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Stuart was a complex, but flawed hero. Concededly a master of "riding around" the Union Army, and a superb gatherer of intelligence, Stuart's success in the early war years was due, in no small part, to the superiority of Southern horsemanship, and the critical fact that the command of the Army of the Potomac had no coherent operational or organizational plan for their cavalry. Union Cavalry was wasted on picket and courier duties. It wasn't until Hooker that the Cavalry was finally concentrated in a Corps of its own.

Strata's high point, IMHO, was his conduct, as Jackson's replacement at Chancellorsville, where he commanded both the Cavalry, and Jackson's Corps after Jackson fell. Apparently Stuart hoped to be promoted to LT. GEN., and permanently assume command of II Corps. It went to Ewell instead.

By 1863, however, two things became noticeable. First, Stuart had a large ego. And second, he engaged in more flamboyant raids to satisfy that ego [Since, as noted in the main article, his horses were becoming increasingly fragile, and hard to replace, which in Confederate Calvary required leave for the trooper to get his own horse}. After the Battle of Brandy Station, Stuart was primed to try and redeem his reputation, and Lee's ambiguous orders to him for the Gettysburg campaign provided the excuse [although in fairness to Stuart, he left Lee adequate cavalry for screening. The problem was he didn't leave Lee Stuart, and the Brigadiers he did leave weren't easy to work with]. The results are well known.

Post Gettysburg, Stuart continued to function as Lee's eyes and ears, but not quite as effectively, since the rejuvenated Union Cavalry pushed him hard, and he was now required to respond to their actions, instead of they to his.And there is no better example of that than Yellow Tavern. Stuart was forced to go to battle at a tempo forced on him by Sheridan, whose choice of route, and march speed, allowed Stuart to get ahead of him only by proceeding at a killing pace, with a partial force. Sheridan's men and horses were well rested when they engaged. Stuart's were not. And Stuart payed with his life.

While I think Stuart was a great light cavalryman, I don't see him as the Civil War's greatest. On the Confederate side, I would have to choose Forrest, who could raid as well as Stuart, and win battles as well. On the Union side, Sheridan was superior, and I would also give the edge to Wilson. Both could, and did, do everything Stuart did and more. They won campaigns.

Concededly, except at Chancellorsville, Stuart never had the chance to command combined arms, as Sheridan did. But Lee never gave him that chance. And Lee, out of all his Corps commanders, never promoted Stuart to the rank of Lieutenant General, despite his length of service commanding the Cavalry Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia.