May 12, 1863, The New York Herald
THE LEADERS OF THE EXPEDITION.
The Leaders of the Famous Cavalry Expedition Around Lee’s Rebel Army.
SKETCH OF GENERAL STONEMAN.
Major General George Stoneman is a native of New York, and between thirty-five and forty years of age. He was appointed from his native State to the West Point Military Academy in 1842, and graduated on the 30th of June, 1846, standing No. 33 in a very large class. Among his classmates were Generals McClellan, Foster, Reno (dead), Couch, Seymour, C. C. Gilbert, Sturgis, Palmer; Colonels Rush, Magilton, and many others in the Union army, Stonewall Jackson and several other rebels. On the 1st of July, 1846, he was appointed brevet second lieutenant of the First dragoons, and received his full commission on the 12th of July, 1847. He was promoted to a first lieutenancy in July, 1854, and was appointed aid to General Wool in January, 1855. On the 3d of March, 1855, he was promoted to a captaincy, and transferred to one of the newly organized mounted regiments – viz., the Second cavalry – under command of Col. A. S. Johnston. In 1859 he stood No. 8 on the lineal roll of cavalry captains, and at the end of the next year, by the promotion of Joseph E. Johnston, he rose one step in the line. In 1859 he was commander of Camp Hudson, in the neighborhood of San Antonio, Texas, and in 1860 held charge of Camp Palo Alto, near Fort Brown, Texas. Therefore at the commencement of the rebellion he was in the midst of the rebels at the Southwest; but, unlike many belonging to his own regiment, he remained loyal, although three of the field officers, besides others, turned traitors. On his return to the North he was promoted to the majority of the Fourth cavalry regiment, with a commission dating from May 9, 1861, and on the 13th of August following was appointed a brigadier general of volunteers. With this rank he assisted General McClellan in the organization of his Army of the Potomac. When that army moved to the peninsula, General Stoneman was placed in command of the cavalry division. In the pursuit of the rebels after the evacuation of Yorktown, when he overtook them at Williamsburg, on the 4th of May, 1862, he distinguished himself so much as to be brevetted lieutenant colonel of the United States Army. He took part more or less in the contests on the peninsula, and was brevetted colonel from June 27, 1862, for operations in command of the advance and rear guard of the army. He served under Pope during the last few days of August, and took part in the battles in Maryland in September, 1862. At the battle of Fredericksburg he held command of the Third army corps in General Hooker’s centre grand division, and lost about twelve hundred men in that engagement. On the 13th of February, 1863, he was nominated a major general of volunteers, to rank from November 29, 1862, and was confirmed on the 14th of the following March. He was placed in command on February 5, 1863, of the whole of the cavalry force of the Army of the Potomac at the time when General Hooker took command, and with that command he has made the brilliant movements which will ever make his name famous.
SKETCH OF GENERAL BUFORD.
Brigadier General John Buford is a native of Kentucky, and is not yet forty years of age. He entered West Point as a cadet from Illinois in 1844, and graduated on the 30th of June, 1848, standing No. 16 in a large class, among whom were General McLean and others of the Union army, T. K. Jackson, N. G. Evans and other noted rebels. He was brevetted second lieutenant of the First dragoons on the 1st of July, 1848, and was transferred to the Second dragoons, with his full rank, in February, 1849. On the 9th of July, 1853, he was promoted to a first lieutenancy, and in May, 1855, acted as regimental quartermaster. He was promoted to be captain on the 9th of March, 1859, holding the same rank when the regiment changed its name to the Second cavalry, in 1861. On the 12th of November, 1861, he was appointed assistant adjutant general, with the rank of major, and performed those duties in the city of Washington. He was placed in command of the cavalry under General Banks in the spring of 1862, and conducted a reconnoissance along the Rappahannock during June and July of that year. During the operations of General Pope with the Army of Virginia General Buford was placed in command of a cavalry brigade, with the rank of brigadier general, dating from July 27, 1862. He was wounded near the Rappahannock river early in August, and so severe was his hurt that he was reported dead. After several weeks’ illness he resumed his position with the Army of the Potomac, and during the month of February, 1863, was appointed to the command of the division of cavalry embracing the regular troops under General Stoneman. His appointment of brigadier general of volunteers was confirmed on the 9th of March, 1863. He has taken part in this brilliant expedition, and has performed his duty with similar skill to that which has characterized the movements of his companion generals.
