James Stuart as a young man, pursued his studies at Emory and Henry College and was later appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point. He graduated with the class of 1854 and as a newly commissioned Second Lieutenant was assigned to Texas. There he was engaged in many excursions against the Apache and in 1855 was reassigned to the First Cavalry in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

In November of 1855, James Stuart married the daughter of a future nemisis, Colonel Philip St. George Cooke. In the years of the War Between the States, General Stuart would engage in battle and be pursued by troops under the command of his Father-in-Law. Another of the many sad truths of family against family in the American Civil War.

Soon after his marriage, Stuart was promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant. His service carried to the far corners of the "Frontier" and he fought in many battles against the Indians. In 1857 he was wounded at the Battle of Solomon's River.

During the Battle of First Manassas, Colonel Stuart led his cavalrymen in pursuit of the fleeing Union army and occupied the heights just outside of the Union capital, Washington. In September of 1861, only two months later, he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General.

In July of 1862, the indomitable Cavalryman was promoted to Major General. Once asked about his gaudy trappings, which by now had become famous, he said, "We must substitute espirit for numbers, therefore I strive to inculcate in my men the spirit of the chase." He was well known for his yellow sash, scarlet lined cape, plumed hat and jack boots.

General Stuart was able to raid General Pope's headquarters at Catlett's Station, seized $350,000 in cash, the Union Commander's dress uniform coat, and General Pope's dispatch book which listed the disposition of the Union forces. General Stuart provide this valuable information to General Lee which resulted in a brilliant campaign as General Jackson attacked the Union positions at Manassas Junction, starting the Second Battle of Manassas.

After this battle, General Lee determined to take the fight to the Union north. He split his army and sent part to Harpersferry to deal with the 12,000 man Union garrison there, while the second half moved towards Hagerstown, Maryland...twenty miles further north. General Stuart and his troops were left in place on General McClellan's front to screen the movements of the Confederate army.

As we know now, General Lee's famous lost Order No. 191, was found and given to General McClellan and he was able to move his Union troops to cut off the movement of the Confederat army. Thanks to the ever faithful General Stuart, General Lee knew of McClellan's discovery within twenty-four hours. General Lee began to regather his disconnected army and determined to fight at Sharpsburg, Maryland... also known as the Battle of Antietam.

General Stuart, along with Generals D.H. Hill and Longstreet, was able to fend off the Union advances at South Mountain and gave General Lee the valuble time he needed to rejoin his thinly spread army. As the Battle of Antietam was joined, General Stuart's position was on the Confederate left. As Union General Sumner's II Corps was brought forward against the Confederate positions, General Stuart's famous horse artillery brought them under a terrible fire. The combined forces of Generals Lafayette McLaws, John Walker, and Jubal Early, closely supported by General Stuart, was able to repulse the Union attack. Union General Sumner upon observing the slaughter screamed, "My God, we must get out of here!" Nearly half of his 5,000 man force had been shot and the others fled.

General Lee's army now only numbered approximately 60,000 men against the overwhelming odds of the Union army, numbering nearly twice that. Keeping the Confederate army in check at Fredericksburg, General Hooker moved 2/3 of his army to the north and would move against the Confederate left. This would have worked had it not been for General Stuart and his cavalry controlling the roads around Chancellorsville, screening the movements of the Confederates.

The combined forces of Generals Lee and Stuart relentlessly attacked the Union forces near Chancellorsville clearing. The Confederate artillery fired a storm of shot into the Union troops, even at times firing pieces of railroad rail. General Hooker's army is shocked and beaten back aqcross the Rappahannock River.

Even though General Stuart played a great part in this enormous victory, it was an empty victory, as less than a week later, on May 10, 1863, murmuring "Let us cross the river and rest under the shade of the trees", General Stonewall Jackson succumed to complications caused by his wounds and was lost forever. General Lee said, "I have lost my right arm" and none of the Army of Northern Virginia would ever be the same again.

The Army of Northern Virginia flanked the Army of the Potomac and moved into the Shenandoah Valley. By June 5, 1863, Generals Longstreet and Ewell, along with their two corps of infantry, were camped in and around Culpeper, Virginia. Just six miles north of town, Gen. J.E.B. Stuart bivouacked his division of cavalry, screening the Army of Northern Virginia against surprise by the pursuing enemy.

Leaving a lone artillery piece atop Fleetwood Hill, accompanied by a mere token force to guard his headquarters, General Stuart called for his troops at St. James Church to rush back to meet this new threat. However, they were too late, General Stuart's headquarters were overrun and the lines at St. James were threatened.

This was the largest and greatest cavalry battle on the North American continent. Over 19,000 mounted men were engaged in this battle. It was at this battle that the Union Cavalry showed its' new found metal, skills never before shown in any other battle up to this point in the war.

General Pleasonton had also reorganized the command structure of the cavalry. Brigadier Generals John Buford and David Gregg retained command of the 1st and 2nd divisions respectively. The 3rd Division of the cavalry corps was under the command of Brigadier General Judson Kilpatrick.

Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart was about to test the mettle of the newly organized Union cavalry. General Lee gave General Stuart a lot of discretion in his choice of routes and targets of opportunity. He did however, direct him to "feel the right of Ewell's troops" and "collect all the supplies you can for the use of the army." General Stuart decided to ride around the Federal army, as he had done to General McClellan during the Peninsula campaign in 1862.

On June 28, 1863 the Army of Northern Virginia, save two brigades of cavalry were on the north side of the Potomac.

Only after marching all night, General Stuart and his troops reached the tracks of the B&O Railroad, tore up a stretch of track and cut some telegraph wires. After a small skirmish with a detachment of the 1st Delaware Cavalry, at Westminister, the Confederate troopers bivouacked for the night at Union Mills, Md., less than 10 miles from the Maryland­Pennsylvania line.

Early on June 30,1863... Union General Kilpatrick (later known as "Kilcavalry"), headed his troops northeast toward Hanover, Pa. General Stuart's troops were also advancing on Hanover, with Colonel Chambliss' brigade at the point, General Wade Hampton's brigade bringing up the rear along with the captured wagon train. General Fitzhugh Lee's brigade was on General Stuart's left flank near the Baltimore Pike.

Hearing the fighting behind them, the Union cavalry of the 1st West Virginia and 1st Vermont, were ordered back toward Hanover. Hearing that General Stuart held Hanover, General Kilpatrick rode as hard back to town as his mount would carry him. As he arrived, his mount collapsed and died.

The 5th New York countercharged against the 2nd North Carolina, temporarily stopping their drive. Union General Farnsworth arrived and found Hammond's men fighting the Confederates, and proceeded to drive the advancing Southerners toward Littlestown Pike near Buttstown, regaining control of Hanover.

General Stuart personally directing troop movements during the battle, suddenly realized that he was in front of the charging Union cavalry. Trapped, he drove his horse toward his own artillery line near Westminster Road. While riding away from Federal pursuers, Stuart and his adjutant, Captain William W. Blackford, had to jump across a 15-foot-wide gully to escape.

Confederate Colonel Payne, leading the 2nd North Carolina, found himself trapped, as well, near the Winebrenner tannery. He was captured by a member of the 5th New York Cavalry. After the capture of their commander, the 2nd North Carolina retreated. However, the 9th and 10th Virginia was strong enough to drive Farnsworth's men back toward Hanover.

This ended the Battle of Hanover. General Kilpatrick, not wanting to pursue the Confederates, let General Stuart's cavalry go. Leaving behind Union losses of more than 200.

Riding all night, General Stuart and his troopers arrived in Dover, paroled a few hundred prisoners and sent the captured wagon train south. His next stop was in Carlisle. Here the Confederates burned some barracks belonging to the U.S. Army's cavalry school and lobbed a few artillery rounds into the town. While at Carlisle, general Stuart learned that General Lee and the rest of the Army of Northern Virginia, were at Gettysburg. Immediately, General Stuart led his troops to join General Lee, finally arriving late in the day on July 2, 1863.. too late to take part in the second day of battle in and around Gettysburg.

Major General Stuart, after meeting with a disgruntled, tired and worried General Lee, was charged with guarding the Confederate army's left and with rolling up the Union right flank should the infantry capture Cemetery Ridge.

The final act, that decided the outcome of this cavalry battle, was that of the 3rd Pennsylvania... attacking from the east. This forced a breach in the Confederate column, separating the rear portion of the Confederate force and causing them to retreat. Eventually, Major General Stuart realized his position was untennable, and feared his troops would be cutoff, ordered his troops to fall back to Cress Ridge.

The outcome of this cavalry battle was uncertain. Both sides claimed victory, if there is one fact that would confirm this as a Union victory, it is the fact that Major General Stuart was denied access to the Union rear.

During the night of July 4-5, General Lee ordered his battered army to begin its retreat from Gettysburg. The Army of Northern Virginia began moving southwest on the Fairfield Road toward Hagerstown and Williamsport. As he had done so many times, General Stuart and his cavalry screened the army's movements. General Meade's Union infantry followed cautiously the next day, converging on Middletown, Maryland. On July 7, Union cavalry General Buford troopers were stopped from occupying Williamsport and destroying Confederate trains. Union General Kilpatrick's division were successful in driving two Confederate cavalry brigades from Hagerstown, Md., before being forced to retire by the arrival of the rest of Stuart's command. General Lee's infantry finally reached the swollen Potomac River and could not cross. The pontoon bridge keft behind during the earlier crossing, had been destroyed by a cavalry raid. On July 11, General Lee entrenched a line, protecting the river crossings at Williamsport and prepared for Meade's army to attack. The next day,July 12, General Meade's vanguard reached the vicinity of the Confederate army and began testing its strength and positioning. July 13, The Union forces were ready for an attack, believing they had the Confederates trapped, with the river at their backs. However, the river had fallen enough to allow the construction of a new bridge, and General Lee ordered his army to begin crossing the river after dark, that evening.

The following morning, July 14th, Union Generals Kilpatrick's and Buford's troops attacked the rearguard division of Confederate General Henry Heth, still on the on the north bank of the Potomac, taking more than 500 prisoners. Confederate Brigadier General James Pettigrew was mortally wounded in the fight.

