This won’t be a regular part of Confederate Colonel, but let’s see if we can help out a bit here. Following is an email that we received this morning:
Hello,
My name is Jeremy Childs. I am a seasonal naturalist at Bells Bend Park in Nashville. I have a background in Civil War history, volunteering at Stones River for the past 2 years. This summer I am hoping to develop a program about the Battle of Nashville sites on/near Bells Bend. In addition to any general information you may have about the engagements on/near the Cumberland river I am also interested in any information you may have about Lt. Col. D.C. Kelley. He has escaped me thus far other than brief mention about his service under Forrest. I can’t even find him in the Soldiers & Sailors database.
Thanks again for any help you may provide. Please feel free to forward this to anyone you feel may be of assistance.
Jeremy Childs
Please add any replies as a comment.
Alright, I enjoy researching these long lost and not so lost Confederate soldiers. Each one has a unique story, and this holds true for Lt. Col. David Campbell Kelley, CSA.
A short bio I found states the following:
“C.S.A. Col. Rev. David Campbell Kelley
Born in Leesville, Tennessee, Colonel Kelley served in all of the major engagements of the war under Forrest’s command. Known as the Fighting Parson, Kelley was a methodist minister and missionary to China before the war. He also played a key role after the war in the founding of Vanderbilt University. He also ran unsuccessfully for governor of Tennessee in 1890 on the Prohibitionist ticket.”
A few websites I located with information regarding his service in the Confederate army.
From Tennessee Genweb
(Information regarding D.C. Kelley during Civil War in Tennessee, various ranks attained, battles, etc.)
Kelley’s Point Battlefield
(Kelley’s Point Battlefield Info and D.C. Kelley)
From <a href="http://civilwarlandscapes.org/cwla/states/tn/nv/places/dt25_06b.htm"
****Includes Picture of Lt. Col. Kelley*****
I’llcontinue to search for more on Lt. Col. Kelley, but I hope this is a helpful start.
The following information gives more details about Lt. Col. David Campbell Kelley. born Dec. 25, 1833 died May 15, 1909
from Tennessee Genweb pages comes the following information.
“GENEALOGICAL ABSTRACTS FROM REPORTED DEATHS THE NASHVILLE CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE 1908-1910 By Jonathan Kennon Thompson Smith Copyright, Jonathan K. T. Smith, 2002
May 21, 1909
Dr. DAVID CAMPBELL KELLEY born Wilson Co., Tenn., Dec. 25, 1833; father, Rev. John Kelley, was of Irish extraction; his mother, Lavinia Campbell Kelley, was daughter of David Campbell, Knox Co., Tenn.; a Methodist preacher he joined the Tennessee Conference in 1852; went as a missionary to China where he remained for three years; lieutenant-colonel in Confederate army; labored many years as an itinerant preacher; [death date not provided]
June 11, 1909
Tribute of respect for Dr. D. C. KELLEY by the Woman’s Board of Foreign Missions; undated. [Another tribute, June 18, 1909 issue, page 25]
February 11, 1910
DAVID CAMPBELL KELLEY son of Rev. John Kelley of Irish extraction, being a son of Denis Kelley who came to the United States and served in the Revolutionary War; his mother, Lavinia Campbell Kelley, was a daughter of David Campbell of Knox County, Tennessee. He was a graduate of Cumberland University, Lebanon, Tenn., 1851. He held the degrees of M. D. 1853; D. D., 1868; LLD., 1896. Joined the Tennessee Methodist Conference in 1852 as an itinerant preacher and went that same year as a missionary to China; returned to the States after four years. He served in the Confederate army and reached the rank of colonel. After the war he returned to his preaching career in the Tennessee Conference; he served in several church capacities over the years. Pastored: Gallatin, 1888-1890; Springfield, 1891-1892; Elm Street, Nashville, 1892-1894; Bellbuckle, 1894-1896; Columbia,
1896-1898; presiding elder of Nashville District, 1898-1901. In a gubernatorial bid in 1890 he was defeated as a prohibitionist candidate. He died May 15, 1909.”
