Two Officers Awarded the Kearny Cross for Valor

[David Danner]

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.

[elpaco]

Thank you Generals
It is a real pleasure
My very first medal is the most beautiful one

[Derald Riggs]

Nice shiny new medals. Good work!

[Douglas E Shaw]

Excellent job Gentlemen. Keep up the good work. We will have these Rebels beaten in no time with you two on the hunt.

[O. Bianchi]

Good job gentlemen !
Congratulations François and Kevin

[Antony Barlow]

Congratulations Gentlemen!

[Joe Meyer]

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.

[David Danner]

Wonderful story General Meyer--maybe Generals Sands and Nelms can buy for the house.

[elpaco]

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

[nelmsm]

Well done Gentlemen! I salute you both! Now, show some real bravery and open up those bar tabs!!!!