PHILIP KEARNY. AJOR-GENERAL KEARNY was born in New-York City, June second, MAJ 1815. His father was a descendant of an Irish family long settled in NewJersey, and his mother a daughter of John Watts, the founder of the Leake and Watts Orphan House. From boyhood he manifested a strong preference to a military career; nevertheless, in obedience to the wishes of his family, he passed through Columbia College, and began to study law. By the time he was twentytwo, however, his soldierly propensities got the better of him, and he obtained a commission as Second Lieutenant in the First dragoons, then commanded by his uncle, Stephen Watts Kearny, the conqueror of New-Mexico and California, who died, a brevet Major-General, in 1848. He saw much hard service with his gallant relative, chiefly fighting the Indians on the Western frontier, and acquired such a reputation as a cavalry officer that about 1838 or 1839 he was sent abroad by our Government to study and report upon the French cavalry tactics. With this object in view he entered the celebrated cavalry school at Saumur, and soon afterward went to Algeria, to witness the operation of the French system in the field. Lieutenant Kearny, however, was not a man who could be an idle spectator of a battle. Joining the First Chasseurs d'Afrique as a volunteer, he fought through Marshal Valée's campaign against the Arabs, was present at the forcing of the passes of the "Gates of Iron," and by several dashing exploits won the cross of the Legion of Honor. He was the idol of his brother officers, who loved him for his companionable qualities and admired his heroic bravery. Returning home in 1840, he was appointed in November of that year aid-decamp to General Macomb, and in December, 1841, aid-de-camp to General Scott. He had already, while in Europe, been promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant, and in 1846 he became Captain. At the outbreak of the Mexican war he was ordered with his squadron (he had resigned his staff appointment) to Mexico, where his dragoons formed the body-guard of General Scott. Splendidly equipped and mounted, at their Captain's private expense, Kearny's Horse were the pride of the army, and in several engagements covered themselves with distinction. In the Valley of Mexico Captain Kearny commanded his regiment, and for hist gallantry at Contreras and Churubusco received the brevet of Major. After the latter engagement he pursued the flying Mexicans as far as the gates of the City of Mexico. Here his troops, checked by a heavy fire of artillery, began to waver, whereupon Kearny dashed forward alone; the soldiers followed him, and the battery was taken. In this affair, for which General Scott bestowed upon him the highest praise, Kearny lost his left arm. After the conclusion of peace he was again ordered to the Western frontier, and commanded an expedition against the Indians of the Columbia River. In 1851 he resigned his commission and went to Europe. In retirement he pursued his professional studies with all his former ardor, associating constantly with military men, and making his hospitable house at Paris the rendezvous especially of such officers of the United States army as pleasure or duty chanced to bring to Europe. There might be met Beauregard, Lee, the Johnstons, Jackson, and others now distinguished in the rebel army. When the Italian war began, he joined the staff of the French General Morris as a volunteer aid, was present at Magenta and Solferino, and conducted himself with such gallantry that the Emperor bestowed upon him a second decoration of the Legion of Honor. The attack upon Fort Sumter in the spring of 1861 brought him, as might have been expected, immediately to America. He offered his services to General Scott, was received with warmth, and soon after the battle of Bull Run was put in command of a New-Jersey brigade in General Franklin's division of the army of the Potomac. His commission as Brigadier-General of volunteers was dated May seventeenth, 1861. On the organization of army corps, in March, 1862, he was attached to the First corps, General McDowell, but soon afterward he was promoted to the command of a division in Heintzelman's (the Third) corps, with which he served throughout the Chickahominy campaign. In the battle of Williamsburgh, after Hooker had been for an hour or two struggling against an overwhelming force in front of Fort Magruder, Kearny was ordered to his relief Five guns had already been lost and ammunition was beginning to give out, when Kearny, after a six hours' march, succeeded by the greatest exertions in passing Casey's troops and pushing to the front through the deep mud. "He at once gallantly attacked," said General McClellan, "and thereby prevented the loss of another battery, and drove the enemy back at every point, enabling General Hooker to extricate himself from his position, and withdraw his wearied troops." In the battle of Fair Oaks and the famous seven days' fight his gallantry was universally admired, and soon afterward he was commissioned a Major-General, dating from July fourth. His troops were the first to join General Pope after McClellan was withdrawn from the Peninsula, leaving Yorktown on the twentyfirst of August, 1862, and uniting with the army of Virginia at Warrenton Junction on the twenty-third. Three days afterward the confederate General Jackson made his celebrated attack upon Pope's rear at Catlett's Station, compelling the Federal commander to abandon the line of the Rappahannock and fall back to |