The following members compose the staff of General Buford:
Assistant Adjutant General Captain Bacon.
Aid Captain Keo
Aid Captain O’Keefe.
Aid Lieutenant Mix
Aid Lieutenant M. Gaskell.
Quartermaster Lieutenant Ball.
Commissary Subsistence Lieutenant Dewier.
Ordnance Lieutenant Dean.
SKETCH OF GENERAL GREGG.
Brigadier General David Mc. M. Gregg is a native of Pennsylvania, and is scarcely thirty years of age. He entered West Point as a cadet in 1851, and graduated on the 30th of June, 1855, standing No. 8 in his class, among the members of which we find Generals Weitzel, Torbert, Hazen, Merrill, Du Bols, Averill, Colonel Colburn and many others in the Union army. On the 1st of July, 1855, he was brevetted second lieutenant of the Second dragoons, and was transferred to the First dragoons, with full rank, on the 4th of September, 1855. He was distinguished in several conflicts with the Indians in Washington Territory, in September, 1858, and in the early part of 1861 he was promoted to a first lieutenancy. On the 14th of may, 1861, he was further promoted to a captaincy in the Sixth United States cavalry (a new regiment), and afterwards was appointed colonel of the Eighth Pennsylvania cavalry, or Eighty-ninth regiment of volunteers. He served during the peninsula campaign, and was brevetted major of the United States Army for meritorious services in reconnoissances before Richmond to July 1, 1862. At the death of General Bayard, at Fredericksburg, he was on the 14th of December, 1862, appointed to the command of his brigade, with rank of brigadier general of volunteers from November 29, 1862. This appointment was confirmed in March, 1863. In February, 1863, he was appointed commander of the third division of cavalry under General Stoneman, and with that position he has taken part in the famous cavalry expedition that has shaken the very nerves of the rebels in their supposed to be secure capital.
The following are the members of General Gregg’s staff: –
Assistant Adjutant General Captain Weir.
Inspector General Major Falls.
Aid Lieutenant Arrowsmith.
Aid Lieutenant Barney.
Quartermaster Captain Corson.
Commissary Subsistence Captain Tobes.
Ordnance Lieutenant Allibone.
Surgeon-in-Chief Major W. W. L. Phillips.
SKETCH OF GENERAL AVERILL.
Brigadier General William W. Averill is a native of New York, and is about thirty years of age. He entered the West Point Military Academy as a cadet from his native State in 1851, and graduated in 1855. He was appointed a brevet second lieutenant of the Mounted Rifles on the 1st of July, 1855, and on the 1st of May, 1856, received his full commission. He distinguished himself greatly in the surprise and capture of a party of Kiowa Indians, in New Mexico, on the 7th of December, 1857, and in several conflicts with the Navajoes, in September, 1858. On the 14th of May, 1861, he was appointed first lieutenant of the Third cavalry, and shortly after organized the Sixtieth regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, better known as the Third Pennsylvania cavalry. With these troops he operated before Yorktown to May 4, 1862, and was brevetted captain of the United States army for his gallant and distinguished conduct. He took part in the battle of Williamsburg, May 5, 1862, and was brevetted major therefor. He also became distinguished in the battle of Malvern Hill, July 1, 1862. On the 17th of July, 1862, he was made a full captain of United States cavalry. He took part in the battles under Pope during the last few days of August, and at Antietam, &c., September, 1862. He was then appointed a brigadier general of volunteers from September 26, 1862, and commanded a brigade of cavalry under General Pleasanton during the clearing out of the gaps of the Piedmont and Shenandoah valleys. He was at Fredericksburg December 11 to 15, 1862, but not engaged. During January, 1863, he made some few brilliant dashes among the rebels, and in February, 1863, was appointed commander of the Second division of General Stoneman’s cavalry corps of Hooker’s army. On the 11th of March, 1863, his nomination as brigadier general of volunteers was confirmed. He engaged the rebels at Kelly’s Ford during March, 1863, and has taken a part in the recent dash as far as the Rapidan station, when he rejoined the main army at Chancellorsville. This brilliant movement is one that will make the name of the United States cavalry one of the proudest in the military fame of the country.
