During an 1865 raid through North Carolina, Major General George Stoneman missed capturing the fleeing Jefferson Davis only by a matter of hours, timing somewhat typical of Stoneman’s life and career. This biography provides an in-depth look at the life and military career of Major General George Stoneman, beginning with his participation in the 2,000-mile march of the Mormon Battalion and other western expeditions. The main body of the work focuses on his Civil War service, during which he directed the progress of the Union cavalry and led several pivotal raids on Confederate forces. In spite of Stoneman’s postwar career as military governor of Virginia and governor of California, his life was marked by his inability to reach ultimate success in war or politics, necessitating a discussion of his weaknesses as well as his achievements as a commander and a politician. Period photographs are included.

Ben Fuller Fordney teaches American history at Blue Ridge Community College in Harrisonburg, Virginia. He serves as director of the Shenandoah Civil War Associates.

Ben Fuller Fordney

Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 207
Bibliographic Info: 25 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2014 [2008]
pISBN: 978-0-7864-9549-8
eISBN: 978-0-7864-8346-4
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments       vii
Preface      1

1. Stoneman in Command      5
2. West Point      11
3. With the Mormon Battalion      16
4. From California to the Rio Grande      27
5. With McClellan      35
6. Stuart Redux      48
7. Fredericksburg      54
8. The Bursting Shell      62
9. “We were whipped…”      81
10. Payment of a Debt      101
11. Riots and Reconstruction      122
12. Arizona Territory      142
13. Governor Stoneman      156

Epilogue      171
Chapter Notes      175
Bibliography      189
Index      195

• “impressive”—Civil War News
• “well written”—North Carolina and the Civil War
• “This is a nice book about Stoneman and will make a fine addition to your Union bookshelf. This book has an ‘EXCELLENT’ rating”—The Lone Star.