James Longstreet
Confederate general in the American Civil War
1821 CE to 1904 CE
James Longstreet (January 8, 1821 – January 2, 1904) is one of the foremost Confederate generals of the American Civil War and the principal subordinate to General Robert E. Lee, who calls him his "Old War Horse."
He serves under Lee as a corps commander for many of the famous battles fought by the Army of Northern Virginia in the Eastern Theater, but also with Gen. Braxton Bragg in the Army of Tennessee in the Western Theater.
Longstreet's talents as a general make significant contributions to the Confederate victories at Second Bull Run, Fredericksburg, and Chickamauga, in both offensive and defensive roles.
He also performs strongly during the Seven Days Battles, the Battle of Antietam, and until he is seriously wounded, at the Battle of the Wilderness.
His performance in semiautonomous command during the Knoxville Campaign results in a Confederate defeat.
His most controversial service is at the Battle of Gettysburg, where he disagrees with General Lee on the tactics to be employed and reluctantly supervisesthe disastrous infantry assault known as Pickett's Charge.
He enjoysa successful post-war career working for the U.S. Government as a diplomat, civil servant, and administrator.
However, his conversion to the Republican Party and his cooperation with his old friend, President Ulysses S. Grant, as well as critical comments he writes in his memoirs about General Lee's wartime performance, make him anathema to many of his former Confederate colleagues.
Authors of the Lost Cause movement focus on Longstreet's actions at Gettysburg as a primary reason for the Confederacy's loss of the war.
His reputation in the South was damaged for over a century and has only recently begun a slow reassessment.
World
The Atlantic Lands
View →Related Events
Showing 10 events out of 24 total
A group of twelve thousand volunteer and regular soldiers successfully offload supplies, weapons, and horses near the walled city using specially designed landing crafts.
Included in the invading force are Robert E. Lee, George Meade, Ulysses S. Grant, James Longstreet, and Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson.
General Lee and top subordinates James Longstreet and Stonewall Jackson defeat McClellan in the Seven Days Battles and force his retreat.
Lee arrives at Gordonsville to take command on August 15.
He masses the Army of Northern Virginia south of Clark's Mountain and plans a turning movement to defeat Pope before McClellan's army can arrive to reinforce it.
His plan is to send his cavalry under J.E.B. Stuart, followed by his entire army, north to the Rapidan River on August 18, screened from view by Clark's Mountain.
Stuart is to cross and destroy the railroad bridge at Somerville Ford, then move around Pope's left flank into the Federal rear, destroying supplies and blocking their possible avenues of retreat.
Logistical difficulties and cavalry movement delays will cause he plan to be abandoned.
In order to draw Pope's army into battle, Jackson orders an attack on a Federal column that is passing across his front on the Warrenton Turnpike on August 28.
The fighting at Brawner's Farm lasts several hours and results in a stalemate.
Ricketts retires, and Longstreet's wing of the army marches through the gap to join Jackson.
This seemingly inconsequential action will virtually ensure Pope's defeat during the battles of August 29–30, because it will allow the two wings of Lee's army to unite on the Manassas battlefield.
Ricketts withdraws via Gainesville to Manassas Junction.
On August 29, Pope launches a series of assaults against Jackson's position along the unfinished railroad grade.
The attacks are repulsed with heavy casualties on both sides.
At noon, Longstreet arrives on the field from Thoroughfare Gap and takes position on Jackson's right flank.
When massed Confederate artillery devastates a Union assault by Porter's corps, Longstreet's wing of twenty-eight thousand men counterattacks in the largest simultaneous mass assault of the war.
The Union left flank is crushed and the army driven back to Bull Run.
Only an effective Union rearguard action prevents a replay of the First Bull Run disaster.
Pope's retreat to Centreville is precipitous, nonetheless.
Grant marches to the relief of Rosecrans and defeats Bragg at the Third Battle of Chattanooga, eventually causing Longstreet to abandon his Knoxville Campaign and driving Confederate forces out of Tennessee and opening a route to Atlanta and the heart of the Confederacy.
After William Rosecrans' successful Tullahoma Campaign, Bragg, reinforced by Lieutenant General James Longstreet's corps (from Lee's army in the east), defeats Rosecrans, despite the heroic defensive stand of Major General George Henry Thomas.