Thomas G. Stevenson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thomas Greely Stevenson
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| Born | February 3, 1836 Boston, Massachusetts |
| Died | May 10, 1864 (aged 28) Spotsylvania County, Virginia |
| Place of burial |
Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts
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| Allegiance | United States of America Union |
| Service/ |
United States Army Union Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1864 |
| Rank |  Brigadier General |
| Commands held | 24th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
Thomas Greely Stevenson (born February 3, 1836 – died May 10, 1864) was a brave general who fought for the Union Army during the American Civil War. He sadly lost his life in a big battle called the Battle of Spotsylvania.
A Young Leader in the Civil War
Thomas Stevenson was born in Boston, Massachusetts. When the Civil War started, he was 25 years old. He had already moved up the ranks in the Massachusetts Militia, from a private (the lowest rank) to a major (a higher officer).
On December 3, 1861, Thomas Stevenson became a colonel and took charge of the 24th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. He led his soldiers in important battles like the Battle of Roanoke Island and the Battle of New Bern. After the Union forces captured New Bern, many more soldiers arrived in North Carolina. Stevenson then took command of a larger group of soldiers called a brigade, working under General John G. Foster.
Fighting Along the Coast
Later, many Union soldiers in North Carolina were sent to Virginia. But General Foster's command, including Stevenson's brigade, stayed behind. Stevenson took part in Foster's Goldsborough Expedition. After this, he was promoted to brigadier general on December 24, 1862. This meant he was now a general!
For a while, he held quieter commands along the Atlantic coast in North and South Carolina. During the siege of Charleston Harbor, General Stevenson led the 3rd Brigade in a division commanded by Alfred H. Terry. He stayed in command of this brigade near Charleston until January 1864.
Final Battles and Legacy
On April 19, 1864, General Stevenson was given command of the 1st Division in the IX Corps. He had fought alongside many of these soldiers before in North Carolina. He was known as one of the best division commanders under General Burnside.
He led his new division into action at the Battle of the Wilderness and the Battle of Spotsylvania. On May 10, 1864, while resting under a tree, General Stevenson was tragically shot in the head by a sniper. He died instantly. His body was sent back to Massachusetts, where he was buried at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge.
To honor Thomas Stevenson, Fort Stevenson in North Dakota was named after him. His brother, Robert Hooper Stevenson, was also a colonel and a general in the Union Army. Battery Stevenson, a military fort on George's Island in Massachusetts, was also named after him on February 14, 1902.
