Civil War Union Brevet Brigadier General. He was the son of John Pleasants (1804-1844) and his wife, Sylvia Naveis. He was raised by his uncle, Dr. Henry Pleasants, after the death of his father in San Antonio, Texas. He served in the Civil War first as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 6th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry (a 3-month enlistment regiment), then as Lieutenant Colonel and commander of the 48th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He was a mining engineer, and his regiment was made up of coal miners from the hills of Pennsylvania. During the Siege of Petersburg, Virginia, he came up with the idea of tunneling under Confederate lines and planting a mine to blow up their defenses. When his plan was approved, he directed the operation, which culminated in the successful detonation of the explosives. The successive battle became known as the Battle of the Crater and was completely botched by inept Union Commanders Burnside, Ledlie, and Ferrero. Nonetheless, he was brevetted Brigadier General, US Volunteers on March 13, 1865, for "skillful and distinguished services during the war, and particularly in the construction and explosion of the mine before Petersburg, Va." the failure of which he had no part of.
Civil War Union Brevet Brigadier General. He was the son of John Pleasants (1804-1844) and his wife, Sylvia Naveis. He was raised by his uncle, Dr. Henry Pleasants, after the death of his father in San Antonio, Texas. He served in the Civil War first as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 6th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry (a 3-month enlistment regiment), then as Lieutenant Colonel and commander of the 48th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He was a mining engineer, and his regiment was made up of coal miners from the hills of Pennsylvania. During the Siege of Petersburg, Virginia, he came up with the idea of tunneling under Confederate lines and planting a mine to blow up their defenses. When his plan was approved, he directed the operation, which culminated in the successful detonation of the explosives. The successive battle became known as the Battle of the Crater and was completely botched by inept Union Commanders Burnside, Ledlie, and Ferrero. Nonetheless, he was brevetted Brigadier General, US Volunteers on March 13, 1865, for "skillful and distinguished services during the war, and particularly in the construction and explosion of the mine before Petersburg, Va." the failure of which he had no part of.
Bio by: RPD2
Inscription
UNTIL THE DAY BREAK AND THE SHADOWS FLEE AWAY
Family Members
Advertisement
See more Pleasants memorials in:
Advertisement