John F. Buford
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John F. Buford (1826-1863) - Born 4 Mar 1826 near Versailles, Kentucky. Died 16 Dec 1863, Washington, D.C., buried at the United States Military Academy at West Point.
An American cavalry officer during the U.S. Civil War. He was one of the main reasons for the Union victory at the Battle of Gettysburg.
Buford was born near Versailles, Kentucky but raised in Rock Island, Illinois. He graduated 16th of 38 in the 1848 class of West Point. Posted to the dragoons, he saw his first combat in the Sioux campaign of 1855, then went west with the Mormon expedition and stayed in Utah until the commencement of the Civil War, when his regiment marched 1,100 miles overland to return to Washington, D.C.
Buford was given his first position in 1862, under Major General John Pope. He was given the Reserve Cavalry Brigade, which fought with distinction at the Battle of 2nd Bull Run. Buford personally led a charge late in the battle, but was badly wounded in the knee and left for dead. He returned, though, and served as a cavalry "advisor" to Maj. Gens. George B. McClellan and Ambrose E. Burnside. Under Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker, however, Buford was given the Reserve Brigade again, and he helped introduce the dragoon technique of fighting while dismounted.
After the Battle of Chancellorsville, Maj. Gen. Alfred Pleasonton was given command of the Cavalry Corps, although Hooker later agreed that Buford would have been the better choice (Pleasonton was too flashy and rather incompetent as a cavalry leader). Buford's division was the first to arrive at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and successfully held off Maj. Gen. Henry Heth's Confederate division so that Maj. Gen. John F. Reynolds' U.S. I Corps could hold the high ground west of town. Afterwards, Buford's tired troopers were (wrongly, as it turns out) sent to Emmitsburg, Maryland to resupply and refit. They saw no more action at the eventual Gettysburg victory, of which Buford had been a key component.
Buford was stricken with typhoid fever and died 16 Dec 1863 in Washington, D.C. He was one of the ablest cavalry officers in the Union Army; in fact, most historians would agree that only Philip Sheridan even competed with him as the best cavalry officer in the Army of the Potomac. Had he been given command of the Cavalry Corps, the course of the war in the East (so hampered by bad intelligence) may have been totally changed.
Father: John Buford (-abt1847-48)
Mother: Anne Bannister Howe Watson (-1834)
Marriage:
- Martha McDowell Duke (1830-) married 9 May 1854, born 25 Jun 1830
Children:
- James Duke Buford (1855-abt 1874) born Jul 1855, died at age 19
- Pattie McDowell Buford (1857-abt 1862) born Oct 1857, died at age 5
Assignments:
- (1844-1848) Cadet, United States Military Academy
- (1848-1848) Bvt. 2nd Lt. (1 Jul 1848), 1st U.S. Dragoons, Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, Missouri
- (1848-1849) 2nd. Lt (1849), Fort Scott, Missouri,
- (1852-1853) 2nd Lt., 2nd U.S. Dragoons, Fort Mason, quartermaster duties
- (1853-185?) 1st Lt.(Jul 1853), 2nd U.S. Dragoons, Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, Missouri
- (1853-185?) 1st Lt., 2nd U.S. Dragoons, Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, Missouri
- (185?-1859) 1st Lt., 2nd U.S. Dragoons, Mormon War
- (1859-185?) Capt. (Mar 1859), 2nd U.S. Dragoons, Adjutant General's Office, Washington, D.C.
- (1861-1862) Maj. (12 Nov 1861), 2nd U.S. Cavalry, Inspector General's Office, Washington, D.C.
- (1862-1862) Maj., 2nd U.S. Cavalry, Defense of Washington, Washington, D.C.
- (1862-186?) Brig. Gen. (27 Jul 1862), Volunteers, Brigade Commander
- (186?-1863) Brig. Gen., Regulars, Brigade Commander
- (1863-1863) Maj. Gen. (16 Dec 1863), Volunteers, Brigade Commander (on his death bed)
Personal Description:
- Height: Middle
- Build: Compactly built
- Hair Color:
- Eye Color: Triangular Gray
Links:
Sources: