Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History
Benson Lossing, Ed.

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Buford, John, 1825-

Military officer; born in Kentucky in 1825; was graduated at West Point in 1848; became captain in 1859; and inspector-general, with the rank of major, November, 1861. He commanded a brigade of cavalry under General Hooker, and was so severely wounded near the Rappahannock (August, 1862) that he was reported dead. In the battle of Antietam he was on General McClellan's staff. He was conspicuous in many engagements while in command of the reserve cavalry brigade, and he began the battle of Gettysburg (q. v.). He was chief of Burnside's cavalry, and was assigned to the command of the Army of the Cumberland just before his death in Washington, D. C., Dec. 16, 1863.--His half-brother, Napoleon Bonaparte Buford (born in Woodford county, Ky., Jan. 13, 1807), was also graduated at West Point, and entered the artillery. He was a pupil in the Law School of Harvard University; Professor of Natural Philosophy at West Point; but retired to civil pursuits in 1835. Engaging first as colonel in the Union army in 1861, he served well during the continuance of the strife, and was brevetted major-general of volunteers in March, 1865. He died March 28, 1883.