John Buford Character Analysis

A Major General in the Union Army, 37-year-old Buford is “a tall blond sunburned man” who served for years in the Indian wars. He is methodical and patient, though given to moodiness and occasional outbursts that startle his men. He is a Western cavalryman at heart and longs for freedom and open spaces; he is uncomfortable with the culture of the East, especially military hierarchy, and resents the necessity of appealing to superiors. He has an excellent eye for ideal battleground; when he and his brigades arrive in Gettysburg, they scout Cemetery Hill and claim it as a prime Union position—a move with great consequences for the outcome of the battle and thus the war. Despite this vital contribution to the Union effort, however, Buford is pushed aside while visiting headquarters for information, confirming his negative views about Eastern mindsets. Buford has taught his men to fight dismounted, as cavalrymen did out West, instead of through “glorious” charges. In this way, he is a Union counterpart to the visionary Longstreet.