Signature was clipped from a letter or report signed by Stoneman. Reads, “GEORGE STONEMAN, CAPT.2. CAVLY., COMMANDING” It is marked in pencil, “1860”. Paper measures approx. 4” x 1 ¼”.

George Stoneman, Jr. (August 8, 1822 – September 5, 1894) was a United States Army cavalry officer, trained at West Point, where his room-mate was Stonewall Jackson. Stoneman was assigned out west and in California, them was promoted to Captain of the 2nd U.S. Cavalry in March 1855 where he served mainly in Texas until 1861. This was the time frame that this signature came from.

In the Civil War, he became Adjutant to George B. McClellan, who did not appreciate the use of centralized cavalry, and was therefore outperformed by the Confederates, who did.

At Chancellorsville, under Joseph Hooker, Stoneman failed in an ambitious attempt to penetrate behind enemy lines, getting bogged down at an important river crossing. Hooker's sharp criticism of Stoneman may have been partly aimed at deflecting the heavy blame being directed at himself for the loss of this major battle that most generals believed to be winnable.

While commanding cavalry under William Tecumseh Sherman in Georgia, Stoneman was captured, but soon exchanged. In the last weeks of the war, he led raids into North Carolina and Virginia. Stoneman was governor of California between 1883 and 1887.  [sm]

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