#james longstreet

[grants-blue-eyed-stare]

Longstreet: This is where I learned that my children died, George.

Pickett: Cowabummer.

[racefortheironthrone]

What are your thoughts on James Longstreet? He was a Confederate commander, and so fought to preserve slavery, but he was also one of the few among the Confederate senior officers who supported the Reconstruction.

So Longstreet is a fascinating case of pesonal character growth. Pretty much through the war he was a very conventional Southern officer in his attitudes to slavery; he owned slaves, he was very open that the Confederacy's cause was "protecting and defending lawful property," infamously in 1862, he gave this speech to rally his men against the enemy:

He told his men that the Yankees were determined to seize Southern land and property; as proof, he cited “one of their great leaders [who has] attempted to make the negro your equal by declaring his freedom. They care not for the blood of babes nor carnage of innocent women which servile insurrection thus stirred up may bring upon their heads.” (source)

That's a pretty straightforward invocation of the specter of slave revolts and the rape of white women which were the hallmarks of pro-slavery mobilization of public opinion in Southern society, the original blood libel against black emancipation.

But to give him credit, James Longstreet was also one of the few high-ranking Confederates who really took the idea of Reconstruction seriously on a personal level and sought to educate and grow from his experiences. As he said in a letter to the newspaper after the war:

"The great principles that divided political parties prior to the war were thoroughly discussed by our wisest statement...appeal was finally made tot the sword, to determine which of the claims was the true construction of constitutional law. The sword has decided in favor of the North, and what they claimed as principles cease to be principles, and are become law. The views that we hold cease to be principles cease to be principles because they are are opposed to the law. It is therefore our duty to abandon ideaas that are obsolete and conform to the requirements of law."

As a philosophical and political position, It's weirdly militaristic and oddly Hegelian, but Longstreet goes on to explicitly state that black suffrage and full citizenship should be adopted throughout the South. This letter destroyed his reputation among white Southernors, but Longstreet put his money where his mouth was, becoming a Republican and a railroad executive, and a general in the Louisiana state militia leading black troops against white supremacist paramilitaries. He was an imperfect man, but I think you have to give him credit for consistently applying his beliefs, being willing to follow reason and logic even if it required a complete renunciation of his former beliefs, and following through with thorough action in furtherance of his new principles.

[tommy-288]

for requests— honestly anything between longstreet and his men (looking towards pickett and garnett) 🤪😋 make it crazayyyy

Gotta be more specific on what next time I should add but I got something

What’s it’s like to get drunk with Longstreet, Pickett, and Garnett:

Longstreet:

-if we’re talking about Longstreet after the winter of 1862, he’s most likely not gonna drink, and if he does he’s not gonna be a happy drunk.

-but if we’re talking about Longstreet before the winter of 1862, (the events that we won’t say), he’s most likely gonna get drunk (if there’s no superior officers and if some of his buddies are drinking with him.)

-he’s pretty mellow and relaxed during the first few drinks, but as the night continues his “professional-tough-general” act is gonna unravel.

-tomfoolery to the next level. Gonna see him wise cracking and laughing.

Pickett:

-absolute trouble maker.

-only takes a few drinks until he’s doing something that may or may not be dangerous.

-“George stop standing on your horse’s saddle!”

-has an odd habit of telling everyone he loves them when he’s drunk.

-“George stop trying to jump over the campfire!”

-when he wakes the next morning hungover he says “I’m never doing that again”, but he’s not a man of his word.

Garnett:

-like Longstreet, his whole mood depends on where he’s at in his life.

-if we’re talking after his court martial, he’s quiet. He drinks to numb the pain and forget the embarrassment.

-but before the court martial he never really drank that much. He had to be really talked into it.

-during his time as a cadet at West Point he made sure to steer clear of alcohol, even when he graduated. But one time one of his comrades offered him a drink while they were taking turns watching a post.

-pretty well-coordinated, probably could win a lot of drinking games.

[historyandchill]

Why Longstreet so fine in Gettysburg hhh

[rmstitanics]

Grant (2020) - History Channel

Episode One: Unlikely Hero

[quicksiluers]

gonna get back into reading this year (fell off real hard last year) and no better place to start then a book i’ve been anticipating since elizabeth varon mentioned it! loving it so far, very interesting stuff. the mentions of longstreet’s and grant’s friendship never gets old 👍

[almackey]

Longstreet

Professor Elizabeth Varon discusses James Longstreet, focusing mainly on the years after the Civil War. This is based on her book, Longstreet: The Confederate General Who Defied the South. The video’s description reads, “Author Elizabeth Varon discussed Confederate General James Longstreet, who later embraced Reconstruction and became an outcast in the South. The Atlanta History Center hosted…

[transmasc-totoro]

I have “the Killer Angels” brain rot I fear

[grants-blue-eyed-stare]

Grant and Longstreet after the surrender of Appomattox

They missed each other so they played brag

[lightdancer1]

The other, the Battle of Liberty Place, is notable primarily for one of its influences on the Lost Cause, and why it's something to be discussed in the global context of the Scramble and the high tide of imperialism and as a post-Reconstruction artifact more than one during it. It offered the unusual experience of former Confederate general James Longstreet, Lee's old war horse, the man who did so much to guarantee that there was absolutely no way the Battle of Chattanooga could end in any way but the one it did in pursuit of his own army.....leading Black militias against a Ku Klux successor.

Yes, that's right. One of Lee's big wig generals literally led Black troops against the Klan in all but name. For this he was unceremoniously demonized as the Judas in the blasphemous pseudo-Christian cult of Robert E. Lee, because in embracing the prospect of a New South that was more equal than the old he'd committed the true unforgivable sin.

[markloveshistory]

James Longstreet - American

[tommy-288]

I made some really educational memes 😜

[nerds-yearbook]

In 1933, the mutant Eugene Victor Tooms killed a set of five people, eating their livers, and then went into hibernation for the next thirty years. ("Squeeze", X-Files, TV)

[bornforastorm]

i am watching LONGSTREET (james franciscus reasons) on youtube (not available anywhere else) and he has this all white outfit (white jeans white denim jacket) that he wears so often (sexy) and then his other outfits are like: an all yellow outfit, the cutest polo shirts you’ve ever seen, tight khakis, camp shirts unbuttoned to sternum, sweatshirts with the sleeves cut off, sneakers 90% of the time, and then three piece suits and ties with giant knots

the 70s were such a special time for dreamy men in sexy little outfits

[grants-blue-eyed-stare]

Modern AU again where the Confederate generals in the Killer Angels (or Gettysburg idc) drive around blasting modern country music in a tall pickup truck

AMARILLO BY MORNINGGGGGG longstreet would totally be a george strait truther

[almackey]

Gettysburg National Military Park June Camp Fire Program Schedule

Gettysburg National Military Park posted its June Camp Fire program schedule. [begin quote] 2024 Campfire Programs Rangers present evening campfire talks on a wide variety of topics on the Battle of Gettysburg and the American Civil War. Programs take place at 8:30 pm at the Pitzer Woods Amphitheater, near Auto Tour Stop #6. June Saturday, June 8The Gettysburg Campaign, Pt. 1: May – June…