Born July 31, 1840, Shepherdstown, Jefferson County, Virginia (West Virginia), the son of Robert (1808-1876) and Catherine Baker McKinney (1812-ca.1850). Father and son were listed as residing in Clear Spring, Md. in the 1850 census.
Joseph enlisted as a private, Sept. 2, 1861 at Clear Spring, Washington Co., Maryland for a period of three years. It is not stated in his service record if he was present or absent from September 1861 - December 1862. He was apparently provided with a US Government horse. Listed as absent without leave for 3 days (since Dec. 22, 1862). Listed as absent without leave for 10 days but present during the February muster sheet. In confinement at Harpers Ferry guardhouse for having lost his carbine and pistol and a few other issued items as of Feb. 1864.
During the winter of 1861-62 the battalion was
on duty along the Maryland side of the Potomac, while the Con-
federate forces occupied the opposite bank, Co. B being ac-
tively engaged for a portion of the winter in West Virginia. A
part of the battalion was with Gen. Lander in the defense of
Hancock, Md., when the surrender of the town was demanded by
Stonewall Jackson in the early part of Jan., 1862, and the re-
mainder of the command made a long night march to the relief of
the place, resulting in the repulse of the Confederates. To
follow the movements of Cole's cavalry in detail would require
whole volume. The battalion was composed of men well acquain-
ted with the country along the upper Potomac and in the Shenan-
doah Valley, hence companies or squadrons were being constantly
detached for the purpose of reconnoitering the enemy's posi-
tions. Frequent attempts were made by the Confederates to cut
off and capture these scouting parties, but by their familiar-
ity with the numerous byroads and bridle paths through the
mountains the Marylanders always made their escape. Early in
March, 1862, the command crossed the Potomac at Williamsport
with Williams' brigade of Banks' army, and remained in the
Shenandoah Valley until the following September, when it fell
back to Harper's Ferry. Between Bunker Hill and Winchester on
March 7, 1862, it lost 1 man killed and 2 wounded, which was
the first bloodshed of the Valley campaign of that year. In
Nov., 1862, the battalion was attached to the 12th corps, under
Gen Slocum, and remained with that command until the corps
marched into eastern Virginia, when it was left in the Shenan-
doah Valley. Scouts from the battalion found their way through
the enemy's lines in June, 1863, and notified Gen. Milroy at
Winchester that he was about to be surrounded, and after Milroy
had been overwhelmed by Lee's army, it was Cole's cavalry that
covered the retreat of those who escaped from Winchester. On
Feb. 13, 1864, the battalion re-enlisted and the men were
granted a thirty days' furlough. They marched to Frederick
City, where they were received with great honors by the people,
conducted to the city hall and formally welcomed home by Jus-
tice Nelson of the supreme court, after which they were ten-
dered a banquet. Upon the reenlistment the war department gave
authority to recruit the battalion to a full regiment of twelve
companies, and at the expiration of the furlough Cole's cavalry
reentered the army as a regiment. It was with Gen. Hunter in
his advance upon Lynchburg, after which it was assigned to Mer-
ritt's division of Torbert's cavalry corps of the Army of the
Shenandoah.
McKinney was detailed on detached duty at Gen. William H. Emory's headquarters, August 1864. His term of service having expired, he was discharged at Harpers Ferry on 15 September 1864. Listed as having dark complexion, black hair, black eyes, born in Berkeley County, Virginia and occupation as a laborer.
He later filed for and received a pension for military service, at the rate of $10 per month under the act of June 27. 1890. Apparently filed August 1904 but reassessed under the act of 1907 for $12 per month from Feb. 27. 1907. Cert # 930873. See also Widow's Cert. # 664390. Worked as a brakeman on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad after the war through the late 1890s. Died May 14, 1908, Martinsburg, Berkeley County, West Virginia. Buried in Green Hill Cemetery, Martinsburg, West Virginia.
