John Howard Kitching often referred to as J. Howard Kitching, was an officer in the Union Army during the American 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...

. He served in the cavalry, artillery and infantry in the Army of the Potomac

Army of the Potomac

The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...

 and Army of the Shenandoah

Army of the Shenandoah (Union)

The Army of the Shenandoah was a Union army during the American Civil War. First organized in 1861 and then disbanded, it is best known for its recreation in 1864 under Philip Sheridan...

. He received a posthumous brevet promotion to brigadier general

Brigadier general (United States)

A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...

 after a mortal wounding at the battle of Cedar Creek.

Early Life and family

Kitching was born July 16, 1838 in New York City (some sources say 1840).
His father was merchant John Benjamin Kitching (1818–1887) and mother was Maria Bradner.
His father, born in England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

, was one of the first investors in technology such as the ships of John Ericsson

John Ericsson

John Ericsson was a Swedish-American inventor and mechanical engineer, as was his brother Nils Ericson. He was born at Långbanshyttan in Värmland, Sweden, but primarily came to be active in England and the United States...

, the telegraph and the transatlantic telegraph cable

Transatlantic telegraph cable

The transatlantic telegraph cable was the first cable used for telegraph communications laid across the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. It crossed from , Foilhommerum Bay, Valentia Island, in western Ireland to Heart's Content in eastern Newfoundland. The transatlantic cable connected North America...

.

He married Harriet Brittan Ripley (a descendant of the New England Dwight family

New England Dwight family

The New England Dwight family had many members who were military leaders, educators, jurists, authors, businessmen and clergymen.Around 1634 John Dwight came with his wife Hannah, daughter Hannah, and sons Timothy Dwight and John Dwight, from Dedham, Essex, England to North America where the town...

) on July 18, 1860.
They had two children: John Howard Kitching, Jr. born September 27, 1861, and Edith Howard Kitching born November 13, 1864.

Civil War service

At the outbreak of the war, Kitching volunteered in the New York cavalry but was soon made a captain in the 2nd New York Artillery. In September 1862 he became lieutenant colonel of the 135th New York Infantry which was re-designated the 6th New York Heavy Artillery (nicknamed the Anthony Wayne Guard) a few weeks later. Kitching spent most of the war up to this point in garrison duty along the upper Potomac River. The regiment's colonel, William H. Morris, was promoted to brigadier general in November 1862 and on April 26, 1863 Kitching was appointed colonel. His regiment joined the Army of the Potomac during the final stages of the Gettysburg Campaign

Gettysburg Campaign

The Gettysburg Campaign was a series of battles fought in June and July 1863, during the American Civil War. After his victory in the Battle of Chancellorsville, Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia moved north for offensive operations in Maryland and Pennsylvania. The...

 following the battle of Gettysburg. During the Fall of 1863 and Winter 1864 Kitching briefly commanded the Army of the Potomac's ammunition train and artillery reserve.

Overland Campaign

At the battle of the Wilderness

Battle of the Wilderness

The Battle of the Wilderness, fought May 5–7, 1864, was the first battle of Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Virginia Overland Campaign against Gen. Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Both armies suffered heavy casualties, a harbinger of a bloody war of attrition by...

 Kitching commanded a heavy artillery brigade in the Army of the Potomac's artillery reserve. Following the battle the artillery reserve was divided among the infantry corps and Kitching's brigade was assigned to the V Corps

V Corps (ACW)

The V Corps was a unit of the Union Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War.-1862:The corps was first organized briefly under Nathaniel P. Banks, but then permanently on May 18, 1862, designated as the "V Corps Provisional"...

 and fought with that corps at Spotsylvania. Kitching's artillery brigade was converted to infantry and assigned to the 3rd Division, V Corps at Cold Harbor

Battle of Cold Harbor

The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought from May 31 to June 12, 1864 . It was one of the final battles of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign during the American Civil War, and is remembered as one of American history's bloodiest, most lopsided battles...

 and became the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, V Corps at Petersburg. Kitching and the 6th New York Heavy Artillery were transferred to the Washington defenses where he took part in the battle of Fort Stevens

Battle of Fort Stevens

The Battle of Fort Stevens was an American Civil War battle fought July 11–12, 1864, in Northwest Washington, D.C., as part of the Valley Campaigns of 1864 between forces under Confederate Lt. Gen. Jubal A. Early and Union Maj. Gen. Alexander McD. McCook. Although Early caused consternation...

. Following the battle he commanded a brigade in the Washington defenses.

Shenandoah Valley Campaign

During Philip H. Sheridan's Valley Campaign, Kitching's command was transferred to the Army of the Shenandoah with the addition of other miscellaneous units and was known as Kitching's Provisional Division. His division was attached to George Crook

George Crook

George R. Crook was a career United States Army officer, most noted for his distinguished service during the American Civil War and the Indian Wars.-Early life:...

's VIII Corps just days before the battle of Cedar Creek

Battle of Cedar Creek

The Battle of Cedar Creek, or Battle of Belle Grove, October 19, 1864, was one of the final, and most decisive, battles in the Valley Campaigns of 1864 during the American Civil War. The final Confederate invasion of the North, led by Lt. Gen. Jubal A. Early, was effectively ended...

. At Cedar Creek, Confederate General John B. Gordon surprised the Union army in an early morning attack. Just as Rutherford B. Hayes

Rutherford B. Hayes

Rutherford Birchard Hayes was the 19th President of the United States . As president, he oversaw the end of Reconstruction and the United States' entry into the Second Industrial Revolution...

, commanding a neighboring Union division, assured Kitching that his men would hold, Hayes' division was hit by Gordon's attack and broke for the rear. Before the Confederates even reached Kitching's line, his troops also began to retreat. Kitching himself was forced to leave the field after receiving a severe wound in his foot. As a result he was forced to leave the army and return home to recover. However on January 11, 1865 Kitching died as a result from his foot wound at his home in Dobbs Ferry, New York

Dobbs Ferry, New York

Dobbs Ferry is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 10,875 at the 2010 census.The Village of Dobbs Ferry is located in, and is a part of, the town of Greenburgh...

. A posthumous brevet promotion to brigadier general was awarded to Kitching, postdated August 1, 1864 for his service in the Richmond Campaign.