Dennis Thomas Kirby – Brigadier General, United States Army

by

Dennis Thomas Kirby of New York
Appointed from Missouri, Captain 8th Missouri Infantry, 25 June 1861
Major, 15 July 1862
Honorably mustered out 7 July 1864
Lieutenant Colonel, 27th Missouri Infantry, 6 November 1864
Brevet Colonel and Brigadier General, United States Volunteers, 13 March 1865 for gallant and meritorious services during the war
Honorably mustered out 13 June 1865
Captain, 39th Infantry 28 July 1866
Breveted Major 2 March 1867 for gallant and meritorious service in the battle of Chickasaw Bayou, Mississipi
Breveted Lieutenant Colonel 2 March 1867 for gallant and meritorious service in the assault on Vicksburg, Mississipi
Breveted Colonel 2 March 1867 for gallant and meritorious service in the battles of Chickamauga, Georgia, Missionary Ridge, Tennessee, and Rivers Bridge, South Carolina
Awarded Medal of Honor 31 January 1894 for having seized the colors when the color bearer was killed and bore them himself in the assault on Vicksburg, Mississippi, 22 May 1863
Cashiered 1 October 1868

Born in New York, September 14, 1838, he earned the Medal of Honor in the Civil War while serving as Major, 8th Missouri Volunteer Infantry at Vicksburg, Mississippi, on May 22, 1863. The Medal was actually issued to him on January 31, 1894.

He served as Captain, 8th Missouri, June 25, 1861; Major, July 15, 1862. He was mustered out on July 7, 1864. Appointed Lieutenant Colonel, 27th Missouri, November 6, 1864. He received brevets to Brigadier General for war service at Chickasaw Bayou, Mississippi,; Vicksburg Assault; Chickamauga, Misionary Ridge, Rivers Bridge, South Carolina. He transfered to the Regular Army and cashiered in 1868 as a Captain. He died on April 18, 1922 and was buried in Section 1 of Arlington National Cemetery. His private memorial has been destroyed by the weather and elements and there is very little left to mark his final resting place.

His second wife, Hattie A. Kirby (May 25, 1847-January 13, 1909), is buried in an adjacent site and you can only find his approximate gravesite by first finding hers.

NOTE: His gravestone has now been replaced by the one that appears below.

dtkirby-03

Brevet Brigadier General Dennis T. KIRBY was born in Niagra County, New York, September 15, 1837, and moved with his parents to Buffalo, New York, in 1847, and to St. Louis, Missouri, in 1854.

He entered the service as captain, Compary E, Eighth, Missouri Volunteer Infantry, June 25, 1861. He served in Missouri and Kentucky to February 1862. He was promoted lieutenant-colonel August 3, 1863.

He was mustered out with regiment July 7, 1864; commissioned colonel and aide-de-camp on the staff of Govenor W. P. Hall, of Missouri, and colonel of Fifth Regiment St. Louis City Guard, October, 1, 1864; lieutenant-colonel Twenty-Seventh Missouri Volunteer Infantry, October 6, 1864, and at once detailed as chief picket officer of the Seventeenth Army Corps, on the staff of Major General Frank P. Blair, commanding.

He was on the march to the sea November 16 to December 13. He was brevetted colonel and brigadier-general for gallant and meritorious services during the war, to date from November 13, 1863; and present at the surrender of General Joseph Johnston, and in the grand review at Washington, May 24. Mustered out June 13, 1863,

He was appointed captain of Company E, Thirty-Ninth United States Infantry, July 28, 1866, and brevetted major for gallant conduct at Cickasaw Bayou, lieutenant-colonel for gallant conduct in the assaults on Vicksburg, and colonel, United States Army for gallant and meritorious conduct at Cickamauga Creek, Georgia, Mission Ridge, Tennessee, and Bivers Bridge, South Carolina. He served in the regular army until the fall of 1868, when his services ended. He then resided in Washington, D. C.

HARRIETT AUGUSTA, born May 20, 1847; married August 31 1869, to Dr. Albert R. Whitney ( born 1837; died September 11, 1872), married a second time February 16, 1874, to General Dennis T. Kirby, of New Orleans, Lousiana. He was born September 15, 1838; he maintains his residence at Washington,  D. C., 132 11th St., S. E.

KIRBY, DENNIS T.

Rank and organization: Major, 8th Missouri Infantry. Place and date: At Vicksburg, Mississippi, 22 May 1863. Entered service at: St. Louis, Missouri. Born: 14 September 1838, Niagara, County, New York. Date of issue: 31 January 1894.

Citation:

Seized the colors when the color bearer was killed and bore them himself in the assault.

HARRIETT AUGUSTA, Born May 20, 1847. Married August 31 1869, Dr. Albert  R.  WHITNEY; Born 1837; Died September 11, 1872, Married Second time, February 16, 1874,  General Dennis T. KIRBY, of New Orleans, Louisiana. He was born September15, 1838; residence Washington, D. C., 132 11th St., S. E.

Brevet Brigadier General Dennis T. KIRBY was born in Niagra County, New York,  September 15, 1837, moved with his parents to Buffalo, New York, in 1847, and to St. Louis, Missouri, in 1854.

He entered the service as Captain, Compary E, Eighth, Missouri Volunteer Infantry, June 25, 1861. Served in Missouri and Kentucky to February 1862. He was promoted Lieutenant Colonel August 3, 1863. He was mustered out with regiment July 7, 1864; commissioned Colonel and Aide-de-Camp on the staff of Governor W. P. HALL, of Missouri, and Colonel of Fifth Regiment St. Louis City Guard, Octoner, 1, 1864; Lieutenant Colonel Twenty-Seventh Missouri Volunteer Infantry, October 6, 1864, and at once detailed as chief picket officer of the Seventeenth Army Corps, on the staff of Major General Frank P. BLAIR, commanding. He was on the march to the sea November 16 to December 13. He was brevetted Colonel and Brigadier General for gallant and meritorious services during the war, to date from November 13, 1863; and present at the surrender of General Joseph JOHNSTON, and in the grand review at Washington, May 24. Mustered out June 13, 1863.

He was appointed Captain of Company E, Thirty-Ninth U. S. Infantry, July 28, 1866, brevetted Major for gallant conduct at Cickasaw Bayou, Lieutenant Colonel for gallant conduct in the assaults on Vicksburg, and Colonel U. S. Army for gallant and meritorious conduct at Cickamauga (Creek, Ga., Mission Ridge, Tennessee, and Bivers Bridge, South Carolina. He served in the regular army until the fall of 1868, when his services ended. He now resides in Washington, D. C. Children: William Tommas, Born April 10, 1875; Martha Wynona, born June 19, 1880; Wallace Whitney, born September, 17, 1881.

dtkirby

dtkirby-gravesite-photo

KIRBY, DENNIS T
MAJOR 8TH MO INF ALSO BVT BRIG GEN VOL
DATE OF DEATH: 04/18/1922
BURIED AT: SECTION WWE  SITE 334
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

KIRBY, HARRIET A W/O D T
DATE OF DEATH: 01/15/1900
BURIED AT:   SITE 334
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

Read our general and most popular articles

Leave a Comment