Buford in 1864

[Luke Freet]

Buford has earned quite the reputation in the annals of the war, especially on this forum it seems. What if he had not caught typhus in late 1863 and got to fight in 1864? Would he be commanding the Cavalry Corps, or would he still be surplanted by Sheridan?

 

[Andy Cardinal]

Interesting question. I believe Sheridan would still have been brought east.

Also, I believe that Buford had been requested to command the cavalry in the Army of the Cumberland at the time of his death.

 

[Eric Wittenberg]

Andy is correct. Ironically, David Stanley, the chief of cavalry of the Army of the Cumberland, was on medical leave with typhoid fever. Rosecrans requested that he be sent Buford to assume command of his Cavalry Corps. Buford agreed, provided that he could take the Regulars with him when he went west. However, the Army of the Potomac was in the field and Buford was busy, whereas nothing was happening in Chattanooga, so his departure was delayed. By the time he was ready to go, he was down with the typhoid fever that took his life.

Rosecrans' request can be found in the OR. There is a very reliable primary source on Buford's condition and his agreement to go: Capt. George Sanford of the 1st US Cavalry, who served on Pleasonton's staff. Sanford related a conversation that he had with Buford from his sickbed wherein Buford told him this. It can be found in Sanford's published memoir, Fighting Rebels and Redskins. I am completely satisfied that it happened.

 

[Belfoured]

Andy is correct. Ironically, David Stanley, the chief of cavalry of the Army of the Cumberland, was on medical leave with typhoid fever. Rosecrans requested that he be sent Buford to assume command of his Cavalry Corps. Buford agreed, provided that he could take the Regulars with him when he went west. However, the Army of the Potomac was in the field and Buford was busy, whereas nothing was happening in Chattanooga, so his departure was delayed. By the time he was ready to go, he was down with the typhoid fever that took his life.

Rosecrans' request can be found in the OR. There is a very reliable primary source on Buford's condition and his agreement to go: Capt. George Sanford of the 1st US Cavalry, who served on Pleasonton's staff. Sanford related a conversation that he had with Buford from his sickbed wherein Buford told him this. It can be found in Sanford's published memoir, Fighting Rebels and Redskins. I am completely satisfied that it happened.

Good research, as always. And who knows how that might have affected the use of cavalry in the Atlanta Campaign, with the likes of Garrard, McCook, Kilpatrick, and Stoneman. Sounds like a worthy article somewhere.

 

[Belfoured]

Buford has earned quite the reputation in the annals of the war, especially on this forum it seems. What if he had not caught typhus in late 1863 and got to fight in 1864? Would he be commanding the Cavalry Corps, or would he still be surplanted by Sheridan?

I recommend The Devil's to Pay - the definitive analysis of Buford at Gettysburg - as well as Holding the Line on the River of Death, about Minty and Wilder achieving something similar at Chickamasuga. In addition to being great battle narratives, both tie what Buford did into modern tactical doctrine. His loss in late 1863 was significant, IMHO. In fact, it's interesting to speculate about Buford being retained in Virginia rather than being sent west, as has been pointed to.

 

[Belfoured]

Interesting question. I believe Sheridan would still have been brought east.

Also, I believe that Buford had been requested to command the cavalry in the Army of the Cumberland at the time of his death.

Had Buford survived, bringing Sheridan east to do something he hadn't done before would have at least made Grant's decision challenging. Who knows.

 

[Luke Freet]

Had Buford survived, bringing Sheridan east to do something he hadn't done before would have at least made Grant's decision challenging. Who knows.

I imagine Sheridan would instead be given an infantry command, or be sent to take over Sherman's cavalry.

 

[Andy Cardinal]

I imagine Sheridan would instead be given an infantry command, or be sent to take over Sherman's cavalry.

He was Grant's man which is why I believe Sheridan would have been in command of the cavalry even if Buford had lived.

 

[Luke Freet]

He was Grant's man which is why I believe Sheridan would have been in command of the cavalry even if Buford had lived.

As said before, nominating Sheridan would be politically problematic with such a brilliant commander already present. Sheridan has more experience in commanding Infantry.
The way I see it now, there are 3 possibilities:
1.) Sheridan is given the Cavalry Corps and Buford, the junior ranked of the 2, would stay at division command, leading what became Torbertt's division in the Overland Campaign
2.) Buford commands the Cavalry, while Sheridan is given a command in one of the 4 infantry corps. I imagine he'd be placed in command of Warren's 5th Corps, as Warren was the most Junior of Grant's commanders, who himself would be given an infantry brigade in the Corps. (The best place I would put Warren would be Mott's 4th Division of 2nd Corps, as Mott was not up to division command).
3.) Buford goes west to take command of Sherman's Cavalry Corps.

 

[Belfoured]

He was Grant's man which is why I believe Sheridan would have been in command of the cavalry even if Buford had lived.

Possibly - but Grant could also have found an infantry command in the A of the P (Warren?) or - even better - a command in the theater where Sheridan actually ended up in August 1864. Buford had proven himself as a capable cavalryman - Sheridan hadn't.

 

[Belfoured]

As said before, nominating Sheridan would be politically problematic with such a brilliant commander already present. Sheridan has more experience in commanding Infantry.
The way I see it now, there are 3 possibilities:
1.) Sheridan is given the Cavalry Corps and Buford, the junior ranked of the 2, would stay at division command, leading what became Torbertt's division in the Overland Campaign
2.) Buford commands the Cavalry, while Sheridan is given a command in one of the 4 infantry corps. I imagine he'd be placed in command of Warren's 5th Corps, as Warren was the most Junior of Grant's commanders, who himself would be given an infantry brigade in the Corps. (The best place I would put Warren would be Mott's 4th Division of 2nd Corps, as Mott was not up to division command).
3.) Buford goes west to take command of Sherman's Cavalry Corps.

