Son of Major Oscar Minor Crutchfield and Susan Elizabeth Gatewood Crutchfield. Born at Spring Forest, Spotsylvania County, Virginia.
Graduated 4 July 1855, VMI 1st in his class.
VMI Adjunct Professor of Mathmatics.
Commandant of Virginia Military Institute.
Commander of General Stonewall Jackson's Artillery.
5 April 1865 killed in hand to hand combat at Sailors (Saylors) Creek, Amelia County, Virginia
Burial on Sailors Creek Battlefield.∼Stapleton Crutchfield:
Born: June 21, 1835
Birthplace: Spring Forest Spotsylvania County Virginia
Father: Oscar Minor Crutchfield 1800 - 1861
(Buried: Green Branch Plantation Cemetery Snell Virginia)
Mother: Susan Elizabeth Gatewood Crutchfield
Education:
1855: Graduated from Virginia Military Institute with honors
Occupation before War:
1855 – 1861: Math & Tactics Professor at Virginia Military Institute
Civil War Career:
1861: Drill master at University of Virginia during the Spring
1861: Captain in Provisional Army of Virginia
1861: Major of 9th Virginia Infantry Regiment
1861 – 1862: Major of 58th Virginia Infantry Regiment
1862: Lt. Colonel of 58th Virginia Infantry Regiment
1862: Elected Colonel of 16th Virginia Infantry but declined rank
1862–1863: Colonel & Chief of Artillery to Lt. General Thomas Jackson
1863: Wounded in leg during Battle of Chancellorsville leg amputated
1863 – 1864: Professor at Virginia Military Institute
1864: Confederate Inspector of Seacoast Artillery Batteries
1865: Commander of Brigade of Heavy Artillery Army of Northern VA.
1865: Killed during the Battle of Sayler's Creek

Died: April 6, 1865
Place of Death: Sayler's Creek Battlefield Virginia
Age at time of Death: 29 years old
Burial Place: Unmarked grave Sayler's Creek Battlefield Virginia


Time Line of Colonel Crutchfield's life
June 21, 1835 - Stapleton Crutchfield is born in Spotsylvania County, Virginia.
1851 - Stapleton Crutchfield matriculates at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington but is sent home after only a few months for disciplinary reasons.
1852 - Stapleton Crutchfield returns to the Virginia Military Institute after having been sent home for disciplinary reasons.
1855 - Stapleton Crutchfield graduates first in his class at the Virginia Military Institute.
1855–1857 - Stapleton Crutchfield serves on the faculty of the Virginia Military Institute as an assistant professor of mathematics.
1858–1861 - Stapleton Crutchfield serves on the faculty of the Virginia Military Institute as a full professor of mathematics.
1861 - For about three months, Stapleton Crutchfield serves as temporary superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute. He supervises the shipment to Richmond of 10,000 muskets from the state arsenal located at the school and serves as drillmaster for new units raised in the region.
May 1, 1861 - Stapleton Crutchfield is commissioned a major in Confederate service.
July 7, 1861 - Stapleton Crutchfield is assigned to the 9th Virginia Infantry Regiment and reports for duty at Craney Island later in the month.
October 1, 1861 - Stapleton Crutchfield becomes a major in the 58th Virginia Infantry Regiment, but illness prevents his participation in the autumn campaign in western Virginia.
May 1, 1862 - After being elected lieutenant colonel earlier in the year, Stapleton Crutchfield is dropped from the roster of the 58th Virginia Infantry Regiment when it is reorganized.
May 3, 1862 - Stapleton Crutchfield is elected colonel of the 16th Virginia Infantry Regiment but for health reasons declines to serve.
May 17, 1862 - Stapleton Crutchfield is secured a commission as colonel by his friend and former Virginia Military Institute colleague Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson.
June 8, 1862 - Stapleton Crutchfield sees his first action of the Civil War at the Battle of Port Republic during the Shenandoah Valley Campaign. He is captured and later escapes.
November 1862 - Stapleton Crutchfield becomes the commander of artillery for the Second Corps, Army of Northern Virginia.
May 2, 1863 - Stapleton Crutchfield is wounded by a shell fragment at the Battle of Chancellorsville.
March 16, 1864 - Stapleton Crutchfield, recovered from a leg wound, is assigned to duty in the Confederate Ordnance Bureau as inspector of seacoast batteries.
January 18, 1865 - Stapleton Crutchfield returns to active duty with the Army of Northern Virginia as commander of a heavy-artillery brigade stationed at Chaffin's Bluff in the Richmond defenses.
April 6, 1865 - Stapleton Crutchfield is killed by an artillery shell at the Battle of Sailor's Creek during the Appomattox Campaign.