Edwin H . Stoughton Edwin Henry Stoughton ( June 23 , 1838 - December 25 , 1868 ) , was appointed a brigadier general in the Union Army during the American Civil War but his appointment was not confirmed and it expired . Four days later , on March 8 , 1863 , in a famous incident , he was captured while asleep at his headquarters at Fairfax Court House , Virginia by Confederate partisan ranger John S . Mosby . Stoughton resigned after his exchange two months later when he was not reappointed as a brigadier general . Thereafter he was a lawyer in New York City until his death in 1868 at the age of 30 . Early life . Stoughton was born in Chester , Vermont , the son of Henry Evander and Laura ( Clark ) Stoughton . He was appointed a cadet at the United States Military Academy on July 1 , 1854 , and graduated with the class of 1859 . He served garrison duty as a brevet 2nd lieutenant in the U . S . 4th Infantry Regiment from July to September 1859 . He was promoted to 2nd lieutenant , and transferred to the U . S . 6th Infantry Regiment . Civil War . He resigned his regular commission in March 1861 , and in September was appointed colonel of the 4th Vermont Infantry , and led his command in the Peninsula Campaign . Stoughton was only 23 years old and said to be the youngest colonel in the army at the time of his appointment . In November 1862 , he was appointed Brigadier General , Volunteers , and assumed command of the 2nd Vermont Brigade on December 7 , replacing Colonel Asa P . Blunt . Stoughton ' s brother , Charles B . Stoughton , assumed command of the 4th Vermont Infantry in his stead . Stoughton ' s appointment was never confirmed by the U . S . Senate and it expired March 4 , 1863 , less than a week before Mosby ' s Fairfax Court House Raid . Mosby ' s Rangers ( led by Confederate officer John S . Mosby ) led a daring raid into Union Territory and captured Stoughton at Fairfax Court House on March 9 , 1863 . Stoughton had hosted a party for his visiting mother and sister , who were staying at the home of Confederate spy Antonia Ford . After leaving the party , Stoughton retired to a nearby house that served as his headquarters . Mosby allegedly found Stoughton in bed , rousing him with a slap to his rear . Upon being so rudely awakened , the general shouted , " Do you know who I am ? " Mosby quickly replied , " Do you know Mosby , general ? " " Yes ! Have you got the rascal ? " " No but he has got you ! " Apparently , Edwin H . Stoughton was not popular with the officers and men of the brigade , and few mourned his loss . President Lincoln , on hearing of the capture , said " he did not so much mind the loss of a brigadier general , for he could make another in five minutes ; ' but those horses cost $ 125 apiece ! ' " Colonel Blunt assumed command of the brigade again , turning it over to the new commander , Brigadier General George J . Stannard , on April 20 , who led the brigade until the Battle of Gettysburg . After a two - month stay in Richmond ' s Libby Prison , Stoughton was exchanged , but saw no further service . The United States Senate had not confirmed his initial appointment and he was not re - appointed . He resigned from the Union Army in May 1863 and moved to New York . Stoughton was an attorney after the war , and died in New York City at 30 years old . He is buried in Immanuel Cemetery , Rockingham , Vermont .