"Major General J.E.B. Stuart"

James Ewell Brown ‘Jeb’ Stuart was the outstanding Confederate Cavalry officer of the Civil War. Originally from Virginia ‘Jeb’ Stuart was a regular U.S. Army officer since his graduation from West Point in 1854. A veteran Indian fighter he also participated in the capture of slavery abolitionist, John Brown at Harpers Ferry in 1859. After resigning his commission in 1861 he returned to Virginia and was made cavalry commander of the troops under Thomas ‘Stonewall’ Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley campaign. Throughout his military career he established a reputation as a bold and audacious cavalry leader and a ‘master’ of reconnaissance and the use of cavalry in support of offensive operations. In addition, he cultivated an almost ‘cavalier’ image with his feathered hat cocked to the side and his canary-yellow faced uniform ‘shell’ jacket. Major General ‘Jeb’ Stuart was fatally wounded in action at the ‘Battle of Yellow Tavern’ in May 1864. Transported by field ambulance to the Confederate capital, Richmond, he died aged just 31 years old on May 12, 1864. Upon hearing of Stuart’s death, his commander, General Robert E. Lee said that ‘he could scarcely keep from weeping at the mere mention of Stuart’s name’.