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Maj. Gen J.E.B. Stuart, CSA (b. 1833, d. 1864) The “eyes of the army,” James Ewell Brown Stuart exhibited the type of flash and dash that made the Army of Northern Virginia’s cavalry better than it’s Federal counterpart for much of the war. Stuart was known for his daring rides around Federal troops and his ability to command them admirably in battle. “He never brought me a piece of false information,” said Gen. Robert E. Lee about Stuart. He was primarily known for his cavalry abilities, but showed he was a capable commander of infantry or artillery when the situation called for it. Stuart was born in Patrick County, Va., Feb. 6, 1833, and was a member of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point’s Class of 1854. He began his cavalry service in the U.S. Army’s First Cavalry. His actions included service in Texas against Apaches, in Kansas (he was wounded at the Battle of Soloman’s River in 1857). In October 1859, he carried orders to Robert E. Lee and then stayed as an aide during the capture of John Brown at Harpers Ferry. He read the ultimatum to Brown before the assault and then distinguished himself during the capture. He was a captain when he resigned his U.S. Army commission when Virginia seceded and entered Confederate service as the colonel of the First Virginia Cavalry. That move was certain to have brought the wrath of his father-in-law, Federal Gen. Philip St. George Cooke (he had married in 1855). Stuart’s brother-in-law, John Rogers Cooke, also became a Confederate General during the war. Stuart’s unit was assigned to the Shenandoah command of Gen. J.E. Johnston. At First Manassas, Stuart performed well enough to earn his promotion to brigadier general (Sept. 21, 1861). He screened Johnston’s move to Manassas and led a charge which helped seal the battle. His forces pursued the Federals for 12 miles and held the heights of Munson’s Hill, within sight of Washington, D.C. Prior to the Seven Days Campaign, he was charged with scouting the Federal army. His troopers rode all the way around McClellan’s army in daring fashion. That helped to seal his promotion to major general July 25, 1862, and given command of the Army of Northern Virginia’s Cavalry Division (later Cavalry Corps), a spot he held until his death. Stuart became known for the intelligence he gathered. The only controversies on his record came from his boldness, which was a part of every one of his undertakings. Raiding Gen. Pope’s communications yielded a bounty of stores and documents (including Pope’s uniform), which gave the South the strength and disposition of Union forces. Stuart’s forces performed their duties with great success during the Second Manassas and during the Maryland Campaign. Stuart’s men delayed the Federals at Crampton’s Gap until Lee had assembled his forces at Sharpsburg. After that battle, Stuart rode around the McClellan’s army again. The only negative was the loss of Stuart’s famous plumed hat and cloak. During the Battle of Fredericksburg, Stuart’s artillery helped to check an attack on Gen. T.J. Jackson’s corps. At the Battle of Chancellorsville, Stuart’s command moved with Jackson’s troops during the flank attack on Gen. Hooker. During the battle, Stuart commanded the Second Corps, following Jackson and A.P. Hill (who were wounded) and Robert E. Rodes, who briefly was in charge. As a prelude to the Gettysburg Campaign, Stuart’s men fought one of their fiercest fights at Brandy Station, June 9, 1863. That battle has been called the largest cavalry engagement in North America. Stuart and his men conducted operations away from the army during the Gettysburg Campaign, partially due to ambiguous orders given by Gen. Lee and Gen. Longstreet. It has been proposed that had Stuart’s command been present, the Battle of Gettysburg would not have taken place, or would have been fought on terrain more favorable to the Confederates. Stuart’s lone action during that fight was being rebuffed at trying to get to the Federal rear during the battle’s third day. Intercepting a raid by Federal Gen. Phil Sheridan, Stuart’s command got involved in action at Yellow Tavern, Va. May 11, 1864. Stuart was mortally wounded in the action and taken to Richmond. Visited by Pres. Jefferson Davis, Stuart replied when asked how he felt, “Easy, but willing to die, if God and my country think I have fulfilled my destiny and done my duty.” Stuart died the following day in Richmond. His final words were, “I am going fast now; I am resigned; God’s will done.” He is buried in Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond.

