Maj. Gen. Alfred Pleasonton
Born: July 7, 1824
Washington, D.C.
Died: February 17, 1897
Washington, D.C.
1844: West Point Graduate
1844: Brevet 2nd Lieutenant
November 3, 1845: 2nd Lieutenant
September 30, 1849: 1st Lieutenant
March 3, 1855: Captain
February 15, 1862: Major
July 16, 1862: Brevet Brig. Gen.
of Volunteers
March 13, 1865: Brig. Gen. in Regular Army
March 13, 1866: Brevet Major Gen.
Maj. Gen. Alfred Pleasonton
Portrait by Mathew Brady
Courtesy of Library of Congress
1844: West Point Graduate - 7 out of 25 - Brevet 2nd Lieutenant in 1st U.S. Dragoons (heavy cavalry)
First stationed at Fort Atkinson, Iowa. Frontier duty in Minnesota, Iowa and Texas
November 3, 1845: Promoted to 2nd Lieutenant with 2nd U.S. Dragoons
1846-1848: Mexican/American War
May 8, 1846: Battle of Palo Alto
May 9, 1846: Battle of Resaca de la Palma, Texas
September 30, 1849: Promoted to 1st Lieutenant
July 1, 1854 - March 3, 1855: Served as Regimental Adjutant
March 3, 1855: Promoted to Captain
August 3, 1861: Transferred to 2nd U.S. Cavalry
February 15, 1862: Promoted to Major
Peninsula Campaign: Did not provide Gen. McClellan with any valuable information
July 16, 1862: Brig. Gen. of Volunteers
Commanded Brigade of Cavalry in Army of the Potomac
September 2, 1862: Assumed division command of cavalry
September 17, 1862: Battle of Antietam - wounded in the right ear by the concussion of an artillery shell
December 13, 1862: Battle of Fredericksburg
May 1-4, 1863: Battle of Chancellorsville
June 9, 1863: Battle of Brandy Station
July 1-3, 1863: Battle of Gettysburg
During the battle of Gettysburg - Gen. Meade kept Gen. Pleasonton on a short leash
July 4, 1864: Transferred to Trans-Mississippi Theater and Commanded the District of Central Missouri
October 22-23, 1864: Battle of Byram's Ford
October 25, 1864: Battle of Mine Creek
October 25, 1864: Battle of Marais des Cygnes - ended the last Confederate threat in the West
April 10, 1866: Appointed as a Brevet Brig. Gen. in Regular Army. Senate approved effective March 13, 1865.
July 17, 1866: Pres. Johnson nominates Gen. Pleasonton for Brevet Major Gen with effective date of rank of March 13, 1866
1868: Resigns commission
Alfred Pleasonton. 12 July 2020. web. 23 July 2020.
Boatner, Mark M. III. The Civil War Dictionary. New York: David McKay, 1967. p 655-656
Warner, Ezra J. Generals in Blue Lives of the Union Commanders. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State, 1964. p 373-374