Stanford's Mississippi Battery (SMB) were on line during the first large battle of the Atlanta Campaign, at Resaca, Georgia, in May of 1864. It was about 4:30 on the afternoon of May 15th that having secured their fire to allow the infantry to advance, SMB had taken cover behind their hastily constructed breastworks. They were under constant fire from Yankee snipers.

Noticing that Captain Stanford had moved from behind the fortifications and was standing behind a large tree in order to get a better view of the field, Lt. W. Brown asked the Captain if he shouldn't get back under cover. Stanford shook his head as he gazed out over the battlefield and answered, "I reckon not." Just then a Federal sniper found his mark and the Captain fell against the tree. Brown and other men rushed to his aid, to find their Captain dead, the sniper had killed him instantly.

A gun crew carried his body to the rear and a wagon was found to carry him to the Academy Hospital in Marietta, where he was offically pronounced dead.

The Captain was laid to rest on this ground by his men. Sergeant Richard Jones lamented that "His place cannot be filled. Oh, what a brave, daring officer he was, and with it a perfect gentleman. We love him."

Some years later a brush fire swept Marietta Confederate Cemetery, sparked by an ember thrown from a passing train. The fire consumed the 3000 wooden markers on the gravesites. No records have been found, so the Captain's resting place is unknown other than He is in the Cemetery.