Stuart Was JEB Stuart Overrated?

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

In light of comments made during this week's Zoom presentation (and in the spirit of some of Major Bill's conversation starters), I'm going ask a deliberately provocative question: is J.E.B. Stuart overrated?

Consider:

1. Throughout 1862, his period of greatest fame, he faced Union cavalry that was poorly organized and inadequately trained. In other words, he got famous by running roughshod over inferior opposition.
2. Probably his most famous feats were his two rides around McClellan. Operations in which he destroyed little and avoided fighting; he simply rode in a circle to gather information. Something that could have - and perhaps should have - been accomplished by a small number of scouts - possibly operating individually - rather than by the head of the ANV's cavalry division risking the best horseflesh in the army. Meanwhile, these feats of daring stroked Stuart's ego and gave him an outsized reputation.
3. He might be to blame for losing Special Orders 191 (and possibly other sensitive documents), then lying to cover it up.
4. Placed in command of a corps at Chancellorsville after Jackson's fatal wounding, Stuart showed himself aggressive to fault, launching headlong attacks resulting in unsustainable Confederate casualties.
5. From Brandy Station onward, Stuart basically never fought his Union counterparts to anything better than a draw, with one exception I'll mention below.
6. He let personal grudges - some over petty matters - dictate his decisions such as his disposition of cavalry brigades during the Gettysburg Campaign.
7. While there was Plenty Of Blame To Go Around and certain justification, Stuart's actions during the Gettysburg Campaign arguably cost the Confederates the battle.
8. His status in memory has much to do with his martyrdom and him looking and acting the part of a dashing Virginia cavalier.

I think Stuart's actual finest moment was Buckland Mills, where he correctly assessed Custer and Kilpatrick as Union cavalry generals even more vain and aggressive than Stuart himself and used that recognition to lure them into a trap...which didn't complete close.

 

[gjpratt]

Good summary of legitimate discussion points @Joshism

 

[JackADriscoll]

The thing with being a hero is you need to know when to quit. General Stuart picked perfectly.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

That's a good summary of Stuart's mounted command activities over the course of the war in the OP.

Thought as a light cavalry commander, Stuart's forte was generally in carrying out long-range reconnaissance (Gettysburg excepted), rather than engaging in active combat. (Perhaps his highlight in field command occurred when he suddenly took over temporary command of Jackson's Second Corps at around midnight of May 2 at Chancellorsville, following the latter's mortal wounding earlier that evening, and then ably leading the attacks on the next day, albeit at the cost of heavy casualties).

When assessing Stuart, thought it's easy to conflate his personal quality shortcomings with his command performances. Although Stuart was a flamboyant show-off and constantly seeking praise, his own personal qualities of dare, zest and self-confidence suited him well for carrying out long-range reconnaissance operations. For all his loudness, histrionics and effusiveness, he also showed a real ability to process information by analyzing intelligence and exercising sound military judgements in relation to gathered information reported.

Stuart's value in charge of mounted troops was recognized by his senior commanders too. During the Peninsula Campaign, Joe Johnston wrote to Davis, extolling Stuart's skills in reconnaissance at the head of light cavalry. Interestingly, after all of the extensive roles Stuart performed leading cavalry serving under Lee, when Lee at Spotsylvania received news of Stuart's death on May 12, '64, he paused and then exclaimed. …'He never brought me a piece of false information'…. In this moment of reflection and tribute, that was Lee's singular prevailing remembrance of Stuart's prime worth to his army – his ability to gather and provide useful information.

Given that Stuart excelled at reconnaissance, perhaps it's more accurate to say that his productive role as a cavalry commander was 'overstated', more than 'overrated'.

 

[JeffBrooks]

1. Probably his most famous feats were his two rides around McClellan. Operations in which he destroyed little and avoided fighting; he simply rode in a circle to gather information. Something that could have - and perhaps should have - been accomplished by a small number of scouts - possibly operating individually - rather than by the head of the ANV's cavalry division risking the best horseflesh in the army. Meanwhile, these feats of daring stroked Stuart's ego and gave him an outsized reputation.

