★ ★ Kearny, Philip

Philip Kearny​

Born: June 2, 1815

Birthplace: New York City, New York

Father: Philip Kearny 1780 – 1849

(Buried: Trinity Churchyard, Manhattan, New York)​

Mother: Susan Watts 1795 – 1823

(Buried: Trinity Churchyard, Manhattan, New York)​

1st​ Wife: Diana Moore Bullitt 1819 – 1906

(Buried: Saint Mary's Catholic Cemetery, Cape May, New Jersey)​

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Married: 1841; Separated: 1849; Divorced: 1858

2nd​ Wife: Agnes Maxwell 1833 – 1917

(Buried: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia)​

Married: 1859 in Paris, France

Children:

Susan Watts Kearny 1842 – 1843​

(Buried: Congressional Cemetery, Washington, D.C.)​

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Diana Kearny Powell 1844 – 1904​

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John Watts Kearny 1845 – 1933​

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Susan Watts Kearny Selfridge 1856 – Unknown​

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Archibald Kennedy Kearny 1858 – 1862​

(Buried: Trinity Churchyard, Manhattan, New York)​

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Virginia D. L. Kearny Hunt 1861 – 1897​

(Buried: Trinity Churchyard, Manhattan, New York)​

Education:

1833: Graduated from Columbia College​

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1839: Studied Cavalry Tactics in France at famous school in Saumur​

Occupation before War:

1836: His grandfather left him $1 million, equaled to $27 Million today​

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1837: Obtained a Commission as 1st​ Lt. U.S. Army, 1st​ Dragoons​

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1840: Saw action with Chasseurs d'Afrique in Algiers​

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1840: Prepared a Cavalry manual for U.S. Army based on his service​

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1840 – 1841: Aide – de – camp to Major General Alexander Macomb​

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Aide – de – camp to General Winfield Scott

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Accompanied his uncle's unit to the Oregon Trail​

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1846: Resigned from United States Army due to not seeing fighting​

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1846: Returned to the Army a Month Later​

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1846: Recruiter for U.S. Army 1st​ Dragoons in Terre Haute, Indiana​

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1846: Acquired 120 matched dapple horses for his recruits​

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His Command became the Bodyguard for General Winfield Scott​

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1846 – 1851: Captain in United States Army Dragoons​

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1847: Served in the Battle of Contreras, Mexico​

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1847: Served in the Battle of Churubusco, Mexico wounded in left arm​

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General Winfield Scott called Kearny "a perfect Soldier"​

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One of the first men to enter the gates of Mexico City, Mexico​

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1847: One of the original members of the Aztec Club of 1847​

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Recruiter for United States Army in New York City, New York​

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Recipient of a Sword from the Union Club in New York​

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Brevetted to the rank of Major in United States Army​

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1851: Served against the Rogue River Indians in Oregon​

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1851: Resigned from United States Army in October​

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Went on a world tour visiting China, Ceylon, and France​

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1854: Injured when his horse fell through a rotten bridge​

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1859 – 1861: Served in Napoleon III's Imperial Guard​

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Recipient of the French Legion d'honneur – (First U.S. Citizen)​

Civil War Career:

1861 – 1862: Brigadier General of Union Army Volunteers​

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1861: Trained the First New Jersey Brigade​

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1862: Served in the Battle of Glendale, Virginia​

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1862: Division Commander at the Battle of Williamsburg, Virginia​

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1862: Division Commander at the Battle of Seven Pines, Virginia​

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1862: His performance in Peninsula Campaign gained him respect​

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1862: Credited with devising first Unit insignia patches for U.S. Army​

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1862: Major General of Union Army, Volunteers​

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1862: Division Commander at the Second Battle of Bull Run​

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1862: Killed at the Battle of Chantilly, Virginia when he accidentally encountered Confederate troops but ignored a demand to surrender​

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Kearny's body was forwarded to the Union line by Robert E. Lee under a flag of truce​

Died: September 1, 1862

Place of Death: Chantilly, Virginia

Cause of Death: Killed riding into the Confederate Lines

Age at time of Death: 47 years old

Burial Place: An unmarked vault in Manhattan's Trinity Churchyard

Re-interred: In 1912 to Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia

"Taking Kearny's Body from Trinity Church", 1912, LOC Photo.

Statue Over Major General Philip Kearny's Gravesite at Arlington, Virginia.
Dedicated in 1914, LOC Photos.​

 

[Luke Freet]

Definitely one of the more colorful and aggressive of the early war officers. Between himself, Hooker, Birney and Sickles, 3rd Corps was one of the best of the army.

 

[Cavalier]

@Luke Freet I agree. The 3rd. Corps had it's own special kind of personality, as did the 2nd. I suppose they all did but those two stand out especially.

John

 

[ErnieMac]

Even though his division was sent to reinforce John Pope's Army of Virginia the division apparently remained a part of the AOP. Kearny's last command is listed as 1st Division, 3rd Corps, Army of the Potomac.

Even as Pope's troops were skirmishing with Confederates along the Rappahannock, most of McClellan's Army of the Potomac was being withdrawn from the Peninsula. As the troops from the Peninsula put ashore at Aquia Landing they were ordered to join Pope and attached to his command. The Third and Fifth Corps plus one brigade of the Sixth Corps arrived in time to participate in the battle. In addition, two divisions of newly formed Ninth Corps were also assigned to Pope. The Ninth Corps would become part of the AoP for the Maryland Campaign but had not yet been so assigned at the time Second Manassas was fought.