Among the most noteworthy cavalrymen of the American Civil War, John Buford's name is almost certain to be found. Ironically, Buford's commission as a major general was awarded to him on the day he died, December 16, 1863. What Buford may have accomplished in this new capacity could only be a subject for speculation. But historians today question if his fame is out of proportion with what he did achieve during the war.

John Buford graduated from West Point in 1848 and was breveted second lieutenant of the 1st Dragoons. The following year, his commission was awarded in the 2nd Dragoons. For the next twelve years, his military service consisted of policing the Western Plains and the monotony of garrison life and routine patrols. From 1855-1858, he served as regimental quartermaster.

In 1858, while participating in Colonel William S. Harney's expedition, Buford won commendation for his conspicuous gallantry at Blue Water, Nebraska. In 1857, he participated in the Mormon War, serving under Albert Sidney Johnston. During his pre-Civil War military service, Buford became accustomed to fighting on foot, adapt at the art of reconnaissance.

Though he was born in Kentucky, he was living in Rock Island, Illinois by the time he was appointed to West Point. His older half-brother, Maj. Gen. Napoleon Boneparte Buford, also attended West Point but had been out of the military for some years when the Civil War came. While Napoleon took the colonelcy of an Illinois regiment, John remained with the regular army. It was perhaps for this reason that John's advancement in rank came slowly. A captain since 1859, John was promoted to major in November of 1861 and assigned to the Inspector General's Office.

Though a cavalryman by career, Buford seemed well suited to staff work. Indeed, by comparison to the flamboyance and color of cavalrymen such as J.E.B. Stuart, George Armstrong and John Hunt Morgan, Buford appeared tough, taciturn and drab. A man of medium height and compact weight, he wore no plumed hat, beard or side whiskers, but simply a mustache.

Pope finally gave Buford his opportunity to serve a more active role in the war. In 1862, when Pope began assembling the new Army of Virginia, and having known the Buford family in Illinois, he appointed John to serve on his staff. When General John P. Hatch, commander of a cavalry brigade, muffled a reconnaissance assignment, Pope replaced Hatch with Buford. In this new assignment, Buford performed well, probing the enemy's movements so tirelessly that he was described as "always on the move."

It was significant that it was the 1st Michigan Cavalry of Buford's brigade that caused the first embarrassment of Jeb Stuart. On the morning of August 18, 1862, the 1st Michigan surprised Stuart and his staff near Verdiersville, capturing his cloak and famous plumed hat.

It was Buford's troopers who supplied Pope with a copy of Lee's orders, revealing Lee's design to overwhelm Pope before he could be reinforced. And on August 21, Buford supplied Pope with positive information that Longstreet had joined Stonewall Jackson on the Rappahannock. But perhaps the most significant information that Buford supplied the Federal army went unheeded by his corps commander, McDowell -- hence unknown to Pope.

On August 29th, while covering the approach of Pope's army to Thoroughfare Gap, Buford dismounted his troopers and skirmished with the advance elements of the Confederate Army. Buford was able to give an accurate report of the precise strength of the Confederate forces he had encountered: seventeen regiments of infantry, one battery, and 500 cavalry. Passing this information along to the division commander, Brig. Gen. James Ricketts, Ricketts made sure McDowell got the information. McDowell failed to pass the message onto Pope, which contributed to Longstreet's ability to fall on Pope's left, sweeping him from the field at Second Bull Run. When Pope retreated, Buford's brigade and Bayard's covered the retreat, effectively screening the beaten Federal army back to the defenses of Washington.

In fighting the rearguard action, Buford was wounded, but recovered quickly enough to be put to use under McClellan's command. Though McClellan was inclined to show disdain for anyone closely associated with Pope, Buford's impressive performance earned him an appointment of acting chief of cavalry. Unfortunately, the Antietam and Fredericksburg campaigns brought little opportunity for distinction for Buford.

In the spring of 1863, Joe Hooker commanded the Federal Army of the Potomac. His changes in organization were beneficial to the cavalry branch by consolidating it into a Cavalry Corps and making it directly responsible to the commanding general of the army. Brig. Gen. George Stoneman commanded the corps, Buford returning to field command at the head of the Reserve Cavalry Brigade. Unfortunately, Hooker's misuse of the corps, by allowing Stoneman to lead most of the cavalry on a raid towards Richmond, took it out of the picture during the Chancellorsville Campaign.

Following the failure of Chancellorsville, Hooker replaced Stoneman with Alfred Pleasonton, which gave Buford command of its 1st Division. It was in this position, as leader of the 1st division, that he would garner what fame was to be his in his short life.

With less than auspicious beginnings, Buford's first test of importance was at the great cavalry battle of Brandy Station on June 9, 1863. It was his division that was the first to strike the enemy, crossing Beverly Ford of the Rappanhannock at dawn. Though his division fought hard all day, the initial attack lost its momentum when Colonel Benjamin F. "Grimes" Davis, commanding the lead brigade, fell almost at the first contact with the enemy. Unable to sustain enough pressure on the enemy or regain the momentum, Buford was forced to recross the river, failing to beat Stuart's forces.

In fairness to Buford, it might be said that serving under a lackluster Pleasonton appeared to have affected Buford's performance as well. In encounters among the gaps of the Blue Ridge, the Union cavalry pushed Stuart hard, but in the end the opportunities to penetrate Stuart's screen were lost. This allowed Lee's army to march northward, shielded from Union observation.

Striking out on their own, the 1st Cavalry Division moved north then west to cover Major General John F. Reynold's left and advance wing of the Army of the Potomac. This began a series of events that would immortalize Buford and earn him his place among the noteworthy cavalrymen of the Civil War.

Reaching Gettysburg on June 30th, Buford chose the ground on which a great victory for the Union would be fought. Once choosing that ground, Buford held it until the infantry could be brought up to exploit it. With roads radiating in all directions, Buford saw it as an excellent place from which to probe the enemy.

Spending the evening of the 30th in the town, Buford posted Devin's brigade to the north and Gamble's to the west. Those famous and often quoted words, which Buford supposedly remarked to Devin, were to have been in answer to Devin's confident remark that he could handle anything likely to approach him during the next twenty-four hours: "No, you won't. They will attack you in the morning and they will come booming -- skirmishers three-deep. You will have to fight like the devil until supports arrive."

Buford's role at Gettysburg has been written in great detail, often with great debate and speculation as to the importance of the role he played. However, it is no discredit to Buford if his part in the battle was smaller than some writers portray it to be. His recognition of the strategical importance of the town and tactical advantages of the countryside proved pivotal enough.

In the pursuit that followed Lee's army after Gettysburg, Buford displayed competence and the same vigor seen earlier, while under Pope. His troopers held their own in actions at Liberty Mills in September and Morton's Ford in October. But the strenuous campaigning in the cold and damp weather of the fall took its toll on his health.

Colonel Theodore Lyman, of Meade's staff, described Buford in November as "afflicted with rheumatism." Taking a sick leave in mid-November, Buford traveled to General Stoneman's house in Washington to recover his health. It was here that his major general's commission arrived, dated July 1. Upon receiving it, Buford was said to remark, "I wish I could have lived now." Buford died on December 16, at the age of 37, reportedly of typhoid fever. Having proven himself a capable division commander of cavalry, it was left to future historians to ponder the age old question, "What if...?"