Longstreet becomes target of Lee's admirers

WashTimes ^ | July 12, 2003 | Ken Kryvoruka

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He was, at the war's end, the senior lieutenant general in the Confederate Army, Lee's trusted friend and second-in-command of the Army of Northern Virginia --- yet it was not until 1998 that a statue was erected anywhere to honor James Longstreet. This slight can be traced to his membership in the Republican Party during Reconstruction, but even more damaging to his reputation was the image created by his postwar enemies: He became a villain in Southern eyes, a scapegoat for the Confederate defeat, and one of the South's most controversial figures.

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Found on Aw Shucks

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[LS]

"Becomes"?

Where has this newspaper been for 100 years? The Confeds have always tried to blame Longstreet for Lee's moronic frontal assault at Gettysburg, then tried to pin the rest of the Confederates' failures on him. Sorry.

Lee lost more men, percentage, than ANY Union commander he faced, except at Fredericksburg, where some argue that Lee really wasn't in command. Hardly a sterling record, and one that doesn't come close to matching Sherman's.

[ClearCase_guy]

Lee didn't have much to work with in term of resources. The North had innate advantages, with population, manufacturing, and railroads. But Lee did remarkably well under the circumstances.

Having said that, I will say that as far as I recall, even in his victories, Lee often lost a lot of men (something the South was not capable of doing for long). Lee's final stretch of the war, in which he and Grant maneuvered and fought repeatedly, sometimes reminds me of George Washington. Although Washington lost most of his battles, he was able to maneuver well enough to gain his objectives, and then win the battle that mattered. Robert E. Lee did not do this.

[stainlessbanner]

Lee was a gentleman and a great commander. The adoration of his men and their willingness to follow him into the darkness of war are a tribute to his leadership. You would be hard pressed to include Sherman in his company.

[ought-six]

Washington's forces (regulars,irregulars, and militia) outnumbered the British, whose main base was more than a thousand miles away, across an ocean. Washington was bound to win, through attrition if for no other reason. Lee did not enjoy such logistical and numerical odds. That being said, Gettysburg was Lee's blunder (and Stuart's, who cost the Confederates greatly by his dawdling and untimely arrival at the battle). Lee's other engagements were something else, and he accomplished great victories against great odds (good grief, he was outnumbered 2-1 and was outsupplied and out-equipped throughout the entire war, yet came within an eyelash of winning the whole damn thing. What finally broke the Confederates was (1) attrition, which they could not afford; (2) lack of supplies; (3) Ulysses S. Grant (had Grant not taken overall command it is entirely likely that the end of the War would have been different; Grant was a fighter, very aggressive, and was not at all afraid of taking casualties to achieve his goals; and I have great respect for him, even though I am a Southerner).

[stainlessbanner]

Just curious why bring Sherman into a piece about Longstreet?

[Dr. Scarpetta]

Was Longstreet in the movie "Gods & Generals?"

[WhiskeyPapa]

Lee was a gentleman and a great commander. The adoration of his men and their willingness to follow him into the darkness of war are a tribute to his leadership.

Lee's army was riven with desertion.

Walt

[sine_nomine]

The South won while Stonewall Jackson was around. Once he was shot (mistakenly by his own men) the South began losing.

Certain things may have changed the outcome of the war, but the industrial North certainly had the edge over the South. It was a sad time for our country and bitterly divided people. The loss of life and limb was horrible.

What bothers me is the undying hatred some people have for Lincoln. I do not think he was a saint, but the diatribes against him do not strike me as fair or balanced. There seems to be a hate-Lincoln orthodoxy out there. Someone phoned me - a stranger - and began blaming all our current woes on Lincoln. Was I supposed to start cheering for John W. Booth?

[william clark]

When I saw the headline, I thought it was going to be about a certain James Franciscus detective show of the 70s on which a certain famed martial artist had a recurring role.

[WhiskeyPapa]

Lee's other engagements were something else, and he accomplished great victories against great odds (good grief, he was outnumbered 2-1 and was outsupplied and out-equipped throughout the entire war, yet came within an eyelash of winning the whole damn thing.

The war was won and lost in the west, not Virginia.

Lee's reputation hangs on one battle, Chancellorsville. In the Seven Days Battle his forces took heavier losses every day than Union forces did. His raids into loyal territoriy in both in 1862 and 1863 were ill-advised and unsuccessful. As long as he possibly could, Lee used the the wrong operational concepts, ensuring that his army was bled white by heavy losses. Further, Lee had as little success outside Virginia as Pope, Hooker and Burnside had within it. Lee is very overrated.

Walt

[strela]

Was Longstreet in the movie "Gods & Generals?"

I believe so, fake beard and all.

[Jonah Hex]

Yep, played this time by Bruce Boxleitner. "Box" is better known for playing a television character named "Sheridan". (No relation!)

[WhiskeyPapa]

The South won while Stonewall Jackson was around. Once he was shot (mistakenly by his own men) the South began losing.

The insurgents were losing while Jackson was alive.

Dr. Freehling, in "The South vs. The South" makes the point that the rebellion was doomed once MD, KY and MO were secured to the Union cause. Bruce Catton says the same thing. The slave states didn't have the industrial power oppose the north. And the slave states that had the most to offer the rebellion were early on secured to the Union, including most of Tennessee. Virginia was actually a side show to the main action in the west, and in the political realm.

Walt

[LS]

Um, read Victor Hanson's "The Soul of Battle" and see how Sherman's men felt about him. The sad thing is that Lee's men felt that way even after his shocking malfeasance at Gettysburg.

[LS]

You are right in terms of resources, although arguably Lee had much better corps commanders that he pilfered from West Point than did the North. However, in actual combat terms, he often had as much artillery, and matched up pretty close in terms of total troops. Even so, even when in defensive positions, it's interesting that Lee usually lost a higher % of his men than did any of his federal counterparts.

[LS]

If we are talking about the best general of the war, it is likely Sherman, not Lee or Jackson or Grant.

Read Victor Hanson's "The Soul of Battle" for his briliant treatment of Sherman's army.

[stainlessbanner]

Longstreet is played by Bruce Boxlighter (Scarecrow and Mrs. King). His beard is better than the ones in Gettysburg.

Biggest beard award goes to Stonewall Jackson.

[ladtx]

I'm in the middle of the book GODS AND GENERALS. Believe it or not I thought the movie was an improvement. Some of the dialogue in the novel slips into a more modern language which is a distraction. I finished Shaara's GONE FOR SOLDIERS, about the Mexican War, prior to starting G&G. I think it is a much more well done book.