John Reese Kenly

John Reese Kenly
Born (1818-01-11)January 11, 1818
Baltimore, Maryland
Died December 20, 1891(1891-12-20) (aged 73)
Baltimore, Maryland
Place of burial Green Mount Cemetery, Baltimore, Maryland
Allegiance United States of America
Union
Service/branch United States Army
Union Army
Years of service 1846 - 1848, 1861 - 1865
Rank Brigadier general
Brevet Major General
Commands held 1st Maryland Volunteer Infantry
Battles/wars Mexican-American War
American Civil War
*Battle of Harpers Ferry
Other work Lawyer

John Reese Kenly (January 11, 1818 December 20, 1891) was an American lawyer, and a Union general in the American Civil War.

Biography

Kenly was born in Baltimore, Maryland. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1845, but went to the Mexican-American War as a lieutenant with a company of volunteers he had raised and was later promoted to the rank of major. He entered the American Civil War as colonel of the 1st Regiment Maryland Volunteer Infantry organized at Baltimore, Maryland, which was mustered into Union service on May 16, 1861. Together with some Pennsylvania companies, it was captured by Stonewall Jackson, after hard fighting, at Front Royal on the Shenandoah, May 23, 1862. Kenly himself was severely wounded when he was taken prisoner, but his stand had saved General Banks's division at Winchester, and he was raised to the command of a brigade in 1862, which he led at Hagerstown, Harpers Ferry, and elsewhere.

Kenly joined the Army of the Potomac after the Battle of Gettysburg and was assigned to I Corps during the Bristoe Campaign and the Battle of Mine Run, commanding the third division of the corps. Afterwards, he was assigned to the Middle Department, commanding the Third Separate Brigade in 1864.

Kenly died in Baltimore, Maryland, and is buried there in Green Mount Cemetery.

See also

References

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Gilman, D. C.; Thurston, H. T.; Colby, F. M., eds. (1905). "article name needed". New International Encyclopedia (1st ed.). New York: Dodd, Mead. 


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