21 Facts About Turner Ashby

Turner Ashby's father died when he was young, so his mother hired Mr Underwood as a tutor for Turner and his brother, then sent him to Major Ambler's school nearby, but Ashby preferred wandering the countryside rather than classes.

An accomplished horseman at an early age, Turner Ashby often participated in tournaments, and won many, including once dressed as an Indian chief and riding with neither bridle nor saddle.

Turner Ashby avidly followed politics and ran for the state legislature, but as a Whig and follower of Henry Clay, he failed to win election.

Turner Ashby soon persuaded Governor John Letcher to order the militia to capture the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry.

When secession was approved, Turner Ashby made his move, but US forces burned most of the arsenal buildings and 15,000 small arms before he could arrive.

At Harpers Ferry, Ashby was assigned to the Virginia Militia command of Colonel Thomas J "Stonewall" Jackson, whom he had met at Harpers Ferry and Charles Town in 1859.

Turner Ashby was initially assigned to guard fords across the Potomac River and bridges from Harpers Ferry to Point of Rocks, Maryland.

Turner Ashby became known for visiting his pickets on long horseback rides, as well as for interfering with scouting operations of various Union forces.

Turner Ashby's men assisted Maryland men with Confederate sympathies to pass into Virginia, and they disrupted railroad traffic on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad as well as interfered with the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.

Angus McDonald, Turner Ashby had effective control of half of the regiment, which he operated separately.

Turner Ashby organized the first Confederate horse artillery, named Chew's Battery, as part of this regiment.

The Union had hoped that Johnston's forces would be pinned down by Major General Robert Patterson, but Turner Ashby's screen allowed Johnston to move freely without Patterson's interference.

In October 1861, Ashby led an attack on Harpers Ferry, the armory having returned to Union control, but lost to Union forces led by Colonel John W Geary in what became known as the "Battle of Bolivar Heights".

When Turner Ashby threatened to resign in protest, Jackson backed down.

Nevertheless, Turner Ashby's promotion came through on May 23,1862, and he received his promotion and general's star in a ceremony at the Taylor Hotel in Winchester, Virginia.

At the First Battle of Kernstown, Jackson attacked a retreating Union column that Turner Ashby had estimated to be four regiments of infantry, about the size of Jackson's force.

Nathaniel P Banks were retreating, Ashby failed to cut off their retreat because his troopers were plundering captured wagons.

John C Fremont's superior forces, moving from Harrisonburg toward Port Republic, Ashby commanded the rear guard.

Turner Ashby had been appointed brigadier general just two weeks before his death.

Turner Ashby died two weeks after his appointment and the Confederate Senate did not act to confirm the appointment during that time.

Turner Ashby was buried at the University of Virginia Cemetery, but in October 1866, his body was reinterred at the Stonewall Cemetery in Winchester, Virginia, next to the body of his younger brother Richard Turner Ashby, who was killed in Hampshire County in a skirmish with Union soldiers in 1861.