The Life and Career of General James Longstreet: A Detailed Look at the Confederate General's Life and Achievements

Early Life and Career

James Longstreet was born in South Carolina in 1821. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1842, and he served with distinction in the Mexican-American War. After the war, he resigned from the Army and worked as a lawyer and planter in Mississippi.

Civil War

Lee’s Old War Horse: The Life and Career of General James Longstreet

by Charles River Editors

4.1 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	3491 KB
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When the Civil War broke out in 1861, Longstreet joined the Confederate Army. He was quickly promoted to brigadier general, and he fought in several early battles, including the Battle of First Bull Run. In 1862, he was promoted to major general, and he commanded a division in the Army of Northern Virginia under General Robert E. Lee.

Longstreet was one of Lee's most trusted generals, and he played a key role in many of the Confederacy's most important battles. He commanded a division at the Battle of Antietam, and he led the attack on the Union center at the Battle of Gettysburg. He also commanded a corps at the Battle of Chickamauga, and he played a key role in the Confederate victory at that battle.

Post-War Career

After the Civil War, Longstreet surrendered to Union forces at Appomattox Court House. He then returned to Mississippi, where he worked as a lawyer and planter. He also served as a delegate to the state constitutional convention in 1868.

In 1875, Longstreet was appointed by President Ulysses S. Grant as U.S. minister to the Ottoman Empire. He served in that position for two years, and he then returned to the United States. He continued to work as a lawyer and planter until his death in 1904.

Legacy

James Longstreet is considered one of the most successful generals in the Confederate Army. He was a brilliant tactician and a skilled leader, and he played a key role in many of the Confederacy's most important battles. He was also a close friend and trusted advisor to General Robert E. Lee, and he remained loyal to the Confederacy until the very end.

Longstreet's legacy is complex and controversial. He was a Confederate general who fought against the United States, but he was also a man of principle who believed in the cause of Southern independence. He was a brilliant tactician and a skilled leader, but he was also a controversial figure who has been criticized for his role in the Civil War.

Additional Information

• Longstreet was known as the "Bulldog" because of his tenacity and determination on the battlefield.
• He was one of the few Confederate generals who was able to defeat Union general Ulysses S. Grant in battle.
• Longstreet was a close friend and trusted advisor to General Robert E. Lee.
• He surrendered to Union forces at Appomattox Court House in 1865.
• Longstreet served as U.S. minister to the Ottoman Empire from 1875 to 1877.
• He died in 1904 and is buried in Gainesville, Georgia.

Lee’s Old War Horse: The Life and Career of General James Longstreet

by Charles River Editors

4.1 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	3491 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	72 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE