★ ★  Buford, John

John Buford Jr.

:us34stars:
Buford.jpg


Born: March 4, 1826

Birthplace: Woodford County, Kentucky

Father: Colonel John Buford Sr. 1778 – 1847
(Buried: Chippiannock Cemetery, Rock Island, Illinois)​

Mother: Ann B. Watson

Wife: Martha McDowell “Pattie” Duke 1830 – 1903
(Buried: Georgetown Cemetery, Georgetown, Kentucky)​

Children:

James Duke Buford 1855 – 1874​
(Buried: Georgetown Cemetery, Georgetown, Kentucky)​
Pattie McDowell Duke Buford 1857 – 1863​
(Buried: Georgetown Cemetery, Georgetown, Kentucky)​

Education:

1848: Graduated from West Point Military Academy – (16th in class)​

Occupation before War:

1848 – 1849: Brevet 2nd Lt. United States Army, 1st Dragoons​
1848 – 1849: Frontier Duty at Fort Scott, Kansas​
1849 – 1851: Served in New Mexico​
1849 – 1853: 2nd Lt. United States Army, 2nd Dragoons​
1852 – 1853: Served at Fort Mason, Texas​
1853: Served at San Antonio, Texas​
1853 – 1859: 1st Lt. United States Army, 2nd Dragoons​
1853: Served at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas​
1853: Served at Fort Mason, Texas​
1854 – 1855: Garrison Duty at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri​
1855 – 1858: Quartermaster of U.S. Army, 2nd Dragoons​
1855: Served in the Sioux Natives Expedition​
1855: Served at Blue Water, Nebraska against Natives​
1855 – 1856: Served at Fort Riley, Kansas​
1856 – 1857: Served in the Bloody Kansas Disturbances​
1857 – 1858: Served in the Utah Expedition​
1859: Served on Detached Service in Washington, D.C.​
1859 – 1863: Captain United States Army, 2nd Dragoons​
1859: Conductor of Recruits for U.S. Army in Oregon​
1859 – 1861: Served at Fort Crittenden, Utah Territory​

Civil War Career:

1861 – 1862: Major and Assistant Inspector General in Union Army​
1861 – 1862: Served on Inspection Duty for Army​
1862: Served in the Defenses of Washington, D.C.​
1862 – 1863: Brigadier General, Union Army Cavalry​
1862: Served in the Skirmish at Madison Court House in Virginia​
1862: Served in the Action at Kelly’s Ford, Virginia​
1862: Served in the action at Thoroughfare Gap​
1862: Wounded in the knee Second Battle of Bull Run, Virginia​
1862: Chief of Cavalry for Army of the Potomac in Maryland​
1862: Served in the Battle of South Mountain, Maryland​
1862: Served in the Battle of Antietam, Maryland​
1862: Served in the March to Falmouth, Virginia​
1862: Served in the Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia​
1863: Served in Stoneman’s Raid toward Richmond, Virginia​
1863: Served at the fighting at Beverly Ford​
1863: Served in the Skirmishing at Aldie on June 17th
1863: Served in the Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania​
1863: Served in the Pursuit of the Enemy after Lee’s retreat​
1863: Served in the Operations in Central Virginia​
1863: Served in the Battle of Bristoe Station, Virginia​
1863: Suffered from effects of rheumatism not able to mount horse​
1863: Suffered from the effects of typhoid fever​
1863: Leave of Absence from the Army due to being on sick leave​
1863: Major General Union Army Volunteers Cavalry received on his deathbed​

Died: December 16, 1863

Time of Death:
2:00 PM

Place of Death: Home of General George Stoneman in Washington, D.C.

Cause of Death: Typhoid Fever

Age at time of Death: 37 years old

Burial Place: West Point Post Cemetery, West Point, New York


Buford 1.jpg
 
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General John Buford by Edward G. Longacre

View attachment 434039


Cheers,
USS ALASKA
Good recommendation. And the best treatment of Buford's defining moment is Devil's to Pay by @ericwittenberg. Even if you have no strong interest in Gettysburg, it's a model tactical study, complete with discussion of how Buford's actions correspond to modern tactical doctine.
 
