Pre-Memorial Day Burial Ground Visits To Install Revolutionary War Veteran Grave Markers And Earned American Flags On The Graves Of Five Connecticut Rebellion Heros.

Our Revolutionary Stanton Men Of Connecticut

JULY 2023 UPDATE:

Southeast Connecticut cemetery visits in June 2023 revealed the various Stanton Family Revolutionary War Veteran graves remain in good shape, and each grave had a fresh Memorial American Flag installed.  Many thanks to the unknown and caring Connecticut residents who are actively tending our ancestor's graves. 

   

Metal Revolutionary War Veteran Grave Markers and American Flags were installed in ten inches of concrete during this mid-May 2021 Southeastern Connecticut trip to Groton, New London, Ledyard, North Stonington, and Griswold Connecticut to visit a few older burial grounds.  Each man introduced in this post is a distant paternal cousin and a Revolutionary War Veteran.  The cousin relationships apply to my siblings and to my paternal 1st cousins as cited in the following individual brief biographies.  Other interested family genealogists need to calculate their own personal cousin relationships to these Revolutionary War Veterans.    

U.S. Army Veteran Captain Ebenezer Stanton is a Revolutionary War Veteran serving over three years of active duty as a  junior officer in Captain Amos Stanton's 6th Company of the 2nd Additional Infantry Regiment of the Connecticut Line, under Commanding Officer Colonel Henry Sherburne. Ebenezer later served in the trusted staff positions of Regimental Quartermaster and then as Regimental Paymaster.  Following his three-year tour of Army active duty, Ebenezer Stanton was named Master and Commander of the privateer vessel COUNT de GRASSE in May 1782, a schooner with a crew of about 30 men operating mainly on Long Island Sound.  Official records show that Captain Ebenezer Stanton and his crew captured several small craft and cargo from Yankee wartime profiteers doing business and selling supplies to the British enemy.     

In 1780, General George Washington conducted a massive military reorganization of the patriot army he commanded, and one element of this reorganization was to combine the 2nd Regiment of Connecticut Line with an existing Rhode Island Regiment.  The 2nd Infantry Regiment of Connecticut Line was formally disestablished effective 1 Jan 1781.  All or most of the regiment's officer corps were allowed to resign their commission during 1780, Ebenezer's resignation was effective in April 1780.             

Following the USA victory, Captain Ebenezer Stanton owned and operated an ocean-going trading ship as Master and Commander, a ship that engaged in Mediterranean Trading.  This earns him the Captaincy prefix he used in business and personal communication and as inscribed on his gravestone as found in Cedar Grove Cemetery, New London, CT.

Captain Ebenezer Stanton is a paternal 3rd cousin-8xRemoved, and a Great-Great-Grandson of the Stanton Family colonial progenitor Thomas Stanton Sr. (d.1677, in Stonington, CT).

Captain Ebenezer Stanton's beloved wife Mary "Molly" (Smith) Stanton, the daughter of Colonel Oliver Smith and Mrs. Mary Noyes (Denison) Smith, she is presented in a previous post that some genealogist readers will find interesting.  Click HERE to learn things about wife Mary.    

The memorial gravestones of Colonel Oliver Smith and his lovely wife Mrs. Mary Noyes (Denison) Smith are found in Smith Lake Cemetery, Town of Groton, CT (aka Poquonock Bridge).  OBTW, the wives of Revolutionary military warriors are also the rebellion heroes who single-handedly managed the home and family left behind while their men went to war. Colonel Smith was initially a Captain and the commanding officer of a company of Stonington Militiamen when a British ship (the frigate HMS Rose) cannoned the small seaport community of Stonington, Connecticut.  The Rose attack is reported to have caused little damage to Stonington properties, almost equivalent to what is today called a drive-by shooting.  The 20-gun frigate HMS Rose was likely en route to harass the larger seaports of Newport and Boston. 

