The Cavalry Corps of the

Army of Northern Virginia The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was also the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most oft ...

was an organized unit of cavalry in the Confederate Army during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. Starting out as a

brigade A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division. Br ...

in late 1861, becoming a

division Division or divider may refer to: Mathematics *Division (mathematics), the inverse of multiplication *Division algorithm, a method for computing the result of mathematical division Military *Division (military), a formation typically consisting ...

in 1862 and finally a

Corps Corps (; plural ''corps'' ; from French , from the Latin "body") is a term used for several different kinds of organization. A military innovation by Napoleon I, the formation was first named as such in 1805. The size of a corps varies great ...

in 1863; it served in the Eastern Theater until the ANV's surrender in April 1865.

Formation and development under Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart

The rise of the ANV's Cavalry can be almost entirely tied to the career and organizational efforts of its first commander,

Maj. Gen. Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

J.E.B. Stuart James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart (February 6, 1833May 12, 1864) was a United States Army officer from Virginia who became a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War. He was known to his friends as "Jeb,” from the initials of ...

. During summer 1861, before the Army of Northern Virginia was formed, the confederate cavalry in the Eastern Theater was limited to regiments or smaller units attached to districts or larger formations. Noteworthy were Stuart's 1st Virginia Cavalry, the 30th Virginia Cavalry and

Hampton's Legion Hampton's Legion was an American Civil War military unit of the Confederate States of America, organized and partially financed by wealthy South Carolina planter Wade Hampton III. Initially composed of infantry, cavalry, and artillery battalions ...

from South Carolina. Recommendations and endorsements from Generals

P.G.T. Beauregard Pierre Gustave Toutant-Beauregard (May 28, 1818 - February 20, 1893) was a Confederate general officer of Louisiana Creole descent who started the American Civil War by leading the attack on Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861. Today, he is common ...

Joseph E. Johnston Joseph Eggleston Johnston (February 3, 1807 – March 21, 1891) was an American career army officer, serving with distinction in the United States Army during the Mexican–American War (1846–1848) and the Seminole Wars. After Virginia secede ...

and

James Longstreet James Longstreet (January 8, 1821January 2, 1904) was one of the foremost Confederate generals of the American Civil War and the principal subordinate to General Robert E. Lee, who called him his "Old War Horse". He served under Lee as a corps ...

led to a promotion to brigadier general for Stuart in September 1861; and the formation of a unified cavalry brigade under his command. On August 17, 1862 the cavalry division was built – swollen to four brigades in less than a year. On September 9, 1863 the Cavalry Corps was finally established with six brigades in two divisions. Key engagements of the Cavalry Division/Corps under Stuart's leadership included: * The Raid around McClellan's army ( Peninsula Campaign) * The Raid on General

Pope The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...

(

First Battle of Rappahannock Station The First Battle of Rappahannock Station, (also known as Waterloo Bridge, White Sulphur Springs, Lee Springs, and Freeman’s Ford) as took place on August 23, 1862, at present-day Remington, Virginia, as part of the Northern Virginia Campaign ...

) * Defense of Crampton's Gap ( Maryland Campaign) * The Raid around McClellan's army (following the Battle of Antietam) * The Raid beyond the Rappahannock River * The

Battle of Fredericksburg The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. The combat, between the Union Army of the Potomac commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnsi ...

: Check of Franklin's attack * The

Battle of Chancellorsville The Battle of Chancellorsville, April 30 – May 6, 1863, was a major battle of the American Civil War (1861–1865), and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville campaign. Chancellorsville is known as Lee's "perfect battle" because h ...

(Stuart temporarily commanded Second Corps) * The

Battle of Brandy Station The Battle of Brandy Station, also called the Battle of Fleetwood Hill, was the largest predominantly cavalry engagement of the American Civil War, as well as the largest ever to take place on American soil. It was fought on June 9, 1863, aroun ...

* The Raid around Meade's army ( Gettysburg Campaign) * The screen and defense of Lee following the

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. In the battle, Union Major General George Meade's Army of the Po ...

* The screen and defense of Lee against Sheridan in the 1864

Overland Campaign The Overland Campaign, also known as Grant's Overland Campaign and the Wilderness Campaign, was a series of battles fought in Virginia during May and June 1864, in the American Civil War. Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, general-in-chief of all Union ...

