Augustus Kilty
Encyclopedia
Rear Admiral
Augustus Henry Kilty (November 25, 1807 – November 10, 1879) was a United States Navy
officer who served during the Civil War
.
, Kilty was appointed midshipman
on July 4, 1821. He served in the frigate in the West India Squadron from 1827, then in the frigate in the Brazil Squadron
from 1829. Kilty was promoted to passed midshipman
on April 28, 1832, and served aboard the schooner
in the West India Squadron in 1832-34.
He was commissioned as a lieutenant
on September 6, 1837, and served on the sloop in the East India Squadron
, taking part in Commodore George Reid
's operations in defense of American merchantmen at Quallah Batto
in 1839. He then served on the frigates and in the Mediterranean Squadron between 1843 and 1848.
In 1850 he was stationed on the receiving ship at New York, and was at Baltimore a year later, returning to New York in 1855. Kilty was simultaneously promoted to commander
on September 14, 1855, and placed on the Reserve List.
Kilty returned to the Active List on January 6, 1859, and was stationed in Baltimore in 1860 as a recruiting officer. From 1861 Kilty commanded the ironclad gunboat of the Mississippi Flotilla
, and saw action at Island No. 10
and Fort Pillow. He commanded an expedition to White River, Arkansas
, and during the operation, on June 17, 1862, was severely wounded, causing the loss of his left arm. Kilty received his commission as a captain on July 16, 1862, and spent the years 1863-64 on ordnance duty. He commanded the ironclad
frigate in the North Atlantic Squadron
from 1864–65, and was promoted to commodore on July 25, 1866, and served as the Commandant of the Norfolk Navy Yard.
Kilty was placed on the Retired List on November 25, 1868, and received promotion to rear admiral
on July 13, 1870. He died on November 10, 1879.
Rear admiral (United States)
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- Rear admiral :...
Augustus Henry Kilty (November 25, 1807 – November 10, 1879) was a United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
officer who served during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Biography
Born at Annapolis, MarylandAnnapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
, Kilty was appointed midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
on July 4, 1821. He served in the frigate in the West India Squadron from 1827, then in the frigate in the Brazil Squadron
Brazil Squadron
The Brazil Squadron, the Brazil Station, or the South Atlantic Squadron was an overseas military station established by the United States in 1826 to protect American commerce in the South Atlantic during a war between Brazil and Argentina...
from 1829. Kilty was promoted to passed midshipman
Passed midshipman
A Passed Midshipman, sometimes called as Midshipman, Passed, is an unused and historic term which describes a Midshipman who had passed the Lieutenant exam and was eligible for promotion to Lieutenant as soon as there was a vacancy in that grade....
on April 28, 1832, and served aboard the schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
in the West India Squadron in 1832-34.
He was commissioned as a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
on September 6, 1837, and served on the sloop in the East India Squadron
East India Squadron
The East India Squadron, or East Indies Squadron, was a squadron of American ships which existed in the nineteenth century, it focused on protecting American interests in the Far East while the Pacific Squadron concentrated on the western coasts of the Americas and in the South Pacific Ocean...
, taking part in Commodore George Reid
George C. Read
George Campbell Read was a United States Naval Officer who served on Old Ironsides during the War of 1812 and commanded vessels in actions off the Barbary Coast and India. Read eventually rose to the rank of rear admiral....
's operations in defense of American merchantmen at Quallah Batto
Second Sumatran Expedition
The Second Sumatran Expedition was a punitive expedition by the United States Navy against inhabitants of the island of Sumatra. After Malay warriors or pirates had massacred the crew of the American merchant ship Eclipse, an expedition of two American warships landed a force that defeated the...
in 1839. He then served on the frigates and in the Mediterranean Squadron between 1843 and 1848.
In 1850 he was stationed on the receiving ship at New York, and was at Baltimore a year later, returning to New York in 1855. Kilty was simultaneously promoted to commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
on September 14, 1855, and placed on the Reserve List.
Kilty returned to the Active List on January 6, 1859, and was stationed in Baltimore in 1860 as a recruiting officer. From 1861 Kilty commanded the ironclad gunboat of the Mississippi Flotilla
Mississippi River Squadron
The Mississippi River Squadron was the Union naval squadron that operated on the western rivers during the American Civil War. It was initially created as a part of the Union Army, although it was commanded by naval officers, and was then known as the Western Gunboat Flotilla and sometimes as the...
, and saw action at Island No. 10
Battle of Island Number Ten
The Battle of Island Number Ten was an engagement at the New Madrid or Kentucky Bend on the Mississippi River during the American Civil War, lasting from February 28 to April 8, 1862. The position, an island at the base of a tight double turn in the course of the river, was held by the Confederates...
and Fort Pillow. He commanded an expedition to White River, Arkansas
White River (Arkansas)
The White River is a 722-mile long river that flows through the U.S. states of Arkansas and Missouri.-Course:The source of the White River is in the Boston Mountains of northwest Arkansas, in the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest southeast of Fayetteville...
, and during the operation, on June 17, 1862, was severely wounded, causing the loss of his left arm. Kilty received his commission as a captain on July 16, 1862, and spent the years 1863-64 on ordnance duty. He commanded the ironclad
Ironclad warship
An ironclad was a steam-propelled warship in the early part of the second half of the 19th century, protected by iron or steel armor plates. The ironclad was developed as a result of the vulnerability of wooden warships to explosive or incendiary shells. The first ironclad battleship, La Gloire,...
frigate in the North Atlantic Squadron
North Atlantic Squadron
The North Atlantic Squadron was a section of the United States Navy operating in the North Atlantic. It was renamed as the North Atlantic Fleet in 1902. In 1905 the European and South Atlantic Squadrons were abolished and absorbed into the North Atlantic Fleet. On Jan...
from 1864–65, and was promoted to commodore on July 25, 1866, and served as the Commandant of the Norfolk Navy Yard.
Kilty was placed on the Retired List on November 25, 1868, and received promotion to rear admiral
Rear admiral (United States)
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- Rear admiral :...
on July 13, 1870. He died on November 10, 1879.