On July 16, Union infantry commander Gregg's forces approached Shepherdstown where Confederate General Fitzhugh Lee's and Colonel Chambliss's cavalry brigades held the Potomac River fords. The Confederate cavalry attacked the Union troops, who held out against several assults until nightfall, when they finally retired from the field.

After the retreat from Gettysburg, the Confederate army passing back into Virginia by way of the Shennandoah Valley, was concentrated behind the Rapidan River in Orange County. The Union forces advanced as far as the Rappahannock River in August. As September came, they pushed forward to confront the Army of Northern Virginia along the Rapidan.

It was early September when General Lee dispatched two divisions under General James Longstreet to reinforce the Confederate army of general Braxton Bragg in Georgia. Early in October, General Lee began a sweep around Union General Meade's right flank with the remaining two corps of his now dwindling army. This gutsy move forced the Federals to retreat along the Orange & Alexandria Railroad. On October 13, General Stuart, along with General Fitzhugh Lee and his cavalry brigades, made heated contact with the rearguard of the Union III Corps near Auburn. General Stuart found himself and his troopers cut off by retreating Union columns, secreted his troopers in a wooded ravine until the unsuspecting Union troops moved on.

After a defeat of General Ambrose P. Hills corps at Bristoe Station as well as an aborted attempt on Centreville, General Stuart's cavalry shielded the withdrawal of the Army of Northern Virginia from the area of Manassas Junction.

By November 7, the Union army was finally able to force passage across the Rappahannock River at two different places; overrunning the Confederate bridgehead at Rappahannock Station, and at Kelly's Ford. The Confederates retreated, allowing the Union troops to cross enmasse. Once again, General Lee's Army of Northern Virginia was forced south of the Rapidan River. The Army of the Potomac occupied the area around Brandy Station and Culpeper County.

Union General Grant in preparing his plans for the "Overland Campaign", decided that moving south toward Richmond would draw out General Lee's Army of Northern Virginia where they could be met on ground more favorable to the Federals. However, General Lee's brilliance confounded General Grant's plans as the two armies met and fought in an area known as the "Wilderness". Here the undergrowth was so thick, the two opposing forces could hardly see one another and it served to neutralize the greater strength of the Federals.

Finally, General Grant determined to breakout of the Wilderness sent cavalry south to clear the way to Spotsylvania Courthouse, while the infantry was to withdraw all the while working to "keep a stern face to the enemy." General Grant was anxious to continue the fight and though hids plan called for continuous contact with his enemy his troops moved slowly south gnarled in traffic jams of men and supplies.

General Lee, suspecting General Grant's true target was again the strategic crossing at Fredericksburg. In order to counter the movements of the Union juggernaut, General Lee ordered Maj. General Robert Anderson's First Corps to Spotsylvania Courthouse.

On the morning of May 8,1864, Union Major General Gouverneur K. Warren's V Corps came into contact with Confederate Major General Fitzhugh Lee's cavalry division west of Spotsylvania Courthouse at Laurel Hill. In the mean time, Union Maj. General James Wilson's cavalry division swept into Spotsylvania Courthouse from the east. However, the Union troops were unaware of the arrival of General Anderson's corps and were routed in their first attempt to assault the hill.

The remainder of the day was punctuated by intense artillery duels, the continuous arrival of exhausted Union troops from the "Wilderness", and the sounds of construction as the Confederate troops built formidable breastworks.

By the morning of May 9, 1864; the Confederate right swung north protecting high ground and created a salient that would later be known as the "Mule Shoe". General Grant, believing that General Lee was reconcentrating his troops to the east, designed an aggressive assault plan against the Confederate left flank. However, this plan also failed because Lee was not moving to the east, and General Meade did not fully understand his commander's plans. Once again, General Lee had the foresight to protect his flanks and thwart any gains by the Union forces.

General Grant, having heard of a boast of General Phil Sheridan that his Union cavalry could defeat that of Confederate General Stuart's, championed his cause and ordered General Meade to release his cavalry commander to do just that. Major General Phil Sheridan began his sweeping move toward Richmond, and General Stuart's Confederate cavalry pursued. General Sheridan determined to lure his nemisis into the open and crush the Confederate cavalry.

On 10 May, 1864; the two opposing cavalry forces faced off south of Spotsylvania Courthouse. Union General Sheridan commanded three divisions, greatly outnumbering General Stuart's three brigades. General Stuart decided to divide his force and send Major General Fitzhugh Lee's brigade toward Richmond, where he hoped he would be supported by infantry troops guarding the capital. On 11 May, 1864.... with General Fitzhugh Lee positioned at a crossroads six miles north of Richmond near Yellow Tavern, he repulsed Sheridan's first assault. In the afternoon, however, General Sheridan's overpowering numbers overpowered the Confederates. Their lines fell, and during the battle, the Confederate Cavalry Commander and Chief, General James Ewell Brown Stuart received a mortal wound to the abdomen.

On 12 May, 1864; General Lee suffered another terrible loss as his "Eyes of the Army" succumed to his wound and General J.E.B. Stuart was lost to the Confederacy forever.