DOB/DOD: September 21, 1834 (Philadelphia, PA) – November 22, 1906 (Groton, CT); 72 years old
MARITAL STATUS: Married Evaline Tuttle (1839-1864) on September 13, 1860. Remarried Mary J. Wilcox (1845-1915) in 1871.
CHILDREN: None
ENLISTMENT: August 8, 1862, in Groton, Connecticut.
DISCHARGE: June 23, 1865.
FAMILY: Born to Joseph Gray (1810-1850) and Emeline H. Morgan Gray (1815-1898). One brother, Charles (1836-1878). Four sisters, Emeline “Emma” Gray Shepherd (1839-1890), Caroline “Carrie” M. Gray Gould (1842-1889), Lucy A. Gray Seeley (1844-1863), and Alice (1849-1916).
OTHER: One of five members of the 21st Connecticut to receive the Medal of Honor.
MEDAL OF HONOR CITATION
AWARDED FOR ACTIONS DURING: Civil War
BRANCH OF SERVICE: Army
UNIT: Company C, 21st Connecticut Infantry
DATE OF ISSUE AND PRESENTATION: July 13, 1897 (33 years later)
AGE ON THE DAY OF THE EVENT: 29
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Sergeant Robert A. Gray, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 16 May 1864, while serving with Company C, 21st Connecticut Infantry, in action at Drewry’s Bluff, Virginia. While retreating with his regiment, which had been repulsed, Sergeant Gray voluntarily returned, in the face of the enemy’s fire, to a former position and rescued a wounded officer of his company who was unable to walk.
After the war, Sgt Gray returned to Groton, where he spent the rest of his life. He resided on Ramsdell Street in Groton Bank and became a partner in the Groton-based granite and marble quarry business, Merritt, Gray & Company. He took an active interest in community civic life, serving as a representative to the General Assembly in 1880-1881 and vice president of the Groton Heights Centennial Committee in 1881. He was an active worker and participant in the perpetuation of the historic Fort Griswold. He is buried in Colonel Ledyard Cemetery, where, ironically, he had worked for over ten years cutting grass, removing and burying stumps, and building walls.
From Beyer, W. F., & Keydel, O. F. (2000). Deeds of valor: How America’s Civil War Heroes won The Congressional Medal of Honor. Smithmark Publishers.
RESCUED HIS LIEUTENANT
During the hotly contested battle of Bluff, when the Union troops were compelled to fall back, a small squad of Federal soldiers – fifteen in all – were left on the field. They were members of Company C of the Twenty-first Connecticut Infantry, under the command of Lieutenant Dutton, who, having no orders to fall back, had no choice but to brave the situation. Rapidly, however, their position became more and more untenable; the enemy was fast closing in on the little band; already, several of them had fallen under the increasing murderous fire from the Confederates. Lieutenant Dutton finally was forced to order a retreat but had no sooner uttered the words than, struck by a bullet, he sank to the ground. Sergeant Robert A. Gray was five rods away from him when he noticed the Lieutenant’s absence and, looking back, saw that the officer was disabled and sure to fall into the hands of the enemy, who were no more than twenty rods away from him. With a few leaps, he was by his side and found him shot through the leg. He helped him up and managed to retreat with him. The brave sergeant assisted the wounded lieutenant to a place of comparative safety and then hurried back to his regiment.
