John Buford

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John Buford, Jr.
Born	(1826-03-04)March 4, 1826 Woodford County, Kentucky
Died	December 16, 1863(1863-12-16) (aged 37) Washington, D.C.
Place of burial	West Point Cemetery United States Military Academy West Point, New York
Allegiance	United States Union
Service / branch	United States Army Union Army
Years of service	1848–1863
Rank	Major General
Commands	Chief of Cavalry, Army of the Potomac
Battles / wars	First Sioux War Battle of Ash Hollow Utah War American Civil War Second Battle of Bull Run Battle of South Mountain Battle of Antietam Battle of Brandy Station Battle of Upperville Battle of Gettysburg Battle of Boonsboro Battle of Funkstown Battle of Williamsport Bristoe Campaign
Relations	Napoleon Bonaparte Buford (half-brother)

John Buford Jr. (March 4, 1826 – December 16, 1863) was a United States Army cavalry officer. He fought for the Union during the American Civil War, rising to the rank of brigadier general. Buford is best known for his actions in the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg on July 1, 1863, by identifying Cemetery Hill and Cemetery Ridge as good High Ground, and by placing vedettes (the cavalry equivalent of "picket lines") to the west and north that delayed the enemy long enough for the Union Army to arrive.^[1]

Buford graduated from West Point in 1848. He remained loyal to the United States when the Civil War broke out, despite having been born in the divided border state of Kentucky. During the war he fought against the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia as part of the Army of the Potomac. His first command was a cavalry brigade under Major General John Pope. He distinguished himself at Second Bull Run in August 1862, where he was wounded. He also saw action at Antietam in September and during Stoneman's Raid in spring 1863.

Buford's cavalry division played a crucial role in the Gettysburg Campaign that summer. Arriving at the small town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on June 30, before the Confederate troops, Buford set up defensive positions. On the morning of July 1, Buford's division was attacked by a Confederate division under the command of Major General Henry Heth. His men held just long enough for Union reinforcements to arrive. After a massive three-day battle, the Union troops emerged victorious. Later, Buford rendered valuable service to the Army, both in the pursuit of Robert E. Lee after the Battle of Gettysburg, and in the Bristoe Campaign that autumn, but his health started to fail, possibly from typhoid. Just before his death at age 37, he received a personal message from President Abraham Lincoln, promoting him to major general of volunteers in recognition of his tactical skill and leadership displayed on the first day of Gettysburg.