The Longstreet-Gettysburg Controversy

It's what I've been saying all along. Longstreet was right, Lee was wrong!
Longstreet is the only one saying that after the war is over. He got off lightly when General Lee took the blame for the failure at Gettysburg!! Only a Great General like Lee would do that.
 
Nice try Rebforever. I'm sure you know that the men who served under General Longstreet held him in equally high esteem. There is pleny of evidence out there to support this.
He didn't after the war. He started his lies. If he was so great, why didn't he stand with the Confederate Soldiers like he did with the union?
 
Longstreet was a whiner and disobeyed orders. I rest my case.

Here's a question you are very fond of posing to others. Proof? Please show where he disobeyed orders. I seem to recall you have tried and failed before, and rely on the mere opinion and "faulty"(to put it kindly) memories of those with axes to grind.
 
Here's a question you are very fond of posing to others. Proof? Please show where he disobeyed orders. I seem to recall you have tried and failed before, and rely on the mere opinion and "faulty"(to put it kindly) memories of those with axes to grind.
Did you prove me wrong?
 
Lee was - usually - a brilliant commander. His decision to attack without full comprehension of the Union positions and strength on Day Two was aggressively inadvisable. He wanted the "finishing blow" on the AotP and pressed when he shouldn't have. He had the Union forces contained and cornered and, as Longstreet asserted, he should've waited them out and turned his attentions to completely surrounding them and severing their supply lines. If nothing else, he should've waited for better scouting and intelligence (and Stuart) instead of pressing.

His Day Three assault was just out-of-character foolishness on Lee's part. If Day Two's failures hadn't shown him that, I'm not sure what would. He had Stuart by then and really should've utilized the cavalry better to his advantage. If nothing else, he should've given better consideration to a strategic withdrawal from the area to force Meade to surrender the advantageous position.

It had not been intended to deliver a general battle so far from our base unless attacked, but coming unexpectedly upon the whole Federal Army, to withdraw through the mountains with our extensive trains would have been difficult and dangerous. At the same time we were unable to await an attack, as the country was unfavorable for collecting supplies in the presence of the enemy who could restrain our foraging parties by holding the mountain passes with local and other troops.

It's easy to make an explanation after-the-fact for bad decisions. He had THE CITY. He had the Union in a contained position. He might not have liked his chances for foraging, but they were still better than Meade's abilities to replenish his forces while they occupied the higher ground.

In short, