“To be a good soldier you must love the army. But to be a good officer you must be willing to order the death of the thing you love. That is … a very hard thing to do. No other profession requires it. That is one reason why there are so very few good officers. Although there are many good men” (Shaara 191-192).
July 1, 1863, 87 years after the Declaration of Independence was signed, the bloodiest and most important engagement of the Civil war, the Battle of Gettysburg, had transpired. Three days of continuous conflicts brought out the best and the worst of every individual on the battlefields. James Longstreet, also known as “Old Pete” (Civil War 1), was one of the most controversial of these individuals. As a result of many disputes with …show more content…
Despite his heavy heart, Longstreet continued to play his role in the Civil War. In the Battle of Williamsburg, General Johnston praised his strong leadership and admirable strategies, “a mere spectator, for General Longstreet’s clear head and brave heart left me no apology for interference”(Civil War 1). In the Battle of Antietam, which was notably the most bloodiest day of the war, Longstreet, a believer in tactical defence, made his men mount and wait for the Union, rather than go into the battle itself. Due to praiseworthy actions, “Longstreet’s conduct on this great day of battle was magnificent. He seemed everywhere along his extended lines, and his tenacity and deep-set resolution, his inmost courage, which appeared to swell with the growing peril to the army, undoubtedly stimulated the troops to greater action, and held them in place despite all weakness (Bedwell 14).,General Longstreet was promoted to a Lieutenant General, and had been given control over the First Corps in Virginia (History 3). Rising to become the Lieutenant General, Longstreet, nor any of the other generals, would have imagined his fall during …show more content…
In spite of his efforts, he remains to be General Lee’s right hand and gets hurt during the Battle of Wilderness in May of 1864. Following the end of the Civil War, Longstreet settles in New Orleans and in addition to the mistakes and the reputation he lost at Gettysburg, Longstreet became a republican and repetitively defending himself by blaming the Confederates fate on Robert E Lee. This makes him a target for the South, as he is described as the “the most hated man in the South” by southern newspapers (Shaara 350). Even after the war, Longstreet was surrounded by controversy as he, previously fighting for slavery, had commanded African American soldiers to put an end to a riot by a white group in the early 1870’s (History 5). After being labeled “the lost cause” by many, Longstreet spent the rest of his years repairing his lost reputation. Publishing his memoirs From Manassas to Appomattox in 1895, and after remarrying to Helen Dortch, Longstreet bid his farewell in 1904, leaving his legacy of being a strong and effective leader stained with