Historical Heroes

Jeb Stuart

Best known as: Confederate cavalry general

Born: February 6, 1833 in Patrick County, Virginia

Died: May 12, 1864 in Richmond, Virginia

Resting place: Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia

Full name: James Ewell Brown Stuart

Biography:

Nicknamed "Jeb" because of his initials, James Ewell Brown Stuart was born at Laurel Hill, a plantation in Virginia near the North Carolina border. He was of Scottish and Irish descent. His father, Archibald Stuart, was a veteran of the War of 1812 and a politician who served in Congress as well as in the Virginia General Assembly. His mother, Elizabeth Stuart, managed the plantation. He had 10 siblings.

Jeb was homeschooled as a child and attended Emory and Henry College from age 15 to 17. In 1848, at age 15, he attempted to join the army but was too young. In 1850 he was admitted to West Point. There, he was popular and excelled at math and horsemanship, although he wasn't great at drawing. In 1854, he graduated 13th in his class of 46. It was at West Point that Jeb met Robert E. Lee, who was appointed superintendent of the academy in 1852. Jeb was close in age to Lee's children and became a friend of the family.

After graduation, Stuart was commissioned a second lieutenant and was assigned to the U.S. Regiment of Mounted Rifleman in Texas, where he led scouting missions. He was soon transferred to the 1st Cavalry Regiment at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where he served as quartermaster and commissary officer and was promoted to first lieutenant. During his time in Kansas, he met Flora Cooke, the daughter of a commander of another regiment. They got engaged only two months after meeting and married in 1855. They eventually had three children, Flora, James Jr. (called Jimmie), and Virginia. In 1857, Stuart was wounded during a skirmish when a Cheyenne warrior shot him in the chest. Fortunately, the wound was relatively minor. Stuart also invented a new type of hook that cavalrymen could use to attach their sabers to their belts. He received a patent for this invention, and the U.S. government paid him $5,000 for the right to use it.

In 1859, Stuart participated in putting down the rebellion led by militant abolitionist John Brown. He served as an aide-de-camp to Lee, who was in charge of the troops who responded to Brown's raid on the U.S. Arsenal at Harper's Ferry, Virginia.

In April 1861, Stuart was promoted to captain. Shortly thereafter, however, he resigned from the U.S. Army because Virginia seceded from the Union. To Stuart's dismay, his father in law remained in the U.S. Army. "He will regret it but once, and that will be continuously," Stuart said. Stuart became a lieutenant colonel in the Confederate Army on May 10, 1861. His supervisor was Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, who put him in charge of the 1st Virginia Cavalry Regiment. He was promoted to colonel on July 16 and served in the Shenandoah Valley and at the First Battle of Bull Run. On September 24, he was promoted to brigadier general and given command of a cavalry brigade in the Army of Northern Virginia.

In 1862, Stuart took part in the Peninsula Campaign and the Battle of Williamsburg under General Joseph Johnston. When Lee took over command of the Army of Northern Virginia, he sent Stuart and his brigade on a reconnaissance mission. From June 12-15, Stuart and 1,200 men rode around the entire Union army and captured 165 soldiers, 260 horses and mules, and many supplies. This feat made him one of the Confederacy's most famous and celebrated generals, and when he returned to Richmond, people threw flower petals in his path. On July 25, Stuart was promoted to major general and was given command of the Cavalry Division of the Army of Northern Virginia. During one raid at Catlett's Station in Northern Virginia, he reached Union General John Pope's headquarters and captured his uniform as well as orders that contained valuable information. He participated in the Second Battle of Bull Run in August and in Lee's Maryland Campaign during September. In October, he circumnavigated the Union Army again, and in November he participated in numerous skirmishes against Union forces in Virginia. Stuart and his division participated in the Battle of Fredericksburg from December 11-15, where they protected the Army of Northern Virginia's right flank. Later that month, Stuart conducted another daring raid during which he and his cavalry captured prisoners, mules, horses, and supplies and intercepted telegraph messages. He even sent Union Quartermaster General Montgomery Meigs a telegram that read, "General Meigs will in the future please furnish better mules; those you have furnished recently are very inferior."

