On
June 30, the eve of the Battle of Gettysburg, three brigades of cavalry under
the famed General J.E.B. Stuart clashed with a division of Union counterparts
under General Judson Kilpatrick at the town of Hanover, Pennsylvania. This was
one of many cavalry clashes on the way to the fateful battle of Gettysburg, but
is worth some study for two reasons.
1.
First, this
battle came about as Stuart, separated from the main body of Robert E. Lee’s
Army of Northern Virginia, tried to reconnect his three cavalry brigades. The
Federals at Hanover stood in his way of getting to Gettysburg, where he thought
he might find Lee. If he had plowed through Kilpatrick’s rear guard or been
fortunate enough to arrive there after the Federals were gone, he would have
gotten to Gettysburg at least on July 1, seriously altering the course of
events.
2. Secondly, it was the first battle where George Armstrong Custer, one of the most famous
cavalrymen in US history, held field command. He had so far spent most of the
war as a capable staff officer. This was his first serious test.