They also massively boosted Confederate morale, both in the army and on the home front, and helped create an engrained psychological sense of superiority in the Confederate troopers over their Union counterparts. These factors are not inconsiderable in warfare. As Napoleon is credited with saying, "The moral is to the physical as three is to one."

 

[Cavalier]

Although I do not give him a pass for his performance during the Gettysburg campaign I also do not believe he was overrated.

John

 

[ErnieMac]

IMO Stuart's leadership gave the ANV cavalry an esprit-de-corps that lasted until the end of the War. It may have been his greatest contribution.

 

[Missouri Swampfox]

Not in my estimation. The South need more like him.

 

[Stone in the wall]

Stuart although out numbered by combined Union cavalry and infantry units sent against him, must be given credit for his defense of the mountain passes in June 1863, and his being able to shield the movements of Lee's army making the Pennsylvania invasion even possible.

 

[MRB1863]

Many good points here.
I believe in order to understand History, we must put ourselves into that era. Think of how challenging reporting a recon event to a commander who was several counties or maybe a state away. By the time the message reached command, the situation may have changed drastically. We assume communication was efficient since we are accustomed to today's instant gratification environment.
All in all, what has not changed over the generations is the ability to lead charismatically thereby maintaining a higher morale. Nearly akin to what some of us would term as teambuilding, an all important factor in moving a group forward in most any purpose.
For these reasons and the question of orders that were left to too much interpretation, I think JEB did the best he saw fit. I also think rigid orders from Lee may have been a second rate decision due to poor communication in the field.
It's a tough call unless you were there.

 

[Eric Wittenberg]

Three things, in no particular order:

1. John Sedgwick, formerly major of the 1st U.S. Cavalry, and Stuart's superior, said of him, "he was the finest cavalryman ever foaled on the North American continent." That works for me.

2. If Stuart was "late" for Gettysburg--which idea, I might add, I disagree with strongly--he more than redeemed himself during the retreat, when he pretty much single-handedly kept the Union cavalry and troops away from Lee's army until Lee was ready to receive an attack.

3. Robert E. Lee: "He never brought me a false piece of information."

'Nuff said.

 

[dlofting]

I do think Stuart excelled at reconnaissance and screening. At least some of Lee's performance was due to Stuart's ability in those areas.

Was he flamboyant....sure, but so was Patton, Nelson, Montgomery, Murat, Henry V, etc.

 

[Missouri Swampfox]

Many good points here.
I believe in order to understand History, we must put ourselves into that era. Think of how challenging reporting a recon event to a commander who was several counties or maybe a state away. By the time the message reached command, the situation may have changed drastically. We assume communication was efficient since we are accustomed to today's instant gratification environment.
All in all, what has not changed over the generations is the ability to lead charismatically thereby maintaining a higher morale. Nearly akin to what some of us would term as teambuilding, an all important factor in moving a group forward in most any purpose.
For these reasons and the question of orders that were left to too much interpretation, I think JEB did the best he saw fit. I also think rigid orders from Lee may have been a second rate decision due to poor communication in the field.
It's a tough call unless you were there.

Joe Shelby led like that over here in the West.

 

[C. Conner]

The common drum beat is "Stuart was late to Gettysburg." We tend to forget Gettysburg was not a planned event. There was a bigger picture (Strategic versus Operational/Tactical)

Stuart's absence and inability to give important intelligence on the AOTP led to disaster for Lee at Gettysburg. I will agree with that. Lee needed both Strategic and operational intelligence for his campaign to be successful. Stuart put all of his effort into the strategic leaving Lee literally blind to the AOTPs movement and subsequent surprise.

