★ ★  Kearny, Philip

Philip Kearny

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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)​
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.)​
Diana Kearny Powell 1844 – 1904​
John Watts Kearny 1845 – 1933​
Susan Watts Kearny Selfridge 1856 – Unknown​
Archibald Kennedy Kearny 1858 – 1862​
(Buried: Trinity Churchyard, Manhattan, New York)​
Virginia D. L. Kearny Hunt 1861 – 1897​
(Buried: Trinity Churchyard, Manhattan, New York)​

Education:

1833: Graduated from Columbia College​
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​
1837: Obtained a Commission as 1st Lt. U.S. Army, 1st Dragoons​
1840: Saw action with Chasseurs d’Afrique in Algiers​
1840: Prepared a Cavalry manual for U.S. Army based on his service​
1840 – 1841: Aide – de – camp to Major General Alexander Macomb​
Aide – de – camp to General Winfield Scott
Kearny 1.jpg
Accompanied his uncle’s unit to the Oregon Trail​
1846: Resigned from United States Army due to not seeing fighting​
1846: Returned to the Army a Month Later​
1846: Recruiter for U.S. Army 1st Dragoons in Terre Haute, Indiana​
1846: Acquired 120 matched dapple horses for his recruits​
His Command became the Bodyguard for General Winfield Scott​
1846 – 1851: Captain in United States Army Dragoons​
1847: Served in the Battle of Contreras, Mexico​
1847: Served in the Battle of Churubusco, Mexico wounded in left arm​
General Winfield Scott called Kearny “a perfect Soldier”​
One of the first men to enter the gates of Mexico City, Mexico​
1847: One of the original members of the Aztec Club of 1847​
Recruiter for United States Army in New York City, New York​
Recipient of a Sword from the Union Club in New York​
Brevetted to the rank of Major in United States Army​
1851: Served against the Rogue River Indians in Oregon​
1851: Resigned from United States Army in October​
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Went on a world tour visiting China, Ceylon, and France​
1854: Injured when his horse fell through a rotten bridge​
1859 – 1861: Served in Napoleon III’s Imperial Guard​
Recipient of the French Legion d’honneur – (First U.S. Citizen)​

Civil War Career:

1861 – 1862: Brigadier General of Union Army Volunteers​
1861: Trained the First New Jersey Brigade​
1862: Served in the Battle of Glendale, Virginia​
1862: Division Commander at the Battle of Williamsburg, Virginia​
1862: Division Commander at the Battle of Seven Pines, Virginia​
1862: His performance in Peninsula Campaign gained him respect​
1862: Credited with devising first Unit insignia patches for U.S. Army​
1862: Major General of Union Army, Volunteers​
1862: Division Commander at the Second Battle of Bull Run​
1862: Killed at the Battle of Chantilly, Virginia when he accidentally encountered Confederate troops but ignored a demand to surrender​
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

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

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Statue Over Major General Philip Kearny's Gravesite at Arlington, Virginia.
Dedicated in 1914, LOC Photos.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Philip Kearny:
Born: June 2, 1815
Birthplace: New York City New YorkView attachment 360934
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)
2nd​ Wife: Agnes Maxwell 1833 – 1917
(Buried: Arlington National Cemetery Arlington Virginia)
Children:

Susan Watts Kearny 1842 – 1843
(Buried: Congressional Cemetery Washington D.C.)
Diana Kearny Powell 1844 – 1904
John Watts Kearny 1845 – 1933
Susan Watts Kearny Selfridge 1856 – Unknown
Archibald Kennedy Kearny 1858 – 1862
(Buried: Trinity Churchyard Manhattan New York)
Virginia D. L. Kearny Hunt 1861 – 1897
(Buried: Trinity Churchyard Manhattan New York)

Education:
1833: Graduated from Columbia College
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
1837: Obtained a Commission as 1st​ Lt. U.S. Army 1st​ Dragoons
1840: Saw action with Chasseurs d’Afrique in Algiers
1840: Prepared a Cavalry manual for U.S. Army based on his service
1840 – 1841: Aide – de – camp to Major General Alexander Macomb
Aide – de – camp to General Winfield ScottView attachment 360935
Accompanied his uncle’s unit to the Oregon Trail
1846: Resigned from United States Army due to not seeing fighting
1846: Returned to the Army a Month Later
1846: Recruiter for U.S. Army 1st​ Dragoons in Terre Haute Indiana
1846: Acquired 120 matched dapple horses for his recruits
His Command became the Bodyguard for General Winfield Scott
1846 – 1851: Captain in United States Army Dragoons
1847: Served in the Battle of Contreras Mexico
1847: Served in the Battle of Churubusco Mexico wounded in left arm
General Winfield Scott called Kearny “a perfect Soldier”
One of the first men to enter the gates of Mexico City Mexico
1847: One of the original members of the Aztec Club of 1847
Recruiter for United States Army in New York City New York
Recipient of a Sword from the Union Club in New York
Brevetted to the rank of Major in United States Army
1851: Served against the Rogue River Indians in Oregon
1851: Resigned from United States Army in October
Went on a world tour visiting China, Ceylon, and France
1854: Injured when his horse fell through a rotten bridge
1859 – 1861: Served in Napoleon III’s Imperial Guard
Recipient of the French Legion d’honneur – (First U.S. Citizen)

Civil War Career:
1861 – 1862: Brigadier General of Union Army Volunteers
1861: Trained the First New Jersey Brigade
1862: Served in the Battle of Glendale Virginia
1862: Division Commander at the Battle of Williamsburg Virginia
1862: Division Commander at the Battle of Seven Pines Virginia
1862: His performance in Peninsula Campaign gained him respect
1862: Credited with devising first Unit insignia patches for U.S. Army
1862: Major General of Union Army Volunteers
1862: Division Commander at the Second Battle of Bull Run
1862: Killed at the Battle of Chantilly Virginia



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: Arlington National Cemetery Arlington Virginia
I have read rather mixed things regarding Kearny. I remember there was a thread criticizing his bravado and command style, abandoning his actual command so he could lead a regiment or brigade in another command in charges. Whether he would mature as a commander later in the war is mostly speculative, as his pointless death at Chantilly proved.
 
I believe he got that Legion of Honor for his actions in a cavalry charge at Solferino. Don't know the details however. As remarked on in some of the above posts he seems to have been respected by his peers in the old army.I

John
In addition to the Legion of Honor he also received the veterans' commemorative medal for what the French called The Italian Campaign (Campaigne d'Italie) of 1859 which included the battles of Magenta, Solferino, and smaller ones.
 
He also came up with the Kearny patch which he gave to each soldier to wear as a member of Kearny's Division. His original idea was to use it to identify stragglers but the men adapted the Red Diamond as a source of pride. Joe Hooker took the idea and designed patches for the AoP Corps when he took over Army command. The Kearny patch is the forerunner to today's Army shoulder patch such as the Big Red One.
 
The uncle he accompanied on the Oregon Trail in 1845 was BG Stephen Watts Kearny. Stephen Kearny is probably most noted for his actions in New Mexico and California during the Mexican War and for his role in the court martial of John Fremont in 1848.
 
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.
 
I get the impression he was something of a prima donna but I like him anyway. I love his participation in the French cavalry charge at Solferino. Quite a character.

Happy birthday General!

John
 
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