IMO one of, if not the best cavalry commanders of the War. He knew his business and went about it in a professional, no nonsense manner. The link to a Facebook post below details Buford's handling of a Confederate spy captured near Federick in July 1863 which pretty well demonstrates his character.
"He (the spy - William Richardson) confessed to having just come from the rebel lines, but said he had been to visit his three sons, who were in the Confederate service. General Buford carefully examined the papers, and then said "hang him." No further trial was had. A few moments were given him to prepare to die, in which he tried to make his escape, but was recaptured. A rope was placed around his neck, one end thrown over the limb of a tree, and three soldiers drew him, fastened the rope and left him dangling in the air."​

On orders by General John Buford, the following note was pinned to Richardson's body:​
"Tried, convicted and hung as a spy.​
Any one cutting down this body without orders will take his place .​
By order of Major-General John Buford, Commanding Cavalry"​

 
I didn't know that he briefly served as chief of cavalry of the AOP in 1862. Anyone know why this was short lived? I assume Pleasanton replaced him. Was this Mac or burnside who made the switch? Army politics ?
 
I didn't know that he briefly served as chief of cavalry of the AOP in 1862. Anyone know why this was short lived? I assume Pleasanton replaced him. Was this Mac or burnside who made the switch? Army politics ?
IIRC the Chief of Cavalry of the Army of the Potomac was a logistical position responsible for making sure the troops were well supplied and mounted. The position had no operational responsibilities. Buford held this position during the Maryland and Fredericksburg Campaigns.

There was no overall operational commander of cavalry until MG Joseph Hooker assigned BG George Stoneman to that role on February 5, 1863. Prior to that time the cavalry was broken into divisions and brigades assigned to individual Corps commands. One-week later Hooker organized the cavalry into three Volunteer divisions (Pleasanton, Averell & Gregg) and a Reserve Brigade composed of five Regular Army cavalry regiments commanded by John Buford.
 
Not only were her and Buford cousins (3rd)but she was a first cousin to Basil Duke. A second cousin to Irvin McDowell and related to Thomas Jefferson and the Virginia Randolphs as well.
I thought about a Patty Duke comment, but as you can see it's a year later so I thought it wise to go through the whole thread before responding. As it turns out, I'm kin to Thomas Jefferson and some of those Randolphs (third cousin 5 times removed of Jefferson on my mother's side.) She was a Feild. The name was spelled "Field" until sometime in the 18th century. I like to think it was because there were too many relatives named "Theophilus Field" at the time and he wanted to be different.

Also, I couldn't help but notice that the General's two children are buried in the cemetery several houses down and across the street from where I got kin folk living.
 
I thought about a Patty Duke comment, but as you can see it's a year later so I thought it wise to go through the whole thread before responding. As it turns out, I'm kin to Thomas Jefferson and some of those Randolphs (third cousin 5 times removed of Jefferson on my mother's side.) She was a Feild. The name was spelled "Field" until sometime in the 18th century. I like to think it was because there were too many relatives named "Theophilus Field" at the time and he wanted to be different.

Also, I couldn't help but notice that the General's two children are buried in the cemetery several houses down and across the street from where I got kin folk living.
There wasn't a "Sally" in those ancestors or descendants of Fields was there?
 
Question: If Buford had survived, do you think he would've gotten the Cavalry Corps after Gettysburg and into the Overland Campaign instead? He was known to be reliable.
-Stryker
hmm, hard to say.
A lot of Grant's appointments when he arrived east had to do with clique-ism. Sheridan, despite only commanding a cavalry brigade for a short period in mid 1862, was promoted to command the cavalry corps, a decision likely heavily based on his connection with Henry Halleck (though certainly I'd say Sheridan was effective as a infantry commander in the west and did superbly in the Shenandoah & Appomattox Campaigns). The appointment of James Wilson to replace Kilpatrick in command of Third Division was also one of nepotism, as Wilson served entirely as an engineer up to this point, had no significant combat command experience or cavalry experience prior to that point. Of course, in the Valley he proved himself quite well, especially at Opequon, and then commanding Thomas' cav in Tennessee & Alabama. But in early 1864 when they were appointed, that was far in the future.
The question is: Did Buford have any connections with Halleck or Grant? Because those are the kingmakers in this stage of the conflict.
 
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