A new manual of the bayonet for the army and militia of the United States
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John Cunningham Kelton was an American soldier and author. He started his military career as a second lieutenant in the 6th U. S. Infantry and rose to the rank of Adjutants General of the U. S. Army.
Background
John Cunningham Kelton was born on June 24, 1828 in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. He was of Irish-Scotch ancestry, a great-grandson of James Kelton who came from Scotland to Chester County, Pennsylvania, in 1735, and the son of Robert and Margaretta Ross (Cunningham) Kelton. His father became a leading iron-master of Lancaster County, and later, an influential citizen of Philadelphia.
Education
Kelton entered the United States Military Academy at the age of nineteen, and graduated in 1851.
Career
In 1851 Kelton was commissioned to the 6th Infantry. After a period of frontier duty, during which he was promoted first lieutenant, May 9, 1855, he became assistant instructor in infantry tactics as well as in the use of small arms and in gymnastics, at the Military Academy, March 6, 1857- April 14, 1861.
With the outbreak of the Civil War, Kelton was for a short time purchasing commissary at St. Louis, commanded a brigade of Pope's division, and served as assistant adjutant general under General Lyon until September 19, 1861, when he received appointment as colonel, 9th Missouri Volunteers. Upon General Halleck's urgent request, Kelton reluctantly gave up command of combatant troops, and returned to duty as assistant adjutant general, Department of Missouri, accompanying Halleck to Mississippi and participating in the advance upon, siege, and occupation of Corinth (April 19-July 17, 1862), serving for some four months also, as Halleck's aide-de-camp. He accompanied General Halleck to Washington and served as an intimate member of his staff while Halleck was general in chief and chief of staff of the army, and in command of the Military Division of the James (July 11, 1862 - July 1, 1865). On March 13, 1865, he was awarded the brevets of lieutenant-colonel, colonel, and brigadier-general, for most valuable and arduous services during the war; and became chief of the appointment bureau of the Adjutant General's Office at Washington (July 1, 1865 - July 26, 1870), having been promoted lieutenant-colonel, March 23, 1866.
From August 3, 1870, to September 26, 1885, he served at San Francisco on the staff of Generals Schofield, McDowell, and Pope. In 1884 he became the editor of John Grace's System of Horse Training.
On October 13, 1885, he went to Washington as principal assistant to the adjutant general. He became adjutant general, June 7, 1889, and served as such until his retirement by operation of law, June 24, 1892. He was then appointed governor of the United States Soldiers' Home at Washington, where he died the following year, and where, after simple military services, his body was interred. A monument, erected by old soldiers, bears the inscription, "The Soldiers' Friend. "
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Connections
On April 30, 1870, Kelton was married to Josephine Parmly Campbell, daughter of William S. Campbell, for many years United States consul at Dresden, Germany. They had four daughters.