Thaddeus H. Stanton (1835–1900), was

Paymaster-General of the United States Army The Paymaster-General of the United States Army was a general officer who was responsible for the Pay Department of the U.S. Army. History The office of the Paymaster General was created through a resolution of the Continental Congress The ...

1895–1899. Stevens began his active life as a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

newspaperman and politician in

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...

. During the Civil War he joined the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

, serving as

Paymaster A paymaster is someone appointed by a group of buyers, sellers, investors or lenders to receive, hold, and dispense funds, commissions, fees, salaries (remuneration) or other trade, loan, or sales proceeds within the private sector or public secto ...

. After the war, he transferred to the Regular Army, serving in the Paymaster Department. During the

Big Horn Expedition :''This event should not be confused with the Powder River Expedition (1865).'' The Big Horn Expedition, or Bighorn Expedition, was a military operation of the United States Army against the Sioux, and Cheyenne Indians in Wyoming Territory and Mon ...

1876, he served in the field, receiving a

brevet Brevet may refer to: Military * Brevet (military), higher rank that rewards merit or gallantry, but without higher pay * Brevet d'état-major, a military distinction in France and Belgium awarded to officers passing military staff college * Aircre ...

promotion for bravery.

Early life

Stanton was born in

Liberty, Indiana Liberty is a town in Center Township, Union County, Indiana, Center Township, Union County, Indiana, Union County, Indiana, United States of America. The population was 2,000 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. It is the county seat of ...

, and moved to

Mount Pleasant, Iowa Mount Pleasant is a city in and the county seat of Henry County, Iowa. The population was 9,274 in the 2020 census, an increase from 8,668 in the 2010 census. It was founded in 1835 by pioneer Presley Saunders. History The first permanent s ...

in 1851. In Mount Pleasant he became the

editor Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, photographic, visual, audible, or cinematic material used by a person or an entity to convey a message or information. The editing process can involve correction, condensation, orga ...

of an antislavery paper. Later moving to

Washington, Iowa Washington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Iowa, United States. It is part of the Iowa City, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,352 at the time of the 2020 census. History Washington was founded in 1 ...

, Stanton edited the

''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.

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.Heitman, Francis B.(1903). ''Historical register and dictionary of the United States Army.'' Washington: Government Printing Office, p. 916.

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. In 1895, he succeeded William Smith as Paymaster General and was promoted to Brigadier General, In spite of serving in the Paymaster Department, Stanton acted as representative of

General Sheridan General of the Army Philip Henry Sheridan (March 6, 1831 – August 5, 1888) was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War. His career was noted for his rapid rise to major general and his close as ...

, the Commanding General of the Military Division of the Missouri, in the field during the

1876, serving as Chief of Scouts, and also, on General Crook's behest, as a reporter for the ''

New-York Tribune The ''New-York Tribune'' was an American newspaper founded in 1841 by editor Horace Greeley. It bore the moniker ''New-York Daily Tribune'' from 1842 to 1866 before returning to its original name. From the 1840s through the 1860s it was the domi ...

''. He received a brevet promotion for

gallantry Gallantry may refer to: * military courage or bravery * Chivalry * Warrior ethos * Knightly Piety Knightly Piety refers to a specific strand of Christian belief espoused by knights during the Middle Ages. The term comes from ''Ritterfrömmigkei ...

at the

Battle of Powder River The Battle of Powder River, also known as the Reynolds Battle, occurred on March 17, 1876, in Montana Territory, United States. The attack on a Cheyenne Indian encampment by Colonel Joseph J. Reynolds initiated the Great Sioux War of 1876. Althou ...

, and later commanded the citizens who joined Crook, but did not thereafter serve at the frontier.

Death

Thaddeus Harlan Stanton died in

Omaha Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest city ...

on January 23, 1900, and was buried in

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stanton, Thaddeus Harlan Paymaster-General of the United States Army Members of the Iowa House of Representatives 1835 births 1900 deaths Burials at Arlington National Cemetery 19th-century American politicians