American soldier George Stoneman (1822-1894) graduated from West Point and served with distinction in the Mexican-American War before developing innovative cavalry tactics during the Civil War. Though controversially captured during his 1863 raid on Richmond, he rebounded to lead successful campaigns in Tennessee and North Carolina. As military governor of Virginia during Reconstruction and later as California's governor, he championed railroad regulation and Native American rights progressive positions that cost him politically but demonstrated his commitment to principle over political expediency.