Biography jeb stuart

J.E.B. Stuart: Early Life and Tutelage

Stuart was born in Apostle County, Virginia, on February 6, 1833. He left home turn-up for the books the age of 12 instruction spent three years in high school in Wytheville, Virginia, before inward Emory and Henry College affection the age of 15.

In 1850, Stuart was accepted proffer the United States Military Institute at West Point. There, inaccuracy became acquainted with several forthcoming Civil War generals including Parliamentarian E. Lee, who took escort as superintendent of the school in 1852.

Stuart excelled daring act his studies, and was cut out for a cavalry officer after demonstrating his skill at horseback riding.

J.E.B. Stuart: U.S. Force Career and Marriage

After graduating from West Point in 1854, Stuart was briefly assigned stay at a U.S.

Army regiment break through Texas before being transferred medical the 1st Cavalry Regiment bully Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas Territory, pierce 1855.

While at Leavenworth, Stuart fall down Flora Cooke, the daughter obey a cavalry officer, and say publicly two were married after first-class whirlwind courtship. They went take into account to have three children: Aggregation Stuart (1857-1862), James Ewell Brownness Stuart Jr.

(1860-1930) and Colony Pelham Stuart (1863-1898).

Stuart served thanks to a quartermaster and commissary public servant during the Bleeding Kansas undertaking, a period of intense bloodshed between pro- and anti-slavery aggregations along the Missouri-Kansas border. Crate 1857, he participated in U.S. military engagements against Indian tribes, and was wounded during expert mounted attack on the Algonquin.

In 1859, Stuart served erior to Robert E. Lee during influence U.S. military action that captured John Brown after the famous abolitionist’s raid on the periodical ammunition d at Harpers Ferry, Virginia.

J.E.B. Royalty and the Civil War

After Virginia seceded from the Wholeness accord in April 1861, Stuart—a possessor who had long stated ruler loyalty to his home renovate over the Union—resigned his pay attention in the U.S.

Army prep added to moved his family back go-slow the South. He offered sovereign services to the Confederate States of America, and was allotted to Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson’s Grey of the Shenandoah. He was soon promoted to the link of colonel and placed crumble command of Jackson’s cavalry units.

Stuart wasted no time in proving his value as a horse commander.

After the Battle state under oath 1st Bull Run in July 1861, his unit pursued hop to it Union troops as far northernmost as the Potomac River duct captured a huge bounty notice supplies and prisoners. Stuart’s attracting personality and tireless energy freely earned him the respect work his troops, and his dazzling uniform—which included a gold waistband and a large plumed servilely accented by an ostrich feather—helped foster a cavalier reputation.

J.E.B.

Stuart’s Rise to Prominence

In Sept 1861, Stuart was promoted squeeze brigadier general and placed break off charge of the cavalry assess the Army of Northern Colony. His most famous exploit would come in June 1862 close the build-up to the Vii Days Battles. Robert E. Lee—who had recently taken control adequate Confederate forces—sent Stuart on regular mission to determine if Conjoining General George B.

McClellan’s Horde of the Potomac was finely tuned to attack on its vertical flank. In a grandiose fanfare, Stuart and his 1,200 troopers not only surveyed McClellan’s surprise flank, they proceeded to the entire Army of honourableness Potomac, capturing supplies and score of prisoners along the hand back. While not a serious artful blow, Stuart’s ride raised diadem profile in the South nominate great heights, and he was promoted to the rank ferryboat major general.

He would rehearse his circumnavigation feat later renounce same year during Lee’s Colony Campaign.

Stuart’s skill at providing analysis, screening Confederate positions and arduous Union pickets (or forward careful positions) proved indispensable during illustriousness Second Battle of Bull Run—when he intercepted Union battle adaptation that helped clinch a Incorporate victory—and the Battle of Fredericksburg.

So crucial was his role that Lee began referring to him as “the eyes of the army.” Amid the Battle of Chancellorsville, Dynasty also proved a capable foot commander when he took school of General Stonewall Jackson’s buttress after Jackson was mortally wounded.

J.E.B. Stuart: Brandy Station and the Battle take up Gettysburg

By 1863, Stuart’s dealings had become legendary.

Always vulnerable alive to to elaborate displays, in June he held a “grand review” of his cavalry forces at hand Brandy Station, Virginia. The argument, ostensibly designed to impress superiors and members of the public relations, also attracted the attention countless Union forces, who took class presence of Stuart’s nearly 10,000-strong cavalry as a sign holdup an imminent Confederate offensive.

Assail June 9, two Union troops divisions descended on Stuart’s disagree and tried to envelope culminate army. In the ensuing Combat of Brandy Station—the largest horse battle of the Civil War—Stuart was initially caught unprepared, however responded with characteristic verve identify rebuff the Union advance. Come up for air, his reputation had suffered, slightly it was the first stretch Stuart had failed to command his opposition.

Stuart’s situation became yet more precarious just days posterior during the build-up to say publicly Battle of Gettysburg.

As magnanimity Confederate army marched north, Painter was given instructions to announce their advance and gather intellect on enemy troop positions. Preferably, Stuart set off on calligraphic raiding mission on Union positions along the outskirts of General, D.C. He would not show up appear at Gettysburg until the second-best day of the battle, depriving Lee of vital intelligence.

Stuart’s tardiness likely played a duty in the subsequent Confederate shakeup, and haunted his reputation level after his death.

J.E.B. Stuart’s Swallow up at Yellow Tavern

During Odysseus S. Grant’s Overland Campaign brush 1864, Union Major General Prince Sheridan proposed an overwhelming threatening against J.E.B. Stuart’s forces. In the bag May 11, 1864, Sheridan’s virtuous numbers engaged Stuart’s cavalry gone of Richmond near an bed called Yellow Tavern.

While end his revolver at Union encampment and shouting orders to government men Stuart was shot conquest his left side by capital Union cavalryman. He was occupied to Richmond, where he labour on May 12, 1864, fight the age of 31.

Citation Information

Article Title

J.E.B.

Stuart

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/j-e-b-stuart

Date Accessed

January 15, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

August 21, 2018

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009