John C. Kelton

John Cunningham Kelton
File:John C Kelton.jpg John C. Kelton
Born	(1828-06-24)June 24, 1828 Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Died	Washington, D.C.
Place of Burial	United States Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery
Allegiance	United States of America Union
Service/branch	United States Army Union Army
Years of service	1851–1892
Rank	Brigadier General
Commands held	Adjutant General of the U.S. Army
Battles/wars	American Civil War
Relations	Allan C. Kelton (brother)

John C. Kelton (June 24, 1828 – July 15, 1893) was an officer in the United States Army who served as Adjutant General of the U.S. Army from 1889 to 1892.

Biography

He was born in Delaware County, Pennsylvania and graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1851. He was appointed to the 6th Infantry, in which he served until the outbreak of the American Civil War. He served in various staff positions during the war, with the rank of colonel of Volunteers.

Kelton was appointed to the Adjutant General's Department in April 1865 and was promoted to lieutenant colonel in March 1866. He was appointed as adjutant general of the Division of the Pacific in July 1870, where he remained until September 1885, earning a promotion to colonel in June 1880. In October 1885 he returned to the Adjutant General's Department in Washington, and he was elevated to Adjutant General of the U. S. Army with the rank of brigadier general in June 1889. He retired in June 1892.

After retirement, he was appointed as governor of the Soldier's Home in Washington, where he served until his death in July 1893. He is buried in the cemetery there, now known as the United States Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery.

See also

• List of Adjutant Generals of the U.S. Army

John C. Kelton was born in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point on July 1, 1851. He was appointed as 2nd lieutenant to the 6th Infantry, in which he served two years on the northwestern frontier. Here he served until the outbreak of the American Civil War. In 1855, he was transferred to Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, where he was made 1st lieutenant. He was appointed assistant instructor of infantry tactics at West Point in 1857 and again in 1859 after the war of rebellion broke out in Europe. Shortly after, Kelton was made Chief Purchasing Commissary at St. Louis for supplying troops in the West. He then served as Assistant Adjutant General of the Department of the West with the rank of captain. In the fall of 1861, Kelton was commissioned Colonel of the 9th Missouri Volunteers. He resigned his volunteer commission on March 12, 1862 and in turn served as Assistant Adjutant General of the Department of Mississippi in 1862. Here he served on the field during the siege of Corinth. Kelton, who was chief of the army in 1864, was promoted in Richmond to brevet colonel and again to brevet brigadier for his valuable services.

Near the end of the war, Kelton traveled to Washington, where he served as Assistant Adjutant General from July 1865 to July 26, 1870. At that time he was appointed Adjutant General of the Division of the Pacific.

External links

Military offices
Preceded by Richard C. Drum	Adjutant General of the U. S. Army June 7, 1889-June 24, 1892	Succeeded by Robert Williams