Following the death of Stuart on May 11, 1864, the Cavalry Corps was split into two independent divisions under Hampton and Fitz Lee.

Command under Lt. Gen. Wade Hampton

The second commander, wealthy

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

planter

Wade Hampton III Wade Hampton III (March 28, 1818April 11, 1902) was an American military officer who served the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War and later a politician from South Carolina. He came from a wealthy planter family, and ...

, had served as the senior brigade and division commander under J.E.B. Stuart. When the cavalry was split after Stuart's death Hampton continued to command his division for three months until General Robert E. Lee remerged the Cavalry Corps on August 11, 1864, under Hampton's command. He first managed the corps beginning with engagements screening the army along the

Pamunkey River The Pamunkey River is a tributary of the York River, about long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 in eastern Virginia in the United States. Via the York Rive ...

in engagements such as the

Battle of Haw's Shop The Battle of Haw's Shop or Enon Church was fought on May 28, 1864, in Hanover County, Virginia, as part of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign against Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia during the Amer ...

(historical Hawe's Shop). Originally Hampton was from

Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina, the county seat of Charleston County, and the principal city in the Charleston–North Charleston metropolitan area. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint o ...

, and continued to command cavalry units from the Carolinas in his division. Continuing in command through the

Siege of Petersburg The Richmond–Petersburg campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War. Although it is more popularly known as the Siege of Petersburg, it was not a cla ...

, General Lee decided to release his Carolina cavalry units, including Hampton, back to the aid and defense of South Carolina under the

Army of Tennessee The Army of Tennessee was the principal Confederate army operating between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. It was formed in late 1862 and fought until the end of the war in 1865, participating i ...

, as Maj. Gen.

William T. Sherman William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...

began his march from Georgia to

Columbia, South Carolina Columbia is the capital of the U.S. state of South Carolina. With a population of 136,632 at the 2020 census, it is the second-largest city in South Carolina. The city serves as the county seat of Richland County, and a portion of the city ...

. Hampton and the Carolina cavalry units were moved by rail to Columbia, and fought delay-and-defense actions against Sherman. Key engagements under Hampton's leadership included: * The

* The

Battle of Trevilian Station The Battle of Trevilian Station (also called Trevilians) was fought on June 11–12, 1864, in Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign against Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. Union cavalry under Maj. ...

* The Beefsteak Raid * The

Command under Maj. Gen. Fitzhugh Lee

Upon the departure of General Hampton, Maj. Gen.

Fitzhugh Lee Fitzhugh Lee (November 19, 1835 – April 28, 1905) was a Confederate cavalry general in the American Civil War, the 40th Governor of Virginia, diplomat, and United States Army general in the Spanish–American War. He was the son of Sydney S ...

took over the smaller remaining Cavalry Corps in February 1865. He was in command of the corps through the evacuation of Petersburg and

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

, and through the course of the Appomattox Campaign, until the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia. Key engagements under Lee's leadership included: * Defense of Lee during the Appomattox Campaign * The last cavalry charge on April 9, 1865, at Farmville, Virginia

Key personnel

Division commanders

Matthew C. Butler Matthew Calbraith Butler (March 8, 1836April 14, 1909) was a Confederate soldier, an American military commander and attorney and politician from South Carolina. He served as a major general in the Confederate States Army during the American ...

– succeeded Stuart in command of the cavalry *

– succeeded Hampton in command of the cavalry * W.H.F. "Rooney" Lee * Thomas T. Munford *

Thomas L. Rosser Thomas Lafayette "Tex" Rosser (October 15, 1836 – March 29, 1910) was a Confederate major general during the American Civil War, and later a railroad construction engineer and in 1898 a brigadier general of volunteers in the United States Army ...

– original commander of the cavalry (brigade, division and corps) * Pierce M. B. Young *

Rufus Barringer Rufus Clay Barringer (December 2, 1821 – February 3, 1895) was a North Carolina lawyer, politician, and Confederate brigadier general during the American Civil War. Early life Barringer was born in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, the nin ...

(temporary) * Evander M. Law (temporary) * Lunsford L. Lomax (temporary)

Brigade commanders

Turner Ashby Turner Ashby Jr. (October 23, 1828 – June 6, 1862) was an American officer. He was a Confederate cavalry commander in the American Civil War. In his youth, he organized an informal cavalry company known as the Mountain Rangers, which beca ...

