Brig. Gen. Alfred N.A. Duffié

[jkBluesman]

Alfred Napoleon Alexandre Duffié (b. 1833, d. 1880). That the flamboyant Frenchman shared the first name with his superior Gen. Alfred Pleasonton was not enough to establish a good relationship between the two men. In order to get rid of the high ranking foreign officers in his command, the xenophobe Pleasonton was even willing to sacrifice veteran soldiers. He sent Duffié’s regiment on a mission behind enemy lines two weeks before Gettysburg where they were unsupported and cut to peaces. Only Duffié and some twenty men survived. Born in Paris, Duffié received military training in the French Imperial Cavalry and fought in the Crimean War. He did not however as he later claimed receive the Légion d’Honneur. A woman was probably the reason why he left the army in 1859 and immigrated to the United States. As he had not waited for acceptance of his resignation he was sentenced in absentia to ten years in prison for desertion. In Staten Island, New York he quickly established himself in society. In August 1861 he entered the United States army as an officer in Harris Light Cavalry. He served under Gen. Irvin McDowell in Virginia in the spring of 1862 where he established a reputation as a fighting officer. However he became also known for his eccentric uniform style earning him the nickname “Nattie”. He is also said to have been challenged to a duel by Gen. Fitz John Porter. In July 1862 he was appointed colonel of the newly formed 2nd New England Cavalry by Rhode Island’s governor William Sprague. Duffié trained the unit well and led it first into battle at Cedar Mountain in August. Although a Confederate victory, the Federal cavalry gained some partial success. The following spring the regiment was part of the force clashing with Confederate troopers at Kelly’s Ford on March 17. Duffié led a successful charge in the battle which resulted in a draw. He performed less well during the greatest cavalry battle of the war at Brandy Station in June. When he had lost most of his regiment shortly after on the suicide mission ordered by Pleasonton, Duffié relinquished command of his regiment and returned to Washington. He was promoted to brigadier general nevertheless on June 23 but did not get any active duty until fall, when he was sent to West Virginia to raise and train new cavalry units. The green units saw limited action in the fighting in the Shenandoah Valley in winter 1863 to 1864 around Lewisburg. In fall of 1864 they were charged with actions against Confederates partisans known as “Mosby’s Rangers”. Duffié promised to capture the leader John Mosby and bring him to Washington in an iron cage, just as Marshal Ney had promised his king with Napoleon when the latter returned from his exile on Elba. But as Ney, Duffié failed. On October 20, he was captured by Mosby’s men and not paroled until February 22, 1865. Duffié was then sent to Texas but did not arrive in time to witness the last Confederate surrenders. Discharged in August he returned to Staten Island. In 1867 he became US citizen. Two years later he was appointed consul to Cadiz, Spain. There he died in 1880 from tuberculosis.

Ldr: 4
Tact: 3
Init: 3
Cmd: 2
Cav: 4

Teaches: Chargers

[Gil R.]

Copied, thanks.

[Gil R.]

Here's Duffie. It’s interesting to see a bio of a Frenchman who came to the U.S. and served in the war, after all those German officers who fled around 1848-1850.

I added the bit about Stonewall Jackson, since that’s the only action I can imagine Duffie having seen if he was with McDowell in spring 1862. However, if Gen. Fitz John Porter, McClellan’s favorite, challenged him to a duel, this would mean that he was on the Peninsula and not with McDowell. Might Duffie have been in the division from McDowell’s corps that was sent on to the Peninsula midway through the campaign?

Brig. Gen. Alfred Napoleon Alexandre Duffié (b. 1833, d. 1880). That the flamboyant Frenchman shared the first name with his superior Gen. Alfred Pleasonton was not enough to establish a good relationship between the two men. In order to get rid of the high ranking foreign officers in his command, the Army of the Potomac’s Cavalry Corps, the xenophobe Pleasonton was even willing to sacrifice veteran soldiers. He sent Duffié’s regiment on a mission behind enemy lines two weeks before Gettysburg, where they were unsupported and cut to pieces – with only Duffié and some twenty men surviving. Born in Paris, Duffié received military training in the French Imperial Cavalry and fought in the Crimean War. He did not, however, receive the Légion d’Honneur as he later claimed. A woman was probably the reason why he left the army in 1859 and immigrated to the United States, where he quickly established himself in society circles in Staten Island, New York. As he had not waited for his resignation to be accepted he was sentenced in absentia to ten years in prison for desertion. In August 1861, Duffié entered the U.S. Army as an officer in the Harris Light Cavalry. He served under Gen. Irvin McDowell in Virginia in the spring of 1862, establishing a reputation as a fighting officer during the Union’s vain attempts to thwart Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson’s movements in the Shenandoah Valley Campaign. However, he also became known for his eccentric uniform style, which earned him the nickname “Nattie,” and he is also said to have been challenged to a duel by Gen. Fitz John Porter. That July he was appointed Colonel of the newly formed 2nd New England Cavalry by Rhode Island’s governor William Sprague. Duffié trained the unit well and first led it into battle at Cedar Mountain in August. Although a Confederate victory, the Federal cavalry gained some partial success. The following spring the regiment was part of the force clashing with Confederate troopers at Kelly’s Ford on March 17, 1863. Duffié led a successful charge, but the battle resulted in a draw. He performed less well during the greatest cavalry battle of the war, the Battle of Brandy Station on June 9. When he had lost most of his regiment shortly thereafter on the suicide mission ordered by Pleasonton, Duffié relinquished command of his regiment and returned to Washington. He was promoted to brigadier general, nevertheless, on June 23 but did not see any active duty until fall, when he was sent to West Virginia to raise and train new cavalry units. That winter these green units saw limited action in the fighting in the Shenandoah Valley around Lewisburg. In fall of 1864 they were charged with pursuing actions against the Confederate partisans known as “Mosby’s Rangers.” Duffié promised to capture their famously elusive leader John S. Mosby and bring him to Washington, D.C. in an iron cage, just as Marshal Ney had promised his king regarding Napoleon when the latter returned from his exile on Elba. But just like Ney, Duffié failed: on October 20, he himself was captured by Mosby’s men and not paroled until February 22, 1865. Duffié was then sent to Texas but did not arrive in time to witness the last Confederate surrenders. Discharged in August, he returned to Staten Island. In 1867 he became a U.S. citizen. Two years later he was appointed consul to Cadiz, Spain, where he died in 1880 from tuberculosis. (Bio by Joern Kaesebier)

Ldr: 4
Tact: 3
Init: 3
Cmd: 2
Cav: 4

Teaches: Chargers (13)

Start date: 59

[jkBluesman]

I only found the sentence in "Heidler" stating he was involved in the Virginia operations in spring of 1862. So I cannot say whether he saw some kind of action near Fredericksburg with McDowell or closer to the Peninsula.

[Gil R.]

Okay, I think I'll take out the bit about Stonewall and say that Duffie served in McDowell's corps -- which is technically correct either way, regardless of whether he was with McDowell or in the division sent to the Peninsula.