Class of 1851

John Cunningham Kelton: Born June 24, 1828, Delaware Co., PA.

Military History. — Cadet at the Military Academy, July 1, 1847, to July 1, 1851, when he was graduated and promoted in the Army to

Bvt. Second Lieut., 6th Infantry, July 1, 1851.

Served: on frontier duty at Ft. Snelling, Min., 1851‑53, — and Ft.

(Second Lieut., 6th Infantry, Dec. 31, 1851)

Ridgely, Min., 1853‑54; in garrison at Jefferson Barracks, Mo., 1854‑55;

(First Lieut., 6th Infantry, May 9, 1855, to May 11, 1861)

on frontier duty at Ft. Leavenworth, Kan., 1855, — Ft. Laramie, Dak., 1855‑56, — and as Quartermaster, 6th Infantry, Nov. 27, 1855, to Feb. 1, 1857; at the Military Academy, 1857‑59, as Asst. Instructor of Infantry Tactics, Mar. 6, 1857, to Feb. 28, 1858, — and Instructor in the Use of Small Arms, Military Gymnastics, etc., Feb. 28, 1858, to June 15, 1859; on leave of absence in Europe, 1859‑60; and at the Military Academy as Instructor in the Use of Small Arms, Military Gymnastics, etc., June 15, 1860, to Apr. 24, 1861.

Served during the Rebellion of the Seceding States, 1861‑66: as Chief Purchasing Commissary at St. Louis, Mo., for supplying troops in the Department of the West, and at Western Military Posts, May 11 to Aug. 5, 1861; as Asst. Adjutant-General of the Department of the West, June 13

(Bvt. Captain, Staff — Asst. Adjutant-General, May 11, 1861)

to Sep. 19, 1861; in command of Brigade in Military Operations in Missouri,

(Captain, Staff — Asst. Adjutant-General, Aug. 3, 1861)

(Colonel, 9th Missouri Volunteers, Sep. 19, 1861)

Sep. 21 to Nov. 21, 1861; as Asst. Adjutant-General of the Department of Missouri, Headquarters at St. Louis, Mo., Nov. 24, 1861, to Mar. 11, 1862, — and of the Department of Mississippi, Mar. 11 to

(Colonel, Staff — Additional Aide-de‑Camp, Jan. 4, 1862)

 p460  (Resigned Volunteer Commission, Mar. 12, 1862)

July 11, 1862, being in the field during the Advance upon and Siege of Corinth, Mis., Apr. 19 to May 30, 1862, — and Occupation of Corinth, May 30 to July 17, 1862; and as Asst. Adjutant-General on the staff of

(Major, Staff — Asst. Adjutant-General, July 17, 1862)

Major-General Halleck, while General-in‑Chief of the Armies of the United States, July 11, 1862, to Mar. 12, 1864, — while Chief of Staff to the Army, Mar. 12, 1864, to Apr. 19, 1865, — and while at Richmond,

(Bvt. Lieut.‑Colonel, and Bvt. Colonel, Mar. 13, 1865,
for most Valuable and Arduous Services, both in the Field and at Headquarters)

(Bvt. Brig.‑General, U. S. Army, Mar. 13, 1865, for most Valuable and Arduous Services during the Rebellion, both in the Field and at Headquarters)

Va., commanding the Military Division of the James, Apr. 22 to July 1, 1865.

Served: as Assistant in the Adjutant-General's Office, in charge of the Appointment Bureau at Washington, D. C., July 1, 1865, to July 26,

(Lieut.‑Colonel, Staff — Asst. Adjutant-General, Mar. 23, 1866)

1870, — and Adjutant-General of the Division of the Pacific and Department of California, Aug. 3, 1870, to Sep. 26, 1885; as Assistant in the

(Colonel, Staff — Asst. Adjutant-General, June 15, 1880)

Office of the Adjutant-General, at Washington, D. C., Oct. 13, 1885, to June 7, 1889; and in charge of the Adjutant-General's Department, at

(Brig.‑General, Staff — Adjutant-General, June 7, 1889)

Washington, D. C., June 7, 1889, to –––––