Roy Stone

Roy Stone (October 16, 1836 – August 5, 1905) was an American soldier, civil engineer, and inventor. He served in the American Civil War, distinguishing himself during the Battle of Gettysburg, and took part in the Spanish–American War. He pursued a civil engineering career in a peacetime and became in 1893 the first head of the Office of Road Inquiry, which was the Federal Highway Administration's predecessor.[1]

This article is about the American general and engineer. For the British civil servant, see Roy Stone (civil servant). For the British judoka, see Roy Stone (judoka).
Roy Stone
Roy Stone in the Civil War
Division of Public Roads
In office
October 3, 1893 – October 13, 1899
Preceded byPosition Established
Succeeded byMartin Dodge
Personal details
Born(1836-10-16)October 16, 1836
Plattsburgh, New York
DiedAugust 5, 1905(1905-08-05) (aged 68)
Mendham, Vermont
Military service
AllegianceUnited States of America
Union
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
Union Army
Years of service1861–1865, 1898
Rank Brigadier General
Commands149th Pennsylvania Infantry
Battles/warsAmerican Civil War
Spanish–American War
  • Puerto Rican Campaign
Roy Stone during the Spanish–American War

Early life and family

Stone was born in Plattsburgh, New York, to Ithiel V. and Sarah Stone. His family had been among the early settlers of the region, and his father owned a large estate. As a young man, he was an engineer and lumberman before the Civil War. Stone married Mary Elizabeth Marker at the First Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh on August 14, 1862. They would have two children, a son, Richmond and a daughter, Margaret.

Civil War

Stone served as a Union Army officer during the Civil War and became noted for his stubborn defense of the McPherson Farm during the Battle of Gettysburg.

He first served as major of the 13th Pennsylvania Reserves, a regiment that saw action at several early war battles, including Antietam. Stone returned to Pennsylvania to help recruit new regiments; he was commissioned as colonel of the newly raised 149th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry in 1863. He commanded a brigade in the third division of I Corps of the Army of the Potomac in the Battle of Chancellorsville but did not see serious combat. During the Gettysburg Campaign, Stone retained command of his three Pennsylvania regiments.

Confederate troops attack the McPherson Farm

On July 1, 1863, on the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg, his brigade, largely composed of green troops, was posted on McPherson's Ridge south of the Chambersburg Pike. Although the brigade had not seen previous combat, it was instrumental in holding back several assaults by the Confederates. Stone moved his regiments to block attacks by Colonel John Brockenborough and Brigadier General Junius Daniel. His troops held until the Iron Brigade and other Federal units fell back.[2] Stone's men were among last to withdraw from their sector. Stone was severely wounded in the hip and arm in the fighting, and he returned home to recuperate.[3]

After his return to active duty, Stone served briefly as a brigade commander in James Wadsworth's 4th Division, V Corps during Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Overland Campaign. He was removed from command during the Battle of the Wilderness. Stone's horse fell on him on May 5, but many presumed he had been drunk on the battlefield.[4]

Stone commanded Camp Curtin, Pennsylvania, September 7, 1864–December 15, 1864 and the Alton Military Prison in Alton, Illinois, December 15, 1864–January 27, 1865.[3] He resigned from the volunteers on January 27, 1865.[3]

On December 12, 1864, President Abraham Lincoln nominated Stone for appointment as brevet brigadier general, U.S. Volunteers, to rank from September 7, 1864, for "gallant services during the war, and especially at Gettysburg" and the United States Senate confirmed the appointment on February 20, 1865.[5]

Postbellum
Roy Stone's Centennial Monorail of 1876

Stone became a leading advocate of the Good Roads Movement which is now known. His contributions led to major changes and improvements in highway construction and design. He served as one of the early heads of the Division of Public Roads from October 3, 1983 - October 13, 1899. [1]

Among his inventions was a steam-driven monorail at the Centennial International Exhibition of 1876 in Philadelphia.[6][7] A larger version was built in 1878 as Bradford and Foster Brook Railway, Pennsylvania.[8][9]

Stone briefly returned to active military duty with the rank of Brigadier General in 1898, serving in the Puerto Rican Campaign of the Spanish–American War.

Death

Roy Stone died August 5, 1905 at Mendham, Vermont.[3] He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.[3]

Honors

Stone Avenue in the Gettysburg National Military Park is named in his honor and memory. The palm genus Roystonea is named in memory of the work he did in road building in Puerto Rico during the capture of the island.[10]

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See also

References
  1. Richard F. Weingroff. The Federal Highway Administration at 100, Public Roads, No. 2, Vol. 57, Autumn 1993
  2. Pfanz, Harry W. Gettysburg—The First Day. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2001.:196–199
  3. Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher. Civil War High Commands. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001, p. 514. ISBN 978-0-8047-3641-1
  4. Rhea, Gordon C. The Battle of the Wilderness May 5–6, 1864. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2004.:237–238
  5. Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher, Civil War High Commands. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. ISBN 978-0-8047-3641-1. p. 758.
  6. General Roy Stone and The New York Times
  7. General Roy Stone's Centennial Monorail
  8. Monorail History
  9. Mark Reinsberg. General Stone's Elevated Railroad: Portrait of an Inventor, The Western Pennsylvania Historical Magazine, 1966, Vol. 49, No. 3.
  10. Cook, O.F. (1901). "A Synopsis of the Palms of Puerto Rico". Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club. Torrey Botanical Society. 28 (10): 525–69. doi:10.2307/2478709. JSTOR 2478709. no

Further reading
  • Eicher, John H., and Eicher, David J. Civil War High Commands. Stanford University Press, 2001. ISBN 978-0-8047-3641-1.
  • Pfanz, Harry W. Gettysburg—The First Day. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2001. ISBN 0-8078-2624-3
  • Rhea, Gordon C. The Battle of the Wilderness May 5–6, 1864. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2004.ISBN 0-8071-3021-4
  • Weingroff, Richard F. Portrait of a General: General Roy Stone, Federal Highway Administration Biography of Stone
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