* John R. Chambliss * Henry Brevard Davidson *

James Dearing James Dearing (April 25, 1840 – April 22, 1865) was a Confederate States Army officer during the American Civil War who served in the artillery and cavalry. Dearing entered West Point in 1858 and resigned on April 22, 1861, when Virginia sec ...

* John Dunovant * Martin W. Gary * James B. Gordon *

John D. Imboden John Daniel Imboden (; February 16, 1823August 15, 1895), American lawyer, Virginia state legislator, and a Confederate army general. During the American Civil War, he commanded an irregular cavalry force. After the war, he resumed practicing la ...

William Lowther Jackson William Lowther Jackson Jr. (February 3, 1825 – March 26, 1890) was an American lawyer, Democratic politician, slaveholder and jurist who became the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia prior to the American Civil War, and later fought in the Confe ...

* Albert G. Jenkins * Bradley T. Johnson * William E. "Grumble" Jones * Evander M. Law * Lunsford L. Lomax *

John McCausland John McCausland, Jr. (September 13, 1836 – January 22, 1927) was a brigadier general in the Confederate army, famous for the ransom of Hagerstown, Maryland, and the razing of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, during the American Civil War. Ear ...

* William H. F. Payne * William P. Roberts *

Beverly Robertson Beverly Holcombe Robertson (June 5, 1827 – December 12, 1910) was a cavalry officer in the United States Army on the Western frontier and a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War. Early life Robertson was born on a ...

* Williams C. Wickham * Gilbert J. Wright *

George H. Smith George Hamilton Smith (February 10, 1949 – April 8, 2022) was an American author, editor, educator, and speaker, known for his writings on atheism and libertarianism. Biography Smith grew up mostly in Tucson, Arizona, and attended the Unive ...

(temporary) * George H. Steuart (temporary)

Partisan & ranger commanders

* William E. "Grumble" Jones * Lunsford L. Lomax *

John S. Mosby John Singleton Mosby (December 6, 1833 – May 30, 1916), also known by his nickname "Gray Ghost", was a Confederate army cavalry battalion commander in the American Civil War. His command, the 43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry, known as Mosb ...

* Elijah V. White

Artillery & staff

* Robert F. Beckham *

Heros von Borcke Johann Heinrich August Heros von Borcke (July 23, 1835 – May 10, 1895) was a Kingdom of Prussia, Prussian Heavy cavalry, cavalry Officer (armed forces), officer and writer. Today, he is best known for his enduring memoir, ''Memoirs of the C ...

* R. Preston Chew *

John Esten Cooke John Esten Cooke (November 3, 1830 – September 27, 1886) was an American novelist, writer and poet. He was the brother of poet Philip Pendleton Cooke. During the American Civil War, Cooke was a staff officer for Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart in the ...

Henry B. McClellan Henry Brainerd McClellan (October 17, 1840 – October 1, 1904) was an officer and adjutant general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War (Civil War), a teacher and author. He was a professor at Sayre Female Institute in ...

* John Pelham * James Harrison Williams

References

* Anderson, Paul Christopher, ''Blood Image: Turner Ashby in the Civil War and the Southern Mind'', Louisiana State University Press, 2006, * Andrew, Rod Jr., ''Wade Hampton: Confederate Warrior to Southern Redeemer'', North Carolina University Press, 2008, * Ashby, Thomas A., ''The Life of Turner Ashby'', Morningside Bookshop, 1995, * Black, Robert W., ''Cavalry Raids of the Civil War'', Stackpole Books, 2004, * Davis, Burke, ''JEB Stuart: The Last Cavalier'', Gramercy; Reissue edition, 2000, * McDonald, William N., ''A History of the Laurel Brigade: Originally the Ashby Cavalry of the Army of Northern Virginia and Chew's Battery'', The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2002, * Harbord, J. G.
History of the Cavalry of the Army of Northern Virginia
', 1904.

Notes

{{American Civil War , expanded=RTC Corps of the Confederate States Army Army of Northern Virginia J. E. B. Stuart Military units and formations established in 1863 Military units and formations disestablished in 1865