Growing up in Saltsburg, Pennsylvania, Alexander Kelly and his siblings were part of a small African American community that took pride in working the nearby coal mines. When Kelly was just 10 years old, he and his siblings were orphaned and sent to live with their aunt and uncle in town. This tragic event left a permanent mark on Kelly, and likely sparked his interest in adopting orphaned children later in his adult life. Keeping with community tradition, Kelly worked in the mines and spent most of his days underground. But when the Civil War broke out in 1861, everything changed.

By 1863, the Union began drafting Black soldiers into a segregated unit called the 6th U.S. Colored Infantry. In August 1863, Kelly’s older brother Joseph learned that he had been drafted. This news was a devastating blow since Joseph’s large family relied on him, especially financially, to care for and provide for them. Kelly, then only 23 years old, bravely and willingly decided to take his brother’s place in the regiment.

A Fallen Flag

 

Kelly enlisted in the 6th U.S. Colored Infantry on August 24, 1863, and his first assignment was to Fortress Monroe and Yorktown, Virginia. Almost a year later, on June 15, 1864, Kelly’s unit, along with other Union troops, captured a Confederate stronghold near Petersburg, Virginia. In August 1864, Kelly was stationed at Dutch Gap on the James River, which sustained heavy enemy fire. But his biggest accomplishment was still to come. 

On September 29, 1864, Kelly and his regiment were involved in the Battle of New Market Heights, Virginia. During the intense fighting, Kelly’s unit ran toward an enemy obstacle called an abatis, made of tree branches with sharp tips laying side by side. As the battle raged, the color bearer was killed, and the flag fell to the ground. Kelly valiantly picked it up and mobilized the remaining men. From there, Kelly courageously led the rest of his unit in an attack against enemy forces. His heroic actions ultimately resulted in a Union victory. For his incredible, selfless acts, Kelly was bestowed the Medal of Honor on April 6, 1865. A total of 14 soldiers from the U.S. Colored Troops earned the Medal of Honor for their fearless acts of service during the Battle at New Market Heights.  

Back Home at the Mines

Following the Civil War, Kelly returned to Pennsylvania and his previous employment as a coal miner. In 1866, he married a woman named Victoria, and the couple had one son, William. However, Kelly and his wife also adopted multiple orphans, many of whom were homeless, throughout their more than 30 years of marriage. When he grew older, William joined his father in the mines. 

In the early 1890s, Kelly and Victoria moved to Pittsburgh, where Kelly joined the Grand Army of the Republic, a veterans organization, and became an active member of the Robert G. Shaw Post. Sadly, Victoria died in 1898. Kelly later found work as a night watchman for the stables of the Pittsburgh Police, and he continued to work there until his death on June 19, 1907. Kelly’s indescribable acts of heroism continue to inspire civilians and military service members today.