Again, Sir, I hope you find this information of value and useful.
Best Regards,
Brian
Here is a wonderful biography concerning Lt. Col David C. Kelley and his genealogy, from the book,
“The twentieth century biographical dictionary of notable Americans … edited by Rossiter Johnson, John Howard Brown, 1904″
“KELLEY, David Campbell, clergyman, was born at Leeville, Tenn., Dec. 25, 1833; son of John and Margaret Lavinia (Campbell) Kelley ; grandson of Dennis and Elizabeth(Thompson) Kelley, and of Col. David and Jane (Montgomery) Campbell. Dennis Kelley served in the war of the Revolution, and Col. David Campbell established the fort called Campbell’s Station in East Tennessee in 1786. David Campbell Kelley was graduated from Cumberland university, Tenn., in 1851 ; was licensed to preach in 1850 ; and joined the Tennessee conference of the M.E. church, south, at Pulaski, in 1851. He was graduated from the medical department of the University of Nashville in 1852, and was a missionary in China, 1852-56. He enlisted as a private in the cavalry service of the Confederate army and was • successively major, lieutenant-colonel, colonel and acting brigadier-general of cavalry under Gen. N. B. Forrest, 1861-65, being second in command under that officer, sharing in most of his campaigns and being present with that leader in many of his general engagements. He conducted seven successful independent campaigns in command of a brigade. He was pastor of Lebanon station, 1867-68 ; presiding elder of Lebanon district, 1869 ; pastor of Tulip Street station, 1870; McKendree station, 1871-73 ; presiding elder of the Nashville district, 1874-75 ; and again pastor at McKendree, 1876-79. He was associate secretary of the board of missions, 1874-76, during which time he organized the Woman’s Foreign Missionary society ; was treasurer of the board, 1882-88 ; and pastor of Gallatin station, Tenn., 1889-90. He was candidate for governor of Tennessee on the Prohibition ticket in 1890, his canvass of the state giving the ticket double its usual vote. After this he filled a number of pastoral charges, was delegate to the general conference of the M.E. church, south, in 1878, 1882, 1886, 1890, 1894
and 1898 and was projector of the movement which resulted in Vanderbilt university. He was trustee of Vanderbilt university, 1873-88, and first secretary of the board. He secured the funds for the erection of Nashville College for Young Ladies, to be connected with Vanderbilt university. He commanded Forrest’s Veteran Corps of Cavalry with the rank of majorgeneral, 1897. He was presiding elder of the Nashville district, 1898-1900. He received the degree of D.D. fronl Cumberland university in 1868 and that of LL.D. from Nashville university in 1896; was elected president of the Tennessee Society of the Sons of the American Revolution in 1888; and a member of the American Institute of Christian Philosophy and of the American Institute of Civics. He is the author of: A Short Method with Modern Doubt, and contributions to religious periodicals.”
I apologize for all of this information being broken up in separate comments, but I have continued to uncover more information regarding this Southern Soldier.
Thank you so much for this information. Keep it coming if you come across more. Any info on the Battle of Bell’s Mill?
Thanks!!!! Please come see us at Bells Bend park if you are ever in the area.
Mr. Childs,
It’s my pleasure to help out in whatever way that I can, and I am pleased that this information is helpful. In regards to you question concerning the Battle of Bell’s Mill, I have found only a few sources for information. there is reference of two engagements on Dec 4 & 5, 1864 at Bell’s Mill.
It would appear that on Dec. 2 or 3,1864, Confederate forces had captured two Union steamers and held them at or near the bend in the river known as Bell’s Bend. On the night of Dec. 3 and morning of Dec.4, 1864, Union boats travelled down river, came under confederate fire from the Battery at Bell’s Mill, and Confederate musket fire from shore, where cargo was being unloaded from the Union boats. It appears that several Union boats were involved in the engagement, and successfully pushed confederate infantry forces off and away from the captured union boats. They were successful in clearing the Confederate battery on Bell’s Mill, and recaptured the Union vessels. These engagements appear to have helped clear the the river prior to the Battle of Nashville on Dec 15 & 16, 1864.
