Alfred Pleasonton

June 7, 1824 (age 72)

Washington, District of Columbia, United States

He was commissioned second lieutenant, 2nd Dragoons, November 3, 1845. He served throughout the Mexican War and for gallant and meritorious conduct at Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma was brevetted first lieutenant, May 9, 1846. Following the Mexican War, he did frontier duty and was promoted first lieutenant, September 30, 1849. He was Gen. W. S. Harney's acting assistant adjutant-general during the Sioux expedition, receiving his captaincy March 3, 1855. From 1856 to 1860 he served as Harney's adjutant-general in Florida against the Seminoles and in campaigns in Kansas, Oregon, and Washington Territory. He commanded the 2nd Cavalry on its march, September to October 1861, from Utah to Washington, where he was assigned to the defenses of the capital. He was commissioned major, 2nd Cavalry, February 15, 1862, served brilliantly throughout the Peninsular campaign, and was promoted brigadier-general of volunteers, July 16, 1862. In the Army of the Potomac, he commanded the cavalry division that pursued Lee's invading army into Maryland, September 8-November 18, 1862. He fought at South Mountain, Antietam, and Fredericksburg, being brevetted lieutenant-colonel September 17, 1862. He was engaged in the Rappahannock campaign from December 1862 to June 1863. At Chancellorsville, May 2, 1863, he helped to check the decisive advance of "Stonewall" Jackson's corps against' Hooker's right flank. Pleasonton ordered the 8th Pennsylvania Cavalry to charge and thus checked Jackson long enough for all available Union artillery to get into position. Loading the guns with grape and canister, he depressed their muzzles so that the shot would strike midway between the guns and the woods and, when the Confederates emerged from the woods, poured death into their ranks. His prompt and energetic action saved the Federals from complete disaster. Pleasonton was promoted major-general of volunteers, June 22, 1863, and participated in all the operations leading up to Gettysburg, where he was in command of all Union cavalry and won the brevet of colonel. He was engaged in battles at Culpeper Courthouse and Brandy Station, Virginia, and was then transferred to Missouri, March 23, 1864. Campaigning against Gen. Sterling Price, he defended Jefferson City, October 8, 1864, and later routed Price near Marais des Cygnes River, Kansas, October 25, 1864. For his services against Price he was brevetted brigadier-general, March 13, 1865, and on the same date brevetted major-general for meritorious services in the field during the war. Upon the reorganization of the army, Pleasonton was required to serve under officers he had commanded in battle. Embittered, he resigned his commission, January 1, 1868. His petition for a pension was refused, and from April 1869 to March 1870 he served as collector of internal revenue for the fourth district, New York, and from March to December 1870 of the thirty-second district. On December 16, 1870, his appointment as commissioner of internal revenue was confirmed. A conflict over authority arose between Pleasonton and Secretary of the Treasury Boutwell, which resulted in the former's being asked to resign. He declined and was suspended. From 1872 to 1874 he was president of the Cincinnati & Terre Haute Railway. Congress tardily recognized Pleasonton's splendid war service by commissioning him major on the retired list, October 19, 1888. This commission he reluctantly accepted. During the last twenty years of his life he lived in the Greason House, Washington, where he slept by day and at night, with his old comrades, fought again the battles of the past.

Alfred Pleasonton

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military

Background

He was born on June 7, 1824 in Washington, District of Columbia, United States, son of Stephen and Mary (Hopkins) Pleasonton.

Education

He was educated in the Washington schools until he entered the United States Military Academy in 1840. He graduated in 1844, seventh in a class of twenty-five.

Career

He was commissioned second lieutenant, 2nd Dragoons, November 3, 1845. He served throughout the Mexican War and for gallant and meritorious conduct at Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma was brevetted first lieutenant, May 9, 1846.

