STUART, lames Ewell Brown, American soldier: b. Patrick County, Va., 6 Feb. 1833; d. Richmond, Va., 12 May 1864. He was de scended on his father's side from ancestors distinguished during the colonial and Revolu tionary periods, in the War of 1812, and in civil life in Illinois, Missouri and Virginia. On his mother's side he was a descendant of the Letcher family of Virginia. After a course at Emory and Henry College, in Virginia, he en tered the National Military Academy at West Point, N. Y., and upon his graduation in 1854 was commissioned third lieutenant and in Oc tober of the same year was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant. After serving with the mounted riflemen against the Apaches in Texas he was transferred to the First Cavalry, then stationed at Fort Leavenworth. In December 1855 he was promoted first lieu tenant, about a month after his marriage at Fort Riley to the daughter of Col. Philip St. George Cooke. He accompanied Col. Robert E. Lee as aide in the attack upon John Brown and his raiders at Harper's Ferry, where he read to Brown the summons to sur render. In April 1861 he received from the United States government the commission of captain; but he had decided to go with Vir ginia, and as soon as his resignation was ac cepted (7 May 1861) tendered his services to his native State, and was three days later commis sioned lieutenant-colonel of Virginia infantry. Reporting to Jackson at Harper's Ferry, he was promoted colonel 16 July 1861, and at the head of 350 cavalrymen began his brilliant career. On outpost duty he was ever vigilant and wary, and of his service at the first battle of Manassas (Bull Run), where he made a dashing charge, General Early wrote that 'Stuart did as much toward saving the battle as any subordinate who participated in it.) After the victory had been won he pursued the Fed erals 12 miles. Subsequently he held the heights in sight of Washington with headquarters on Munson's Hill. In front of this position and at Dranesville he had combats with the Federals. On 24 Sept. 1861 he was commissioned brigadier general. In the spring of 1862 he covered the retreat from Yorktown and opened the battle at Williamsburg (q.v.). For his daring raid around the army of General McCellan, just be fore the Seven Days' Battle, (q.v.), Stuart won the applause and hearty admiration of both friend and foe, and on 25 July 1862 he was com missioned major-general. He won additional fame by his raid around Pope's army, in which he captured that general's headquarters and a part of his staff at Catlett's Station by his raid in conjunction with General Trimble upon the Federal depot of supplies at Manassas, his serv ices in screening the movement of Lee's army into Maryland, the brilliant fighting of his troopers at the passes of South Mountain, and by the skill with which he managed his horse artillery on the Confederate left at Sharpsburg (Antietam), where with these hard fighters he powerfully assisted in the repulse of Sumner's gallant charge.
In October after the battle of Sharnsburg Stuart led his bold horsemen to Chambers burg, Pa., and on his return, thwarting every effort of the Federal cavalry to intercept him, passed between McClellan's army and Wash ington, and with little loss recrossed the Potomac into Virginia. This expedition caused great demoralization in the Federal cavalry, and by delaying McClellan's advance gave to the Army of Northern Virginia several weeks for rest and preparation against a new invasion.
After the mortal wounding of °Stonewall* Jackson and the disabling of A. P. Hill on 2 May at Chancellorsville, Stuart took command of Jackson's corps and by his audacious attack upon greatly superior numbers completed the work so brilliantly begun by Jackson. When Lee began his movement into Pennsylvania, Stuart, after defeating the Federal cavalry at Fleetwood, or Brandy Station (q.v.), passed again between the Federal army and Washing ton with orders to meet Early at York. March ing almost without rest for eight days and nights, the last three with almost constant fight ing, he joined Lee's army at Gettysburg (q.v.), bringing with him a large train of captured Fed eral supplies. On the third day of the battle he made a fierce attack upon the cavalry on the Federal right, and at Williamsport, on the retreat, came up in time to drive off the heavy odds of Federals, who were making a desperate fight to capture the Confederate train so bravely defended by General Imboden. On 5 May 1864 he guided the movement of A. P. Hill's corps against Grant's advance, on the 7th gave notice to Lee of Grant's flank march to Spott sylvania Court House and, throwing his cavalry in front of the Federals, delayed them until the Confederate infantry could be thrown across their path. When Sheridan attempted to make a sudden dash into Richmond, Stuart with a part of the cavalry barred his way at Yellow Tavern (q.v.), and saved the Confederate capi tal. But he received a mortal wound, of which he died next day (12 May 1864) in Richmond. John Esten Cooke has written thus of his last moments: "As his life had been one of earnest devotion to the cause in which he believed, so his last hours were tranquil, his confidence in the mercy of heaven unfailink. When he was asked how he felt, he said, but willing to die, if God and my country think I have done my duty.' His last words were: am going fast now; I am resigned. God's will be done. As he uttered these words he expired.5 In every battle Stuart's black plume had waved in the advance. In every arm of the service he had won the highest honors. Gay and rollicking in camp, merry on the march, often calling upon Sweeny to ride by his side and thrum upon the banjo an accompaniment to his merry songs, he was always fully awake to the demands of duty and equal to any emergency. See Smuer's RAID TO CHAMBERS*