For about 1 1/2 years into the war, the federal Fugitive Slave Act was still in effect, making it a felony to aid any escaped slave. Sometimes there was a reward involved. Did any Union officers either surrender the slaves or collect a reward?

Thanks a bunch for clearing that up for us. That really adds a lot of insight, doesn’t it?

Eric

Jeb’s brother William Alexander Stuart ran the Salt Works in Saltville, Virginia, during the war. There were efforts underway about the time of Brandy Station to take over the operation by the government and apparently a nasty political debate was occuring. I believe Jeb Stuart thought his criticism was because of his brother’s involvement in that and not about his performance on the battlefield.

Was Freeman the first person to advance the idea that the newspapers’ critical reaction to Brandy Station influenced Stuart’s decision-making in the subsequent campaign? He certainly takes that tack in Lee’s Lieutenants. To me it seems like the theory is at least plausible but impossible to prove or disprove. The prevarications in Stuart’s letter and in his report are notable, but are in themselves very slim reeds on which to hang the theory.

For an interesting contemporary counterpoint to Stuart’s letter about Brandy Station and the merits of the newspaper accounts, consider the following from a June 10, 1863, letter by Major General Lafayette McLaws to his wife:

“Our cavalry were surprised yesterday by the enemy and had to do some desperate fighting to retrieve the day. As you will perceive from General Lee’s dispatch the enemy were driven across the river again. All this is not true, but it will be better to allow the impression to prevail. The enemy were not however driven back, but retired at their leisure–having accomplished I suppose what they intended, that is they felt our lines to make us show our forces; our infantry was not however displayed to any extent–but I am afraid enough was shown to give notice of our general movement.”

Dunno. I couldn’t figure that one out.

Eric

All the Best,
Christ Liebegott

“The papers are in great error, as usual, about the whole transaction. It was no surprise. The enemy’s movement was known and he was defeated.”

Clearly Stuart was stung by the press accounts of the Confederate cavalry’s being surprised by Pleasonton’s attack, as indeed they were, Stuart’s denial to his wife notwithstanding.

I was unable to find the Richmond Examiner account that Stuart refers to so contemptuously, but the brief June 12, 1863, report from the Richmond Daily Dispatch seems to me to give a pretty accurate account:

“The reports of the late fight in Culpeper county, brought down by passengers on the Central train yesterday evening, are hardly more satisfactory than those which had previously reached us. That our forces were surprised there seems no longer any reason to doubt, and that they fought gallantly after they recovered from the confusion into which they were at first thrown is also certain. It is equally certain that the battle terminated with the repulse of the enemy and the advantage on our side, the enemy’s loss in killed and wounded, and in the number of prisoners captured, being considerably greater than that sustained by our forces.”

The letter shows a measured response, after the battle, by JEB. As you wrote, it appears that there is nothing to suggest that JEB felt a need to “redeem himself”.

Is there any evidence that JEB knew who was the source for the Richmond Enquirer? I can’t recall the Wittenberg/Petruzzi book dealing with this.

Best wishes,

Mark

Glad you posted that, as I have come across that letter before in my studies, and when I first read it, what I took from it was that he was glad he was alive, but was saddened by the friends he had lost.

As for the Yankees being whipped badly, there I don’t agree with him. But that’s me. 🙂

Hope all is well.

Steve