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Maj. Gen. Alfred Pleasonton

 

 

 

Born: July 7, 1824

Washington, D.C.

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Died: February 17, 1897

Washington, D.C.

 

 

1844: West Point Graduate

1844: Brevet 2nd Lieutenant

November 3, 1845: 2nd Lieutenant

September 30, 1849: 1st Lieutenant

March 3, 1855: Captain

February 15, 1862: Major

July 16, 1862: Brevet Brig. Gen.

of Volunteers

March 13, 1865: Brig. Gen. in Regular Army

March 13, 1866: Brevet Major Gen.

Maj. Gen. Alfred Pleasonton

Portrait by Mathew Brady

Courtesy of Library of Congress

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1844: West Point Graduate - 7 out of 25 - Brevet 2nd Lieutenant in 1st U.S. Dragoons (heavy cavalry)

First stationed at Fort Atkinson, Iowa. Frontier duty in Minnesota, Iowa and Texas

November 3, 1845: Promoted to 2nd Lieutenant with 2nd U.S. Dragoons

1846-1848: Mexican/American War

May 8, 1846: Battle of Palo Alto

May 9, 1846: Battle of Resaca de la Palma, Texas

September 30, 1849: Promoted to 1st Lieutenant

July 1, 1854 - March 3, 1855: Served as Regimental Adjutant

March 3, 1855: Promoted to Captain

August 3, 1861: Transferred to 2nd U.S. Cavalry

February 15, 1862: Promoted to Major

Peninsula Campaign: Did not provide Gen. McClellan with any valuable information

July 16, 1862: Brig. Gen. of Volunteers

Commanded Brigade of Cavalry in Army of the Potomac

September 2, 1862: Assumed division command of cavalry

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September 17, 1862: Battle of Antietam - wounded in the right ear by the concussion of an artillery shell

December 13, 1862: Battle of Fredericksburg

May 1-4, 1863: Battle of Chancellorsville

June 9, 1863: Battle of Brandy Station

July 1-3, 1863: Battle of Gettysburg

During the battle of Gettysburg - Gen. Meade kept Gen. Pleasonton on a short leash

July 4, 1864: Transferred to Trans-Mississippi Theater and Commanded the District of Central Missouri

October 22-23, 1864: Battle of Byram's Ford

October 25, 1864: Battle of Mine Creek

October 25, 1864: Battle of Marais des Cygnes - ended the last Confederate threat in the West

April 10, 1866: Appointed as a Brevet Brig. Gen. in Regular Army. Senate approved effective March 13, 1865.

July 17, 1866: Pres. Johnson nominates Gen. Pleasonton for Brevet Major Gen with effective date of rank of March 13, 1866

1868: Resigns commission

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Alfred Pleasonton. 12 July 2020. web. 23 July 2020.

Boatner, Mark M. III. The Civil War Dictionary. New York: David McKay, 1967. p 655-656

Warner, Ezra J. Generals in Blue Lives of the Union Commanders. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State, 1964. p 373-374

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