In July 1776, Connecticut General Assembly appoints Oliver Smith Lt Colonel and commanding officer of the 8th Connecticut State Militia Regiment of Foot (aka Infantry) in New London County. He is advanced to full colonel grade later in the rebellion. Many pay records of the nine companies assigned to the 8th Regiment of the State of Connecticut Militia, signed by COL Oliver Smith, stand testament to his Revolutionary War command of over 500 Southeast Connecticut Militiamen.  Early in the Revolution, Colonel Smith is reportedly an aide to General George Washington and was with General Washington for a time at Valley Forge during the winter of 1777/78.   

Colonel Oliver Smith is a paternal 2nd cousin-7xRemoved and a Great-Great Grandson of Captain George Denison Sr. (d.1694 in Hartford).  Another cousin-relationship exists via his maternal grandmother Ms. Mary Stanton (d.1724), where via this link Oliver is a Great-Great Grandson of Thomas Stanton Sr. (d.1677).        

Captain Amos Stanton recieves a new earned bronze Revolutionary War Veteran Grave Marker.  Amos' first commitment to the fledgling rebellion is documented by early 1776 service as a 2nd Lieutenant of Marines aboard the Connecticut State Navy's Row Galley SHARK, a vessel under the command of Captain Theophilus "Theo" Stanton (Theo is Amos' paternal 1st cousin 1xR).  In July 1776, SHARK and two sister Connecticut Navy Row Galley vessels WHITING and CRANE were ordered to the Hudson River (then referred to as "The North River").  In late fall 1776, the Galley SHARK was moved further up river where the crew was apparently relieved and the vessel placed under the care of ship's carpenter Fanning.  In Spring 1777 SHARK was transferred to the Continental Army.  SHARK was not captured by British forces or burned by her crew to prevent capture as some reports speculate.  NOTE: new information suggests that SHARK escaped the three early October 1776 Lower Hudson River battles; whereas, her two sister vessels Connecticut Navy row galley WHITING was evidently burned and row galley CRANE was captured by British Forces after her crew intentionally ran aground and abandoned her.

Early in 1777, Amos was awarded an active-duty Connecticut Line Lieutenant's commission with the U.S. Army 2nd Infantry Regiment of the Connecticut Line, a regiment commanded by Colonel Henry Sherburne.  SHARK commanding officer Captain Theophilus Stanton's letter of recommendation to Colonel Sherburne cites Amos' competence with military guns and munitions and was no doubt somewhat responsible for Colonel Sherbunre's appointment.  In late 1777 Amos was awarded a Connecticut Line captaincy and assigned as company commander of the 6th Company within Colonel Sherburne's Connecticut Line Infantry Regiment.  Official records show Company Commander Captain Stanton detailed as "On Command" -- a term then used to indicate detached duty from the regiment, perhaps in performance of special trust assignments.  Records show Captain Amos Stanton served on several courts-martial boards.  Captain Amos Stanton resigned his U.S. Army Connecticut Line military commission in April 1780.  All or most officers under Colonel Sherburne's command resigned their commissions in this mid-1780 period, these and many other U.S. Army resignations are part of a total military reorganization plan authorized by General George Washington. Strong evidence suggests that General Washington's rebel army became unmanageable in the later rebellion years, holding too many Chiefs (officers) and not enough Indians (enlisted men -- aka, the cannon fodder) to carry on an effective fight against the British forces. 

Captain Amos Stanton was killed in action on 6 Sep 1781 in defense of Fort Griswold, Groton, Connecticut in what is now called the Revolutionary War Battle of Groton Heights.  Among over one hundred other local men, Amos Stanton had answered an alarm issued by area commander Colonel William Ledyard for local militiamen to assist in the defense of Fort Griswold.   Captain Amos Stanton's remains were interred at Stanton Cemetery in the Town of Groton, on the property then owned by the Stanton Family.  The burying ground is just a few short miles north of Fort Griswold, this land is now part of the Town of Ledyard since Ledyard was formed from Groton Township lands in the mid-1820s.

Captain Amos Stanton is a paternal 3rd cousin-8xRemoved, and a Great-Great Grandson of the Stanton Family colonial progenitor Thomas Stanton Sr. (d.1677, in Stonington, CT)     

Footnote: Seems obvious that Captain Amos Stanton should be provided a new federally-supplied memorial gravestone since his present gravestone is both broken and unreadable.  A new suitable federally-furnished gravestone is his earned right.   