There is scant information regarding this engagement online, but a few after battle reports can be found by doing a search for “Bell’s Mill 1864″ on google book search. One link is here
I wish you the best of luck with your search, and If I do come across more information I will post it here.
Regards,
Brian
Here’s a link to a page about the Battle of Nashville, and Gen. Hoods 1864 campaign.
If you do a search on this page for “bell’s bend” you’ll find some information regards Kelley’s Battery. I am not an expert on this battle, and I am only speculating that Bell’s Bend and Bell’s Mill, may be synonymous. It appears that possibly Confederate records refer to the Battery as Bell’s Bend, and Union forces called it Bell’s Mill, or Bell’s Mille.
sorry, the link is
<a href="http://americancivilwar.50megs.com/Hoods1864dtour03.html"
http://americancivilwar.50megs.com/Hoods1864dtour03.html
Here’s a link to a page about the Battle of Nashville, and Gen. Hoods 1864 campaign.
If you do a search on this page for “bell’s bend” you’ll find some information regards Kelley’s Battery. I am not an expert on this battle, and I am only speculating that Bell’s Bend and Bell’s Mill, may be synonymous. It appears that possibly Confederate records refer to the Battery as Bell’s Bend, and Union forces called it Bell’s Mill, or Bell’s Mille.
Mr. Childs ~
It so happens that I know exactly where you can find all the information about David Campbell Kelley that you could ever imagine. Prof./Dr. Michael R. Bradley researched him and has written a book about him. The title is: Forrest’s Fighting Preacher. It is a soft cover of 142 pages. Dr. Bradley is “the authority” on Co. Kelley. His address is: 111 Lannom Circle Tullahoma, TN 37388. Drop him a $20 bill and some postage and I am sure he will send you a copy. I spoke with him just last night. He will also be at the National Convention of the Sons of Confederate Veterans this July 11 – 14 at the Embassy Suites Hotel selling his books. I say books, since he has written several Civil War books and is a joy to talk with and listen to. Col. Kelley is buried just outside of Confederate Circle in Mr. Olivet Cemetary in Nashville. He was probably Forrest’s most trusted commander. Hank Williams, Jr. has the 1851 Colt Navy pistol Forrest presented to Kelley (just for your information). Never hesitate to holler if I can help with anything else.
Respectfully ~
Don Wright, SCV
Thank you Don…I spoke with Michael last summer regarding his pending book and have since got my own copy…haven’t had time to read it yet as I am actually reading two of his other books on the city of Murfreesboro during Union occupation…which are excellent so far. I work for the National Park Service now at Stones River National Battlefield…so Kelley is not a priority right now, but I still find him a facinating man and look forward to learning more about him and passing that information on to Metro Nashville Parks in hopes that someone there might continue what I started 3 years ago. It is a story that needs to be told. Thanks again! Come see me at Stones River if you have time.
This is all very interesting. I just recently found out that I am related to David Campbell Kelley. He would be like a very very great great uncle lol. My maternal grandmother was a descendent of Daniel Kelley who was Davids older brother. My mom had all the family tree research from that side of her family but I had never looked at it really deeply and Im not sure she had either. I was helping my daughter with a report for American History this weekend where she needed to do a little family tree digging. Forrests Fighting Preacher is definitely on my list to be read. What is really interesting to me is that while Kelley was a Confederate, my maternal great grandfather was in the Union Army at the same time. Long story short there, Im only 41 but my mothers father was 65 when she was born in 1946. Thats how my great grandfather was in the Civil war lol.
Im going to bookmark this page. Any more info you come up with on Kelley will be of great interest to me.
Thanks for stopping by, Jason. Like you, my great Grandfather was also a veteran of that war. He was very young when he joined toward the end of the war – that, plus the men in my family traditionally married late in life, helps explain that. It’s really pretty amazing, isn’t it, that we are only a couple generations removed from what seems like such a long time ago.