Topic: General James Longstreet

I:​ Brother Vs Brother, The James Longstreet Story

II:​ James Longstreet was a very important Confederate army general during the American Civil

War. Initially serving In The United States Army, he served well in the Mexican-American War

and held many Political Offices. Upon serving in the Confederate Army, he had many victories,

Bull Run, Fredericksburg, and Antietam, which put the Confederate forces in a good position to

attack the north at Gettysburg. General James, the luck of his previous triumphs did not continue,

leading to his tragedy at Gettysburg. While most modern sources discredit him, (some even

insulting him) blaming the loss in the American Civil-War due to Longstreet at Gettysburg, don´t

acknowledge his battle record.

III: ​James Longstreet was born on January 8, 1821,​ in Edgefield, South Carolina. He was the

fifth child, of his father, also named James, and his mother Mary. James’s father decided upon a

military education early his life, sending him to live with his uncle Augustus. James worked on

his uncle’s plantation while he attended the Academy of Richmond County for nine years. Upon

graduation from the academy, he was appointed by his relative ​Reuben Chapman to the United

States Military academy, also known as West Point. ​James was a poor student academically and

had behavior problems at West Point, ranking 54th out of 56 cadets when he graduated in 1842.

During his stay at west point, he befriended many officers, including ​Ulysses S. Grant. After

graduation, he was given the rank of brevet​ second lieutenant and joined the 4th U.S. Infantry in

Missouri. On March 8, 1845, Longstreet received a promotion to the second lieutenant and was
transferred to the Eighth Infantry, stationed in Florida. The regiment then joined the army of

General Zachary Taylor in Corpus Christi, Texas. In the Mexican-American war, he fought

under Zachary Taylor as a lieutenant in May 1846 in the battles of Palo Alto and Battle of

Resaca de la Palma, while saying nothing in his memoirs about his personal role in the battles.

After the war, James Longstreet married Louise Garland, a woman he had met at his time in west

point. When the Confederacy seceded from the union, James resigned from the army to join the

Confederacy, feeling as he could not go against his homeland. Although he was born in South

Carolina and raised in Georgia, he offered his services to the state government of Alabama. He

was ordered to report to Brig. Gen. P. G. T. Beauregard at Manassas, where he was given

command of a brigade of three Virginia regiments—the 1st, 11th, and 17th Virginia Infantry

regiments in the Confederate Army of the Potomac.

IV: After being given command of his men, he assembled his General staff and trained his men

almost religiously. On July 16th, Union General Irvin McDonell began to march towards the

resting place of the Confederate Army, Manassas Junction. Upon hearing the Union had arrived,

Confederate forces engaged. Longstreet´s Brigade at Blackburn´s Ford engaged Union forces

under the command of Daniel Tyler. When an infantry charge pushed back his Brigade, James

Longstreet himself said that he ¨rode with saber in hand for the leading files, determined to give

them all that was in the sword and my horse’s heels, or stop the break.¨ The Battle got even

worse when inexperienced men from Colonel Jubal Early´s Brigade, began to inflict friendly fire

upon Longstreet´s Brigade. Although Tyler´s Brigade withdrew from this engagement, he and

James were both quoted in saying this about the short battle, ¨went a long way towards winning

the victory of the 21st, for it, gave our troops confidence in themselves​¨ (Detzel 170). Although
this battle was a minor one near Bull Run. It did not stop Confederate Forces from winning the

battle of first Manassas. Besides from Blackburn’s Ford, James’s Brigade Played a minor role,

although Union artillery targeted and bombarded it for over 9 hours. When the Federal Army

broke and routed, he was ordered to chase down the routing troops and eliminate them. When he

did as commanded, Brigadier General Bonham ordered him to fall back. He soon received a

similar order from his commanding officer, General Joseph E. Johnson. Upon hearing this

command, Longstreet burst into a fit of rage. His trusted staff member Moxley Sorrel said this in

the aftermath of the battle, Referring to Longstreet, ​"in a fine rage. He dashed his hat furiously to

the ground, stamped, and bitter words escaped him." He quoted Longstreet as saying afterward,

"Retreat! Hell, the Federal army has broken to pieces." The battle resulted in Confederate forces

gaining confidence, and the Union realizing it was more than a simple rebellion. Several months

after the battle, he received a promotion to Major General. On January 10th, 1862 he traveled to

Richmond to consult with President Davis on the possible creation of a conscription program.

While in Richmond, when he wasn’t consulting with Davis, he was with his wife and his family.

