★ ★ Pleasonton, Alfred

Alfred Pleasonton​

Born: July 7, 1824

Birthplace: Washington, D.C.

Father: U.S. Government Auditor Stephen Pleasonton 1776 – 1855

(Buried: Congressional Cemetery, Washington, D.C.)​

Mother: Mary Hopkins 1783 – 1851

(Buried: Congressional Cemetery, Washington, D.C.)​

Education:

1844: Graduated from West Point Military Academy – (7th​ in class)​

Occupation before War:

1844 – 1845: Brevet 2nd​ Lt. United States Army, 1st​ Dragoons​

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1844 – 1845: Frontier Duty at Fort Atkinson, Iowa​

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1845 – 1849: 2nd​ Lt. United States Army, 2nd​ Dragoons​

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1846: Served in the Battle of Palo Alto, Mexico​

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1846: Served in the Battle of Resaca de la Palma, Mexico

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1846: Brevetted 1st​ Lt. for Gallantry in two battles mentioned above​

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1848 – 1849: Frontier Duty at Santa Fe, New Mexico​

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1849 – 1855: 1st​ Lt. United States Army, 2nd​ Dragoons​

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1849 – 1851: Frontier Duty at Albuquerque, New Mexico​

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1851 – 1852: Frontier Duty at Fort Concord, New Mexico​

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1852 – 1853: Recruiter for United States Army​

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1855 – 1861: Captain United States Army, 2nd​ Dragoons​

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1855 – 1856: Served in the Sioux Expedition​

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1855 – 1856: Acting Assistant Adjutant of U.S. Army, 2nd​ Dragoons​

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1856 – 1857: Acting Assistant Adjutant, Department of the Florida​

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1857 – 1858: Served in the Disturbances in Kansas Territory

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1858 – 1860: Acting Assistant Adjutant, Department of the Oregon​

Civil War Career:

1861 – 1862: Captain United States Army, 2nd​ Cavalry Regiment​

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1861: Organizer of Volunteers in Wilmington, Delaware​

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1861: Served in the United States Army, Department of Utah​

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1861: Regimental Commander in Washington, D.C.​

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1861 – 1862: Served in the Defenses of Washington, D.C.​

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1862 – 1868: Major, United States Army, 2nd​ Cavalry Regiment​

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1862: Served in the Siege of Yorktown, Virginia​

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1862: Served in the Seven Days Campaign in Virginia​

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1862 – 1863: Brigadier General, Union Army Volunteers​

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1862: Covered Union Withdrawal to Yorktown, Virginia​

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1862: Brevetted Lt. Colonel for Gallantry at Battle of Antietam​

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1862: Served in Pursuit of Stuart's Cavalry, Skirmish at Monocacy​

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1862: Covered the Rear March to Fredericksburg, Virginia​

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1862: Served in the Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia​

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1863: Served in the Battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia

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1863: Union Army Commander at the Battle of Brandy Station​

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1863 – 1864: Cavalry Commander of the Army of the Potomac​

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1863 – 1866: Major General of Union Army Volunteers, Cavalry​

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1863: Cavalry Commander during Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania​

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1863: Brevetted Colonel for Gallantry at Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania​

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1863: Cavalry Commander in Pursuit of the enemy to Warrenton, Virginia​

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1863: Cavalry Commander in Capture of Culpeper Court House, Virginia​

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1864 – 1866: Union Army Commander of Department of the Missouri​

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1864: Commander in the Defense of Jefferson City, Missouri​

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1864 – 1865: Commander of Cavalry, Pursuing Sterling Price​

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1864: Routed Sterling Price at the Battle of Marais des Cygnes​

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1865: Brevetted Brigadier General for Gallantry against Sterling Price​

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1865: Brevetted Major General for his service in the War​

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1866: Mustered out of the Union Army on January 15th​​

Occupation after War:

1862 – 1868: Major, United States Army, 2nd​ Cavalry Regiment​

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1866: Declined Lt. Colonel, United States Army, 20th​ Infantry Regiment​

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1868: Resigned from United States Army on January 1st​​

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1869 – 1870: Collector of United States Internal Revenue Service​

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1870 – 1871: Commissioner of United States Internal Revenue Service​

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President of Terre Haute and Cincinnati Railroad Company​

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1888: Added to the list of Retired United States Army Major's​

Died: January 17, 1897

Place of Death: Washington, D.C.

Cause of Death: Bright's Disease, malaria, catarrhal pneumonia

Age at time of Death: 72 years old

Burial Place: Congressional Cemetery, Washington, D.C.

 

[Booklady]

My home town in California was named after him, but misspelled!

 

[Luke Freet]

Pleasonton would lead the Cavalry Corps of the East through some of its first real successes at Brandy Station and in the Gettysburg Campaign. However, certain historians would point out these victories were won in spite of his command rather than because of it. They do however concede he had a brilliant eye for subordinate commanders, having Elon Farnsworth, Wesley Merritt, and everyone's favorite George Custer promoted from Captains to Brigadiers following Brandy Station. Even after his replacement, the latter 2 appointments would go on to shine brightly as the premier cavalrymen of the army.

 

[Pollaco]

I can not say that I ever heard this but Pleasanton had the nickname "Knight of Romance".Supposedly for all the paperwork that He sent to army headquarters. That paperwork contained his unreliable reports on enemy activity. His intelligence gathering proved ineffective.This was in the aftermath of Antietam.

 

[gentlemanrob]

Happy Birthday Major General Alfred Pleasonton! Salutes remembering General Pleasonton on his birthday.

 

[John5thNJ]

Great photos. I especially like the ones on horseback.

 

[gentlemanrob]

Happy (Thursday) Major General Alfred Pleasonton! Salutes remembering General Pleasonton on his birthday week.

 

[Booklady]

Happy birthday, Gen. Pleasonton.

 

[Pollaco]

My home town in California was named after him, but misspelled!

We have a Pleasanton down here in Texas as well but it not was named for a Alfred Pleasanton. There aren't too many places in Texas named after Yankees.

 

[Cavalier]

Most readers here are probably aware already but I believe that the other mounted officer, (on the dark horse), is Custer.

John

 

[rpkennedy]

I can not say that I ever heard this but Pleasanton had the nickname "Knight of Romance".Supposedly for all the paperwork that He sent to army headquarters. That paperwork contained his unreliable reports on enemy activity. His intelligence gathering proved ineffective.This was in the aftermath of Antietam.

This was still true up until he was transferred out of the AotP.

Ryan

 

[ErnieMac]

Pleasanton performed well against Sterling Price during the latter's 1864 raid into Missouri.