George Stoneman Jr. was a United States Army cavalry officer, trained at West Point, where his roommate was Stonewall Jackson.
Background
George was born on August 8, 1822 at Busti, Chautauqua County, New York, United States, the eldest of ten children of George and Catherine (Cheney) Stoneman. He was a descendant of Richard Stoneman, who came to New Berlin, New York, after the Revolution.
Education
He received his preparatory education at an academy in the neighboring village of Jamestown and was appointed a cadet at the United States Military Academy where he was graduated in 1846.
Career
Stoneman was commissioned brevet second lieutenant in the 16t Dragoons (now the 16t Cavalry) and was detailed as quartermaster of the "Mormon Battalion, " a volunteer unit which formed part of General Kearny's expedition to California. He served in the Southwest until 1855, having risen to the rank of captain in the newly organized 2nd (now 5th) Cavalry.
At the opening of the Civil War he was in command at Fort Brown, Tex. Refusing to surrender to General D. E. Twiggs, his immediate superior, who had cast in his lot with the Confederacy, he escaped with part of his command, and was assigned to temporary duty at the cavalry school at Carlisle, Pa.
On May 9, 1861, he was promoted major in the 16t (now 4th) Cavalry, and later in the month was in command of the advance across the Long Bridge from Washington to Alexandria. He then served in West Virginia on the staff of General McClellan, who, when he took command of the armies, made him chief of cavalry of the Army of the Potomac with the rank of brigadier-general of volunteers. After the Peninsular campaign of 1862 he was assigned to command the 16t Division, III Corps, and in November of the same year took command of the corps as major-general of volunteers, serving with it through the Fredericksburg campaign.
For gallantry in this battle he received the brevet rank of colonel in the regular army. When Hooker took command of the Army of the Potomac he formed his cavalry into a separate corps of more than 10, 000 men and gave the command to Stoneman. At the opening of the Chancellorsville campaign he sent him with most of this force to make a great raid toward Richmond and to operate against Lee's rear. This operation continued from April 13 to May 2 and caused great alarm in Richmond; but since the main army was unsuccessful at Chancellorsville it had no influence upon the course of the campaign.
In July 1863 Stoneman became chief of the Cavalry Bureau in Washington, but the next winter he joined the western armies, commanding the XXIII Corps. He was promoted lieutenant-colonel of the 3rd Cavalry in the regular army on March 30, 1864. In April he was assigned to the cavalry corps of the Army of the Ohio, and with this command took part in the Atlanta campaign. Sherman sent him with his corps to break the railway at Jonesboro near Atlanta, and at Stoneman's request these orders were broadened to include also a raid by part of his force to release the prisoners of war at Macon and Andersonville.
Early in August he was cut off at Clinton, Georgia. He held the attention of the enemy, with one brigade, and was finally forced to surrender, but the rest cut their way back to the army with heavy loss. He remained a prisoner of war until he was exchanged and returned to duty in October.
In December he made another raid, with considerable success, into southwestern Virginia, later operating in east Tennessee and the Carolinas in cooperation with Sherman. He received the brevet ranks of brigadier-general and major-general in the regular army in March 1865, and commanded in Petersburg and Richmond for the next four years.
He then established himself near Los Angeles on his magnificent estate, "Los Robles". As a railway commissioner from 1879, he had opposed the increasing power of the Pacific railways in state affairs and in business, and had gained a strong popular following. He continued the same policies as governor, particularly in regard to railway taxation matters. He also favored legislation encouraging irrigation projects. These policies, involving highly controversial issues, made his administration a stormy one; the legislature was twice in extra session, and generally in deadlock over his recommendations.
In 1891, by special act of Congress, he was restored to the army list as colonel, retired. He died in 1894.
Achievements
Politics
In 1883 he resigned his commission in the army to accept the Democratic nomination for governor of California.
Connections
At the end of the war he had married Mary Oliver Hardisty, of Baltimore, Maryland. She, with their four children, survived him when he died in Buffalo, New York.