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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Private · U.S. Army

Charles Kelley

Private Charles Kelley, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on October 20, 1869 in Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona Territory during the Indian Campaigns.

Indian Campaigns October 20, 1869Born in Ireland

Private Charles Kelley, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on October 20, 1869 in Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona Territory during the Indian Campaigns. At the time he was serving with Company G, 1st U.S. Cavalry. Kelley was about 29 years old.

32 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on February 14, 1870.

Kelley was born in 1840 in County Clare, Ireland — one of 258 recipients born in Ireland. His Medal of Honor is credited to New York, New York.

Kelley is one of 426 Medal of Honor recipients from the Indian Campaigns and one of 678 credited to New York.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Gallantry in action.

Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.

Timeline

  1. 1840
    Born in County Clare, Ireland
  2. October 20, 1869
    Act of valor — Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona Territory
    Age about 29. Company G, 1st U.S. Cavalry
  3. February 14, 1870
    Medal of Honor presented

Also honored for actions on October 20, 1869

JC John Carr Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1869 CD Charles H. Dickens Corporal · Army Indian Campaigns · 1869 JD John L. Donahue Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1869 EE Edwin L. Elwood Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1869 JG John Georgian Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1869 MH Mosher A. Harding Blacksmith · Army Indian Campaigns · 1869 FJ Frederick Jarvis Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1869 BK Bartholomew T. Keenan Trumpeter · Army Indian Campaigns · 1869 NM Nicholas Meaher Corporal · Army Indian Campaigns · 1869 EM Edward Murphy Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1869 FO Francis Oliver First Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1869 EP Edward Pengally Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1869

See all 33 recipients for October 20, 1869 →

More Indian Campaigns recipients from New York

RM Robert McPhelan Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 William Harding Carter First Lieutenant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1881 MD Michael Dawson Trumpeter · Army Indian Campaigns · 1875 DR Denis Ryan First Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1874 JJ John James Corporal · Army Indian Campaigns · 1874 Robert Temple Emmet Second Lieutenant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1879
Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.