BATTLE SUMMARY
At the time of Gettysburg, Maj. Gen. Alfred Pleasonton commanded the Union cavalry attached to the Army of the Potomac. In June, Pleasonton's cavalry had surprised Brig. Gen. J. E. B. Stuart's men at Brandy Station, where Stuart's troops were massing to screen Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia as it headed north into Pennsylvania. After initially giving ground, Stuart's troops rallied and took back the field, making the contest a draw. However, Brandy Station was a 'moral' victory for the Union. For the first time the Union cavalry proved to be the equal of the Confederate.