Greatest Civil War Cavalry commander?

Question

Who do you think was the greatest American Civil War Cavalry commander? I've narrowed my choices down to Sherridan, Custer, Mosby, Stuart and Forrest.

As much as it pains me to say it, Little Phil was the best of the bunch

I love all of the rest of them, but Sherridan got results

Answer 1

You can never win an argument about who was "the greatest". But from what I have gathered over the years Mosby, was a good cavalry commander and a good guerrilla warrior. His name popped up in my head even before I read the choices you offered. He was one of those you would certainly want to have fighting for you and not against you.

Answer 2

Nathan Bedford Forrest was the best. I have read many books on cavalry tactics because I am a history buff. His tactics have been used ever since. First people thought that cavalry was dead with the advent of the automobile and the tank. Vietnam proved you didn't need horses or tanks to have cavalry, you needed helicopters. Today in Iraq our cavalry is still helicopters. Through all of its forms cavalry lives on, and it tactics are based on the ideas of Forrest. By the way as an individual I find Forrest a real a**hole, he helped form the Klu Klux Klan.

Answer 3

regrettably, i'm undecided if a cavalry officer's abilities could be transferrable to the cutting-edge difficulty. To be straightforward, and that i understand this may be somewhat arguable, however the unique KKK grow to be greater of a resistance group to Northern profession than an outright racist group. As many southerners, they seen themselves an invaded land, a undertaking human beings, an occupied united states of america with a collaborationist government foisted upon them. They have been waiting to do what grow to be mandatory to kick the occupiers out, which lined fantastic out at what they observed because of the fact the efficient icon of the invasion: black human beings residing loose, and in lots of circumstances, preserving political authority over people who as quickly as owned them. i'm a sparkling Englander, btw, not a southerner.

Answer 4

Forrest would have been brilliant if he didn't leave his Commanders high and dry because of his ego.

I'll go with JEB Stuart. Even if he died before the end of the war.

Answer 5

Toss up between Nathan Bedford Forrest (Confederate) and Alfred Pleasanton (Union).

Answer 6

I think that Sheridan and Custer were too headstrong and reckless. I'd have to go with Stuart, even though he died before the war ended.

Answer 7

Forrest.

Answer 8

J.E.B Stuart. Custer was a glory hound with little if any sense of tactical strategy, just lots of luck...until the Little Big Horn.

Answer 9

Nathan Bedford Forrest. Killed 33 men in battle, had 32 horses shot out from under him. "I'm a horse ahead" was how he put it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Bedford_Forrest

Answer 10

If you're looking for a vote, mine is Forrest.