Sterling L. Sanders

A 19 year old farmer, he enlisted as Private, Company K, 21st Mississippi Infantry on 16 May 1861 at New Albany, MD.

He was wounded by gunshot through the bowels and captured in action at Sharpsburg on 17 September 1862.

He was initially treated in a nearby barn by Assistant Surgeon James M. Greene of the 17th Mississippi Infantry. On 17 October he was moved to a field hospital, probably on the J. Poffenberger Farm and was treated there by Dr. Young. He was admitted to US Army General Hospital (GH) #5 in Frederick, MD on 25 November (Surgeon Hewit) then transferred to GH #1 in Frederick on 29 December, and was cared for by Assistant Surgeon R.F. Weir, USA. His wound had healed and he was "doing well; general health good" so he was paroled at Frederick on 10 February 1863 and "sent to the South" for exchange by way of Fort McHenry, MD. He was furloughed home and did not return to the 21st Infantry.

He reenlisted, as Private, Company C, 8th Mississippi Cavalry for local defense service on 17 August 1863 and was mortally wounded by gunshot to his left side in action at Harrisburg near Tupelo, MS on 14 July 1864. He was treated at the Lee Hospital in Lauderdale County, MS, but died of wounds on 2 August 1864.

His service from his Compiled Service Records via the Historical Data Systems database, which has him as Sterling L. Saunders, and CSR research by descendant Kevin P. Bechtold. Sharpsburg wound and hospital details from the Patient List 1 and the MSHWR.2 His gravesite is on Findagrave.

c. 1842

08/02/1864; Lauderdale County, MS; burial in Lauderdale Springs CSA Cemetery, Lauderdale, MS