Aged 36 years Lieutenant Enoch Stanton and his brother aged 25 years Sergeant Daniel Stanton, were both Killed In Action at Fort Griswold during the Revolutionary War Battle of Groton Heights.  The two Stanton brothers are buried side-by-side at the rural Stanton-Hull Cemetery, Wheeler Road, North Stonington, Connecticut.  This well-kept rural burial ground is about six miles by the best route from where they fell on that early day in September 1781 at Fort Griswold, Groton, Connecticut.

Gravestone Inscription:

"Here Inter'd are the bodies of two brothers Sons of Capt Phineas Stanton and Elizabeth his wife who fell with many of their friends on Sept 6th, 1781 while manfully fighting for the liberty of their Country and defense of Fort Griswold. The assailants were commanded by that most despicable patricide, Benedict Arnold."  

Note: While it is true that British General Benedict Arnold was in overall command of this early September 1781 New London County operation, but to be historically correct, the turn-coat Arnold was never present or in a direct leadership role on the Groton side of the Thames River or at Fort Griswold.  General Arnold was present on the New London side of the Thames River that September day, taking an active leadership role in the capture of Fort Trumbull and in the cowardly unfortunate burning of many City of New London properties. 

The heroes Lieutenant Enoch Stanton and his younger brother Sergeant Daniel Stanton are paternal 3rd cousins-8xRemoved, and the Great-Great Grandsons of the Stanton Family colonial progenitor Thomas Stanton Sr. (d.1677, in Stonington, CT)    

Ensign Nathan Stanton is thought to be the father of Captain Ebenezer Stanton (d.1811) as cited in the first section of this post.  Official Revolutionary War documentation is found supporting Nathan's gravestone inscription that he is a Revolutionary Soldier and that this Ensign Nathan Stanton in 1776  was assigned as a junior officer serving in the company commanded by Captain William Stanton, 8th Infantry Regiment of the State of Connecticut Militia (Colonel Oliver Smith's New London County, Connecticut Militia Regiment).  Further, we know from the official record that the 8th Infantry of Connecticut Militia was in New York State to support the October 1776 rebellion Battle of White Plains, New York State.  The White Plains battle is strongly significant since it was essentially the delaying action that allowed General George Washington and his rebel army to escape British forces into Pennsylvania.    

No dates are inscribed on Ensign Nathan Stanton's memorial, such dates would naturally be of certain assistance with a more positive ID, but gravestone inscriptions are known to be secondary genealogical references at best.  However, the preponderance of evidence tends to suggest this is the grave of Nathan Stanton (1732-1786), the father of the aforementioned Captain Ebenezer Stanton.  Also, we are currently unable to find the internment site of Ensign Nathan Stanton's wife Mrs. Elizabeth Abigail (Billings) Stanton, who is thought to have passed away in about 1761 (predeceasing Nathan by nearly 25-years).  Elizabeth was likely buried in a presently unknown Billings Family plot near Stonington, Connecticut.  We think that Nathan never remarried; however, this is an unproven opinion. Circumstances regarding why Nathan is not interred near to his beloved wife Elizabeth are unknown. 

Ensign Nathan Stanton is not found in his military unit's official pay records in 1780, this suggests he resigned his commission perhaps due to sickness or advancing age (no formal documents are found to support his military discharge).  A junior grade company officer's military responsibilities are certainly stressful and demanding at times, where a younger man would be better suited. No metal grave marker was installed on Ensign Nathan Stanton's grave at Rixtown Cemetery, Griswold, CT until more identification proofs become available; however, a fresh American Flag was installed on this gravesite in the Town of Griswold. Hopefully, additional research and discovery prove this Ensign Nathan Stanton is the late father of Captain Ebenezer Stanton (d.1811, New London, CT).  Nathan will then be claimed as our distant 2nd Cousin-9xRemoved -- and the Great-Grandson of colonial progenitor Thomas Stanton Sr. (d.1677).