Did Alfred Pleasonton Out Punt His Coverage At The Battle Of Gettysburg

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History would portray Alfred Pleasonton as a poor Cavalry commander which lead to his removal from that role. At the battle of Gettysburg Maj, Gen George Meade named Alfred Pleasonton his temporary Chief of Staff after the wounding of Dan Butterfield on July 3rd. Now Alfred Pleasonton had two very large responsibilities on his hands. He was never a really good cavalry commander to begin with. It appears to me after reading about the cavalry actions at the battle of Gettysburg that Pleasonton made at least three major blunders.

1. He did not replace Buford's forces when he ordered them to Westminster, MD to refit. This blunder left the Third Corps front and left flank completely exposed. [Edit], Pleasonton was not acting as Chief of staff at this point. This ones all on him as Cavalry commander.

2. He ordered Judson Kilpatrick to attack the Confederates right flank following the repulse of Pickett's Charge.
This ill-fated maneuver resulted in the untimely death of newly appointed Brigadier General Elon J. Farnsworth.

3. During the retreat Pleasonton all but forgot about Brigadier General's David M. Gregg's cavalry forces allowing them to sit idol outside of Chambersburg. Virtually unused in the pursuit of the Confederate army following the Union victory at Gettysburg.

Hind sight being 20/20 it is my opinion Alfred Pleasonton Had more than he could handle in the performance of his duties as cavalry commander. Adding the responsibility of Temporary Chief of Staff was inviting the inevitable. Incompetence in the performance of both roles.

At least that's my take on it :smile:

Stay tuned for more controversial and speculative topics from War Horse World Headquarters in Lexington, SC
 
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@Eric Wittenberg (et al)'s One Continuous Fight puts a lot of blame on Pleasanton. He led (if it can be called that) from the rear--way in the rear! He not only didn't make any use of Gregg's forces during the retreat, but he didn't make any effort to coordinate Buford and Kilpatrick. (Although one wonders if coordinating "Kill-Cavalry" would have worked anyway.)

Eagerly awaiting more news from "War Horse World Headquarters"!
 
@Eric Wittenberg (et al)'s One Continuous Fight puts a lot of blame on Pleasanton. He led (if it can be called that) from the rear--way in the rear! He not only didn't make any use of Gregg's forces during the retreat, but he didn't make any effort to coordinate Buford and Kilpatrick. (Although one wonders if coordinating "Kill-Cavalry" would have worked anyway.)
I think Kill Cavalry marched to the beat of his own drummer....the original loose cannon...pun intended :D
 
@Eric Wittenberg (et al)'s One Continuous Fight puts a lot of blame on Pleasanton. He led (if it can be called that) from the rear--way in the rear! He not only didn't make any use of Gregg's forces during the retreat, but he didn't make any effort to coordinate Buford and Kilpatrick. (Although one wonders if coordinating "Kill-Cavalry" would have worked anyway.)

Eagerly awaiting more news from "War Horse World Headquarters"!
I doubt anything or anyone could have reined Kil-Cavalry in :smile:
 
I thought Butterfield was replaced as Chief of Staff after the Battle of Gettysburg. Not during the Battle. When did Pleasonton replace him. I thought he was just in command of the Cavalry Corps before and after Gettysburg.
 
Evidence?

Well McClellan was a genius in my book so Pleasonton must be a war god?:D On a more serious note he did okay at Brandy Station.

I thought Butterfield was replaced as Chief of Staff after the Battle of Gettysburg. Not during the Battle. When did Pleasonton replace him. I thought he was just in command of the Cavalry Corps before and after Gettysburg.

Yes that's what I thought?? Butterflied was then replaced by Humphreys after battle. Butterfield did alot at Gettysburg in his role as Chief of Staff. Wiki does say this which confuses me:
After Pleasanton was removed the field, Meade was impressed with his performance from headquarters as an acting chief of staff during the battle

Was Pleasanton acting as an unofficial capacity perhaps? Or did he take over for Butterfield when he was wounded? Its very interesting either way.
 
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History would portray Alfred Pleasonton as a poor Cavalry commander which lead to his removal from that role. At the battle of Gettysburg Maj, Gen George Meade named Alfred Pleasonton his temporary Chief of Staff after removing Abner Doubleday from that position. Now Alfred Pleasonton had two very large responsibilities on his hands. He was never a really good cavalry commander to begin with. It appears to me after reading about the cavalry actions at the battle of Gettysburg that Pleasonton made at least three major blunders.

1. He did not replace Buford's forces when he order them to Emmitsburg, MD to refit. This blunder left the Third Corps flank completely exposed.

2. He ordered Judson Kilpatrick to attack the Confederates right flank following the repulse of Pickett's Charge.
This ill-fated maneuver resulted in the untimely death of newly appointed Brigadier General Elon J. Farnsworth.

3. During the retreat Pleasonton all but forgot about Brigadier General's David M. Gregg's cavalry forces allowing them to sit idol outside of Chambersburg. Virtually unused in the pursuit of the Confederate army following the Union victory at Gettysburg.

