Another Newspaper Interview!

Man Authors Novel On Black Civil War Regiment

By Jeff Mellott

Luray resident Kelly O'Grady's recently published novel, "Soldiers Just Like You," highlights the Civil War's 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, the most famous black Civil War regiment.

LURAY - The 1989 film "Glory" rekindled interest in the story of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, the most famous black regiment that fought during the Civil War.

The film ends with the regiment's failed attack on Fort Wagner at Charleston, S.C., in July 1863.

Now, Kelly O'Grady, 52, of Luray, has based his latest novel, "Soldiers Just Like You," on the regiment and the largely forgotten trial of the black soldiers who were captured during the battle.

O'Grady's book follows the 54th Massachusetts and the Irish immigrants with whom they clashed at Fort Wagner, which covered the entrance to Charleston harbor from its location on Morris Island.

The 54th's courage during the battle helped demonstrate the fighting ability of blacks.

The regiment suffered 272 casualties, or 45 percent of the 600 men who charged the fort.

Not only did the Massachusetts regiment face combat, the soldiers also fought under the Confederate threat to treat captured black soldiers as runaway slaves. If captured, black soldiers faced being forced into slavery or execution for servile insurrection.

"Soldiers Just Like You," self-published last year and available in paperback at Amazon.com for $14.99, is O'Grady's second book.

In 2000, he published his first book, "Clear the Confederate Way: The Irish in the Army of Northern Virginia."

O'Grady, in explaining what interested him in writing about the events at Fort Wagner, said he's always sympathized with underdogs. During the Civil War, the Irish and other immigrants faced discrimination in both North and South.

"Wagner is an interesting battle, as it has two minorities fighting each other," O'Grady said.

Family

O'Grady's interest in the Irish comes from his family heritage.

Growing up in the Richmond area, he studied history at the College of William & Mary. After graduating in 1983, O'Grady began working as a journalist, eventually becoming a managing editor of weekly newspapers.

He left the newspaper business to take a job with the National Park Service, where he served as a ranger at the Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park.

O'Grady moved to the Shenandoah Valley last year after his wife, Krista, who also works for the National Park Service, was transferred to Luray. They have a 5-year-old son, Rory, and a 2-year-old daughter, Darby.

First Novel

Of late, O'Grady has dedicated more time to writing.

Because of the scarcity of records and his desire to have more literary freedom, O'Grady decided to write a novel instead of a nonfiction history.

His research for the novel included visits to Charleston and the grave sites of some of the people he fictionalizes in his book.

O'Grady said he drew his inspiration for the novel from the film "Glory."

But, unlike the film, the story doesn't end with the battle at Fort Wagner. Instead, O'Grady explores the subsequent civilian court prosecution of the captured black soldiers, who were put on trial for servile insurrection.

With Union warships bombarding Charleston during the trial, the court acquitted the black soldiers.

O'Grady found the court case and its outcome remarkable for Civil War Charleston.

"The whole thing is unbelievable looking back on it," he said.

The verdict did not free the men. Instead, Confederate authorities treated the captured blacks like other soldiers, and they were taken to prisoner-of-war camps, O'Grady said.