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Civil War Soldiers - Kilpatrick
| Kilpatrick, Judson, major-general,
U.S. Army, was born in Deckertown, N. J., Jan. 14, 1836, and was
graduated at West Point in 1861. He was appointed captain of
volunteers, May 9, promoted 1st lieutenant of artillery, May 14, and
in the action at Big Bethel on June 10 received a severe wound which
disabled him for several months. Upon his return to the army he was
detailed on recruiting duty, organized a regiment of New York
volunteer cavalry, of which he became lieutenant-colonel in September,
and in Jan., 1862, went to Kansas to accompany Gen. Lane in the
expedition to Texas as chief of artillery. Upon the abandonment of
this project, Kilpatrick rejoined his regiment in Virginia, where he
participated in the skirmishes near Falmouth, in April, the movement
to Thoroughfare gap in May; raids on the Virginia Central railroad in
July, and skirmishes at Carmel Church on July 23. He was also present
in various other skirmishes and at the second battle of Bull Run, and
in the expedition to Leesburg, Sept. 19, commanded a cavalry brigade.
After several months' absence on recruiting service, during which time
he became colonel of the 2nd N. Y. cavalry, he returned to the field
and commanded a brigade of cavalry in the Rappahannock campaign,
engaging in Stoneman's raid toward Richmond, April-May, 1863, and in
the battle at Beverly ford on June 9. He was commissioned
brigadier-general of volunteers, June 13, 1863, and commanded a
cavalry brigade and division in the Army of the Potomac, participating
in the actions at Aldie, where he commanded and won the brevet of
major, Middlebury, and Upperville, and in the battles of Hanover,
Hunterstown and Gettysburg, and in the pursuit of the enemy after the
last named battle, being engaged in constant fighting at Smithsburg,
Hagerstown, Boonsboro and Falling Waters. He commanded a cavalry
division in the operations in central Virginia from August until Nov.,
1863, took part in the expedition to destroy the Confederate gunboats,
"Satellite" and "Reliance," in Rappahannock river, the action at
Culpeper on Sept. 13, and the subsequent skirmish at Somerville ford,
the fights at James City and Brandy Station, and in the movement to
Centerville and the action at Gainesville, Oct. 19. He participated in
the action at Ashland, Va., May 1, 1864, in many skirmishes, and took
part in the invasion of Georgia as commander of a cavalry division of
the Army of the Cumberland, being engaged in the action at Ringgold,
April 29, the operations about Dalton, May 7-13, and in the battle of
Resaca, where he was severely wounded. Having previously been
brevetted lieutenant-colonel for gallantry at Gettysburg, he was given
the brevet rank of colonel for gallant and meritorious conduct at
Resaca, and upon his return to the service in the latter part of July,
1864, guarded Sherman's communications, and raided and took part in
several heavy skirmishes with the Confederates. He participated in
numerous skirmishes during the march to the sea and commanded a
cavalry division during the invasion of the Carolinas, where he
engaged in many actions and skirmishes. From April to June, 1865, he
commanded a division of the cavalry corps of the Military Division of
the Mississippi. He was brevetted major- general of volunteers Jan.
15, 1865, and brigadier-general and major- general U. S. A. on March
13 of that year, resigning his volunteer commission, Jan. 1, 1866, and
his commission in the regular army in 1867. Gen. Kilpatrick was envoy
extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to Chili, 1865-68, an
unsuccessful candidate for Congress in 1880, and was appointed
minister to Chili again in 1881. He died in Santiago, Chili, Dec. 4,
1881, and his remains were afterward brought to the United States and
buried at West Point, N. Y.
Source: The Union Army: A History of Military Affairs in the Loyal
States 1861-1865, Volume 8 Biographical, 1908
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