|
John Buford, Jr. (March 4, 1826 – December 16, 1863) was a Union cavalry officer during the American Civil War. A West Point regular, born in the divided border state of Kentucky, he had many Southern connections, but opted to stay in the Union Army. His first command was a cavalry brigade under Major General John Pope, and he distinguished himself at Second Bull Run, where he was wounded, and also saw action at Antietam and Chancellorsville. Arriving at the small town of Gettysburg before the Confederate army was concentrated for battle, Buford was quick to recognize the importance of the high ground south of the town, and conducted delaying actions against superior infantry numbers until Union reinforcements arrived to establish defensive positions there. Later, Buford rendered valuable service to Major General George G. Meade, both in the pursuit of Robert E. Lee, and in the Bristoe Campaign, but his health started to fail, possibly from typhoid. On his deathbed, he received a personal message from President Abraham Lincoln, promoting him to major general in recognition of his tactical skill and leadership on the first day of Gettysburg. ==Early years== Buford was born in Woodford County, Kentucky, but was raised in Rock Island, Illinois, from the age of eight. His father was a prominent Democratic politician in Illinois and a political opponent of Abraham Lincoln. Buford was of English descent.〔Boatner. Encyclopedia. Marcus Bainbridge Buford. "The Buford Family in America," 1903.〕 His family had a long military tradition. John Jr.'s grandfather, Simeon Buford, served in the cavalry during the American Revolutionary War under Henry "Lighthorse" Lee, the father of Robert E. Lee. His great-uncle, Colonel Abraham Buford (of the Waxhaw Massacre), also served in a Virginia regiment. His half-brother, Napoleon Bonaparte Buford, would become a major general in the Union Army, while his cousin, Abraham Buford, would become a cavalry brigadier general in the Confederate States Army. After attending Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, for one year, Buford was accepted into the Class of 1848 at the United States Military Academy (West Point). Upperclassmen during Buford's time at West Point included Fitz-John Porter (Class of 1845), George B. McClellan (1846), Thomas J. Jackson (1846), George Pickett (1846), and two future commanders and friends, George Stoneman (1846) and Ambrose Burnside (1847). The Class of 1847 also included A.P. Hill and Henry Heth, two men Buford would face at Gettysburg on the morning of July 1, 1863. Buford graduated 16th of 38 cadets and was commissioned a brevet second lieutenant in the 1st U.S. Dragoons, transferring the next year to the 2nd U.S. Dragoons.〔Eicher, ''Longest Night'', p. 153.〕 He served in Texas and against the Sioux, served on peacekeeping duty in Bleeding Kansas, and in the Utah War in 1858. He was stationed at Fort Crittenden, Utah, from 1859 to 1861.〔Bielakowski, p. 310; Longacre, pp. 69–73; Fort Crittenden was originally named Camp Floyd, but was renamed during his assignment there.〕 He studied the works of General John Watts de Peyster, who urged that the skirmish line become the new line of battle.〔Hamersly, pp. 82–88.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「John Buford」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|