Hergt,
You wrote in part:
. But the larger question still looms who was his better as a cavalry commander?
I find myself unable to choose just one being 'the better/best' Cavalry commander--it is like a box of chocolate assortment candies--each are chocolate but oh, so many types of chocolates.:hmmm:
Style of command is as important as successful missions. Some did not achieve Corps or Division command due to the size of the military arm, which was rather small compared to Infantry.
You have:
AVERELL, William Woods ; BAYARD, George Dashiell ; BLUNT, James Gillpatrick ; BRISBIN, James Sanks ; BUFORD, John (who died too early and had great promise); BUSSEY, Cyrus ; CARR, Eugene Asa ; CHAPMAN, George Henry ; CHRYSLER, Morgan Henry ; CLAYTON, Powell ; COOKE, Philip St George (famed Cavalry leader/instructor and father of CSA General Cooke, CSA Cavalry and father in law of J.E.B. Stuart..that had to be embarrassing); COPELAND, Joseph Tarr ; CROOK, George ; CROXTON, John Thomas ;
DAVIDSON, John Wynn ; DAVIES, Henry Eugene ; DAVIS, Edmond Jackson ; DEVIN, Thomas Casimer ; DODGE, Charles Cleveland ; DUFFIŠ, Alfred Napoleon Alexander "Nattie"
(French Cavalry officer, veteran of the Crimean War, goes to America in 1859 and resigns his French Commission in 1861 to serve in the Union Army..had to have some influence in the field, tactics, etc.) ; ELLIOT, Washington Lafayette ; EMORY, William Hemsley ;
EWING, Thomas Jr (Former private secretary to President Tyler); FARNSWORTH, Elon John (Promising General died too early at Gettysburg) ; FARNSWORTH, John Franklin (Elon 's uncle) ; GAMBLE, William ; GARRARD, Kenner ; GIBBS, Alfred ; GRAHAM, Lawrence Pike (ill health put him then in charge of Cavalry Instruction early in the war) ; GRANGER, Gordon ; GREGG, David McMurtrie ; GRIERSON, Benjamin Henry ; HATCH, Edward ; HATCH, John Porter (unrelated to Edward) Medal of Honor -South Mountain ; HINKS, Edward Winslow ; HUNTER, David ; JACKSON, James Streshly (killed too early at Perryville) ; JOHNSON, Richard W ; KAUTZ, August Valentine (wrote many handbooks to be nuts and bolts on everything in the Army, to include "The Company Clerk," etc.; KEARNY, Philip (developed the Kearny Patch--killed too early in the war in 1862- Battle of Chantilly, Va.) ; KILPATRICK, Hugh Judson "Kill Cavalry" (West Point Grad 1861, goaded Farnsworth into a unnecessary suicide charge at Gettysburg) ; KNIPE, Joseph Farmer ;
LEE, Albert Lindley ; LONG, Eli ; LOWELL, Charles Russell (KIA- Cedar Creek) ; LUCAS, Thomas John ; MCCOOK, Edward Moody ; MCINTOSH, John Baillie (His brother was Confederate General James McQueen McIntosh) ; MCKEAN, Thomas Jefferson ; MACKENZIE, Ranald Slidell ; MCNEIL, John ; MERRITT, Wesley (seemingly very modest but effective Cavalry Commander, second in command under Sheridan) ; PAINE, Halbert Eleazer ; PALMER, Innis Newton ; PLEASONTON, Alfred ; POWELL, William Henry (MoH - Sinking Creek) ; ROBERTS, Benjamin Stone ; SANDERS, William Price (MW 1863 Knoxsville, TN..too early) ; SEDGWICK, John (KIA - Spottsylvania, VA, 1864--loved by his men) ;
SHACKELFORD, James Murrell ; SHERIDAN, Philip Henry ; SHERMAN, Francis Trowbridge ; SMITH, Andrew Jackson (very popular and respected) ; SMITH, Green Clay ; STANLEY, David Sloane (MoH -Franklin, TN -better known for Yellowstone's expedition); STONEMAN, George (Known more for a failed raid than successful leadership, and the compassion in housing Gen. Jno Buford, caring for him along with Maj. Miles Keogh who held Buford in his arms when passed, minutes after signing acceptance of his commission as Major General, would die at Little Big Horn with Custer and men, horse
Comanche, lone survivor) ; THOMAS, George Henry "Pap " (Excellent commander though being Southern was viewed with suspicion, started off in Cavalry in 1861, too short of time in Cavalry to be judged as such leader in that arm, promoted to Infantry command) ; TIBBITS, William Badger ;
TORBERT, Alfred Thomas Archimedes "Daisy" ; UPTON, Emory (probably the best commander in all three military branches with innovation to improve tactics in all three branches) ; WARREN, Fitz-Henry ; WASHBURN, Cadwallader Colden ; WATKINS, Louis Douglass ; WILSON, James Harrison ; and -- WOOD, Thomas John
(A lot of Cavalry Generals to choose from ...just can't pick just one--LOL)
Just my opinion.
M. E. Wolf