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Dromo's Den
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[Up] [Dromo's Den] Hugh Judson Kilpatrick Biography KILPATRICK,
Hugh Judson (1836-81). An American soldier, one of the most brilliant
cavalry leaders on the Federal side in the Civil War. He was born near
Deckertown, N. J., graduated at West Point in 1861, and on May 9 entered the
Federal service as captain in the Fifth New York Volunteers, generally known as
Duryea's Zouaves. He was wounded at Big Bethel on June 10, was engaged in
organizing a regiment of cavalry in August, and on September 25 became
lieutenant colonel of the Second New York Cavalry. From 1862 to 1864 he took a
prominent part in nearly all the cavalry operations connected with the campaigns
of the Army of Virginia and the Army of the Potomac, making innumerable raids
and gathering information of Confederate movements. In one of his raids in 1863
he covered more than 200 miles in less than five days, fought skirmishes daily,
and during this time captured and paroled more than 800 prisoners, with a loss
to himself of only one officer and 37 men. In the second battle of Bull Run and
afterward in the battle of Gettysburg be served with conspicuous gallantry. In
December, 1862, he was promoted to be colonel, and in June, 1863, to be
brigadier general, United States volunteers while he received the brevet of
major and lieutenant colonel in the regular army for gallantry at Aldie, Va.,
and Gettysburg respectively. In March, 1864, he participated in a celebrated
raid towards Richmond and down the Virginia peninsula, and in April was placed
in command of a division of cavalry in the Army of the Cumberland, then engaged,
under Sherman, in the invasion of Georgia. Wounded at Resaca, he recovered in
time to guard Sherman's communications effectively. At the close of the war he
was brevetted brigadier general in the regular army for services in the capture
of Fayetteville, N. C., and major general for his services during the campaign
in the Carolinas, and in June, 1865, attained the regular rank of major general
of volunteers. He resigned his commission in the regular army in December, 1865,
and his commission in the volunteer service in January, 1866, and from December,
1865, to August, 1868, was United States Minister to Chile a position which he
again held from June, 1881, until his death at Santiago, in December. Consult
Moore, Kilpatrick and our Cavalry (New
York, 1865), and William Small, Camp-Fire
Talk on the Life and Military Services of Major-General Judson Kilpatrick
(Washington, 1887). |