Two days after leaving Richmond, he received a telegram saying all of his children were ill with

scarlet fever, upon which he returned immediately. After arriving, his daughter Mary, his son

James, and his son Augustus, all, unfortunately, passed away. For unknown reasons, he, nor his

wife attended their funerals. After this tragedy and when he returned to the front, Longstreet

became quieter in his demeanor and increased his religious devotion. In the spring of that same

year, Union Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan launched his campaign to capture the Confederate

capital Richmond. Following the siege of Yorktown, Johnson was assigned to the outskirts of

Richmond, with Longstreet’s Brigade forming the rearguard. His Brigade was attacked in the
battle of Williamsburg, where the Union’s III Corps came out of the surrounding forests to

attack. To defend the supply wagons, James attacked them with the support of Cadmus M.

Wilcox, A. P. Hill, Pickett, and two other regiments, which pushed back the III Corps. Finding

himself outnumbered, he requested reinforcements, which came in the form of General Early’s

Brigade. Early’s Brigade, not knowing that the supply wagons were secured, launched a reckless

and bloody charge against the III Corps, which resulted in a Confederate victory, and led to the

capture of over 9 Union artillery pieces. With James reporting the battle as a Confederate

victory, The leader of the III Corps, Joseph Hooker Reporting it as a Union Victory to

Washington. This battle was very important, as it saved and completely secured the flank of the

Confederate Army. During the battle of Seven Pines, he led his men in different and wrong

directions, although he later blamed Benjamin Huger for this mistake. During the battle, General

Johnson was wounded, and command was passed down to Robert E. Lee. During the Seven Days

battles, he was given command of nearly half of Lee’s Army, over 15 Brigades as he pushed the

Union forces commanded by McClellan back down the Peninsula. James proved to be a very

effective commander with these new forces, pushing back the Union forces. Although the

inability to completely destroy the Union Army was put up to poor performances by Longstreet’s

peers, including Stonewall Jackson. Moxley Sorrel Writes about his commanding officer, after a

battle, "He was like a rock in steadiness when sometimes in battle the world seemed flying to

pieces." Robert E. Lee was even quoted in saying, "Longstreet was the staff in my right hand.”

After all these battles, James and Lee became good friends and often set up their camp’s near

each other. Although they both shared deep religious connections, they never shared a strong

relationship. In the Confederate Army, James was known to efficiently use defensive tactics,
with his peer Stonewall Jackson being the offensive commander of the army. But in the Northern

Virginia Campaign, this proved to be untrue. Longstreet was the commander of the right wing,

while Jackson commanded the left wing. When the Federal Army Of Virginia marched south to

attack Lee and threaten Richmond, Lee left Longstreet to guard the rear and sent Jackson to slow

down Pope´s advance. In the battle of Cedar Mountain, Jackson´s men won a decisive victory

against Union forces. Upon this result, McClellan sent forward several Brigades to aid Pope, and

Lee ordered Longstreet north of Richmond, with 3 divisions remaining under Smith to defend

the city. Longstreet and Pope´s artillery engaged in a minor duel, majorly damaging the

Confederate Washington artillery, and coming close to wounding Longstreet himself. While the

artillery raged on, Stuart's cavalry made a flanking move against Union forces and cut off some

of the Virginia armies. Jackson then took the main Union supply depot, and took a defensive

position, attempting to trick Pope into attacking him. James Longstreet, who was following close

behind Jackson by a day, moved in to attack Pope. Longstreet moved through Thoroughfare Gap,

which was blocked by James Brewerton Ricketts brigade of 5,000 men. After a short battle,

James was forced to withdraw, as he was no match for Longstreet’s 28,000 men. This short,

seemingly insignificant battle sealed the fate of Pope’s army. Pope spearheaded an assault

against Stonewall Jackson but was beaten back, with heavy losses. Sooner that day, Longstreet

arrived, taking a position at Longstreet's right flank. Pope, unaware that Longstreet’s corps had

arrived, directed most of his army to assault Jackson. On the 30th, he coordinated a large series

of assaults upon Jackson. When he engaged, Longstreet’s artillery completely destroyed the

assault of Maj. Gen. Fitz John Porter’s Fifth Corps. And then James Longstreet initiated the

largest mass assault of the US civil war, with his entire 28,000 men force assaulting union line.
The Union left flank completely collapsed under the assault and was forced to retreat. The same

disaster that had happened at Manassas was avoided, thanks to the Union rear guard.