The Forgotten History | Maj. General John Buford

John Buford Jr. Was born on March 4th, 1826 outside of Lexington, Kentucky in Woodford County. A few years later his family moved to Rock Island, Illinois which was where Buford grew up along the banks of the Mississippi River his father John Senior was a political opponent of Abraham Lincoln who served in various government offices throughout his life. Buford's Older half-brother Napoleon Bonaparte Buford (Not made up) was a Union general who has served Ulysses S. Grant who has served at the Battle of Belmont and the Siege of Corinth and later commanded the district of East Arkansas. They have a cousin called Abraham Buford who was Confederate Brigadier General in charge of a Cavalry in the Western Theatre. As a young man growing up at Rock Island, John Buford was known at a young age as a Fine Horseman. Neighbors often see John Buford on a Horse quoted "On a bareback horse that no other boy in the town could ride." It looked like John Buford was destined to be a Cavalryman. As a teenager, he went to Knox College for a year before being accepted in 1848 by the United States Military Academy at west point Buford performed pretty well at West point he finished at the middle point of the class at 16th Place. Out of the 25 men in the class in 1848 who went on to serve in the American Civil War, Buford was the only one who reached the rank of Major General. After he graduated Buford has commissioned a Brevet Second Lieutenant in the First U.S Dragoons and the following year he was transferred to the U.S Second Dragoons where he would serve throughout the rest of his career before the Civil war. During his service, Buford married Martha McDowell Duke. She was known to his friends and family as Patty, Patty's great uncle was Chief Justice John Marshall and a number of her cousins would later go on to serve as officers in the Confederate Army. With his time in the Second Dragoons, Buford fought against the Sioux in Texas and Peacekeeping duty in the Bloody Kansas Crisis and served in a war in Utah in 1858. Which is where he would serve up to the Eve of the American civil war. It was the pony express bringing up letters containing the word of the attack at Fort Sumter and led Buford to decide to make. He was a native Kentuckian, was a Son of a Slave-Owning Father, the Husband of a woman who had relatives who chose to fight in the South, and a Number of his Family Members chose to fight for the south. But, on the other hand, Buford was educated in the North and he comes to maturity in the army his two most influential professionals as role models were Colonel Harney and Philip Saint George Cook who were both southerners who decided to stay in the Union and fight for the US Army. Buford loved his profession and his time on the frontier had severed any ties he may have had, that drove many other southerners home to fight for their native south. John Gibbon was a native North Carolinian faced the same dilemma and he recalled at the post-war memoir the evening that John Bufford made his decision to fight for the Union. This is what Gibbon said

"One night after the arrival of the mail we were in his (Buford's) room when Buford in his slow deliberate way... I got a letter from the Governor of Kentucky. He sent me word to come to Kentucky at once and I shall have anything I want with a good deal of anxiety, I (Gibbon) asked.... What did you answer, John? And my relief was great when he replied.... I sent him word I was a Captain in the United States Army and I intended to remain one!"

-Civil War Memoir of John Gibbon

When the Civil War began Buford was still a Captain in the Second Dragoons, In November of 1861 he was promoted to Major and made Assistant Inspector General of the defenses around Washington D.C in the capacity he would remain until John Pope commands the Army of Virginia in 1862 and secured a commissioned for Buford as a Brigadier General and commanding a Cavalry Brigade in the Second Corp and this was still a time in the Union Army when Cavalry was assigned to each of the corps and did not have independent command. Buford's first action as Brigade commander came in August 1862 at the Second Battle of Bullrun he led his Brigade very well before being shot in the knee by a gunshot wound, during the Maryland Campaign McClellan pulled Buford from Brigade command to appoint him to the General Staff as his Chief of Cavalry. Later at the Battle of Antietam, he found himself stuck at Headquarters with no Field Command now that said the lack of field command did not keep Buford from influencing events that day he happened to be present when Joe Hooker was wounded at the cornfield when Hooker expressed his desire that General Meade who was one of the field commanders assumed who was one of his Division Commanders assumed command of First Corp. Buford spurred his horse and found General McClellan and relayed Hooker's wishes to the commanding general. Author David Petruzzi wrote

"Buford, Then, played a major role in getting the right commander to the right place at a crucial time. It would not be the last time this would happen."
- David Petruzzi

