Colonel Thomas Leiper Kane 42nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment Field & Staff Kane as Brigadier General of Volunteers Photo as Pre-Civil War Photo as Brevet Major General; Photo as Lieutenant Colonel Photo as Lieutenant Colonel #2 Biographical Sketch ~

Thomas Leiper Kane was born January 27, 1822, in Philadelphia. His paternal great-grandfather being General Robert Van Renssalaer and his maternal grandfather Major Thomas Leiper Kane, he inherited patriot blood from both lines of his ancestry. Liberally provided for by his father, he completed his college education at seventeen, after which he visited England and France. During a stay of some years in Paris, he acquired great proficiency in the French language and con­tributed articles to several of the French magazines. Inoculated with the teachings of Fourier, he declined to become the heir of a wealthy kinsman, the offer being coupled with the conditions that he assume the name of Morrison and become an English subject. After study­ing law he was admitted to the Philadelphia bar, but rarely practiced. He accepted the position of Clerk of the District Court under his father, judge Kane, and during his incumbency, introduced reforms that incidentally reduced his own income $2500 a year. He was also one of the United States Commissioners.

An abolitionist at heart, he corresponded with Greeley and Emer­son, at the same time writing upon philanthropic subjects in the press of the day. In 1848 he became chairman of the Free Soil State Central Committee, and upon the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law, the duties involved in the retention of the office of United States Commissioner being in conflict with the dictates of his conscience, he resigned the lat­ter office. His letter of resignation was construed by his father as contempt of court, and he was committed. This action was overruled by judge Grier, of the Supreme Bench, and Kane was set free, becom­ing an active co-operator of the " Underground Railroad." After his return from Europe, he had visited the West in I84y. He became interested in the Mormons, met Brigham Young, and se­cured the confidence of the misguided sect. In 1858 after Young had called upon his people to arm themselves to resist the entrance of United States troops, and Governor Cumming had issued a proclama­tion, declaring the Territory to be in a state of rebellion, Kane went to Utah, entirely at his own expense, but armed with letters from President Buchanan, and by his tact and skill prevented bloodshed. He founded and laid out the town of Kane, Pennsylvania, laid out routes for some of the railroads in that section and found the low summit over which the Philadelphia and Erie Railroad crosses the Alleghenies. He supported a Model Infant School, adapted from the French Salles d'Asile; was working manager of the House of Refuge; and director of the Sunbury and Erie Railroad. In 1853 he married Elizabeth Dennistown Wood, since Dodos of Medicine, who survives him. His brother, Elisha Kent Kane, became known throughout the world on account of his achievements in Arctic explorations. On the outbreak of the war Kane organized the Bucktail regi­ment, but upon being elected Colonel, resigned in favor of the Mexican War veteran, Charles J. Biddle. While with the Bucktails he was wounded at Dranesville, captured at Harrisonburg, and his name was frequently mentioned in the official reports. Appointed Brigadier-Gen­eral for gallant services, September y, 1862, he commanded the Second brigade, Second division, Twelfth Army corps, at Chancellorsville Contracting pneumonia, he was in the hospital at Baltimore just before the battle of Gettysburg, but entrusted with a message from the War Department to General Meade, that the Confederates were in posses­sion of the Union cipher, he secured the services of a daring Kentuckian to drive him to the field. Stopped once by Stuart's men, their Southern accent enabled them to escape, and Kane, though still too weak to sit on his horse, assumed command of his brigade upon the second day's fight. On the third day's fight his brigade, repulsed the charge of Jackson's old division under command of General Johnson. Worn out by wounds and exposure, Kane was compelled to resign November 7, 1863, being brevetted Major-General for "gallant and meritorious ser­vices at Gettysburg." Upon the conclusion of the war he resided at his home in McKean County, but spent two winters in Philadelphia upon inheriting the old family house on Walnut Street, where he died December 26, 1883, of lobar pneumonia.

He was the first president of the Board of State Charities, a mem­ber of the American Philosophical, American Geographical sad Penn­sylvania Historical Societies, in addition to being a Free-Mason. He wan the author of "The Mormons" (Philadelphia, 1850) ; "Alaska" (1868) ; and "Coahuila!' (1877). Since his death there have been established, is his honor, the "General Kane Post, No. 292," of Mount Union, Pa., the "Thomas L. Kane "Post," of Washington Territory, the "Sons of Veterans, Thomas L "Kane Post," of Titusville, Pa., and the "U. V. L. Encampment, No. 6." Military Record Mustered as private, May 12, 1861-promoted to Colonel, June 12, 1861-resigned and elected Lieutenant-Colonel, June 13, 1861-wounded at Dranesville, December 2o, 1861-wounded and captured at Harrisonburg, June 6, 1862 to Brigadier-General, September 7, 1862-resigned November 7, 1863-brevetted Major-General, March 13, 1865.