From The Day (New London, CT) September 21, 1904
THREE SCORE AND TEN ON TUESDAY
LONG AND USEFUL LIFE OF ROBERT A. GRAY – ERRATIC HIGHWAYMAN
Groton, September 21 – Robert A. Gray, one of Groton’s oldest and most respected residents, celebrated in a quiet way his seventieth birthday at his home in the borough Tuesday. He was born in Philadelphia. His mother was Emeline Morgan, wife of Joseph Gray. At the age of 11 months, Mr. Gray’s parents moved to New London, where they resided until 1845, when they moved across the river and took up residence in Groton Bank. When a young man, Gray went to work in the quarry of B.N. Greene in Groton. It was there that he learned his trade as a stonecutter. Later, he went to California, where he was assistant superintendent of the Colton marble yards at Colonton, California. He also practiced his trade in the state of Maine for several years. In 1860, he married Eveline Tuttle of Willimantic. In the year of 1862, Gray enlisted in Company C, Twenty-first Regiment, Connecticut Volunteers. From 1862 until the close of the war in 1865, he saw hard service. He was one of the few men to receive a Medal of Honor for bravery in action. He was a recipient of a medal voted by Congress for the gallant rescue of S.A. Dutton of Durant, Iowa, in the conflict at Drewry’s Bluff, Virginia. Comrade Dutton is still living, and correspondence is still carried on between the two men.
WEBMASTER NOTE: Lieutenant Samuel A. Dutton died on December 26, 1928, at 85 years old, a father of 5 sons and 3 daughters.
His first wife died in 1864. In 1870, he established the granite works now owned and operated by John Salter and Son. He was connected with the granite works in Groton for many years. In 1871, he was married again. His second wife was Mary I. Wilcox of Groton.
During the years of his retirement, he had faithfully served his town and state by holding various offices. He served as a representative from the town in the 1880-81 session. He was always a consistent member of the Groton Heights Baptist Church and, for many years, was a deacon in the church. Mr. Gray’s name has been placed on the senatorial committee by his Republican friends for 24 consecutive years, and during this time, he has not failed to act at each occasion. He has always prided himself in being, as he terms it, “a straight out and out Republican.” He has also served for ten years as a member of the congressional committee. For 25 years, he served as chairman of the Groton Monument Association. This was done in addition to and in connection with five successive terms as president of the association. In 1881, he superintended the work of placing the cap on the shaft. The last work that he performed upon the shaft was to take 30 of the large granite blocks from the monument and replace them with new ones.
Mr. Gray is a familiar figure on the streets of the borough. No man in the vicinity is better informed concerning the living members of the companies in the Connecticut Volunteer regiments.
Gray Soldier’s Monument, 316 Monument Street, Groton, Connecticut.
A monument next to the Fort Griswold battlefield honors Groton’s Civil War veterans.
The Gray Soldiers’ Monument was a posthumous gift by Robert A. Gray, a Groton native and Civil War veteran who received a Medal of Honor for courage during fighting at Drewry’s Bluff, Virginia.
The monument, which features an infantryman standing atop a granite base, bears a dedication on its front (south) face reading, “Erected by Robert A. Gray and dedicated to the memory of his brave comrades who offered their lives for their country in the war of 1861-1865.”
The south face also bears the Connecticut and United States shields near its base and also honors the battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia. The east face honors the battle of Port Hudson, Louisiana. Gettysburg is listed on the north face, and Drewry’s Bluff is honored on the west face.
The monument was dedicated on July 4, 1916, thanks to a posthumous donation. Robert A. Gray, a Groton stonecutter, had served with the 21st Regiment, Connecticut Volunteer Infantry. Gray was awarded the Medal of Honor for rescuing an injured officer during fighting at Drewry’s Bluff.
The Soldiers’ Monument, near the corner of Park Avenue and Smith Street, stands almost in the shadow of the Groton Battle Monument and Museum in Fort Griswold State Park.
The monument was supplied by the Smith Granite Works in nearby Westerly, R.I., and may have been among the last Civil War monuments purchased from the firm.
Gray’s Soldier’s Monument, 316 Monument Street, Groton, Connecticut. Photos by Jeff DeWitt. The monument commemorates soldiers who died in the Civil War. It was erected by Robert A. Gray, a partner in the Groton firm of Merritt, Gray & Company, granite and marble works, and a representative in the State Legislature. The battles listed on the monument are those in which he fought. Gray gave the monument to the Groton Monument Association by testamentary gift.
Buried in Colonel Ledyard Cemetery, 240 Mitchell Street, Groton, Connecticut. Photos by Jeff DeWitt.
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