Posted on 07/03/2023 4:12:26 AM PDT by Bull Snipe
General, I have been a soldier all my life. I have been with soldiers engaged in fights by couples, by squads, companies, regiments, divisions, and armies, and should know, as well as any one, what soldiers can do. It is my opinion that no fifteen thousand men ever arranged for battle can take that position.
He was the only Confederate General that President Johnson (not LBJ), would not offer reconciliation to.
When U.S. Grant was elected President, he summoned Longstreet to the White House, returned citizenship to him, and set him up with a job.
I wish that story was more widely known - Grant doesn't even mention it in his autobiography, (much too humble).
Wow, Confederate and controversial; who’d ever thought that would happen?
Longstreet was later reviled among hard ex-Confederates. He became a Republican.
The loss at Gettysburg was avoidable. The last day at Gettysburg was clearly avoidable. Lee should have moved, and picked his ground.
To this day, with Vicksburg under siege, I never understood why Lee went North instead of moving on Grant. Perhaps it’s just his genius that I don’t understand.
One theory was that Lee's venture north was probably one of desperation to secure an armistice by embarrassing Lincoln and his army with a successful venture into the North's homeland.
Before Vicksburg, the Confederate West was already lost as a supply source for the CSA. The real importance there was Grant's rise to authority through ruthlessness.
Who really knows?
Those in the South fought for their way of life, much like today.
You know how it is today: LBGQTVXY, tyranny (country shut-down and mandated drug injections), locking up political opponents (Jan 6), climate change hysteria, and massive corruption at the highest levels of our government. CONTROL!
Then it was primarily economic power and the country's growth/expansion (new states). CONTROL!
Us vs. them.
Nothing new under the sun!
July 3rd 1863, was the death knell of the Republic as the founders envisioned it. Jeffersonian democracy was dead and the end of the war ushered in our current Federal behemoth...
It's been pretty well documented that Lee's intent in moving North was to try to force an armistice. He knew that he could not beat the North in straight up battles.
What I never understood is why Lee perhaps didn't have sappers blow up the fence that stood between Pickett's army and Hancock.
“One theory was that Lee’s venture north was probably one of desperation to secure an armistice...”
I agree.
Curiously it seems that most historians go out of their way to deny that claim, while acknowledging that two envoys were off the coast at Washington ready to negotiate terms of peace.
July 3rd 1863, was the death knell of the Republic as the founders envisioned it. Jeffersonian democracy was dead and the end of the war ushered in our current Federal behemoth...
Family still bitter over losing their slaves?
The recent unpleasantness was not started about slavery.
After visiting the Gettysburg museum recently. Agree that the last day of the battle was the fault of poor leadership or arrogant decisions on part of the confederacy.
Longstreet also advised against Grants decision for a frontal assault into the middle of Meades defenses.
My family owned no slaves. I also have Union men in my blood line. Your comment simply shows your ignorance about the reasons for that conflict. If you were a young man in the South and we’re told that an army of 75,000 was invading your state, what would you do?
Before the War between the States, it was said the “United States are” after the war it became the “United States is”. Tell me what the founders would have thought of that..
Converted to Catholicism during his post-war sojourn in New Orleans, and died a practicing Catholic. (Rather like one of his opposite numbers, General Sherman.)
Says the Fed.
Sometime in May, Davis had discussed with Lee the possibility of sending one Corp from the ANV West to aid Vicksburg. Lee was adamant in his rejection of Davis’s proposal. It was shortly thereafter Lee proposed his plan to invade Pennsylvania.
As this is the 160th anniversary I am surprise that they chose this year to renovate the battle areas around Little Round Top and elsewhere.
Regardless, I am going next year.
This event is one of the most interesting and momentous events in our short history.
Read Wert’s book on Longstreet as well as smoother studies on Longstreet and Gettysburg. I feel Jubal Early and others crucified Longstreet to cover their own failings.
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