I built this grid using the Add Media –>Edit Gallery —> Gallery Settings on the right side.
Link to Media File, 4 columns, random order, Medium size
Extra Grid Settings, Essential Grid – EG Hookup Testing
Custom Settings Enable
Item Spacing 20

So this one holds the formatting but of the 4 columns but it takes the hover effect away.  WTF

So rather than building the grid in the Essential Grid itself, I generated it in the post (which is always an option).  I thought maybe it would pick up the Att information that way, since the bulk add for images allows the Att Categories (but not the tags) as a top level filter.