Stuart, James

Died: 1851-06-18 Oregon

Flourished:

Stuart attended the United States Military Academy from July 1842 to July 1846, graduating in the class of 1846. He immediately received a commission into the U.S. Army as a brevet second lieutenant in the newly created Mounted Riflemen under the command of Persifor F. Smith. Stuart participated in General Winfield Scott's expedition from Veracruz to Mexico City. He distinguished himself in several engagements, most notably at Contreras, Churubusco, and Chapultepec. He was breveted first lieutenant for his gallant and meritorious conduct at Contreras and Churubusco and breveted captain for exemplary service at Chapultepec. In October 1847, he received promotion to second lieutenant. Following the Mexican War, Stuart remained in the Mounted Rifleman, engaging in garrison duty at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri in 1848, in recruiting service in 1849, and in frontier duty at Fort Vancouver, Washington Territory in 1851. In 1851, he participated in the Rogue River Expedition against Native American tribes and died from wounds received in a skirmish on June 17, 1851.

Gravestone, Saint Helena's Episcopal Churchyard, Beaufort, SC; Wm. Hugh Robarts, Mexican War Veterans: A Complete Roster of the Regular and Volunteer Troops in the War Between the United States and Mexico, From 1846 to 1848 (Washington, DC: Brentano's, 1887), 13; Francis B. Heitman, Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1903), 1:933; George W. Cullum, Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the U.S. Military Academy, 3rd ed. (Boston and New York: Houghton, Mifflin, 1891), 2:286-87.