Two Officers Awarded the Kearny Cross for Valor
Moderators: shsober, Jim Boling, M. Lichtenberg
-
- AotC
- Posts: 851
- Joined: Sun Aug 15, 2010 9:45 am
- Location: Newark, Delaware
Two Officers Awarded the Kearny Cross for Valor
With approval of the Western Theater Commander, Ernest Sands, it is my pleasure to award General Kevin Killeen and Colonel Francois Chatain the Kearny Cross for Valor, for outstanding achievements on the field of battle.
Congtatulations gentlemen.
Congtatulations gentlemen.
General Dave Danner
Commanding Cumberland Rifles Division, XX Corps
Army of the Cumberland
S = √ 30 x d x f + - e
-
- Posts: 280
- Joined: Fri Dec 09, 2011 4:24 pm
- Location: Paris, France
Re: Two Officers Awarded the Kearny Cross for Valor
Thank you Generals
It is a real pleasure
My very first medal is the most beautiful one
It is a real pleasure
My very first medal is the most beautiful one
Lt. Gen. Francois Chatain
CO XX corps and Adjutant, AotC
Red Badge of Courage Tournament Deputy Director
CO XX corps and Adjutant, AotC
Red Badge of Courage Tournament Deputy Director
-
- Posts: 258
- Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2010 5:43 pm
Re: Two Officers Awarded the Kearny Cross for Valor
Nice shiny new medals. Good work!
General Derald Riggs
Union Army, Commanding
Union Army, Commanding
-
- AotC
- Posts: 152
- Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2010 6:50 pm
- Location: Webster Groves, MO
Re: Two Officers Awarded the Kearny Cross for Valor
Excellent job Gentlemen. Keep up the good work. We will have these Rebels beaten in no time with you two on the hunt.
Gen Doug Shaw
4th Brig/1st Div/XIVth Corps
4th Brig/1st Div/XIVth Corps
-
- AotC
- Posts: 64
- Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2011 2:10 am
- Location: France
Re: Two Officers Awarded the Kearny Cross for Valor
Good job gentlemen !
Congratulations François and Kevin
Congratulations François and Kevin
Col Olivier Bianchi
French volunteers brigade.
4/2/XX.
AotC
French volunteers brigade.
4/2/XX.
AotC
-
- AotC
- Posts: 313
- Joined: Sun Aug 15, 2010 5:01 am
- Location: Kingston Upon Hull, UK
Re: Two Officers Awarded the Kearny Cross for Valor
Congratulations Gentlemen!
- Joe Meyer
- Posts: 1467
- Joined: Tue Aug 10, 2010 1:58 pm
- Location: Antelope, California
Re: Two Officers Awarded the Kearny Cross for Valor
Officers Killeen and Chatain are to be congratulated upon their reception of this award, one of the Union Army's highest commendation for battlefield performances! Whenever this medal is awarded I am reminded that somewhere else a number of Rebel officers have experienced a dark day or two.
That reminds me of the dark and rainswept day I encountered two angry, Confederate brigades on the windblown hills outside of Franklin, Tennessee. At the time I was a lowly captain, commanding a six-gun battery of 10lb rifled Parrots, coming back from a reconnaisance from Spring Hill. My infantry support had already preceded me into Franklin, and my battery was lagging far behind, having stopped to replace a wheel on Number 4's carriage. The Rebs were bent on causing me some harm and were only 400 yards off when spotted.
One brigade was to my immediate front as I looked back, the other off to my left, equally distant. I instantly recognized a sunken road coming into the pike from the right some 50 yards towards Franklin, only a half-mile off to the north. Already I could hear the city's church bells ringing out the alarm and knew that infantry support would be re-staging out from the city momentarily. I seized the opportunity by throwing the first two sections down into the sunken road, and posted the third section a little further back and off to my left. We would have the wind to our backs. The boys went to work smoothly and efficiently, clearing the caisons and having all six guns shotted with shell fuse for 350 yards inside one minute.
The rain seemed to pick up for a few moments and then suddenly stop, giving me a good view of the oncoming lines. While watching them come on I saw their pickets start to take aim and fire, their rifles sporadically and suddenly spouting smoke and flame, which was quickly whipped away by the wind. But my eyes were glued upon the main lines as they steadily and solidly moved forward, carefully judging the distance between us. All six gun sergeants were expectantly watching my left raised hand as I held my field glasses to my eyes with my right. There was a slight tug halfway up the side of my right boot as a minie ball clipped some leather away. My legs were clamped tight to the sides of my buckskin mount, Champion, exerting those long-rehearsed and well-learned slight pressures that kept him standing steadily, straight ahead. There was then only the nearby sound of the battery's guidon snapping in the wind...and on they came.
