Edwin H. Stoughton

Edwin Henry Stoughton
Stoughton as depicted in 1911's Prison Life in the Old Capitol and Reminiscences of the Civil War.
Born	(1838-06-23)June 23, 1838 Chester, Vermont
Died	December 25, 1868(1868-12-25) (aged 30) Dorchester, Massachusetts
Buried at	Immanuel Cemetery, Rockingham, Vermont
Allegiance	United States of America Union
Service/branch	United States Army Union Army
Years of service	1859–1863
Rank	Brigadier general (appointed, not confirmed)
Commands held	4th Vermont Infantry 2nd Vermont Brigade
Battles/wars	American Civil War Peninsula Campaign
Other work	Attorney

American Civil War

Edwin Henry Stoughton (June 23, 1838 – December 25, 1868), was appointed a brigadier general in the Union Army during the American Civil War but his appointment was not confirmed and it expired. Four days later, on March 8, 1863, in a famous incident, he was captured while asleep at his headquarters at the Fairfax Court House in Virginia by Confederate partisan ranger John S. Mosby. Stoughton resigned after his exchange two months later when he was not reappointed as a brigadier general.

Stoughton was born in Chester, Vermont, the son of Henry Evander and Laura (Clark) Stoughton.

Stoughton was appointed a cadet at the U.S. Military Academy on July 1, 1854, and graduated with the class of 1859. He served garrison duty as a brevet second lieutenant in the 4th U.S. Infantry from July to September 1859. He was promoted to second lieutenant, and transferred to the 6th U.S. Infantry.

Stoughton resigned his regular commission in March 1861, and in September was appointed colonel of the 4th Vermont Infantry, and led his command in the Peninsula Campaign. Stoughton was only 23 years old and said to be the youngest colonel in the army at the time of his appointment.

In November 1862, he was appointed Brigadier General, Volunteers, and assumed command of the 2nd Vermont Brigade on December 7, replacing Colonel Asa P. Blunt. Stoughton's brother, Charles B. Stoughton, assumed command of the 4th Vermont Infantry in his stead. Stoughton's appointment was never confirmed by the U.S. Senate and it expired March 4, 1863, less than a week before Mosby's Fairfax Court House Raid.