Although the Battle of Brandy Station was a tactical victory for J.E.B. Stuart, the Federal cavalry had for the first time proved itself a force to be reckoned with. The superiority of the Confederate horsemen was over. For Stuart, success on the battlefield could not erase the embarrasment at having been taken completely by surprise, and in his after-action report, refused to admit he had been unprepared. Both sides knew differently. Stuart tried to redeem his reputation by launching a raid into Pennsylvania that resulted in little of military value and added to Robert E. Lee's difficulties as the two armies clashed at Gettysburg.
For the men of the 2nd Massachusetts Infantry, their role in the battle earned them considerable bragging rights in their division. They knew that they had been part of something very special, and although it had not bee a victory, there was no shame attached to this defeat. With spirits the highest they had been before Chancellorsville, the regiment was eager to see what Joe Hooker would do next.
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