George V. Kelley
Encyclopedia
George VanStavoren Kelley (March 23, 1843 – November 4, 1905) was a line officer in the Union Army
during the American Civil War
. He received the Medal of Honor
for gallantry at the Battle of Franklin
during the 1864 Franklin-Nashville Campaign
.
. Following the outbreak of the Civil War and President Abraham Lincoln
's call for volunteers, he enlisted in his hometown in the 104th Ohio Infantry
on April 22, 1861. Kelley served as a sergeant in Company A. The regiment moved to Covington, Kentucky
, on September 1, 1862, in preparation for the Defense of Cincinnati
against a threatened Confederate
invasion by troops under Edmund Kirby Smith
. It was involved in the subsequent Skirmish at Fort Mitchell, Kentucky
.
Kelley and his comrades in the 104th OVI spent 1863 in Kentucky, and then moved to East Tennessee
until April 1864. They were reassigned to duty as part of the XXIII Corps
in Georgia
, and Tennessee in late 1864. Kelley was promoted to captain and commander of Company A. He captured a Confederate
flag during the fighting at Franklin in November and was awarded the Medal of Honor a few months later. The regiment subsequently served in Washington, D.C.
and North Carolina
. Kelley was mustered out of the army on June 14, 1865.
After the war, Kelley returned to Ohio. At the age of 24, he married Fannie Bliss on October 18, 1866. Following her death, he moved to Denver, Colorado
, and became a rancher. On May 15, 1890, he married a local resident Louisa Talitha Holloway (February 13, 1865 – February 6, 1902).
He is buried in that city's Riverside Cemetery.
Citation:
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. He received the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
for gallantry at the Battle of Franklin
Battle of Franklin II
The Battle of Franklin was fought on November 30, 1864, at Franklin, Tennessee, as part of the Franklin-Nashville Campaign of the American Civil War. It was one of the worst disasters of the war for the Confederate States Army. Confederate Lt. Gen. John Bell Hood's Army of Tennessee conducted...
during the 1864 Franklin-Nashville Campaign
Franklin-Nashville Campaign
The Franklin-Nashville Campaign, also known as Hood's Tennessee Campaign, was a series of battles in the Western Theater, conducted from September 18 to December 27, 1864, in Alabama, Tennessee, and northwestern Georgia during the American Civil War. The Confederate Army of Tennessee under Lt....
.
Biography
Kelley was born and raised in enlisted in Massillon, OhioMassillon, Ohio
Massillon is a city located in Stark County in the U.S. state of Ohio, approximately 8 miles to the west of Canton, Ohio, 20 miles south of Akron, Ohio, and 50 miles south of Cleveland, Ohio. The population was 32,149 at the 2010 census....
. Following the outbreak of the Civil War and President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
's call for volunteers, he enlisted in his hometown in the 104th Ohio Infantry
104th Ohio Infantry
The 104th Ohio Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment in the Union army during the American Civil War. It played a conspicuous role at the Battle of Franklin during the 1864 Franklin-Nashville Campaign, where six members later received the Medal of Honor, most for capturing enemy...
on April 22, 1861. Kelley served as a sergeant in Company A. The regiment moved to Covington, Kentucky
Covington, Kentucky
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 43,370 people, 18,257 households, and 10,132 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,301.3 people per square mile . There were 20,448 housing units at an average density of 1,556.5 per square mile...
, on September 1, 1862, in preparation for the Defense of Cincinnati
Defense of Cincinnati
The Defense of Cincinnati occurred during what is now referred to as the Confederate Heartland Offensive of American Civil War from September 1 through September 13, 1862, when Cincinnati, Ohio, was threatened by Confederate forces....
against a threatened Confederate
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
invasion by troops under Edmund Kirby Smith
Edmund Kirby Smith
Edmund Kirby Smith was a career United States Army officer and educator. He served as a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War, notable for his command of the Trans-Mississippi Department of the Confederacy after the fall of Vicksburg.After the conflict ended Smith...
. It was involved in the subsequent Skirmish at Fort Mitchell, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
.
Kelley and his comrades in the 104th OVI spent 1863 in Kentucky, and then moved to East Tennessee
East Tennessee
East Tennessee is a name given to approximately the eastern third of the U.S. state of Tennessee, one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee defined in state law. East Tennessee consists of 33 counties, 30 located within the Eastern Time Zone and three counties in the Central Time Zone, namely...
until April 1864. They were reassigned to duty as part of the XXIII Corps
XXIII Corps (ACW)
XXIII Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War. It served in the Western Theater as part of the Army of the Ohio.The corps was organized in April 1863 by order of the departmental commander, Ambrose E. Burnside...
in Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, and Tennessee in late 1864. Kelley was promoted to captain and commander of Company A. He captured a Confederate
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
flag during the fighting at Franklin in November and was awarded the Medal of Honor a few months later. The regiment subsequently served in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. Kelley was mustered out of the army on June 14, 1865.
After the war, Kelley returned to Ohio. At the age of 24, he married Fannie Bliss on October 18, 1866. Following her death, he moved to Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, and became a rancher. On May 15, 1890, he married a local resident Louisa Talitha Holloway (February 13, 1865 – February 6, 1902).
He is buried in that city's Riverside Cemetery.
Medal of Honor citation
Rank and organization: Captain, Company A, 104th Ohio Infantry. Place and date: At Franklin, Tenn., November 30, 1864. Entered service at: Massillon, Ohio. Born: March 23, 1843, Massillon, Ohio. Date of issue: February 13, 1865.Citation:
Capture of flag supposed to be of Cheatham's Corps (C.S.A.).
See also
- List of Medal of Honor recipients
- Wikipedia Riverside CemeteryRiverside Cemetery (Denver, Colorado)Riverside Cemetery, established in 1876, is Denver, Colorado's oldest operating cemetery. More than 67,000 people are buried there, including 1,000 veterans.-Location and operation:...