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Private · U.S. Army

Thomas Kelly

Private Thomas Kelly, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on September 9, 1874 at Upper Wichita River, Texas during the Indian Campaigns.

Private Thomas Kelly was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on September 9, 1874 at Upper Wichita River, Texas during the Indian Campaigns. At the time he was serving with Company I, 5th U.S. Infantry. Kelly was about 37 years old.

11 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on April 23, 1875.

Kelly was born in June 1837 in County Mayo, Ireland — one of 258 recipients born in Ireland. His Medal of Honor is credited to New York, New York. Kelly died on March 25, 1919 in Leavenworth, Kansas, at the age of about 82. He is buried at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Lansing, Kansas.

Kelly 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.

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: Spanish–American War.

Places

  • Born: Ireland — map
  • Buried: New York — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →

Timeline

  1. June 1837
    Born in County Mayo, Ireland
  2. September 9, 1874
    Act of valor — Upper Wichita River, Texas
    Age about 37. Company I, 5th U.S. Infantry
  3. April 23, 1875
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. March 25, 1919
    Died in Leavenworth, Kansas
    Age about 82.
  5. Resting place
    Mount Calvary Cemetery
    Lansing, Kansas

Biography

Thomas Kelly (March 17, 1871 – December 17, 1920) was a private serving in the United States Army during the Spanish–American War who received the Medal of Honor for bravery.

From the Wikipedia article “Thomas Kelly (Medal of Honor, 1898)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on September 9, 1874

Same unit

More Indian Campaigns recipients from New York

Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Wikidata and Wikipedia. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.