Thaddeus Harlan Stanton

Thaddeus H. Stanton (1835–1900), was Paymaster-General of the United States Army 1895–1899. Stevens began his active life as a Republican newspaperman and politician in Iowa. During the Civil War he joined the Union Army, servings as Paymaster. After the war, he transferred to the Regular Army, serving in the Paymaster Department. During the Big Horn Expedition 1876, he served in the field, receiving a brevet promotion for bravery.

Thaddeus Harlan Stanton
Born	(1835-01-20)January 20, 1835 Indiana
Died	January 23, 1900(1900-01-23) (aged 65) Washington, D.C.
Place of burial	Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Volunteers United States Army
Years of service	1861, 1862–1899
Rank	Brigadier General
Commands held	Chief of Scouts, Big Horn Expedition Paymaster-General of the United States Army
Battles/wars	American Civil War American Indian Wars * Battle of Powder River
Awards	Brevet Lieutenant Colonel, USV, 1865, for meritorious service during the Civil War * Brevet Lieutenant Colonel, USA, 1876, for gallantry in action against Indians
Member of the Iowa House of Representatives
In office 1862–1864

Early life

Stanton was born in Indiana, and moved to Mount Pleasant, Iowa, in 1851. In Mount Pleasant he became the editor of an antislavery paper. Later moving to Washington, Iowa, Stanton edited the Republican Washington Press. At the beginning of the Civil War he enlisted and served for three months. Returning to Iowa, Stanton was elected as a Republican to the State House of Representatives for the period 1862–1864.[1]

Civil War

During his three months enlistment, Stanton served as a Private in the 3rd District of Columbia Infantry Battalion. When returning to military service, it was as Captain in the 19th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment from August 1862. Stanton did not stay long in the infantry, becoming an Additional Paymaster in the Volunteer Army in October the same year. His service as Paymaster lasted until April 1867, when he transferred to the Regular Army.[2]

Regular Army

In the regular army, Stanton served as Major, Paymaster from 1867 to 1890, when he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, Deputy Paymaster General. Further promotions were to Colonel, Assistant Paymaster General, 1893 and Brigadier General, Paymaster General in 1895.[2] In spite of serving in the Paymaster Department, Stanton acted as representative of General Sheridan, the Commanding General of the Military Division of the Missouri, in the field during the Big Horn Expedition 1876, serving as Chief of Scouts, and also, on General Crook's behest, as a reporter for the New-York Tribune. He received a brevet promotion for gallantry at the Battle of Powder River, and later commanded the citizens who joined Crook, but did not thereafter serve at the frontier.[3][4]

References

1. "Thaddeus Harlan Stanton." The Iowa Legislature. 2019-12-06.
2. Heitman, Francis B.(1903). Historical register and dictionary of the United States Army. Washington: Government Printing Office, p. 916.
3. Russel, Don (1960). The Lives and Legends of Buffalo Bill. University of Oklahoma Press, p. 222.
4. Thrapp, Dan L. (1988). Encyclopedia of Frontier Biography. University of Nebraska Press, vol. 3, p. 1357.