Gen. James Longstreet: "Brave soldier, gallant gentleman, consistent Christian"

Gloria Romanorum ^ | August 24, 2017 | Florentius

[Antoninus]

156 years ago yesterday, General Longstreet ordered the ill-fated charge of Pickett's men into the Union center at Gettysburg. He should be remembered by us for more than just a single horrible afternoon.

[Timmy]

Longstreet didn’t want to order that charge. He appealed to Lee to reconsider. Lee should have listened.

[rockrr]

Nice essay! Thanks for posting this.

[NTHockey]

Story goes that Lincoln was angry with his generals for not capturing General Robert E. Lee. One of them (alledgingly) remarked: “Capture him? We have to climb a big (A. P.) Hill, march down a (James Longstreet) and go over a Stonewall (Jackson) just to get to see Lee!”.

Don’t know if it’s true, but the sentiment is correct.

Doe vindice

[Timmy]

BTW, Longstreet wrote an epic book (From Manassas to Appomattox) after the war. It’s a great read about the movements and strategies of the Army of Northern Virginia.

[allendale]

Longstreet, having learned much at Fredericksburg, passionately opposed doing battle at Gettysburg. He rightly knew that the best strategy was to somehow get between the Army of the Potomac and Washington. It would have then forced the Federals to attack on ground chosen and favorable to the Confederates. After the debacle at Gettysburg, Lee was tormented that he did not appreciate Longstreet’s insight and advice. It was no accident that Lee , ever the gentleman, sent Longstreet with his Corp to fight in Tennessee and northern Georgia.

[Antoninus]

Longstreet didn’t want to order that charge. He appealed to Lee to reconsider. Lee should have listened.

Indeed. But sadly, Longstreet is remembered for giving the order.

[Antoninus]

Catholic ping!

[IronJack]

Longstreet OPPOSED Pickett's charge (which could as accurately be called Pettigrew's charge). He tried to dissuade Lee, but the commander was convinced he could overwhelm the Union center with an opening artillery bombardment followed by a wave of infantry and cavalry. He nearly succeeded. Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock and the First Minnesota held the line ... barely. (A special shout out to 1st Lt. Alonzo Cushing, whose incredible courage exemplified the Union resistance that day.}

But if Lee had listened to Longstreet, the outcome of Gettysburg -- and the war -- might have been very different.

[crz]

And he was one of US Grants best supporters and friend both before and after.

[OKSooner]

Yes, Longstreet was the visionary among all of them, Union and Confederate, at the time. Unfortunately for his side he wasn't the one in charge.

After the war, at least by the limited reading I've done on the subject, his position was "I tried to tell him."

[Southside_Chicago_Republican]

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[Flag_This]

"Longstreet didn’t want to order that charge. He appealed to Lee to reconsider. Lee should have listened."

As I understand it, Longstreet disagreed with Lee on the whole strategy used at Gettysburg. Longstreet thought they should take advantage of the terrain and take up a strong defensive position, so the Union forces would get chewed to pieces attacking an entrenched opponent.

[OKSooner]

"It was no accident that Lee , ever the gentleman, sent Longstreet with his Corp to fight in Tennessee and northern Georgia."

Can you elucidate on this point? TIA.

[crz]

Gainesville, Georgia, July 23 - “He was the truest as well as the bravest man that ever lived,” was the remark made by General James Longstreet,

After learning of Grants passing.

[Tallguy]

I’ve noticed that in the last 30 years 2 civil war generals’ reputations are going way up while 1 is dropping. Grant & Longstreet are on the rise. Lee is on the decline.

[Alter Kaker]

“I never heard of any other cause of the quarrel than slavery.” -Longstreet

[Tallguy]

It was “2 Hills” since D.H. Hill (Daniel Harvey) was also serving with the ANV at the time.

[Reily]

See Battle of Chickamauga!

[allendale]

Try to imagine what it was like for Lee after Gettysburg. Every time he saw Longstreet or held a council with his senior generals Longstreet’s mere presence was a torturous rebuke even if Longstreet never raised the issue ever again. It should be noted that for the remainder of the war, beginning with his masterful tactical retreat from Gettysburg, Lee effectively fought Longstreet style defensive battles that cost the Union dearly. Clearly Lee was both haunted and influenced by Longstreet and never recovered from the debacle at Gettysburg.