Civil War Union Army Brigadier General. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York in 1859, placing 17th out or 22 (one of his classmates was future Confederate General Joseph Wheeler). He served in garrison duty for two year before resigning his commission on the eve of the Civil War. On September 25, 1861 he entered the Volunteer service, being appointed Colonel and commander of the 4th Vermont Volunteer Infantry. He led his unit in the Spring 1862 Peninsular Campaign, participating in the actions of the Army of the Potomac's VI Corps. In July 1862 he went on a leave of absence, and did not return until November. Upon his return he was promoted to Brigadier General, US Volunteers, becoming at age 24 the youngest General in the Union Army. From November 1863 to March 1863 he commanded a brigade of Vermont regiments within the defenses of Washington, DC, and in the area of Fairfax Court House, Virginia. On March 8, 1863 he was captured in the dead of night by Confederate partisan Colonel John S. Mosby, with Mosby's men stealing through the heavily manned Union camp and taking General Stoughton in his bed (the Rebels also captured 32 others Union soldiers). He was held in Richmond's Libby Prison from March until May, when he was exchanged. His Volunteer General commission expired while he was being held by the Confederates, and he received no further command after his release; his military career ended by his lack of vigilance. He spent some time in New York City, New York as a lawyer before dying on Christmas Day in 1868 at the young age of 30. His brother was Union Brevet Brigadier General Charles B. Stoughton, who commanded the 4th Vermont after his brother's promotion.
Civil War Union Army Brigadier General. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York in 1859, placing 17th out or 22 (one of his classmates was future Confederate General Joseph Wheeler). He served in garrison duty for two year before resigning his commission on the eve of the Civil War. On September 25, 1861 he entered the Volunteer service, being appointed Colonel and commander of the 4th Vermont Volunteer Infantry. He led his unit in the Spring 1862 Peninsular Campaign, participating in the actions of the Army of the Potomac's VI Corps. In July 1862 he went on a leave of absence, and did not return until November. Upon his return he was promoted to Brigadier General, US Volunteers, becoming at age 24 the youngest General in the Union Army. From November 1863 to March 1863 he commanded a brigade of Vermont regiments within the defenses of Washington, DC, and in the area of Fairfax Court House, Virginia. On March 8, 1863 he was captured in the dead of night by Confederate partisan Colonel John S. Mosby, with Mosby's men stealing through the heavily manned Union camp and taking General Stoughton in his bed (the Rebels also captured 32 others Union soldiers). He was held in Richmond's Libby Prison from March until May, when he was exchanged. His Volunteer General commission expired while he was being held by the Confederates, and he received no further command after his release; his military career ended by his lack of vigilance. He spent some time in New York City, New York as a lawyer before dying on Christmas Day in 1868 at the young age of 30. His brother was Union Brevet Brigadier General Charles B. Stoughton, who commanded the 4th Vermont after his brother's promotion.
Bio by: RPD2
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