Graduated West Point: July 1854 - 13th in class of 46 - Brevet Second Lieutenant in the Regiment of Mounted Rifles and assigned duty in Texas

Took part in Campaign against the Apaches

October 31, 1854: Commissioned to 2nd Lieutenant

March 3, 1855: Transferred to 1st United States Cavalry headquartered at Fort Leavenworth

November 14, 1855: Married Flora Cooke, daughter of Colonel Phillip St. George Cooke

1856: Got his first glimpse of John Brown

December 20, 1855: Promoted to 1st Lieutenant

July 29, 1857: Wounded in skirmish against the Cheyenne Indians at Solomon River

October 4, 1859: Received patent on his "Saber Hook"

October 1859: Volunteer aide to Col. Robert E. Lee at Harper's Ferry. Under a flag of truce attempted to negotiate the surrender of John Brown

April 22, 1861: Promoted to Captain

May 3, 1861: Resigned U.S. Army

May 9, 1861: Commissioned as Lieut. Colonel CSA. First assignment was 1st Virginia Cavalry

Prior to the Battle of First Bull Run, executed screening operation which confused General Patterson's Army of the Shenandoah. This allowed to step away to Bull Run to help Gen. Beauregard and giving the Confederacy a victory.

July 16, 1861: Promoted to Colonel, CSA

July 21, 1861: Battle of Bull Run: led charge against the 11th New York Infantry (Ellsworth's Fire Zouaves)

September 11, 1861: Battle of Lewinsville

September 24, 1861: Promoted to Brigadier General

December 20, 1861: Battle of Dranesville

May 5, 1862: Battle of Williamsburg

June 1862: Ride around Army of the Potomac (see map)

June 12,1862: Stuart aroused his staff and met with his command at Mrs. Mordeca's farm and headed North

Traveled up Brock Road to Yellow Tavern, then on Mountain Road, through Goodall's Tavern. They proceeded along the South Anna River.

Stuart halted his men at the Winston Farm near Elliott's Crossing. The first day they had ridden twenty miles.

June 13, 1862: Rode east toward Hanover Court House, turned southeast past Taliaferro's Mill and Enon Church. Here they turned east towards Haw's Shop. Rooney Lee's 9th Virginia charged the Union lines, upon which they fled. Stuart slowed as they approached Totopotomony Creek, expecting resistance. A hand to hand struggle was ensued forcing the Union troops to flea.

The expedition had done its primary by capturing precious Union supplies and had no fortified their right flank.

June 14, 1862: Stuart sent a request to Gen. Lee asking for a diversion

------------------- Stuart's cavalry stopped on the outskirts of Charles City Court. Stuart with his staff rested at the home of J.M. Wilcox.

------------------- Stuart sent a courier and a private for Richmond

June 15, 1862: Sunrise - Stuart and his companions arrive at Richmond. As Stuart's men reached Richmond around noon, they rested while Stuart came to greet them.

June 25, 1862: Stuart receives orders and could not march as there was no room. Moving north at dawn they halted at Ashland, about sixteen miles north of Richmond. Here they met "Stonewall Jackson."

July 25, 1862: Promoted to Major General - Given command of the Cavalry Division, later called Cavalry Corp of the Army of Northern Virginia.

August 28-30, 1862: Second Battle of Bull Run

September 1862: Maryland Campaign

Stuart's cavalry screened Lee's movements to the North, but little in reconnaissance. As the Army of the Potomac got close, Stuart's men skirmished the Union troops, requesting help from Maj. Gen. D.H. Hill to defend the South Mountain passes in the Battle of South Mountain.

September 17, 1862: Battle of Antietam

Mid-afternoon: "Gen. Jackson ordered Stuart to command a turning movement with cavalry against the Union flank and rear."Stuart was probing lines with artillery barges, which were answered in murderous counter firing movement by the Union artillery.

In this battle, there was very little opportunity to use the cavalry. So Stuart kept himself busy by riding coordinating efforts of the Southern Army. He did, however, post his guns on the rising ground on the left flank.

October 10-12, 1862: Rode around the Army of the Potomac from Dranesville, WV to Mercersburg, Chambersburg, PA east through Emmitsburg, Hagerstown, MD and White Forks to Leesburg, VA. This embarrassed Union soldiers, seizing horses and supplies. Did not gain much of an advantage as both men and horses were exhausted. (see map)

October 9, 1862: Left Berryville to The Bower where Cavalry headquarters were located. He spent the night just south of the Potomac River.

October 10, 1862: Crossed the Virginia-Maryland border across the Potomac River. Then crossed the Maryland-Pennsylvania border south of Mercersburg. Passed through Mercersburg, St. Thomas and camped at Chambersburg.

October 11, 1862: Leaving Chambersburg, went east through Cashtown , PA, then south through Emmitsburg, MD. They rode west of Gettysburg. Although they met a pro-Confederate crowd in Emmitsburg, they proceeded through and towards Fredericksburg, MD. Capturing a Union courier, Stuart was able to change his route around the Union Cavalry. They rode through the night cutting telegraph wires  obstructing the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad.

