General Buford at Gettysburg 154 Years Ago Today

Gettysburg Greg

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buford combo1.jpg


"Coming Rain" by Dale Gallon depicts General Buford and his divsion commanders discussing the coming events with the McPherson Farm in the background exactly 154 years ago today. I will include a photograph I took from a similar POV, though not a match.
 
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How sad that he only had a few more months to live.......

By mid-December, it was obvious that Buford was sick, possibly from contracting typhoid, and he took respite at the Washington home of his good friend, General George Stoneman. On December 16, Stoneman initiated the proposal that Buford be promoted to major general, and President Abraham Lincoln assented, writing as follows: "I am informed that General Buford will not survive the day. It suggests itself to me that he will be made Major General for distinguished and meritorious service at the Battle of Gettysburg." Informed of the promotion, Buford inquired doubtfully, "Does he mean it?" When assured the promotion was genuine, he replied simply, "It is too late, now I wish I could live."
In the last hours, Buford was attended by his aide, Captain Myles Keogh, and by Edward, his black servant.
Wikipedia.

Another name from US army lore there, Myles Keogh of 7th Cavalry fame.
 
How sad that he only had a few more months to live.......

By mid-December, it was obvious that Buford was sick, possibly from contracting typhoid, and he took respite at the Washington home of his good friend, General George Stoneman. On December 16, Stoneman initiated the proposal that Buford be promoted to major general, and President Abraham Lincoln assented, writing as follows: "I am informed that General Buford will not survive the day. It suggests itself to me that he will be made Major General for distinguished and meritorious service at the Battle of Gettysburg." Informed of the promotion, Buford inquired doubtfully, "Does he mean it?" When assured the promotion was genuine, he replied simply, "It is too late, now I wish I could live."
In the last hours, Buford was attended by his aide, Captain Myles Keogh, and by Edward, his black servant.
Wikipedia.

Another name from US army lore there, Myles Keogh of 7th Cavalry fame.
"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived." --- George S. Patton, Jr. (November 11, 1885 – December 21, 1945), American Military Leader.
 
Even the grass in Kentucky isn't that blue! Did something happen in the translation from painting to photograph? Otherwise, great painting--and unlike the movie, the painting does have Buford on the correct color horse (Gray Eagle).
Must be from the artist's 'blue period'....
You bring up a good point: on this mission, how many horses did Buford have for his personal mounts?
For example, Custer had several thoroughbreds he purchased when serving in Kentucky after the war. On the march, he would take two and change horses every three hours. On his last expedition, he took Vic (for Victory) and Dandy . He rode Vic into his last battle. <ref>E. A. Brininstool, Troopers with Custer: Historic Incidents of the Battle of the Little Bighorn. (Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 1989), p. 63.</ref>
Did Buford take extra mounts?
 
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