So after the Battle of Antietam, Buford remained in the General staff under General Ambrose Burnside through the Battle of Fredericksburg. When Joseph Hooker took command of the Army of Potomac he reorganized the Cavalry to a single separate Corp and Buford was given command of the Reserve Brigade of Regular Infantry reporting directly to the Corp Commander a Friend of his by the name of George Stoneman. After the Battle of Chancellorsville, Alfred Pleasanton was given command of the Cavalry Corp through General Hooker would later lament that Buford would be a better choice. Buford was given a Division command and led his Division into action at Brandy Station which still is considered as the Largest Cavalry Battle in the American Civil War. He led them again in June 1863 at Upperville, Virginia where he unsuccessfully attempted to turn Stewart's Flank. A Week later Buford's Division rode into a small southern Pennsylvanian town of Gettysburg and History of John Buford quickly realized the tactical importance of the place but also faced a superior force of Confederate Infantry, Buford set about creating a defense against the Confederate advance. He was acutely aware of the tactical importance of holding the high grounds south of town and when Heath's Division began to attack July 1st, Buford brigades fought hard to hold the ground west of Gettysburg and to allow time and room for infantry support to arrive so they can eventually hold the ground south of town at Cemetery Hill and Cemetery Ridge. Buford's Skillful defensive troop's dispositions coupled with the Bravery and Tenacity of his dismounted men allowed the 1st Infantry Corp time to come up to support and maintain a union foothold on these tactically important positions. Buford's foresight for choosing the ground at Gettysburg his skill and tenacity and holding his position despite large confederate rebels attacking him played an important role in the Union victory at the Battle of Gettysburg. Major General John Watts wrote this

"The hero... was John Buford... he not only showed the rarest tenacity, but his personal capacity made his cavalry accomplish marvels, and rival infantry in their steadfastness... Glorious John Buford!!"
-John Watts

Following the Battle of Gettysburg, the Army of Potomac saw little action for the rest of 1863. During Lee's retreat south of Gettysburg, Buford pursued the Confederates to warrant in Virginia and was afterward engaged in a small number of operations in central Virginia giving especially valuable service in covering George Meade's infantry movements in October 1863 Bristow Campaign unfortunately by mid-December it was becoming obvious that Buford was getting sick possibly contracting Typhoid and took respite at the Washington home of his old friend end George Stoneman. On December 16th Stoneman Initiated a proposal that Buford be promoted to the rank of Major General and President Abraham Lincoln Agreed writing I'm informed that General Buford will not survive the day it suggests itself to me that will be made a major general for distinguished and meritorious service at the Battle of Gettysburg informed about this information Buford have some doubt as to whether it was real and he asked does he mean it. When he was assured of the promotion he was genuine he replied "It's too late now I wish I could live" in his last hours Buford attended with his aide Captain Miles Kough who would later go on to perish at the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876. And by Edward his Black servant also present was Lieutenant A.J Alexander and General Stoneman his Wife Patty was on her way from Rock Island, Illinois but unfortunately, she would not arrive in time. Near the end, he became delirious and began to admonish his servant but then at the moment of clarity, he called the man and apologized. He said

"I hear Edward that I've been scolding you, I did not know what I was doing Edward you've been a faithful servant to me."

John Buford died at 2 PM on December 16, 1863, while Miles Kia held him in his arms his final reported words were 'Put Guards on all the roads and don't let the men run to the rear.' On December 20th, Memorial services were held at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church. A Church in the corner of 8th Street in New York Avenue, on Washington, D.C. President Abraham Lincoln was among the Mourners. Buford's wife was unable to attend because of illness. The Pallbearers included General Casey, Heinzelman, Sickles, Scofield, Handcock, Doubleday, and Governor Warren. General Stoneman commanded the escort in a procession that included the grey eagle Buford's old white horse that he wrote on Gettysburg.
"No more to follow his daring form or see him dash through the battle's storm
No more with him to ride down the foe
And behold his falchion's crushing blow
Nor hear his voice, like a rushing blast
As a rider and steed went charging past... Buford's dead!"

-Philadelphia Inquirer, December 21st, 1863.

Two of Buford's Staff Captain Keo and Wadsworth escorted his body at west point and buried alongside the Hero of Gettysburg Lieutenant Alonzo Cushing who had died defending that high ground that Buford recognized as being so valuable. In 1865 a 25-foot Obelisk style monument was erected over his grave financed by the members of his old division the officers of his staff published a resolution that set forth the esteem in which John Buford was held by those in his command and this is what they wrote

"We the staff of the late Major General John Buford fully appreciating his merits as a gentleman. Soldier, Commander, and Patriot. Conceive his death to be an irreparable loss to the cavalry arm of the service that we have been deprived of a friend and leader whose sole ambition was our success and whose chief pleasure was in administering to the welfare safety and happiness of the soldiers and men of his command that to his unwearied exertions and the many responsible positions which he has occupied the service at large is indebted for much of his deficiency and in his death, the cavalry has lost a firm friend and most ardent advocate that we are called to mourn the loss of one who was ever to us as the kindest and tenderest father and that our fondest desire and wish will ever be to perpetuate his memory and emulate his grace."

Thank you for listening to the Story of John Buford. And Thank you and Goodbye!

2 years ago 88 views 1 frames 1 Like

This User's Other Animes

Get App