On this day (July 27) in 1862, Major General John Pope’s headquarters posted Special Orders No. 25. Sections seven and eight of those orders are reproduced in the Official Records:
VII. Brig. Gen. J. P. Hatch, U.S. Volunteers, is relieved from duty with the Second Corps d’ Armée, and will report, without delay, for duty to Brigadier-General King, commanding at Fredericksburg, to be assigned to the brigade lately commanded by Brig. Gen. C.C. Augur.
VIII. Brig. Gen. John Buford, jr. U.S. Volunteers, will report for duty as chief of cavalry to Major-General Banks, commanding Second Corps d’ Armée.
Pope’s order moved Buford out of a position with the Inspector General’s office (which was Buford’s choice if I remember correctly) into a field command.
Say what you will about John Pope. Maybe he was a bag of hot air. But without Pope’s special order this does not happen:
Well… maybe that’s a overly dramatic depiction and interpretation. But you get the picture.
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Many thanks to John Pope for giving us Sam Elliott as Buford! I don’t care how Hollywood-ified the scene… it’s way cool!
I’d forgotten how that speech went. Sam Elliott was marvelous and paid high tribute to Buford with his effort.
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