Philip Kearny Jr. was a highly respected and flamboyant United States Army officer, renowned for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield. He served with distinction in the Mexican–American War, where he famously lost his left arm during the Battle of Churubusco. Despite his injury, he returned to military service and became a major general of volunteers in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Kearny was killed in action at the Battle of Chantilly, and his death was mourned by both Union and Confederate sides as the loss of a brilliant soldier.