mikeejay2
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Maj. Gen. Alfred Pleasonton (b 1824 - d 1897) was born in Washington, D. C.. Alfred graduated from West Point in 1844 and was commissioned a 2nd Lt. in the 1st U.S. Dragoons, stationed at Fort Atkinson, Iowa. He fought in the Mexican War and received a promotion to 1st Lt. for gallantry at the Battles of Palo Alto (1846). He served as regimental adjutant after the war and was promoted to captain (1855). At the start of the Civil War, Pleasonton traveled with the 2nd Dragoons to Washington. Despite active politicking on his part, he did not earn the rapid promotions of some of his colleagues and was only a major by early 1862. He fought without much fanfare in the Peninsula Campaign and was finally promoted to brigadier general in July, 1862, taking command of a brigade of cavalry in the Army of the Potomac. In Sept, Pleasonton assumed division command and was wounded by an artillery shell at Antietam. Ever ambitious, he was displeased that he was not promoted to major general for this action. At Chancellorsville, he continued his practice of self-promotion, claiming that he slowed the attack by Jackson’s Corps and that by doing so prevented the total destruction of the 11th corps. He was persuasive enough that Hooker, told Lincoln that Pleasanton "saved the Union Army" at Chancellorsville. Battle reports, however, indicate that his role was considerably less important than he claimed, involving only a small detachment of Rebel infantry on Hazel Grove. Even so, his claims earned him a promotion to major general, and when the inept Cavalry commander, Stoneman, was relieved after Chancellorsville, Hooker named Pleasanton as his temporary replacement. His first combat in this new role was at the Battle of Brandy Stations, the largest cavalry battle of the war. The Union cavalry essentially stumbled into the Confederate cavalry and the 14-hour battle was bloody but inconclusive. In the remainder of the Gettysburg Campaign up to the climactic battle, Pleasonton did not perform as a competent cavalry commander and was generally unable to inform his commander where Lee was located or what the rebel army was up to. During this period, he exercise political influence by promoting the son of a Congressman, Captain Farnsworth, a member of his staff, directly to brigadier general. He corresponded with the congressman and complained about his lack of men and horses in comparison to Stuart's; he also politicked to acquire the cavalry forces that were defending Washington. These side deals worked. These troopers were reassigned to Pleasonton. Hooker was enraged by these activities and it was probably only his own relief from command that saved Pleasonton's career from premature termination. At Gettysburg, Pleasanton's new commander, Meade understood Pleasonton's reputation and kept him on a short leash. For the three days of the battle, Pleasonton was forced to remain with Meade, who exercised more direct control of the cavalry than an army commander normally would. In postwar writings, Pleasonton attempted to portray his role in the battle as being a major one, including predicting to Meade that the town of Gettysburg would be the decisive point and, after the Confederate defeat, that he urged Meade to attack Gen. Lee and finish him off. He conveniently made these claims after Meade's death, when dispute was impossible. Pleasonton was transferred to the Trans-Mississippi Theater and commanded the District of Central Missouri and the District of St Louis in 1864. He performed well and defeated Price, ending the last Confederate threat in the West. Pleasonton died in his sleep in Washington, D.C., and is buried in the Congressional Cemetery there, alongside his father. On his deathbed he claimed to sculptor James Edward Kelly that he had been offered command of the Army of the Potomac, but was unwilling to "pay the price," which he claimed was to accept certain terms. “The terms were that the war was not to be ended until the South is crushed, slavery was abolished and Lincoln was reelected." Pleasonton, always more of a bureaucrat than a 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. There is no independent verification of his receiving the offer.
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