"Best Cavalry Commanders of the ACW." Topic

Top five from this list and any I might have left out.

Turner Ashby
William W. Averell
John Buford
Louis Henry Carpenter
Philip St. George Cooke
George Armstrong Custer
Ulric Dahlgren
Elon J. Farnsworth
Nathan Bedford Forrest
Lot Smith
David McM. Gregg
Benjamin Grierson
Wade Hampton
John D. Imboden
Jesse James
Frank James
Albert G. Jenkins
William E. "Grumble" Jones
Judson Kilpatrick
Fitzhugh Lee
W.H.F. "Rooney" Lee
Lot Smith
John S. Marmaduke
Wesley Merritt
John Hunt Morgan
John S. Mosby
John Pelham
Alfred Pleasonton
William Quantrill
Beverly Robertson
Thomas L. Rosser
Joseph O. "Jo" Shelby
Philip Sheridan
David S. Stanley
George Stoneman
J.E.B. Stuart
Alfred Thomas Torbert
Earl Van Dorn
John A. Wharton
Joseph Wheeler
James H. Wilson
Cole Younger

Not sure I could name the top five, but I'd have to give the win to Nathan Bedford Forrest. Kind of bittersweet, because in the end all he did was extend the misery.

🤔

Murvihill, would have to agree. He could lead all aspects. But not an easy man to get along with and have as a subordinate.

Tough to name top five but Stuart, Mosby, Forrest and Hampton spring to mind – and Buford if for no other reason than his central importance in determining where and how Gettysburg was fought

As a note, Kilpatrick's troopers called him "Killcavalry" for a reason

For leading a raid, countering an enemy raid, or actually fighting in a battle, you couldn't beat Forrest. He was not so great, however, in serving as the eyes and ears of his army. Stuart was better at that.

For a good, all-round, very reliable, unspectacular cavalry commander, it would hard to beat Gregg. If you want all that plus spectacular, go with Custer.

Forrest
Morgan
Wheeler
Wilson
Sheridan

Jesse and Frank James were not cavalry leaders. They rode with Quantrill and Anderson but never commanded. Plus, they were guerilla fighters not cavalry.

Forrest, Wheeler, Wilson

Forrest, Mosby, Grierson, Buford (he was always good but Gettysburg is too important to leave him off), and Sheridan.

Stuart is overrated.

Stuart, Hampton, Forrest, Custer, Buford. But a very different five might be just as defensible.

My list was primarily CSA since they did more with less resources. Wilson was a raider in Alabama who operated without support from Sherman.

Does ACW "Cavalry" really meet the definition? I had always operated under the sense that it fit more under "mounted infantry."

Not wanting to set of a row or flame war, but I don't think European experts of that day would consider them cavalry, in the purest sense.

Yes ACW cavalry does meet the definition. The better question might be whether some of those were leaders of cavalry specifically v leaders of mounted troops generally. To my mind Wade Hampton was the best "cavalry" commander in the Confederate army. For "mounted troops generally", no question it is Forrest. Ashby, a sentimental favorite, doesn't last long enough. On the U.S. side, Buford for either.

My match thrown on gasoline: I don't see Sheridan as a great commander of mounted troops. His successes in the Valley were as commander of an army composed primarily of infantry.

Sure are a lot of nobodys on this list to choose from.

George Armstrong Custer was the best cavalry commander in the Civil War, from beginning to end.

Still go #1 with Forrest.
Hampton was as said, good with cavalry.

For the North, seems almost like a draw between, Buford, Gregg, Wilson and Custer, (depends on the scenario of what you wanted to accomplish).

Mosby, Morgan and those like them, were more raiders. Although good at what they did.

Stuart, I can't put up there. His successes were more when Union Cavalry was at best, poor. He deteriorated as a war progressed and Union cavalry became better. Reminds me a lot of Prince Rupert.

Would have been interesting to see how Farnsworth would have turned out, if "Kill Cavalry" had not stupidly wasted his life and others at Gettysburg.

But like everyone else, only opinion. 🙂

Wilson very nearly got his division wiped out on the Southside Raid. By Hampton. And Custer nearly had his last stand at Travilian Station.

I have read several late 1800s books on Sheridan. IMHO, many felt that Sheridan got the cavalry commander label from the Indian Wars, not ACW.

GAC was the first Union commander to capture a Confederate battle flag. Custer actually captured more battle flags, more supply wagons, and more prisoners and artillery than anyone else. Was he impulsive and brash? Most definitely, but all great cavalry commanders were. He would have been spectacular in the Grande Armee

Let's not forget that the table that Lee signed the Confederate surrender on was sent to Elizabeth Custer with a note saying, "That no one man was more responsible for the outcome of this war than your gallant husband."

Custer
Hampton
Buford
Forrest
William "Red" Jackson

Hampton, Buford, Grierson, Mosby, Morgan – I am fond of the raiders, Grierson was both a good commander and famous for his raid.

Nathan Bedford Forrest without a doubt

Forrest was a spectacular pain in the butt for the North.
Buford's decisions and performance at Gettysburg – legendary.
Custer & Stuart bold, reckless, and heirs of Murat's spirit.

Gregg & Hampton as solid unadorned backstops.