Longstreet and the Lost Cause

[vtsaogames]

My blog post about the bad blood between Longstreet and the Lost Cause clique  https://corlearshookfencibles.blogspot.com/2021/05/james-old-pete-longstreet-and-lost-cause.html

[Antonio J Carrasco]

Good post.

[armchairgeneral]

An interesting read. Pickett's charge always seemed an out of character move for Lee. One more typical of Burnside. Indeed I believe the Union defenders were heard to shout "Fredericksburg" on repulsing the Confederate attackers.

[OB]

A good read there, thank you.

[vtsaogames]

An interesting read. Pickett's charge always seemed an out of character move for Lee. One more typical of Burnside. Indeed I believe the Union defenders were heard to shout "Fredericksburg" on repulsing the Confederate attackers.

Lee was extremely aggressive, a trait he shared with Grant. He made other bloody frontal attacks. There was the series of poorly coordinated attacks at Gaines Mill that finally broke Porter's corps. There was the similar series of attacks at Malvern Hill that failed with heavy losses. Lee was planning an attack on entrenched Union lines at Chancellorsville but Hooker ordered his army to retreat during the night. There were many attacks Lee ordered that succeeded, thanks to a roster of inept opponents.

Edit: it should be noted that in the minor leagues of coastal North Carolina, Burnside had done quite well against truly inept opposition. But when he was called up to the major leagues in Virginia, he was found sadly wanting.

Edit 2: unlike Burnside, Lee also had numerous flanking attacks to his credit.

Edit 3: Longstreet said once a general committed his last reserve, there was nothing else he could do. Although Longstreet and staff manned guns at Antietam when that was all they had left.