Henry Boyd McKeen

Son of wealthy Irish-born jeweler, watchmaker, and importer Henry McKeen (1794-1889), in 1860 he was an unmarried 24 year old clerk, probably in his father's business, living with his parents, 2 siblings, and 3 servants in Philadelphia, PA. He enrolled on 27 October 1861 and was commissioned First Lieutenant and Adjutant of the 81st Pennsylvania Infantry. He was promoted to Major on 1 June 1862 and was wounded at Malvern Hill, VA on 1 July.

He commanded the regiment as senior officer present in Maryland.

Colonel Johnson resigned in November 1862 on account of wounds received at Charles City Crossroads, VA, and Major McKeen was promoted to Colonel. He was wounded in command of the regiment at Fredericksburg on 13 December 1862 and again, soon after his return, at Chancellorsville on 3 May 1863. He led the regiment at Gettysburg, where he was wounded for the fourth time. During the Wilderness Campaign, on 14 May 1864, he was assigned to command the first brigade in the second division replacing General Alexander Webb, who had been wounded on 12 May 12

On 3 June, at Cold Harbor, he was mortally wounded leading the brigade in their frontal assault on the Confederate positions.

His service from Frank H. Taylor's Philadelphia in the Civil War, 1861-1865 (1913) online from the Hathi Trust, and Bates.1 His gravesite is on Findagrave. His picture is from a CDV sold in 2005 by Cowan Auctions.

09/18/1835; Philadelphia, PA

06/03/1864; Cold Harbor, VA; burial in Woodlands Cemetery, Philadelphia, PA