October 12, 1862: Scouts informed Stuart the Union Army was guarding the Potomac River fords with several thousand men. To avoid the Union troops. Stuart used White's Ford below the mouth of the Monocacy River. Pelham's artillery kept the Union forces at bay. Soon after crossing the Potomac River, Stuart's men reached Leesburg where they camped for the night.

October 13, 1862: They proceeded to Snickersville, VA, thus ending their ride the Army of the Potomac.

November 6, 1862: Received word of his daughter's death on November 3rd due to Typhoid Fever.

December 12, 1862: Battle of Fredericksburg - Stuart's horse artillery under Major John Pelham protecting Gen. Jackson's flank at Hamilton crossing.

December 25, 1862: Dumfries Raid

March 17, 1863: Clashes with Union Raiding Party at Kelly's Ford. The minor victory was upsetting to Stuart as he lost Maj. Pelham, whom Stuart thought of as a younger brother.

May 1-3, 1863: Battle of Chancellorsville - Lt. Gen. wounded from friendly fire. As Jackson lay wounded and being prepared to go to the rear, Stuart was ordered to the front. He found nobody who knew exactly what Jackson's orders were.

May 2, 1863: Stuart sent a courier back to Jackson asking for orders. Jackson's reply was "Tell General Stuart to act on his own judgement and do what he thinks best. I have implicit confidence in him."

May 3, 1863: As the light of the next day showed over the horizon, Stuart received his first orders from Gen. Lee.

E.P. Alexander stated: "I do not think there was a more brilliant thing done in the war then Stuart's extricating that command from the extremely difficult critical position ... as promptly and boldly as he did ...."

August 1, 1863: Stuart receives letter from Mrs. Jackson: "Your kind words of sympathy for me, gave tribute of admiration to my noble Husband was warmly appreciated. I need not assure you of which we already know, that your friendship and admiration were cordially reciprocated by him. I have frequently heard him speak of Gen'l Stuart as one of his warm personal friends & also express admiration of your soldierly qualities."

June 5, 1863: Grand parade, invited Gen. Lee, but he begged off having too much work to do. The review ended with cannon booming and a cavalry charge.

June 8, 1863: Grand review for Gen. Lee.

June 9, 1863: 4:30am - Start of the Battle of Brandy's Station. 8th New York, Colonel Davis' Brigade of Buford's division goes down the steep banks of Kelly's Ford and met with scattered fire of Company A of the 6th Virginia.

June 9, 1863: 11:30am - Another Union charge from the direction of Kelly's Ford. Gen. Pleasonton set Gen. Gregg and Duffie to attack the rear of Stuart's men.

Battle of Brandy Station was the largest Cavalry engagement during the war and the history of the United States.

June 10, 1863: Army of Northern Virginia begins its march north. At sunset the cavalry camp came to life riding most of night, screening Lee's moving army.

June 17, 1863: Battle of Aldie

June 18, 1863: Maj. Mosby captures courier with orders from Hooker to Pleasonton. Pleasonton' entire cavalry command was at Aldie.

June 19, 1863: Pleasonton attacked with a full division of cavalry. Stuart held the line and withdrew to another position. It was during this movement that Von Borcke was seriously wounded, but recovered from his injuries when everyone thought the wound was mortal.

June 22, 1863: Stuart's troopers were encamped around Rectortown - during the night he received Gen. Lee's orders.

June 24, 1863: Stuart readies his command for the ride around Hooker's army. He selects the most seasoned and veterans to ride with him. He leaves Generals Jones and Robertson behind to guard the passes and follow Lee's army.

June 25, 1863: Rode eastward toward the Army of the Potomac. At Haymarket, Stuart found a Corps of infantry. He sent a note to Lee that Hancock's Corps were heading north. (Lee did not receive this dispatch, but the clerk at the Confederacy White House registered the dispatch.)

June 26, 1863: Stuart and his men crossed the Occoquan Creek approaching Fairfax Court House where they attacked the 11th New York. 1st North Carolina rode forward to engage. After a brief fierce battle, the North Carolinians won over capturing, killing or wounding the two companies.

June 28, 1863: Being so close to the Union capital, he pondered and decided against attacking the capital.

June 28-29, 1863: Crossed the Potomac at Rower's Ford. The Potomac River was high causing problems fording the river.

June 29, 1863: Captured a wagon train with supplies for Meade's Army. Spent the night outside Westminster where the was forage for the horses.

June 30, 1863: Routed BGen Kilpatrick's cavalry as it passed at the Battle of Hanover. Kilpatrick regrouped his men and drove the Confederates out of town.

July 1, 1863: Reaching Carlisle, PA, he lobbed a few shells into the town and burned down Carlisle Barracks.

​

More to come!

​