Following the Mexican War, he did frontier duty and was promoted first lieutenant, September 30, 1849. He was Gen. W. S. Harney's acting assistant adjutant-general during the Sioux expedition, receiving his captaincy March 3, 1855. From 1856 to 1860 he served as Harney's adjutant-general in Florida against the Seminoles and in campaigns in Kansas, Oregon, and Washington Territory. He commanded the 2nd Cavalry on its march, September to October 1861, from Utah to Washington, where he was assigned to the defenses of the capital.

He was commissioned major, 2nd Cavalry, February 15, 1862, served brilliantly throughout the Peninsular campaign, and was promoted brigadier-general of volunteers, July 16, 1862. In the Army of the Potomac, he commanded the cavalry division that pursued Lee's invading army into Maryland, September 8-November 18, 1862. He fought at South Mountain, Antietam, and Fredericksburg, being brevetted lieutenant-colonel September 17, 1862.

He was engaged in the Rappahannock campaign from December 1862 to June 1863. At Chancellorsville, May 2, 1863, he helped to check the decisive advance of "Stonewall" Jackson's corps against' Hooker's right flank. Pleasonton ordered the 8th Pennsylvania Cavalry to charge and thus checked Jackson long enough for all available Union artillery to get into position. Loading the guns with grape and canister, he depressed their muzzles so that the shot would strike midway between the guns and the woods and, when the Confederates emerged from the woods, poured death into their ranks. His prompt and energetic action saved the Federals from complete disaster.

Pleasonton was promoted major-general of volunteers, June 22, 1863, and participated in all the operations leading up to Gettysburg, where he was in command of all Union cavalry and won the brevet of colonel. He was engaged in battles at Culpeper Courthouse and Brandy Station, Virginia, and was then transferred to Missouri, March 23, 1864. Campaigning against Gen. Sterling Price, he defended Jefferson City, October 8, 1864, and later routed Price near Marais des Cygnes River, Kansas, October 25, 1864. For his services against Price he was brevetted brigadier-general, March 13, 1865, and on the same date brevetted major-general for meritorious services in the field during the war.

Upon the reorganization of the army, Pleasonton was required to serve under officers he had commanded in battle. Embittered, he resigned his commission, January 1, 1868. His petition for a pension was refused, and from April 1869 to March 1870 he served as collector of internal revenue for the fourth district, New York, and from March to December 1870 of the thirty-second district. On December 16, 1870, his appointment as commissioner of internal revenue was confirmed. A conflict over authority arose between Pleasonton and Secretary of the Treasury Boutwell, which resulted in the former's being asked to resign. He declined and was suspended.

From 1872 to 1874 he was president of the Cincinnati & Terre Haute Railway. Congress tardily recognized Pleasonton's splendid war service by commissioning him major on the retired list, October 19, 1888. This commission he reluctantly accepted.

During the last twenty years of his life he lived in the Greason House, Washington, where he slept by day and at night, with his old comrades, fought again the battles of the past.

Achievements

Alfred Pleasonton has been listed as a noteworthy army officer by Marquis Who's Who.

Works

Successes and Failures of Chancellorsville Successes and Failures of Chancellorsville

book
- Successes and Failures of Chancellorsville
  (Account by Alfred Pleasonton (1824-1897) and how he "save...)

Views

Pleasonton, always more of a bureaucrat than an ideologue or strong leader, only wanted to defeat the South's military capabilities so that they could not threaten the rest of the states, but was not convinced that "crushing" the rebels, ending slavery, or reelecting Lincoln was worth the cost.

Quotations: "The war must not be ended until the South was crushed; slavery abolished; and the President reelected. "

Personality

He was a most agreeable gentleman and, when not hindered by a chronic throat disorder, a brilliant and entertaining conversationalist. In his late years, he afflicted with a painful fistula for eight years, isolated himself in his hotel, never leaving his room and seldom his bed.

Connections

He lived and died a bachelor, the last of a family of several children.

Father:: Stephen Pleasonton
Mother:: Mary (Hopkins) Pleasonton
Brother:: Augustus Pleasonton

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