SKETCH OF ACTING GENERAL WYNDHAM.
Colonel and Acting Brigadier General Sir Percy Wyndham was formerly connected with the British service, and has recently turned his thirtieth year of age. He served in the East Indies with his father and subsequently joined the French, afterwards the Austrian and later the Italian army. In this last country he commanded the Second brigade, and held the rank of lieutenant colonel – a high one in European service. He has seen several European campaigns and many in this country, to which he came well recommended. After some difficulty in obtaining a suitable command, he was appointed by Governor Olden colonel of the First New Jersey Volunteers, with a commission dating from February 29, 1862. He has conducted several dashing cavalry reconnoissances, and commanded a cavalry brigade at Chantilly, Va., August 31, 1862. For some cause he was about to resign and leave the country in January, 1863; but was persuaded to remain, when, through a malicious accusation, he was arrested and removed from his command. He was respited to conduct a special cavalry expedition to the Rappahannock, in March, 1863, which he carried out so successfully as to elicit especial praise in General Heintzelman’s general order of March 21, 1863. He was, on the 9th of March, 1863, unconditionally released from arrest, and placed in command of his troops. In this recent brilliant cavalry operation he commanded a brigade of three regiments, with which he has operated very skillfully and bravely.
The following is a list of the members of General Wyndham staff: –
Assistant Adjutant General Captain Steele.
Inspector General Captain Hick.
Aid Captain Thomas.
Aid Lieutenant Wirtz.
Brigade Surgeon Major Higgins.
SKETCH OF COLONEL DAVIS.
Colonel Hasbrouck Davis is a resident of Chicago, Ill., and received his appointment of lieutenant colonel of the Twelfth Illinois cavalry on the 1st of February, 1862. His command entered the United States service in June, 1862, and was ordered to the Potomac, where they were incorporated with the cavalry forces engaged in the clearing of the gaps of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. He has operated recently as commander of the regiment with the cavalry forces of the Army of the Potomac, and has been brigaded with others under General Percy Wyndham. His dash into Spottsylvania Court House – the rear of the rebel forces – has made him somewhat noted; and whether successful or otherwise as regards the grand result, still the fact of participating in one of the most brilliant cavalry operations of the war must make the remembrance one of the most pleasant as the deed is in itself one of the most glorious.
SKETCH OF COL. KILPATRICK.
Colonel Judson Kilpatrick was born in Sussex county, New Jersey, in 1838, graduated at West Point, and on the organization of Duryee’s Zouaves he received a captain commission in that regiment, and was with it in the battle of Big Bethel, where he held the advance, and in the engagement received three wounds. After recovering from his wounds he received the commission of lieutenant colonel of the Harris Light Cavalry on the 1st of August, 1861, the regiment being raised in New York city, under the chief command of Colonel Mansfield Davies. It was at first attached to General R. King’s division of General McDowell’s corps, and during the operations on the peninsula was employed on the Rappahannock. It formed part of General Buford’s command during the reconnoissances made along that river in the summer of 1862, and participated in the battle of Cedar Mountain and the various contests under General Pope to the end of August, 1862. It also took part in the Maryland campaign and in the operations along the Blue Ridge region, under General Pleasanton. It was present at, but did not participate in, the struggle at Fredericksburg in December last. It has formed part of Stoneman’s cavalry corps for some time, and has recently been detached on special service. The subject of our sketch, through the promotion of Colonel Davies, has been raised to the rank of colonel, and in this recently brilliant operation has had charge of a brigade which has, by the celerity of its movements, added to the laurels of its commanders. He was appointed to the United States Army as first lieutenant of artillery at the commencement of the rebellion, and still holds the same rank in that service. The late raid makes the fourth successful one in which Colonel Kilpatrick has been engaged. He made three last year, for which he was recommended for promotion by Generals King, Doubleday and the late brave and lamented Bayard. In his recent brilliant raid his was the master mind, he having undertaken it on his own risk, with his own regiment.