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Contributed by: Jesse Sherwood My great-great grandfather Jonathan R. Stanley of Sumner, MO in Chariton County was a Civil War veteran. He served in the A Company of the 18th Missouri Infantry of the Union Army. He was born on 20 Mar 1837 and passed away on 2 Jan 1892. He is buried at Purvis Cemetery at Sumner MO. I do not have a gravestone picture yet, but am planning a trip to visit the site in May 2009. He suffered the loss of his left eye. I have ordered but have not yet received his service record and pension file from the NARA. He enlisted August 30, 1861 and was discharged July 18, 1865, which was the muster date of the unit. As you can see from the historical description of the unit, it was a very important unit in the war. He was also the grandson of one of the very first settlers of the Missouri territory - Jonathan Standley who arrived with Squire Boone. Regimental History Eighteenth Infantry MISSOURI (3-YEARS) Eighteenth Infantry. -- Cols., Madison Miller,. Charles S. Sheldon; Lieut.- Cols., I. V. Pratt, C. S. Sheldon, W. H. Minter, W. M. Edgar. In his report for 1863 the adjutant-general of Missouri says: "This regiment was formed in Aug., 1861, and has taken part in many of the most important engagements of the war in the West. The want of regimental reports prevents this office from giving that complete statement of its doings that is desired. It has lost largely in officers and men, especially at the battle of Shiloh, but has been steadily recruited, and now has a good aggregate for a regiment that has been so depleted." During the first two months of 1864 it was mounted and employed in scouting the country about Florence, Ala. It then joined the army of Gen. Sherman, where it was assigned to the 17th corps, and began the advance upon Atlanta, taking part in the engagements at Snake Creek Gap, Resaca, Kingston, Dallas, Big Shanty, Kennesaw Mountain, along the Chattahoochee River in front of Atlanta and at Jonesboro. When Gen. Hood evacuated Atlanta and started north this regiment was one of those in pursuit, drove the rear-guard of the enemy through Snake Creek gap and skirmished with him at various other points. It then rejoined the main body of the army and was in the famous march to the sea, participating in all the engagements in which the 17th corps was brought into action. In the early part of 1865 the regiment marched with Sherman across the Carolinas. It was the 18th Mo. that forced the crossing of Whippy's swamp and the Pedee River at Cheraw; was present at the capture of Columbia and Fayetteville, S. C.; fought with its customary valor in the battle of Bentonville, N. C., and was present when Gen. Johnston surrendered to Sherman at Goldsboro. It then moved to Washington, D. C. where it took part in the grand review in May, after which it went by rail and river via Louisville, Ky., to St. Louis, where it was mustered out on July 18, 1865. Source: The Union Army, vol. 4, p. 263 1890 Veterans Census |
