STEWART W. PHINNEY -- 153rd INFANTRYQUICKLY PROMOTED - After his parents, Wentworth Phinney and Mary Moore,died, Stewart W. Phinney moved to Pennsylvania. He was living in a hotelin Scranton, PA, and was working as a merchant when he decided to returnto Mooers and enlist in the 153rd Infantry. He was mustered intoCompany G as a 1st sergeant on October 18, 1862 in Fonda, NY, and theregiment left for Washington on the same day.They spent the first year and a half in the capitol, and by the time the153rd went to the field, Stewart had been promoted twice from 2ndlieutenant to 1st lieutenant. As Emmett Fitch, who had recruited himMooers, was promoted, Stewart moved up to take his place.After patrolling the capital until February 1864, the regiment wasordered to the Red River Campaign in Louisiana for a few months. Theyreturned to the Shenandoah Valley and fought against General Johnston inbattles such as Opequan in September 1864, where they had 69 casualtiesand Cedar Creek, their last engagement, a month later where they had 81more casualties.In March 1865, he received a promotion to Brevet Captain. During histerm of service, he was often absent on detached service at BrigadeHeadquarters. Stewart was finally mustered out on October 2, 1865,returned to Mooers Forks and then went back to Pennsylvania.Stewart didn't live long after the war. He died in 1874. There is arecord of a headstone being made for him to be placed in the villagecemetery in West Pittston, PA, about 15 miles south of Scranton on theSusquehanna River.There is book containing many pictures of men from the 153rd Infantry,including Stewart's, for sale on an auction site -https://uniondb.com/products/153rd-new-york-volunteer-cdv-album
