Henry Crawford Kearney

From Franklin County, he was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant, Company E of the 15th NC Infantry on 1 June 1861, and promoted to First Lieutenant 19 July 1862.

[At Crampton's Gap on 14 September] "the Fifteenth took position behind a rock fence, with instructions to hold it, which they did until the enemy succeeded in forcing the Georgia regiments (which formed the right of the brigade) back and gained the rear and the possession of the road across the gap. Being engaged with the enemy in front, and confident of the strength of our position, the first knowledge we had of the situation on the right was a terrible volley of musketry from the rear and right flank, which was at first thought to be from our own troops, who had mistaken us for the enemy, but soon such thoughts were dispelled by seeing the Federal flag in the rear. Fortunately the volley did but little damage, and though the clothing of nearly every man bore the mark of a ball (the writer having thirteen without breaking the skin), but few were hurt. The loss of the regiment in this engagement was fourteen killed, forty-eight wounded and one hundred and twenty four prisoners, one of which was the writer. Nearly all of the prisoners were from the five right companies. A, C, E, G and I ..." (Kearney, 1901).

He was back with his Company in time to be slightly wounded in action at Fredericksburg, VA on 13 December 1862.

Sheriff of Franklin County (c. 1880 - 1911).

Basic information from Moore1. Kearney wrote the Regimental history essay (1901) in Clark2, source of his picture and the quote above. Further details from genealogies online.

08/31/1842 in NC

09/22/1919; in NC; burial in Fairview Cemetery, Franklinton, NC