We agree on option (2) as a plausible outcome (even down to targeting Warren). I've added the possibility of the Valley, as well, instead of that C Team

 

[Luke Freet]

We agree on option (2) as a plausible outcome (even down to targeting Warren). I've added the possibility of the Valley, as well, instead of that C Team

The issue with giving him command of the valley instead of Sigel is that its politically impossible. Sigel and his german-American supporters wanted him in a high profile position worthy of his rank.
Maybe have Sheridan work as a second in command a la Baldy Smith to Butler in the Bermuda Campaign

 

[Andy Cardinal]

Possibly - but Grant could also have found an infantry command in the A of the P (Warren?) or - even better - a command in the theater where Sheridan actually ended up in August 1864. Buford had proven himself as a capable cavalryman - Sheridan hadn't.

Warren stood high with Grant at the time. It wasn't until the Wilderness and Spottsylvania happened that Grant began to have doubts.

 

[Belfoured]

Warren stood high with Grant at the time. It wasn't until the Wilderness and Spottsylvania happened that Grant began to have doubts.

I'm not guaranteeing anything because we're all simply "spitballing" here on a hypothetical. I do believe that it is plausible that - having available a qualified, proven officer like Buford - which he did not have in March 1864 (Custer? nope. Kilpatrick? nope. Merritt? nope) - Grant may well have found something else for Sheridan to do. You say Warren "stood high" with him, although not based on any personal experience- but we don't know how Buford would have stood with him. And I did offer the Valley alternative.

 

[Belfoured]

The issue with giving him command of the valley instead of Sigel is that its politically impossible. Sigel and his german-American supporters wanted him in a high profile position worthy of his rank.
Maybe have Sheridan work as a second in command a la Baldy Smith to Butler in the Bermuda Campaign

Good point but the Valley structure was a little "fluid" anyway. If Grant was hell-bent on Sheridan, my guess is he could have found something for Sigel and the Administration. As you suggest re Butler, creativity was called for. And, as I indicated, we're all speculating here.

 

[Andy Cardinal]

I'm not guaranteeing anything because we're all simply "spitballing" here on a hypothetical. I do believe that it is plausible that - having available a qualified, proven officer like Buford - which he did not have in March 1864 (Custer? nope. Kilpatrick? nope. Merritt? nope) - Grant may well have found something else for Sheridan to do. You say Warren "stood high" with him, although not based on any personal experience- but we don't know how Buford would have stood with him. And I did offer the Valley alternative.

You're right, it's all spitballing. No one really knows.

 

[Andy Cardinal]

As said before, nominating Sheridan would be politically problematic with such a brilliant commander already present. Sheridan has more experience in commanding Infantry.
The way I see it now, there are 3 possibilities:
1.) Sheridan is given the Cavalry Corps and Buford, the junior ranked of the 2, would stay at division command, leading what became Torbertt's division in the Overland Campaign
2.) Buford commands the Cavalry, while Sheridan is given a command in one of the 4 infantry corps. I imagine he'd be placed in command of Warren's 5th Corps, as Warren was the most Junior of Grant's commanders, who himself would be given an infantry brigade in the Corps. (The best place I would put Warren would be Mott's 4th Division of 2nd Corps, as Mott was not up to division command).
3.) Buford goes west to take command of Sherman's Cavalry Corps.

I'm not sure if I agree. David Gregg was a politically connected and very competent cavalry commander who was alive and well and was never considered for the command to my knowledge.

In my opinion, Buford was the best pure cavalry commander of the war -- if not of the entire war, then certainly on the Union side. However, in my opinion (just opinion of course), Buford was not the sort of cavalry commander Grant wanted. But it's entirely plausible that Buford commands the cavalry in the East and Sheridan takes command of a corps in Sherman's army in 1864.

 

[Belfoured]

I'm not sure if I agree. David Gregg was a politically connected and very competent cavalry commander who was alive and well and was never considered for the command to my knowledge.

In my opinion, Buford was the best pure cavalry commander of the war -- if not of the entire war, then certainly on the Union side. However, in my opinion (just opinion of course), Buford was not the sort of cavalry commander Grant wanted. But it's entirely plausible that Buford commands the cavalry in the East and Sheridan takes command of a corps in Sherman's army in 1864.

Another possibility for Sheridan that I hadn't thought of. Joe Hooker should have been on alert.

 

[Luke Freet]

Another possibility for Sheridan that I hadn't thought of. Joe Hooker should have been on alert.

Probably would be more worried for Howard. Their combat records are complete reverses.

 

[RochesterBill]

A few comments:

After the war Grant said that Sheridan had been his first choice but in fact the man he wanted originally was William Franklin. Little Phil was a favorite - almost a pet - of Henry Halleck and Grant was persuaded to take him instead.

Nobody was lobbying for Buford, for whatever reason, and Buford wasn't Grant's second choice, Sheridan was

In hindsight, to us Buford was the far more obvious and logical choice, like Logan for McPherson Corps in front of Atlanta.

And actually, its not much of a stretch to envision Sheridan, who was an early favorite of Sherman's, getting that corps instead of the unremarkable Howard.

But Sheridan, despite gaining most of his reputation as an infantry commander, had first commanded the 2nd Michigan cavalry and had really kicked butt, which everyone - particularly Grant and Halleck - knew very well, so its not like he was a stranger to mounted service.

I'm a huge Buford fan and I think he would have been superb but Army politics and personal.experience trumped him.