Civil War History - The Eastern TheaterDiscuss any and all battles, movements, and events occuring in the Eastern Theater here! This includes any actions in tha area east of the Appalachian Mountains in the vicinity of the river capitals of Richmond and Washington D.C.
Perhaps not so untested at infantry command. Wasn't Stuart in the contingent that Lee commanded at Harpers Ferry circa 1859. civilwarhome.com quotes "Who Was Who In The Civil War" by Stewart Sifakis and states that Stuart had not only the Harpers Ferry experience but was appointed as a lt col. of VA infantry. My Amann book makes a vague reference to him commanding troops in Lewinsville VA, but does not mention branch of service.
Respectfully,
Matt
He was a pre-war cavalry officer and just had an ad hoc stint at Harpers Ferry without cavalry. Lewinsville was just a little fight up here in Northern VA where Stuart tangled with the Yanks and almost got whipped. At that time he was with the 1st VA cavalry.
Respectfully
__________________ Up men, and to your post! And let no man forget today that you are from old Virginia!
Fair enough, I agree, never said he was excellent at it, just not as inexperienced as is commonly thought.
Respectfully,
Matt
But he was just as inexperienced as commonly thought. That is what makes the question about Stuart as a infantry commander impossible to answer...not enough time in command to judge.
Respectfully
__________________ Up men, and to your post! And let no man forget today that you are from old Virginia!
What for? he was at Corp command, the cavalry. At his height before Brandy Stn, Aldie et al, he must have had almost 12 thousand men. Yr right about jackson's command though, If anything, I would have picked D H Hill and sent Ewell to NC.
Respectfully
Matt
What for? he was at Corp command, the cavalry. At his height before Brandy Stn, Aldie et al, he must have had almost 12 thousand men. Yr right about jackson's command though, If anything, I would have picked D H Hill and sent Ewell to NC.
Respectfully
Matt
Commanding a cavalry corps and an infantry corps are two very different things. Anyway, I never thought Stuart did such a good job in command of the cavalry division/corps anyway. Hampton was an improvement.
Ewell was much more solid than D H Hill. Hill had an undistinguished career. He proved with his Washington and New Bern campaigns that he could not undertake an effective offenseve. Ewell did fine during his brief tenure as corps commander and likewise did well in command of the Richmond defenses.
Respectfully
__________________ Up men, and to your post! And let no man forget today that you are from old Virginia!
What about the non-independent operations with ANV, perhaps all he needed was someone to give him orders.
Respectfully,
Matt
Lee was giving him orders in a non-independent role. Since Stuart commanded the cavalry arm, he reported to Lee. Hampton did so as well. But he did a better job of using the cavalry corps, I think. Stuart likely would have been better in an independent role. Maybe as the commander in the Shenandoah or Western Virginia.
Respectfully
__________________ Up men, and to your post! And let no man forget today that you are from old Virginia!
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