Alfred Pleasonton

[MikeyB]

I don't know much about him other than he led the AoP cavalry at one point, including through Gettysburg.

Was he incompetent/poor commander or just undistinguished/overshadowed by better commanders down the road?

 

[rpkennedy]

He was an ok administrator and had a good eye for talent (he was behind the jumping up of George Custer, Elon Farnsworth, and Wesley Merritt). But, as a cavalry corps commander, he left a lot to be desired. He didn't have the initiative and aggression needed to truly be a good or great cavalry commander.

Ryan

 

[Eric Wittenberg]

He was an ok administrator and had a good eye for talent (he was behind the jumping up of George Custer, Elon Farnsworth, and Wesley Merritt). But, as a cavalry corps commander, he left a lot to be desired. He didn't have the initiative and aggression needed to truly be a good or great cavalry commander.

Ryan

I agree with Ryan's assessment.

I would add that Pleasonton was a terrible liar. Don't take much of anything he wrote at face value--he's just not reliable.

I would also add that he failed miserably in terms of intelligence gathering for the Army of the Potomac, one of the primary roles of cavalry.

 

[FPT]

Apparently he was excellent at self promotion and complaining as well as being a bit of a "dandy".

 

[neyankee61]

He either had a poor way of understanding the information that came his way or he made decisions based on his opinions despite the intelligence. His handling of Kilpatrick after Hanover was very poor

 

[eBrowne]

Read: "A Romance of Chancellorsville." Exposes Pleasonton as the teller of tall tales. A self-promotor, a spin artist, a liar etc.

Addresses and Reviews ...

books.google.com

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Think from the descriptions read that Pleasonton can be characterized as a shameless self-promoter, as well as a systematic liar. As a cavalry corps commander in the eastern theater, he was criticized for lacking aggression (and initiative).

He seems to have performed more credibly later, however, in the Trans-Mississippi theater.

 

[tony_gunter]

Think from the descriptions read that Pleasonton can be characterized as a shameless self-promoter, as well as a systematic liar. As a cavalry corps commander in the eastern theater, he was criticized for lacking aggression (and initiative).

He seems to have performed more credibly later, however, in the Trans-Mississippi theater.

I think analysis of his performance out west suffers a bit from his self-aggrandizing reports. He performed reasonably well until Curtis sent Price fleeing in confusion. Pleasonton then proceeded to drag his feet and complain, ultimately retiring from the campaign altogether after issuing himself a dubious sick leave.

He gets a fairly scathing treatment in Shea's biography of Curtis, while Curtis is presented as having achieved a brilliant victory over Price in spite of Pleasonton.

 

[Bryce]

I don't think you guys have analyzed Pleasonton at all correctly. I recommend that you read the four volumes of Jeff Hunt's series on the war in Virginia between July 17, 1863 and December 31, 1863. You'll have a chance to see Pleasonton in action.

As for price fleeing in confusion from the battlefield at Westport the flight was as much due to Pleasonton as it was to Curtis. Price had to strip his front facing the Kansans and Curtis in order to try to stop Pleasanton who was coming at him from the east across the big blue river. Two of the best brigades in prices army tried to stop Pleasanton after they left Curtis's front. I am referring to Sidney Jackman's cavalry brigade and the iron brigade under M. Jeff Thompson. Jackman was driven from the field by phillips and his first cavalry brigade. Jeff Thompson was driven from the field by Winslow's 4th brigade under Fred Benteen.

 

[tony_gunter]

I don't think you guys have analyzed Pleasonton at all correctly. I recommend that you read the four volumes of Jeff Hunt's series on the war in Virginia between July 17, 1863 and December 31, 1863. You'll have a chance to see Pleasonton in action.

As for price fleeing in confusion from the battlefield at Westport the flight was as much due to Pleasonton as it was to Curtis. Price had to strip his front facing the Kansans and Curtis in order to try to stop Pleasanton who was coming at him from the east across the big blue river. Two of the best brigades in prices army tried to stop Pleasanton after they left Curtis's front. I am referring to Sidney Jackman's cavalry brigade and the iron brigade under M. Jeff Thompson. Jackman was driven from the field by phillips and his first cavalry brigade. Jeff Thompson was driven from the field by Winslow's 4th brigade under Fred Benteen.

True, but Curtis' goal at Westport wasn't to drive Price away. It was to kill or capture his force. Curtis had maybe 4,000 professional soldiers in his line the rest were poorly trained / poorly armed volunteer militia. Once Price turned south, Pleasonton wanted to stop, high five, and celebrate. Mission accomplished!

 

[archieclement]

True, but Curtis' goal at Westport wasn't to drive Price away. It was to kill or capture his force. Curtis had maybe 4,000 professional soldiers in his line the rest were poorly trained / poorly armed volunteer militia. Once Price turned south, Pleasonton wanted to stop, high five, and celebrate. Mission accomplished!

Obviously overlooking Pleasonton also had mostly militia. Comparing Blunt's division under Curtis, to Pleasonton's under Rosecrans both were four brigades.

Blunt had one Brigade containing militia the 3rd Brigade.

Pleasonton had 3 brigades containing militia the first, second, and third brigades.

Pleasonton instead of wanting to "stop, high five, and celebrate". Pointed out at the Sunday meeting on banks of Indian Creek his largely militia force was exhausted as well its mounts. Would think considering his experience with regular cavalry, a judgement he should have been qualified to make.

 

[Bryce]

I love it. You give Curtis the credit for winning the battle of Westport, so I prove to you that Pleasonton's attack at big blue weakened the Confederates in front of Curtis and this alone made it possible for Curtis to advance southeard, pushing Fagan's division off the field. And I further prove that Pleasonton smashed two of the best brigades in prices army and sent them fleeing from the field.

So what do you do, you up the ante, and you say that Pleasonton was guilty of not pursuing vigorously and that Curtis wanted to destroy price.

 

[Bryce]

Read: "A Romance of Chancellorsville." Exposes Pleasonton as the teller of tall tales. A self-promotor, a spin artist, a liar etc.

Addresses and Reviews ...

books.google.com

You make it sound as if Pleasanton was unique as a teller of tall tales. Have you ever heard of a book about Ulysses S. Grant and his tall tales? Take a look at Frank Varney book, General Grant, and the rewriting of history.

 

[eBrowne]

Not sure where you get "unique" from as I just posted an article written by others about him. Ever heard of Sickles??
Partially through Pleasonton's self-promotion of the Chancellorsville battle "he was promoted to major general on June 22, 1863, and was placed in command of the Cavalry Corps by order of General Joseph Hooker."