 richard stoddert ewell (february 8, 1817 &ndash; january 25, 1872) was a career united states army officer and a confederate general during the american civil war. he achieved fame as a senior commander under stonewall jackson and robert e. lee and fought effectively through much of the war, but his legacy has been clouded by controversies over his actions at the battle of gettysburg and at the battle of spotsylvania court house. ==early life and career== ewell was born in georgetown, district of columbia. he was raised in prince william county, virginia, from the age of 3, at an estate near manassas known as "stony lonesome."pfanz, p. 6. he was the third son of dr. thomas and elizabeth stoddert ewell; the grandson of benjamin stoddert, the first u.s. secretary of the navy; the grandson of revolutionary war colonel jesse ewell; and the brother of benjamin stoddert ewell.eicher, p. 229. he graduated from the united states military academy in 1840, thirteenth in his class of 42 cadets. he was known to his friends as "old bald head" or "baldy." he was commissioned a [[second lieutenant#united st
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