WI: JEB Stuart hadn't died during the Wilderness Campaign

I'm not sure if this situation has been analyzed in much detail before but what if General JEB Stuart had not been fatally wounded at the battle of Yellow Tavern as in OTL? How might his survival have affected the events of the Wilderness Campaign and the events that followed? Doubt that the outcome of the Wilderness will change overall but how might the number of casualties and strategic success of the Union differ and what other butterflies are possible?
 

Anaxagoras

Banned
Stuart's performance during the Overland Campaign up to the point he was killed had been outstanding. It has been somewhat neglected by Civil War historians because of the drama of his being killed in battle. But butterflies aside, it's hard to see how Stuart's survival would have affected the campaign. Fitzhugh Lee and then Wade Hampton did about as well as cavalry commanders as well as I would have expected Stuart to do.

I can see two potential butterflies. Stuart might have detected Grant's movement over the James River, which could have allowed Lee to attack the Army of the Potomac at a very vulnerable moment. The other would be that a living Stuart might result in Fitzhugh Lee going with Early in the Raid on Washington, which could have lead to some interesting times.

It's also obvious that the death of Stuart was a severe blow to Confederate morale during the campaign.
 
Although if it was a severe blow, it was recovered thanks to Hampton's excellent leadership.

I don't know why Stuart would necessarily have detected Grant's movements better than Hampton, and I say this as a converted Stuart admirer.

It's possible.

Fitz Lee with Early would be interesting. Early desperately needed a good cavalry commander, although I don't know if having Fitz would have made much difference given Early's view (note: not a quote, just written to show how acidic his attitude was) that the only good thing about the cavalry is that it kept cowards out of the infantry.
 
I wonder what the postwar butterflies are assuming he isn't killed at a later point and survives the war? Would he get involved in politics like Forrest or become a US general during the Spanish-American War like Wheeler.
 
I wonder what the postwar butterflies are assuming he isn't killed at a later point and survives the war? Would he get involved in politics like Forrest or become a US general during the Spanish-American War like Wheeler.

He's only thirty one as of 1864, so he could easily pursue whatever.

I kind of hope he'd return to the US army, but I don't know if he would.
 
He's only thirty one as of 1864, so he could easily pursue whatever.

I kind of hope he'd return to the US army, but I don't know if he would.

Considering his prestige gained in the Civil War I could see him gaining fairly high command during the post-war Indian Wars or Spanish-American War if he returns to the US Army.
 
Considering his prestige gained in the Civil War I could see him gaining fairly high command during the post-war Indian Wars or Spanish-American War if he returns to the US Army.

He might. Although Custer, for instance, was only a lieutenant colonel (after promotion - his rank at the end of the war being merely captain)

Not sure Stuart would do better.

I think its beyond argument he'd deserve better, but I don't know if he would.
 

Anaxagoras

Banned
Considering his prestige gained in the Civil War I could see him gaining fairly high command during the post-war Indian Wars or Spanish-American War if he returns to the US Army.

"Stuart's Last Stand" would make for a good AH story, methinks.
 
He might. Although Custer, for instance, was only a lieutenant colonel (after promotion - his rank at the end of the war being merely captain)

Not sure Stuart would do better.

I think its beyond argument he'd deserve better, but I don't know if he would.

True. I keep forgetting that the tiny size of the postwar army meant many Civil War officers lost rank or at best stagnated.
I wonder if 1870 is too early for him to come back to US service? If he can be brought back it would be interesting to see his reaction at being sent to observe the Franco-Prussian War like Sherman was.
 
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True. I keep forgetting that the tiny size of the postwar army meant many Civil War officers lost rank or at best stagnated.
I wonder if 1870 is too early for him to come back to US service? If he can be brought back it would be interesting to see his reaction at being sent to observe the Franco-Prussian War like Sherman was.

When is the earliest that any of the ex-Confederate officers who had been US army pre war rejoined, OTL?
 
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