count had risen to 5 companies, a total of 190 men and 18 officers. With it's reduced numbers, the regiment would not leave the state of Texas again. The 2nd Texas was reassigned to the District of Texas under the command of General John Magruder. The 2nd Texas went on to fight the following battles: Red River Campaign (March-May 1864) Mansfield (April 8, 1864) Pleasant Hill (April 9, 1864) In August of 1864 the regiment is returned to garrison duty on Galveston Island and detailed to guard General Magruder's Headquarters and commissary stores. In September of 1864 a yellow fever epidemic spreads throughout Galveston. In December 6th, 1864, John Gregorczyk was furloughed to Columbus, Texas. He had evidently gotten sick. In January of 1865, he was still sick on a surgeon's certificate. In February of 1865, John was sick at home on a surgeon's certificate. In March of 1865, it was noted that John was still sick. On May 26, 1865 the 2nd Texas was surrendered by General E. Kirby Smith commanding the Trans-Mississippi Department in Galveston, TX. At some point in the future, I would like to write a more expanded version chronicling the events of each of the battles with full references and photos. I would also like to see our Gregorczyk Genealogy Society work towards adding some type of bronze markers to the graves of Frank and John to honor them for their service in the Civil War. copyright 2001-2002 Mark Gregorczyk |