{⋆★⋆} BG Kelly, John Herbert

John Herbert Kelly

:CSA1stNat:

Born: March 31, 1840
General Kelly.jpg


Birth Place: Carrollton, Alabama

Father: Isham Harrison “John” Kelly 1809 – 1844

Mother: Elizabeth Herbert 1820 – 1845

Education:

Attended West Point Military Academy, Until Alabama Secession​

Civil War Career:

1861: 2nd Lt. Assigned to service at Fort Morgan, Alabama​
1862: Captain & Assistant Adjutant General to General William Hardee​
1862: Major of 9th Arkansas Infantry Battalion​
1862: Participated in the Battle of Shiloh, Tennessee
John Herbert Kelly.JPG
1862 – 1863: Colonel of 8th Arkansas Infantry Regiment​
1862: Wounded during the Battle of Murfreesboro, Tennessee​
1862: Participated in the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky​
1863 – 1864: Brigadier General of Confederate Army Infantry​
1864: Fought heavily during Battle of Franklin, Tennessee shot in chest​

Died: September 4, 1864

Place of Death: Franklin, Tennessee

Cause of Death: Gunshot wounds to the chest

Age at time of Death: 24 years old

Burial Place: Magnolia Cemetery, Mobile, Alabama
 
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I share a birthday with this man. One of Cleburne's Own, as I like to call members of Cleburne's division. He was assigned as a Colonel to command a provisional brigade in Preston's Division at the battle of CHickamauga. He was cited for excellence by Cleburne and others and was promoted to rank from the date of the battle.
 
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Kelly literally saved the day at Pickett's Mill, fighting along with a part of Hume's Division(Ashby's). I covered more of the latter here but Kelly deserves every ounce of praise for his part in preserving the Confederate right. It was he who warned Cleburne he was getting flanked by Hazen's left as well. It is said that after fighting to preserve Granbury's position that he made the final charge across the cornfield with his old command, the 8th AR Infantry(Baucum).
https://www.westerntheatercivilwar....s-tennessee-cavalry-brigade-at-pickett-s-mill
 
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Something is seriously wrong here - according to the bio, Kelly was:

1863 – 1864: Brigadier General of Confederate Army Infantry

1864: Fought heavily during Battle of Franklin, Tennessee shot in chest

Died: September 4, 1864


Place of Death: Franklin, Tennessee

The first obit states, "He was killed at the Battle of Franklin, Tennessee... General Kelly was killed on August 24, 1864..."

The second one states, "... a few days since died of wounds received near Franklin, Tennessee" and "On the 20th of August fell this noble young soldier at the head of his command."

While his headstone gives the Sept. 4, 1864 date for his death.

While many if not most of these contradictions can probably be sorted out, I would like to observe that in late August, 1864 most of the Confederate infantry in that part of the world was still penned up in Atlanta, Georgia which didn't fall until after the September 1 Battle of Jonesboro, Ga. Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee were mainly being protected by elements of Forrest's Cavalry Corps; Hood's infantry didn't arrive in Alabama until after the October 5 Battle of Alatoona, Ga. The actual engagement known as the Battle of Franklin, Tennessee didn't occur until November 30, 1864, so Kelly wasn't one of the famous six Confederate generals killed there. While he may have been mortally wounded during some skirmish at or near Franklin, apparently on or around the August 20 or 24 dates given, I'd opine that it was likely while leading cavalry - it certainly had no connection whatsoever with the later actual Battle of Franklin.

Is there anyone more familiar with Kelly and his career who can clarify these apparent contradictions?
 
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Gen. Kelly was killed on Wheeler's final raid into Tennessee, and before Hood's campaign into TN. The author has those actions mixed up. Kelly had begun his career with the 8th AR Inf., but by the Atlanta Campaign he had a small division in Wheeler's Cavalry Corp. He was loved and respected by all that knew him it seems.
 
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Gen. Kelly was killed on Wheeler's final raid into Tennessee, and before Hood's campaign into TN. The author has those actions mixed up. Kelly had begun his career with the 8th AR Inf., but by the Atlanta Campaign he had a small division in Wheeler's Cavalry Corp. He was loved and respected by all that knew him it seems.
Do you know anything about the circumstances?
 
Here is a small account mentioned in the diary of Pvt. W. E. Sloan of the 5th Tenn. Cav(McKenzie's). This guy Sloan was sharp as a tack and this was real time daily diary. I would lean towards this Sept. 2nd death date for Kelly.

20220329_124844.jpg
 
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Do you know anything about the circumstances?
it was the August-September raid that Hood decided to send Wheeler on to try and harm Sherman's supply lines. It failed to achieve any result in that regard, the damage was minimal, and merely depleted Hood of cavalry, intelligence and manpower against Sherman when he made his final offensive towards Jonesboro.
 
Kelly literally saved the day at Pickett's Mill, fighting along with a part of Hume's Division(Ashby's). I covered more of the latter here but Kelly deserves every ounce of praise for his part in preserving the Confederate right. It was he who warned Cleburne he was getting flanked by Hazen's left as well. It is said that after fighting to preserve Granbury's position that he made the final charge across the cornfield with his old command, the 8th AR Infantry(Baucum).
https://www.westerntheatercivilwar....s-tennessee-cavalry-brigade-at-pickett-s-mill
Yeah, in most histories he's often mentioned in passing but, as you've helped to highlight, the cavalry played a larger role than often is credited.
Kelly, despite his youth, proved to be an effective cavalry commander, one of Wheeler's best subordinates.
 
Cavalry General Kelly, was shot in the chest by a Union sharpshooter in a skirmish near Franklin on September 2, 1864. The wounded Kelly was taken to the Harrison House, south of Winstead Hill, where he died on September 4 and was buried in the gardens there. (He was later reburied in the Magnolia Cemetery, at Mobile, Alabama).

The Harrison House is where Hood had his final conference and planned for his suicidal frontal assault at Franklin on November 30, and also where the mortally wounded Confederate B-G John Carter was taken that same night and died on December 10.
 
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