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Civil War Soldiers - Stannard

Stannard, George J., brigadier-general, U.S. Army, was born in Georgia, Vt., Oct. 20, 1820. Between the ages of fifteen and twenty he worked on his father's farm in summer and taught in a district school in winter. In 1845 he became a clerk in the St. Albans Foundry company and in time was placed in charge of the business. In 1860 he was admitted as a member of the company. Up to this time he had been active in the state militia and had become colonel of the 4th Vt. regiment. On President Lincoln's first call for volunteers he tendered the services of himself and his regiment by telegraph; but it was decided by the state authorities and the legislature, then in special session, to organize a regiment of ten companies selected from the 1st, 2nd, and 4th regiments of the militia, under the command of Col. John W. Phelps, reserving Col. Stannard for the duty of organizing additional regiments. In May, 1861, he organized the 2nd Vt. infantry, was commissioned as its lieutenant-colonel and mustered into the U. S. service at Burlington, June 12, 1861, leaving for the field twelve days later. He was with the men of the 2nd in every march and skirmish till the latter part of May, 1862, when he accepted the commission of colonel of the 9th Vt. infantry and was soon afterward assigned to Gen. Pope's command. On March 11, 1863, he was appointed brigadier-general of volunteers and placed in command of the 2nd Vt. brigade. He rendered efficient service in the Gettysburg battles, his brigade being conspicuous in the repulse of the final Confederate charge, and he was severely wounded in the cannonade with which Gen. Longstreet strove to cover the Confederate retreat. As soon as he was sufficiently recovered for light duty he was assigned to the command of the troops garrisoning the forts in New York harbor, remaining at this post till May, 1864, when on the final advance of Gen. Grant upon Richmond he again took the field, being assigned to the 10th army corps. He took part in the battle of Cold Harbor, where he lost two staff-officers and was again wounded. In the movement of the 18th corps on Petersburg on June 14 he led the advance with his brigade, occupied some of the enemy's fortifications within three-quarters of a mile of the city, and was a third time wounded. On Sept. 19 he was assigned the task of storming Fort Harrison, which he accomplished in a gallant manner, capturing and holding that important work at the cost of his right arm. This wound unfitted him for active service for several months. In Dec. 1864, he was assigned to the command of the Vermont border and remained in service in the Department of the East till Feb., 1866, when he was ordered to duty at Baltimore in connection with the Freedmen's bureau. He retired from the army on June 27, 1866 and was appointed collector of customs for the District of Vermont, holding the office till 1872. In 1881 he was appointed a door-keeper of the House of Representatives at Washington, D. C., and he died at this post on May 31, 1886. 

Source: The Union Army: A History of Military Affairs in the Loyal States 1861-1865, Volume 8 Biographical, 1908
 


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