several successful raids against Union forces,
including the capture of Gen. John Pope’s head-
quarters in August 1862, and played a promi-
nent role in the victory at Second Manassas
under Gen. Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson.
In September, Stuart’s troopers rendered valu-
able battlefield assistance to the army at South
Mountain and Antietam, raiding deeply into
Pennsylvania and completing a second ride
around McClellan’s army. In December 1862, he
also commanded the extreme right of the Con-
federate line at Fredericksburg, Virginia, and
performed credibly.
In the spring of 1863, Stuart’s cavalry per-
formed some of the most effective scouting
and reconnaissance duty of the war against
the army of Gen. Joseph Hooker at Chancel-
lorsville. There a brigade under Gen. Fitzhugh
Lee uncovered the fact that the right flank of
Oliver O. Howard’s XI Corps was totally ex-
posed. This information permitted Lee to dis-
patch Stonewall Jackson on his famous flank-
ing attack, which subsequently routed the
Union forces. When Jackson was accidentally
shot by his own men and his successor, Am-
brose P. Hill, was also wounded, Stuart took
temporary command of the II Corps and led it
competently. At this point, Stuart’s self-confi-
dence seems to have gotten the better of him.
As Lee advanced northward, the Confederate
cavalry was suddenly attacked by Gen. Alfred
Pleasonton at Brandy Station on June 9, 1863.
The result was the biggest cavalry clash of the
war, and Stuart—outnumbered but not out-
fought—was hard-pressed to retain the field.
For the first time in the war, the Northern cav-
alry put on a competent showing, but mud-
dled Union generalship resulted in a draw.
Eventually the Confederates were victorious,
but Stuart was criticized for allowing himself
to be surprised. Stung by these remarks, he
resolved to redeem his reputation with some
type of grand gesture.
In late June, Lee dispatched Stuart north
into Pennsylvania with discretionary orders
to raid, provided he relay information about
the location of Union forces. Stuart, unfortu-
nately, misunderstood his instructions and
commenced another ride around the Union
army. He thus remained out of touch with
headquarters for several days. During this im-
passe, Lee collided with the army of Gen.
George G. Meade at Gettysburg on July 1,
1863, uninformed about his strength and de-
ployment. Stuart finally rejoined the Confed-
erate Army late on the evening of July 2, 1863,
having accomplished little. On the climactic
third day of that fateful encounter, he
launched an unsuccessful foray against Union
lines, skirmishing furiously with the cavalry
of George A. Custer, then covered the Confed-
erate withdrawal. Many contemporaries at
the time, and historians to this day, ascribe
Lee’s defeat to a lack of proper intelligence.
Only Stuart could have provided such infor-
mation; this he clearly failed to do.
After his Gettysburg experience and the
harsh criticism that followed, Stuart resolved
to maintain close contact with Lee’s head-
quarters. Through the beginning phase of
Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s overland campaign of
1864, he functioned brilliantly as a screening,
scouting, and delaying force, relaying a valu-
able stream of intelligence to the command-
ing general. At length, an exasperated Grant
unleashed Gen. Philip H. Sheridan with 12,000
veteran troopers on a raid toward Richmond
to lure Stuart out into the open and destroy
him. An indecisive skirmish occurred at
Todd’s Tavern on May 9, 1864, but two days
later Stuart confronted Sheridan’s legions
with less than half his number at Yellow Tav-
ern. In a confused fight only six miles from
Richmond, Stuart was shot and mortally
wounded. He was painfully conveyed to Rich-
mond, where he died on May 12, 1864. When
informed of Stuart’s passing, a very sad Lee
declared, “He never brought me a piece of
false information.”Bibliography
Brookshear, William R., and David K. Snider. Glory at a
Gallop: Tales of the Confederate Cavalry.Washing-
ton, DC: Brassey’s, 1993; Garnett, Theodore S. Rid-
ing with Stuart: Reminiscences of an Aide-de-STUART, J.E.B. “JEB”