Stuart served admirably in the Battle of Kelly's Ford on March 17, 1863 and the Battle of Chancellorsville on May 2, 1863, both Confederate victories. Tragically, he lost friends in both battles: Major John Pelham in the former battle and Stonewall Jackson in the latter. At Chancellorsville, Stuart temporarily took command of the Second Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia after Jackson was fatally wounded. He did an excellent job, despite the fact that it was his first time commanding infantry and artillery. The Battle of Brandy Station in June was a relatively low point in Stuart's career, as he and his troops suffered a surprise attack by Union cavalry under the command of General Alfred Pleasonton. The Battle of Gettysburg was not Stuart's best moment, either. Lee ordered him to send part of his division to guard the mountain passes and the rest to join up with General Richard Ewell. Stuart took an indirect route, hoping to circumnavigate the enemy army again and cause chaos near Washington, D.C. He succeeded in capturing Union supply wagons but missed the beginning of the battle, depriving Lee of the intelligence that Stuart and his cavalry could have gathered.

Later in 1863, Lee reorganized his cavalry to give Stuart command of a cavalry corps consisting of two divisions. Stuart performed competently in a series of battles in Virginia known as the Bristoe Campaign, including one victory during which he lured Union cavalry into an ambush at the Battle of Buckland Mills. In 1864, General Ulysses Grant commenced an offensive against Lee which became known as the Overland Campaign. The tide of the war was turning in the Union's favor at this point, and although Stuart and his corps fought admirably, they could not prevent the Union army from advancing towards Richmond.

Stuart's last battle was the Battle of Yellow Tavern on May 11, 1864. Stationed on a hilltop, Stuart and his troops held off the Union advance and led a counterattack. As Stuart was leading his troops and firing at Union soldiers, a Union private named John Huff shot him. The bullet hit him in the side, pierced his stomach, and exited through his back. He was brought to Richmond for medical care. Along the way, he spotted retreating soldiers and shouted words of encouragement to them. He received a visit from Confederate President Jefferson Davis. On May 12, he succumbed to his wounds.

Physical characteristics:

Jeb Stuart was an iconic and dashing figure. He had reddish hair and a full beard. Along with his gray uniform, he typically wore a red-lined cape, yellow sash, feathered hat, flower in his lapel, and cologne. Because of his chivalrous persona, he was nicknamed the "Knight of the Golden Spurs."

Personality:

Jeb Stuart was said to have a happy and outgoing demeanor and frequently made people laugh. He could frequently be found singing, dancing, and/or whistling. He was very religious and nevr drank alcohol. He loved the glory and pageantry of the military and was considered a natural leader and a tactical genius. He was very brave and could be a bit reckless at times.

Fun facts:

As a teenager was nicknamed "Beauty" because he wasn't considered very handsome, but as he got older and grew a beard, he was considered very handsome and dashing.
Received patent # 25,684 for inventing a new type of saber hook.
Much to his dismay, Stuart's father-in-law, Philip St. George Cooke, fought for the Union. "He will regret it but once, and that will be continuously," Stuart said.
Had a fancy new uniform made for Stonewall Jackson because he was tired of seeing him wearing an old, shabby one.
Loved music and was always singing, humming, and whistling. Two of his favorite songs were "Jine the Cavalry" and "Sweet Evelina."
His wife, Flora, sewed a 34-inch by 34-inch Confederate battle flag for him, which he carried into battle. In 2006, it sold for $956,000, the highest price ever for any Confederate flag.
His aide, Major Andrew Venable, said that Stuart "never expected to live through the war, and that if we were conquered, that he did not want to live."

Quotes:

"Believe that you can whip the enemy, and you have won half the battle."
"The world is filled with winners and losers, but ofttimes even losers win. This day, however, shall losers lose and never be seen again."
"I would rather be a private in Virginia's army than a general in any army that was going to coerce her."
"I am going fast now, I am resigned. God's will is done" (his last words).