J.E.B. Stuart: Battle of Gettysburg Scapegoat

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Third, Stuart claimed that Meade was forced to detach 4,000 men from the army to protect property between Washington and Frederick. Meade did detach those forces for protection, but because of the threat of incursions by guerrillas. Stuart’s raid did not cause Meade to send out any of his forces, nor did it mislead the enemy about the army’s real intentions, as Longstreet had suggested. Instead, Union signal stations on Maryland heights observed and reported the crossing of Lee’s army into Maryland as early as June 23.

Stuart receives most of his criticism when the raid is reviewed strategically. His detractors claimed that Stuart’s willful misinterpretation of Lee’s orders caused his late arrival at Gettysburg and thus was a major cause of Lee’s defeat, since the absence of cavalry permitted Lee to be surprised by the Union troops and forced into an early general engagement. Critics ask: What if Stuart had not brought along his captured wagon train and had made it to Gettysburg on July 1? Could he have helped to sweep the small force of Union cavalry out of town before Maj. Gen. John Reynolds’ I Corps arrived? And what if Stuart had been available on July 2? Would this have led to better reconnaissance, with Lee deciding to go along with Longstreet’s suggestion of a turning movement to force Meade out of his position?

To say that Stuart’s late arrival left Lee with no cavalry is ridiculous. Lee had Jenkins’ cavalry available at Gettysburg on July 1 and could have had Robertson’s and Jones’ brigades. On July 2, 250 men from Hampton’s brigade were available to Lee and Longstreet for reconnaissance, but they were used instead to guard roads at Longstreet’s rear. And Lee should not have been surprised, as he claimed. He knew the Union army had been shifting troops toward Leesburg, and on June 28 he found out that the enemy was building a pontoon bridge at Edward’s Ferry. And if it is true that Lee had been forced into an early encounter at Gettysburg, it is also true that Meade was just as surprised, and the initial advantage lay with Lee.

Why then did Stuart receive such harsh criticism? His own long, detailed report attempted to prove the virtues of the raid and its strategically sound foundation. He wrote too much, however, and his self-righteous attitude and tendency to blame others for the failures of the campaign caused the report to be considered unreliable. Moreover, by accusing the army of not being where he thought it would be, he unwittingly questioned the soundness of Lee’s strategy, thus incurring the wrath of all who thought Lee could do no wrong.

The ultimate responsibility for authorizing Stuart’s raid lies with Lee. Whether the risk of wearing out three cavalry brigades was worth the effort is debatable. What is undeniable is that Lee authorized the raid. In doing so, his faith in Stuart led him merely to indicate his wishes, thus giving Stuart considerable latitude in carrying them out. His two letters were more like suggestions than orders. They provided no definate timetable for Stuart and only a vague location of where Ewell’s corps would be headed. Regardless of Stuart’s abilities, if orders or suggestions are conditional, then the conditions implied should be made explicitly clear. In this case, they were not.

Having given Stuart permission to raid the Union rear, implying that he might roam widely for an unspecified period of time, Lee should have expected that Stuart would be out of touch for several days and that he would have to rely on the cavalry left with him. Lee’s battle report states that General Stuart would give notice of its [the enemy's] movements, and nothing having been heard from him since our entrance into Maryland, it was inferred that the enemy had not yet left Virginia. This comment was unfounded and based on hindsight. Lee’s assumption was a dangerous one, and not good generalship. If Stuart’s presence is what Lee missed, and if he had no confidence in Robertson and Jones, then he should have insisted that Stuart leave behind a commander he could trust. The fault of not having the army properly screened and aware of the Union army’s movements lies with Lee, not Stuart.

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Tags: 19th Century, America's Civil War, American Civil War, Historical Conflicts, Historical Figures

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