Photos
Custer Bows to Rosser, on Seeing his old friend across Tom's Brook on October 9, 1864
Drawing by Alfred Rudolph Waud
Courtesy Library of Congress
Cadet Tom Rosser at West Point
Circa 1858
Fun loving cadet who, like George Custer, "marched to his own drum beat."
Photo Courtesy of Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library
University of Virginia
The "Gallant" Major John Pelham (1838 – 1863)
Killed at Battle of Kelly's Ford
March 17, 1863
Pelham and Rosser were roommates at West Point
Pelham was considered one of the best artilleryman of the Civil War
-- from either side.
Photo Courtesy Library of Congress
Major General Jubal Anderson Early
Rosser blamed Early for the debacle at Tom's Brook
Photo Courtesy Library of Congress
Cavalry Commander Brigadier General James Ewell Brown Stuart
Stuart took a liking to Rosser and had him transferred to his cavalry command
Photograph By Photographer George S. Cook (1863)
Photo Courtesy Library of Congress
Tom Rosser was Custer's
best friend at West Point.
They fought each other many times during the war. Each wanted to "thrash" the other in battle, but not kill each other. They remained friends, uniting in the northwest when Rosser was leading surveying expeditions for the Northern and Pacific Railroad.
Tom Rosser entered West Point a member of the Class of 1856. He did not excel academically, finishing in the lower half of the class. He wanted to graduate, but resigned just prior to graduation when Virginia seceded from the Union. Starting out as a Lt. in the famed New Orleans Artillery. J.E.B. Stuart took a liking to him and had him transferred to command the 5th Virginia Cavalry as its colonel.
John Pelham was Tom Rosser's roommate at West Point. They were close friends and resigned from the Academy together before graduation to enlist in the Confederate army. Rosser was deeply affected by Pelham's death at Kelly's Ford in March of 1863. Rosser named one of his sons after the "Gallant" Pelham.
Major General Jubal A. Early commanded forces in the 1864 Shenandoah Valley Campaign. He did not respect his cavalry.this contributed to his failures in the campaign. He feuded with Col. Thomas T. Munford, Brig. Gen. John D. Imboden, and Rosser.
J.EB Stuart had artilleryman Tom Rosser transferred to his cavalry command in 1862 to command the 5th Virginia Cavalry as its colonel. Rosser blamed Stuart for holding up his promotion to brigadier, which was untrue. Rosser's opinion of Stuart declined due the promotion delay and blamed Stuart for being unprepared at Brandy Station on June 9, 1863. He also blamed Stuart for the defeat at Gettysburg.
