James Longstreet | Research & Encyclopedia Articles

James Longstreet

Born January 8, 1821
Edgefield District, South Carolina
Died January 2, 1904
Gainesville, Georgia

Confederate general

Controversial military leader whose reputation as
General Robert E. Lee's "old war horse" was
shaken at Gettysburg

James Longstreet is perhaps the most controversial of the generals who served the Confederacy during the American Civil War. Longstreet's supporters point out that he fought courageously at many of the war's biggest battles, and that General Robert E. Lee (1807–1870; see entry) had such high regard for Longstreet that he affectionately referred to him as the Confederacy's "Old War Horse." But Longstreet's critics argue that he devoted too much time and energy to trivial political quarrels, and that he did not always do a good job of supporting Lee. Much of this still-lively debate about Longstreet centers on the Battle of Gettysburg, during which he and Lee had a famous dispute over military strategy.

A Georgia Childhood

Longstreet was born on January 8, 1821, in Edgefield District, South Carolina, to James and Mary Ann Dent Longstreet. Within weeks of his birth, however, he was taken to his parents' cotton plantation outside of Gainesville, Georgia. "My earliest recollections were of the Georgia side of theSavannah River, and my school days were passed there," Longstreet recalled.

James Longstreet article

Read the rest of this article.
This article contains 2,723 words (approx. 9 pages at 300 words per page).