History of Chester, (Meigs County) Ohio United States of America

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David Sloane Stanley, soldier, was born at Chester, Ohio, June 1, 1828; son of John Bratton and Sarah (Peterson) Stanley; grandson of William and Margaret (Bratton) Stanley; great-grandson of Gen. John Bratton, and a direct descendant from Thomas Stanley, who settled in Cambridgeport, Mass., in 1634; removed to Hartford, Conn., and finally to Hadley, Mass. David S. Stanley attended Canaan academy and was graduated from the U.S. Military academy in 1852, and assigned to the 2d dragoons; was promoted 2d lieutenant, Sept. 6, 1853; was on frontier duty, 1853?61; transferred to the 1st calvary, March 3, 1855, and promoted 1st lieutenant. March 27, 1855, and captain, March 16, 1861, being assigned to the 4th U.S. cavalry, Aug. 3, 1861. He engaged in the capture of Forsyth, Mo.: the action of Dug Spring; battle of Wilson's Creek; the skirmish near Salem, and the march from St. Louis to Springfield, September-November, 1861. He was appointed brigadier-general, U.S. volunteers, Sept. 28, 1861; was on sick leave of absence, 1861?62; and was a member of the military commission at St. Louis, Mo., in February, 1862. He commanded a division, Army of the Mississippi, in the operations against New Madrid, resulting in its capture, March 14, 1862; took part in the attack on Island No. 10, April 8, 1862; the siege of Corinth, April-May, 1862, and in the pursuit of the Confederates to Booneville, Miss. He commanded the 2d division, Army of the Mississippi, taking part in tim battles of Iuka, Sept. 19, 1862, and Corinth, Oct. 8, 1862. He was promoted major-general of volunteers, Nov. 29, 1862; was chief of cavalry, Army of the Cumberland, and commanded the cavalry corps at the advance on Murfreesboro, covering the flanks of Rosecrans's army, and at the battle of Stone's River he repulsed the charge of the Confederate cavalry. He was brevetted lieutenant-colonel, Dec. 31, 1862, for gallant services at Stone's River; was promoted major of 5th cavalry, Dec. 1, 1863, and commanded the 1st division, 4th army corps, under Sherman in the Atlanta campaign, May 3?Sept. 8, 1864; was wounded at Jonesboro, and took part in the siege of Atlanta, July-September, 1864. He was brevetted colonel, May 15, 1864, for gallant services at the battle of Resace, Ga.; engaged in the pursuit of Hood's army into Alabama, and opposed that general's advance toward Nashville, Tenn. He was in command at Spring Hill, Tenn., Nov. 29, 1864. At Franklin, Tenn., he first withdrew the army from the desperate position in which it was placed on the eve of the battle, and by placing himself at the head of a brigade, and leading a charge, he restored the broken line and recaptured the Federal guns taken early in the day. His horse was killed under him, and as he regained his feet he was struck in the back of the neck by a musket ball, which entered opposite the vertebra on one side and passed behind it, coming out at the opposite point on the other side, but he still remained on the field until the victory was assured; the only instance in the history of the war of a corps commander, or the commander of a division, leading a brigade in a desperate emergency and turning defeat into victory. General Thomas, in speaking of the battle says, "his [Stanley's] gallantry was so marked as to merit the admiration of all who saw him. It was here that his personal bravery was more decidedly brought out, perhaps, than on any other field, and the terrible destruction and defeat which checked the fierce assaults of the enemy were due more to his heroism and gallantry than to any other officer on the field." He was on sick leave of absence, December, 1864?January, 1865; was brevetted brigadier-general, U.S.A., March 13, 1865, for gallant services at Ruff's Station, Ga., and major-general the same date, for services at Franklin, Tenn. He commanded the district of Central Texas, July-December, 1865, and was mustered out of volunteer service, Feb. 1, 1866. He was promoted colonel, 22d infantry, July 28, 1866, and commanded at Fort Leavenworth, Ken., 1866?67, and at Fort Sully, Dak., 1867?74. He commanded the Yellowstone expedition of 1873; served against the Indians in western Texas; and commanded the district of New Mexico with headquarters at Santa F?, 1882?84. He was appointed brigadier-general, U.S.A., in March, 1884, and assigned to the department of Texas. He was retired in June, 1892. He died at Washington, D.C., March 13, 1902.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Chester, (Meigs County) Ohio

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