 

[jackt62]

It's curious that during Stuart's lifetime, he was bombarded with negative criticism by the southern press, particularly after the affair at Brandy Station. And his postwar reputation has been mired in the Gettysburg controversy surrounding his actions up until July 2nd, despite a body of evidence that paints a more complicated picture. But as others have noted, his intelligence gathering skill was virtually unsurpassed, his ability to screen and protect the ANV was creditable, and his short tenure commanding infantry at Chancellorsville was hard charging and critical in securing artillery platforms at Hazel Grove and Fairview. As the epitome of the dashing southern cavalier, Stuart performed an important role in boosting public morale. While Stuart's elevated image may have been overly puffed up in historical memory, and his record may be faulted in some respects, objectively he should not be considered overrated.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

And his postwar reputation has been mired in the Gettysburg controversy surrounding his actions up until July 2nd, despite a body of evidence that paints a more complicated picture.

Unfortunately, I think Killer Angels is still more influential on the general public than Plenty of Blame to Go Around and One Continous Fight.

 

[nc native]

Overall, JEB Stuart has an excellent performance record other than being caught off his guard at Brandy Station and his disappearance during the Gettysburg campaign letting himself get preoccupied with a ride around the Union Army when General Lee needed his reconnaissance abilities the most. I think his performance at Chancellorsville is overlooked. He was the man who discovered that Hooker's flank was in the air which gave Lee his opportunity to send Jackson to perform his famous flank attack. Then, after Jackson was wounded, he took over Jackson's command and performed well for someone who had never handled large infantry formations before.

After Brandy Station, the Confederate cavalry in the Eastern theater was not the force that usually got the best of the Union cavalry and the Union cavalry gradually became what amounted to a overwhelming force at the end of the war. I don't think JEB Stuart could have done much more to stop this than Hampton or any other cavalry leader you could name had he lived through the war.

 

[Borderruffian]

"Beauty" Stuart was of my first Civil War heros after I checked out book about him when I was in first or second grade. I don't think is overrated but in some the books I have read since, I do believe he gets a bad rap for Brandy Station and Gettysburg. I think Stuart was a credible commander of cavalry, had he some flaws,of course he was human. Like any other " big name" in the ACW some authors like detract from his obvious ability and some like amplffy the same ability. The truth is often between. Beauty soon lost his primary hero status with me when I Discovered J.O. Shelby and NBF TO but still has a place in my hillbilly heart he just has to share it now, but hey," Riding a Raid " is still one of my favorite songs.

 

[Missouri Swampfox]

"Beauty" Stuart was of my first Civil War heros after I checked out book about him when I was in first or second grade. I don't think is overrated but in some the books I have read since, I do believe he gets a bad rap for Brandy Station and Gettysburg. I think Stuart was a credible commander of cavalry, had he some flaws,of course he was human. Like any other " big name" in the ACW some authors like detract from his obvious ability and some like amplffy the same ability. The truth is often between. Beauty soon lost his primary hero status with me when I Discovered J.O. Shelby and NBF TO but still has a place in my hillbilly heart he just has to share it now, but hey," Riding a Raid " is still one of my favorite songs.

Was the book you refer to "Bold Cavalier"? If so, that's the book that got me started on the Civil War. I went to the public library one Saturday while in Jr High and saw the book on a display as it was brand new. I talked the librarian into letting me check it out and took it home and read it non-stop over the weekend. Still have a copy I purchased later. I had seen him played on a recent episode of "Gray Ghost" on TV and became interested in him. Even named a pet collie J.E.B. That was long before I found out all my ancestors had served under Marmaduke in the 8th MO Cavalry

 

[thomas aagaard]

Overall, JEB Stuart has an excellent performance record other than being caught off his guard at Brandy Station and his disappearance during the Gettysburg campaign letting himself get preoccupied with a ride around the Union Army when General Lee needed his reconnaissance abilities the most. I think his performance at Chancellorsville is overlooked. He was the man who discovered that Hooker's flank was in the air which gave Lee his opportunity to send Jackson to perform his famous flank attack. Then, after Jackson was wounded, he took over Jackson's command and performed well for someone who had never handled large infantry formations before.

But as others have also pointed out, there where plenty of blame to go around in that case.