Thank you, but I wish I had known you were planning on doing Stuart. Stuart was assigned long ago to Murat, who actually submitted a bio back in November. I never posted the bio here because it exceeded our 3000-char. maximum and I had asked him to revise it, but in retrospect wish I had done so. (He also wrote up Longstreet, Burnside and Sherman. I'll post these soon, for all of you to see.) Both of you wrote strong bios, so I'm thinking of trying to combine them, since each of you has info or quotes the other doesn't have.

Here's his version:

Maj. Gen. James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart (1833-1864). Jeb Stuart was born in Virginia, the 4th generation of Stuart warriors, his great-grandfather having fought the French and Indian Wars, his grandfather the War of Independence and his father the War of 1812. Jeb Stuart graduated West Point in 1854. Lt. Stuart served in Texas against the Apaches with the mounted riflemen. Transferred to the new First Cavalry in May, 1855, he served at Fort Leavenworth. On November 14, 1855, he married the daughter of Col. Philip St. George Cooke. During 1859, he carried secret instructions to Col. R. E. Lee, and accompanied him as his aide against the outbreak at Harper's Perry, where he read the summons to surrender to John Brown. Commissioned as captain in April, 1861, he resigned his commission to join Virginia's defense against the War of Northern Aggression. He was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of Virginia infantry, May 10, 1861, with orders to report to General T.J. Jackson at Harper's Ferry, and was promoted colonel July 16th, 1861. At First Manassas he made an effective charge, pursued the Federals twelve miles and subsequently held the heights in sight of Washington. On September 24, 1861, he was promoted to brigadier general in the Confederate army. Being transferred to the Peninsula early in 1862, General Stuart covered the retreat from Yorktown, opening the fighting at Williamsburg; and after the Federals had approached Richmond he won the admiring attention of both nations by his brilliant ride around McClellan's army. On July 25, 1862, he was promoted to major general. Again he rode around the Union Army, this time under General John Pope, capturing a part of his staff, the Federal headquarters at Catlett's station and destroying the Federal depot at Manassas Junction. As the Maryland Campaign of 1862 got under way, he engaged in frequent skirmishes and in the battles at the South Mountain passes. At Sharpsburg he covered the left flank, and with his famous horse artillery repulsed the advance of Sumner's corps. In October of 1862, occurred his daring raid to Chambersburg, Pa., returning between McClellan's army and Washington, evading numerous Federal expeditions against him, and losing but one man wounded. His success demoralized the Federal cavalry, and slowed the subsequent movements against Lee. After Generals T.J. Jackson and A.P. Hill had fallen, Stuart took command of the Second Corps at Chancellorsville, and attacked of 20,000 against 80,000 driving the Federals into rout. He remained in command of the corps until Hooker had retreated across the river. At dawn June 9, 1863, the Union cavalry corps under Maj. Gen. Alfred Pleasonton launched a surprise attack on Stuart’s cavalry at Brandy Station. After an all-day fight in which fortunes changed repeatedly, the Federals retired without discovering Lee’s infantry camped near Culpeper. This battle marked the apogee of the Confederate cavalry in the East. Brandy Station was the largest cavalry battle of the war and the opening engagement of the Gettysburg Campaign. At Gettysburg on July 4, 1863 General Stuart made a fierce attack upon the enemy's right. His cavalry saved the Confederate trains at Williamsport, on the retreat. In the spring of 1864, Union General Phillip Sheridan raided towards Richmond. General Stuart interposed his cavalry between the Federals and the Confederate capital at Yellow Tavern, where, on May 11, 1864, he received a wound from which he died at Richmond on the following day. When he was asked how he felt, he said, "Easy, but willing to die, if God and my country think I have done my duty." His last words were: "I am going fast now; I am resigned. God's will be done." General Stuart bequeathed a pair of golden spurs to Mary Lee as a token of the esteem in which he held her husband, General Robert E. Lee.