On June 10, 1862, Robert E. Lee told Jeb Stuart to assemble his men and reconnoiter the right flank of the Army of the Potomac under the command of George McClellan. Although General Lee had just assumed command of the Army of Northern Virginia, he had a lot of faith in his fellow Virginia - it was Stuart who accompanied him to Harper's Ferry to deal with abolitionist John Brown.

The flamboyant cavalryman didn't take much time in proposing a complete circuit around the Union Army, heading to the north end of the lower peninsula (near the York River) and returning to Richmond along the James. The following day Lee gave him an unspecific order, telling him to exercise "due caution." Both Lee and Stuart interpreted that to mean "go ahead, but be careful."

On the morning of June 12 about 1,500 men from Stuart's cavalry mounted their horses and headed north from Richmond for the Union right flank, at that time slightly west of Mechanicsville. Having reconnoitered the area of interest to Lee, and finding it lightly held, Stuart continued north to the York. West of Hanover Court House they turned southeast, riding through the town and on to Old Church.

West of White House, the massive Union supply depot, Stuart capture Tunstall's Station and tried, unsuccessfully to stop a train on the York River Railroad. With the first whistle, Stuart's men hastily constructed a barricade across the track. When he saw the obstacles on the track, rather than slow down the engineer poured on speed and smashed through the wood. A cavalryman killed the engineer with his pistol, but the fireman took over, guiding the train towards White House. The train getting through put an end to the hope of raiding McClellan's main supply depot.

Just as it had with McClellan, the Chickahominy River posed the greatest problem for Stuart. Still running high from the spring rains, the Confederates had problems fording it. Stuart decided to rebuild the bridge at Forge Site which Joe Johnston had burned as he retreated up the peninsula. Using spare wood from a nearby barn, they strengthened the structure and planked its top only to set fire to it when they had crossed. The fire attracted some nearby Yankee cavalry, who skirmished with Stuart's rear guard.

Jeb Stuart left the cavalry in the able hands of Fitzhugh Lee and continued to Richmond to report to Robert E. Lee late on June 14th. Fitz Lee camped behind Confederate lines on June 15th and the column returned to Richmond the following day. Stuart had ridden ahead to inform General Lee of his success. Confederate papers had a heyday with the expedition.

Three separate dates are sometimes given for the end of the expedition, June 14th (when Stuart arrived at Lee's command center), June 15th (when a majority of troops crossed into Confederate territory) and June 16th, when Fitz Lee reached Richmond.

Links appearing on this page:

Army of Northern Virginia
Army of the Potomac
George McClellan
Jeb Stuart
Joe Johnston
Robert E. Lee

Stuart's Ride Around McClellan was last changed on - June 18, 2006
Stuart's Ride Around McClellan was added on - May 8, 2006