This is thirsty business, and I cannot in any ways expect to continue this story until have somewhat slaked my thirst. The memory of that day never fails to bring back the dry sensation I had in my mouth and the excitement of the moment. If you'll excuse me now, I'll walk to the bar and collect my drinks...ah, and I see Generals Simms and Sands furiously beckoning me over to the far table! Well then. perhaps I can continue another time.
Wear those medals proudly, my boys! We have need of more such achievements to eventually chastise those people back to whence they came.
That reminds me of the dark and rainswept day I encountered two angry, Confederate brigades on the windblown hills outside of Franklin, Tennessee. At the time I was a lowly captain, commanding a six-gun battery of 10lb rifled Parrots, coming back from a reconnaisance from Spring Hill. My infantry support had already preceded me into Franklin, and my battery was lagging far behind, having stopped to replace a wheel on Number 4's carriage. The Rebs were bent on causing me some harm and were only 400 yards off when spotted.
One brigade was to my immediate front as I looked back, the other off to my left, equally distant. I instantly recognized a sunken road coming into the pike from the right some 50 yards towards Franklin, only a half-mile off to the north. Already I could hear the city's church bells ringing out the alarm and knew that infantry support would be re-staging out from the city momentarily. I seized the opportunity by throwing the first two sections down into the sunken road, and posted the third section a little further back and off to my left. We would have the wind to our backs. The boys went to work smoothly and efficiently, clearing the caisons and having all six guns shotted with shell fuse for 350 yards inside one minute.
The rain seemed to pick up for a few moments and then suddenly stop, giving me a good view of the oncoming lines. While watching them come on I saw their pickets start to take aim and fire, their rifles sporadically and suddenly spouting smoke and flame, which was quickly whipped away by the wind. But my eyes were glued upon the main lines as they steadily and solidly moved forward, carefully judging the distance between us. All six gun sergeants were expectantly watching my left raised hand as I held my field glasses to my eyes with my right. There was a slight tug halfway up the side of my right boot as a minie ball clipped some leather away. My legs were clamped tight to the sides of my buckskin mount, Champion, exerting those long-rehearsed and well-learned slight pressures that kept him standing steadily, straight ahead. There was then only the nearby sound of the battery's guidon snapping in the wind...and on they came.
This is thirsty business, and I cannot in any ways expect to continue this story until have somewhat slaked my thirst. The memory of that day never fails to bring back the dry sensation I had in my mouth and the excitement of the moment. If you'll excuse me now, I'll walk to the bar and collect my drinks...ah, and I see Generals Simms and Sands furiously beckoning me over to the far table! Well then. perhaps I can continue another time.
Wear those medals proudly, my boys! We have need of more such achievements to eventually chastise those people back to whence they came.
General Jos. C. Meyer,
Union Army Chief of Staff
Commander, Army of the Shenandoah
(2011-2014 UA GinC)
Union Army Chief of Staff
Commander, Army of the Shenandoah
(2011-2014 UA GinC)
-
- AotC
- Posts: 851
- Joined: Sun Aug 15, 2010 9:45 am
- Location: Newark, Delaware
Re: Two Officers Awarded the Kearny Cross for Valor
Wonderful story General Meyer--maybe Generals Sands and Nelms can buy for the house.
General Dave Danner
Commanding Cumberland Rifles Division, XX Corps
Army of the Cumberland
S = √ 30 x d x f + - e
-
- Posts: 280
- Joined: Fri Dec 09, 2011 4:24 pm
- Location: Paris, France
Re: Two Officers Awarded the Kearny Cross for Valor
thank you all for the kind words and especially General Meyer : you definitely know how to tell a story ... I could hear the bell ring while reading
never thought about writing ?
as for paying for a drink, please let me do it as I am eager to ear the end of the story
never thought about writing ?
as for paying for a drink, please let me do it as I am eager to ear the end of the story
Lt. Gen. Francois Chatain
CO XX corps and Adjutant, AotC
Red Badge of Courage Tournament Deputy Director
CO XX corps and Adjutant, AotC
Red Badge of Courage Tournament Deputy Director
-
- AotC
- Posts: 240
- Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2010 3:52 pm
Re: Two Officers Awarded the Kearny Cross for Valor
Well done Gentlemen! I salute you both! Now, show some real bravery and open up those bar tabs!!!!
General Mark Nelms
6/2/XIV/AoC "Blackhawk Brigade"
Union Military Academy Instructor
6/2/XIV/AoC "Blackhawk Brigade"
Union Military Academy Instructor