1st Lt. Tully McCrea (USA)

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=5845700

Civil War Union Army Officer. Although born in Mississippi, he served during the Civil War as 1st Lieutenant and commander of Battery I, 1st United States Regular Artillery. A graduate of the United States Military Academy's Class of 1862, he was wounded in action at the Battle of Olustee and again on February 20, 1864 at Petersburg, Virginia. He retired in 1903 as a Brigadier General.

Tully McCrea was a roommate of George Armstrong Custer at West Point and regularly corresponded with him during the war.Their correspondence is cited in the Pulitzer Prize winning novel "Custer's Trials: A Life on the Frontier of the New America."

Lieut. Tully McCrea. graduated from West Point with the class of 1862. His roommate during his academy years was George A. Custer. Upon graduation he was commissioned a 2nd Lt. in the 1st US Artillery and assigned a section command in Battery I 1st US. Well liked and respected by his fellow officers he quickly demonstrated great qualities of a professional soldier. At the battle of Gettysburg he commanded the left section during Pickett's charge. When Lt. Woodruff was wounded during the assault Lt. McCrea took command of the battery. After the action was completed the artillery brigade the battery was attached to was severely depleted in officers, men and horses. Battery I lost it's CO and 24 men killed and wounded. Lt. McCrea was also temporarily assigned command over Battery A , 4th US (Cushing's Battery) seeing as a majority of it's officers were killed or wounded in action.

Unfortunately, after Gettysburg, due to Army politics Lt. McCrea was never officially given full long term command of the Battery. He was superseded by Lt. French who had higher connections among the Army's General Officers. Only a few months after Gettysburg Lt. McCrea transferred out of Battery I to further pursue his career advancement. He would retire from army life in 1903 a Brigadier General.

McCrea letter describing his actions at the Battle of Gettysburg:

https://books.google.com/books?id=tK1Om1MmEWwC&pg=PA300&lpg=PA300&d...

McCrea letter to his sweetheart before the Battle of Olustee in Florida:

http://battleofolustee.org/letters/mccrea.html

Family research paper on Tully McCrea (includes his descriptions of actions at the battles of Fredericksburg, Antietam, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, and Olustee:

http://gfisher.org/Tully%20McCrea.htm

http://modoc1873.stores.yahoo.net/curotumc.html