Stapleton Crutchfield (1835 - 1865)

Born 21 Jun 1835 in Spotsylvania, Virginia, United States

Ancestors

Died 6 Apr 1865 at age 29 in Battle of Saylor's Creek, VA

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Biography

Stapleton Crutchfield is Notable.

Stapleton Crutchfield junior was born at "Spring Forest Plantation" in Spotsylvania County, Virginia on June 21, 1835, to Susan Gatewood and her husband, Oscar M. Crutchfield, (a planter and justice of the peace who would become a delegate and Speaker of the House of Delegates).

He was named to honor his grandfather, Stapleton Crutchfield II (bef.1775-1818) also an artillery officer and hero in the War of 1812 for his valiant but unsuccessful defense of Hampton.[1] Complicating matters, he also had an uncle of the same name (b. 1808)^[1]

Son of Major Oscar Minor Crutchfield and Susan Elizabeth Gatewood Crutchfield. Born at Spring Forest, Spotsylvania County, Virginia.

Graduated 4 July 1855, Virginia Military Institute 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^[2]

Time Line of Colonel Crutchfield's life:

June 21, 1835 - Stapleton Crutchfield is born in Spotsylvania County, Virginia.

1851 - he matriculates at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington but is sent home after only a few months for disciplinary reasons.

1852 - he returns to the Virginia Military Institute after having been sent home for disciplinary reasons.

1855 - Stapleton graduates first in his class at the Virginia Military Institute.

1855–1857 - he serves on the faculty of the Virginia Military Institute as an assistant professor of mathematics.

1858–1861 - 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 - he is commissioned a major in Confederate service.

July 7, 1861 - assigned to the 9th Virginia Infantry Regiment and reports for duty at Craney Island later in the month.

October 1, 1861 - 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 - elected colonel of the 16th Virginia Infantry Regiment but for health reasons declines to serve.

May 17, 1862 - secured a commission as colonel by his friend and former Virginia Military Institute colleague Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson.

June 8, 1862 - 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 - becomes the commander of artillery for the Second Corps, Army of Northern Virginia.

May 2, 1863 - wounded by a shell fragment at the Battle of Chancellorsville.

March 16, 1864 - Stapleton, recovered from a leg wound, is assigned to duty in the Confederate Ordnance Bureau as inspector of seacoast batteries.

January 18, 1865 - 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 is killed by an artillery shell at the Battle of Sailor's Creek during the Appomattox Campaign.^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ Stapleton Crutchfield Wikipedia
2. ↑ Burial Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/127233087/stapleton-crutchfield: accessed 21 February 2023), memorial page for Col Stapleton Crutchfield (21 Jun 1835–6 Apr 1865), Find a Grave Memorial ID 127233087; Burial Details Unknown, Sailors Creek Battleground; Maintained by rcrotwell (contributor 47576940).
3. ↑ Dozier, Graham, and Dictionary of Virginia Biography. "Crutchfield, Stapleton (1835–1865)" Encyclopedia Virginia. Virginia Humanities, (07 Dec. 2020). Web. 22 Feb. 2023 [1]