Battle of Brandy Station

[Resica]

160 years ago today. Largest cavalry battle on US soil!

 

[Big7]

Who won?

I don't keep up with much before about 1900.

 

[Milkman]

Who won?

I don't keep up with much before about 1900.

We did

 

[Resica]

The Yankees left the battlefield but it seems to be the start of better Union Cavalry operations. Historians claim that Jeb was bothered by it and he wanted to redeem himself on the way to Gettysburg and didn't perform well as a scouting force for the Confederate Army. Probably so, but the Union could certainly replace folks better than the Confederates. Confederate cavalry performed pretty darn good through the war in my opinion but the Yankees caught up for sure. I would like to go back and witness that fight. They say about 9,500 Confederate Cavalry and 11,000 Union Cavalry including a Union infantry brigade. That's a ton of guys on horses. To witness that would be amazing!!!

 

[Resica]

I went to Gettysburg on the 138th and 140th anniversary. We watched reenactments both times away from the battlefield. I believe on the 140th we witnessed something like several thousand horsemen but that's nothing compared to 20,000. It was impressive!

 

[GeorgiaBob]

The logistics of this conflict is mind numbing. For the Northern forces, support for the 7,000 calvary troops included; 25,000 horses, 800 handlers and drovers, over 850 wagons of hay and feed, 600 wagons of supplies for the troops, 2,000 muleskinners, drivers, and wagon guards, more than 1,000 mules, and 340 head of cattle. That crowd of military and contracted civilian people, animals and goods was also a planned part of the effort.

Add to the logistical complication, this was the first time in the war that Northern forces attempted to consolidate a calvary force. No troop larger than a single (short) brigade had worked in coordination with other calvary troops before. Somewhere, actually many somewheres, many miles behind Brandy Station, about 3,000 non combatant troops and civilian contractors to the Union Army were spread out across nearly 100 miles of rutted farm roads and twisty byways. Some of those supplies were gladly received by Confederate forces! The Northern forces, both calvary and infantry, took several days to reorganize, reconnect with supplies, and sort out their units.

In some ways the Confederate calvary had it much easier. They had worked together since the fall of 1861. Logistics for CSA calvary was a two edged sword by the spring of 1863. Each unit operated with it's own compact supply train. Compact because there were few supplies and every calvary unit was short of remounts, feed, and just about everything else. But that also meant everything they had was close at hand. Confederate calvary units were able to move the very next day after the forces had separated.

 

[Resica]

The logistics in all campaigns and battles boggle my mind. Food and water for not only troops but horses, mules and cattle. It's crazy in my mind. I heard that the Confederate withdrawal from Gettysburg, they had something like 60 miles or more of wagons and troops on a couple different routes. The logistics boggle my mind.

 

[Resica]

Think of the logistics for the Confederates. From what I read they were essentially scavenging. At least the Yankees had a decent supply line. It was **** regardless of the side.

 

[Resica]

I can't visualize any of it. Those soldiers
walked from one place to another, which was a long way and quick sometimes. Most of my family that I know of fought for units in Ga. and North Carolina. I know I have a gg Grandfather that was a teenager and fought with the 7'th Pa. Cavalry, bottled up on Bermuda Hundred by Beauregard. Sure I had many more relatives fighting for the Union that I'm unaware of. I like all those troops, Confederate and Union. What a sacrifice those young boys made!!

 

[westcobbdog]

The average Reb cavalryman consistently whipped his yank counterpart until mid war when the blue bellies caught up, somewhat in riding skills more so in better weaponry, animals, supplies, with the Rebs suffering from high attrition of men and animals, scant supplies, ect...

 

[Resica]

The average Reb cavalryman consistently whipped his yank counterpart until mid war when the blue bellies caught up, somewhat in riding skills more so in better weaponry, animals, supplies, with the Rebs suffering from high attrition of men and animals, scant supplies, ect...

I wonder why the Confederates were better horsemen early on. Everyone rode a horse back then. Most Northerners were in rural areas like the Southerners were. I would have suspected northern riding skills would have been fine. Maybe tactics but they were all horse people. I guess someone has to be better. Just seemed strange to me.

 

[Nicodemus]

I wonder why the Confederates were better horsemen early on. Everyone rode a horse back then. Most Northerners were in rural areas like the Southerners were. I would have suspected northern riding skills would have been fine. Maybe tactics but they were all horse people. I guess someone has to be better. Just seemed strange to me.

A lot of the young Southerners hunted on horseback as they hounds ran deer. That was a common tactic even before the Revolutionary War. It continued on into the 1930s or so in the Deep South. Especially in Low Country South Carolina.

 

[Resica]

A lot of the young Southerners hunted on horseback as they hounds ran deer. That was a common tactic even before the Revolutionary War. It continued on into the 1930s or so in the Deep South. Especially in Low Country South Carolina.

I bet they did the same up north. No game laws of course. Maybe the terrain was better down there for the most part but still. Must have been tactics and commanders, maybe.

 

[Nicodemus]

I bet they did the same up north. No game laws of course. Maybe the terrain was better down there for the most part but still. Must have been tactics and commanders, maybe.

I don`t think so. Running deer with hounds never caught on up north, where most of their hunting style was stillhunting through the woods on foot.

 

[Ruger#3]

I think it was logistics. The confederates were organized differently. The union Calvary was a monster to support in the numbers they had. Scatter their logistics and they were hurting.

 

[Resica]

I don`t think so. Running deer with hounds never caught on up north, where most of their hunting style was stillhunting through the woods on foot.

I'm sure that's true but you would still think young bucks up north would be good at horsemanship, racing, jumping, etc. Kinda like people racing today. Maybe what you say tipped the horsemanship.

 

[Resica]

I think it was logistics. The confederates were organized differently. The union Calvary was a monster to support in the numbers they had. Scatter their logistics and they were hurting.

Haven't dove into numbers but I thought both sides were close in numbers, at least through Gettysburg, I certainly could be wrong.

 

[Ruger#3]

Haven't dove into numbers but I thought both sides were close in numbers, at least through Gettysburg, I certainly could be wrong.

It’s not the numbers. Lee had his logistics tied to field units. Less cumbersome, close at hand. It was also a product if meager supplies. The union had the monster wagon trains supporting the Calvary as a whole. Raid that train and scatter it and they were hurting until reorganized.

 

[Milkman]

It’s not the numbers. Lee had his logistics tied to field units. Less cumbersome, close at hand. It was also a product if meager supplies. The union had the monster wagon trains supporting the Calvary as a whole. Raid that train and scatter it and they were hurting until reorganized.

I will offer this.
The Union Army also had more “ego” issues since many senior officers were professional soldiers and had served for years.
Confederates didn’t have enough history to have that issue early on.

 

[Ruger#3]

I will offer this.
The Union Army also had more “ego” issues since many senior officers were professional soldiers and had served for years.
Confederates didn’t have enough history to have that issue early on.

I don’t know, our greatest General was a West Pointer without a single demerit. Many upper echelon southern military were formally trained.