Hind sight being 20/20 it is my opinion Alfred Pleasonton Had more than he could handle in the performance of his duties as cavalry commander. Adding the responsibility of Temporary Chief of Staff was inviting the inevitable. Incompetence in the performance of both roles.

At least that's my take on it :smile:

Stay tuned for more controversial and speculative topics from War Horse World Headquarters in Lexington, SC
I would also add to your excellent post that Pleasonton was the biggest prevaricator and fraud in the Union Army. Just a thought. David.
 
I thought Butterfield was replaced as Chief of Staff after the Battle of Gettysburg. Not during the Battle. When did Pleasonton replace him. I thought he was just in command of the Cavalry Corps before and after Gettysburg.
My understanding is that Butterfield continued as Chief of Staff until his injury on July 3, 1863. A close friend of Hooker, he was openly critical of Meade.
Pleasanton was removed from direct command and kept as an advisor at HQ by Meade, who directed the cavalry himself. Kilpatrick's attack on the Rebel right flank was ordered by Meade, not Pleasanton.
Though Meade was pleased with his performance at HQ, Pleasanton resented this, and was quite critical of Meade afterward, particularly after Meade's death.
 
He wasn't the worst problem in the Army, there were people in Burnsides' 9th Corps, that were seriously incompetent. Much less qualified, they should never commanded more than a company. Pleasonton did well at Brandy Station and in Missouri.
 
Well McClellan was a genius in my book so Pleasonton must be a war god?:D On a more serious note he did okay at Brandy Station.
Thanks for your response.
Brandy Station was, indeed, well fought. But even there, he was criticized for failing to follow up on his victory. Instead, he claimed that to do so would have violated his orders. Hardly the kind of answer one would expect from a cavalry officer who mentored Custer, Farnsworth and Merritt.
 
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My understanding is that Butterfield continued as Chief of Staff until his injury on July 3, 1863. A close friend of Hooker, he was openly critical of Meade.
Pleasanton was removed from direct command and kept as an advisor at HQ by Meade, who directed the cavalry himself. Kilpatrick's attack on the Rebel right flank was ordered by Meade, not Pleasanton.
Though Meade was pleased with his performance at HQ, Pleasanton resented this, and was quite critical of Meade afterward, particularly after Meade's death.
More to come later.
 
My understanding is that Butterfield continued as Chief of Staff until his injury on July 3, 1863. A close friend of Hooker, he was openly critical of Meade.
Pleasanton was removed from direct command and kept as an advisor at HQ by Meade, who directed the cavalry himself. Kilpatrick's attack on the Rebel right flank was ordered by Meade, not Pleasanton.
Though Meade was pleased with his performance at HQ, Pleasanton resented this, and was quite critical of Meade afterward, particularly after Meade's death.
:thumbsup::thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Keep them coming! We definitely will stay tuned!
:smile:
lol, I'm trying. I have a little fact finding to do at the moment. It seems our membership has become very knowledgeable and want answers :smile:. As it should be.
 
I thought Butterfield was replaced as Chief of Staff after the Battle of Gettysburg. Not during the Battle. When did Pleasonton replace him. I thought he was just in command of the Cavalry Corps before and after Gettysburg.
You are correct. I mistakenly posted that Doubleday was Chief of Staff. It was Dan Butterfield. However Alfred Pleasonton did replace him after Butterfield was wounded on July 3rd by a shell fragment.

A shell fragment wounded Dan Butterfield in the chest. He claimed that the wound left him barely able to ride a horse, but many questioned the severity of the injury. “He pretends that he was wounded at Gettysburg,” said Brig. Gen. Alexander Webb, who commanded a Second Corps division. “He was hit in the throat with a branch of a tree. He tied a handkerchief around it with the bloody side out. Gen. Meade showed him up.” Butterfield left the army for what was supposed to be a thirty-day medical leave, “fortunately for him & to the joy of all,” glibly noted the Army of the Potomac’s provost marshal, Brig. Gen. Marsena Patrick. Although relations between George Meade and Dan Butterfield were not good, Butterfield was capable. Meade now found himself
without a chief of staff at a critical moment. Left without an alternative, Meade impressed Cavalry Corps commander, Maj. Gen. Alfred Pleasonton, into temporary service as his de facto chief of staff.
 
In which case the designated next in line for Cavalry Corps commander should have taken over. (If there was one, and if there wasn't it was Pleasanton's fault) Per Part 2 of @Eric Wittenberg's blog articles on "A Civil War Witch Hunt," the failure to do so had a lot to do with Pleasanton's neglect of the cavalry during the retreat. http://civilwarcavalry.com/?p=4269

This whole series, "A Civil War Witch Hunt," about Meade and the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War, is well worth reading! http://civilwarcavalry.com/?paged=2 (Note that Part I is at the bottom of the page and Part 6 is at the top.)

@WJC, here's part of the evidence you requested:
Here's @Eric Wittenberg's blog article on Pleasanton as an author of fiction (his report on Chancellorsville)! http://civilwarcavalry.com/?p=4346
 
Mary Dee, some aregue it was Meade's intention to occupy Pleasonton with the duties of Chief of Staff so Meade himself could take a larger role in orcasrtating cavalry movement. It would be interesting to learn Eric's thoughts on the matter.
 
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