Civil War Veteran whose dying words were reportedly, "Lord Jesus, don't forget me; I'm a poor soldier."
Co. D, 149th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry
John Stoner was one of 32 boys from the Carson Valley School who went into the Union Army during the Civil War. As an adult, his occupation was as a sawyer, and he was described as having dark eyes, brown hair, a dark complexion, and being 5 ft 8 in. in height.
The 149th Pa.Volunteer Infantry, also known as the "Second Bucktails," was decimated on July 1, 1863, at the Battle of Gettysburg, suffering 75% casualties. Consequently, the Regiment needed to be backfilled with draftees and conscripts. Stoner was drafted into the Army at Huntingdon, Pa. on August 20, 1863, and was mustered into the 149th Bucktails with 200+ other conscripts on October 25, 1863, at Bristow Station, VA.
During December 1863, Stoner was accidentally shot by his messmate who was cleaning his musket. The minié ball passed through his right arm, breast, and lungs, and lodged near his backbone. Even though the ball was removed by a surgeon, it took Stoner's life after 13 days. Accounts describe his cause of death as an irreparable "sucking chest wound" with infection. Embarrased to fully describe the circumstances of his accidental demise, Army officials sometimes attributed his death to pneumonia alone.
Quite likely, Stoner was buried quickly in a mass grave near the Division's hospital. After the War these soldiers were disinterred and removed to Culpeper National Cemetery and often arrived as unknowns. Speculatively, Stoner's bones lie in an unknown grave at C.N.C.
The Case of the Mysterious Wandering Headstone
A headstone bearing Pvt Stoner's particulars resided at 18 East Broad Street, Lovettsville, VA, for many decades. Since the stone shows no signs of installation or weathering it is speculated that the family bore the stone from central Pennsylvania to Loudon and Culpeper Counties. After the grave was not found, it is possible that the family decided not to bear it home with them.
Co. D, 149th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry
John Stoner was one of 32 boys from the Carson Valley School who went into the Union Army during the Civil War. As an adult, his occupation was as a sawyer, and he was described as having dark eyes, brown hair, a dark complexion, and being 5 ft 8 in. in height.
The 149th Pa.Volunteer Infantry, also known as the "Second Bucktails," was decimated on July 1, 1863, at the Battle of Gettysburg, suffering 75% casualties. Consequently, the Regiment needed to be backfilled with draftees and conscripts. Stoner was drafted into the Army at Huntingdon, Pa. on August 20, 1863, and was mustered into the 149th Bucktails with 200+ other conscripts on October 25, 1863, at Bristow Station, VA.
During December 1863, Stoner was accidentally shot by his messmate who was cleaning his musket. The minié ball passed through his right arm, breast, and lungs, and lodged near his backbone. Even though the ball was removed by a surgeon, it took Stoner's life after 13 days. Accounts describe his cause of death as an irreparable "sucking chest wound" with infection. Embarrased to fully describe the circumstances of his accidental demise, Army officials sometimes attributed his death to pneumonia alone.
Quite likely, Stoner was buried quickly in a mass grave near the Division's hospital. After the War these soldiers were disinterred and removed to Culpeper National Cemetery and often arrived as unknowns. Speculatively, Stoner's bones lie in an unknown grave at C.N.C.
The Case of the Mysterious Wandering Headstone
A headstone bearing Pvt Stoner's particulars resided at 18 East Broad Street, Lovettsville, VA, for many decades. Since the stone shows no signs of installation or weathering it is speculated that the family bore the stone from central Pennsylvania to Loudon and Culpeper Counties. After the grave was not found, it is possible that the family decided not to bear it home with them.
Civil War Veteran whose dying words were reportedly, "Lord Jesus, don't forget me; I'm a poor soldier."
Co. D, 149th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry
John Stoner was one of 32 boys from the Carson Valley School who went into the Union Army during the Civil War. As an adult, his occupation was as a sawyer, and he was described as having dark eyes, brown hair, a dark complexion, and being 5 ft 8 in. in height.
The 149th Pa.Volunteer Infantry, also known as the "Second Bucktails," was decimated on July 1, 1863, at the Battle of Gettysburg, suffering 75% casualties. Consequently, the Regiment needed to be backfilled with draftees and conscripts. Stoner was drafted into the Army at Huntingdon, Pa. on August 20, 1863, and was mustered into the 149th Bucktails with 200+ other conscripts on October 25, 1863, at Bristow Station, VA.
During December 1863, Stoner was accidentally shot by his messmate who was cleaning his musket. The minié ball passed through his right arm, breast, and lungs, and lodged near his backbone. Even though the ball was removed by a surgeon, it took Stoner's life after 13 days. Accounts describe his cause of death as an irreparable "sucking chest wound" with infection. Embarrased to fully describe the circumstances of his accidental demise, Army officials sometimes attributed his death to pneumonia alone.
Quite likely, Stoner was buried quickly in a mass grave near the Division's hospital. After the War these soldiers were disinterred and removed to Culpeper National Cemetery and often arrived as unknowns. Speculatively, Stoner's bones lie in an unknown grave at C.N.C.
The Case of the Mysterious Wandering Headstone
A headstone bearing Pvt Stoner's particulars resided at 18 East Broad Street, Lovettsville, VA, for many decades. Since the stone shows no signs of installation or weathering it is speculated that the family bore the stone from central Pennsylvania to Loudon and Culpeper Counties. After the grave was not found, it is possible that the family decided not to bear it home with them.
Co. D, 149th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry
John Stoner was one of 32 boys from the Carson Valley School who went into the Union Army during the Civil War. As an adult, his occupation was as a sawyer, and he was described as having dark eyes, brown hair, a dark complexion, and being 5 ft 8 in. in height.
The 149th Pa.Volunteer Infantry, also known as the "Second Bucktails," was decimated on July 1, 1863, at the Battle of Gettysburg, suffering 75% casualties. Consequently, the Regiment needed to be backfilled with draftees and conscripts. Stoner was drafted into the Army at Huntingdon, Pa. on August 20, 1863, and was mustered into the 149th Bucktails with 200+ other conscripts on October 25, 1863, at Bristow Station, VA.
During December 1863, Stoner was accidentally shot by his messmate who was cleaning his musket. The minié ball passed through his right arm, breast, and lungs, and lodged near his backbone. Even though the ball was removed by a surgeon, it took Stoner's life after 13 days. Accounts describe his cause of death as an irreparable "sucking chest wound" with infection. Embarrased to fully describe the circumstances of his accidental demise, Army officials sometimes attributed his death to pneumonia alone.
Quite likely, Stoner was buried quickly in a mass grave near the Division's hospital. After the War these soldiers were disinterred and removed to Culpeper National Cemetery and often arrived as unknowns. Speculatively, Stoner's bones lie in an unknown grave at C.N.C.
The Case of the Mysterious Wandering Headstone
A headstone bearing Pvt Stoner's particulars resided at 18 East Broad Street, Lovettsville, VA, for many decades. Since the stone shows no signs of installation or weathering it is speculated that the family bore the stone from central Pennsylvania to Loudon and Culpeper Counties. After the grave was not found, it is possible that the family decided not to bear it home with them.
Inscription
WE FOUGHT UNDER THIS BANNER
JOHN H. STONER
DIED
Dec. 28, 1863.
AGED
20 Years 7 M's 1 Day
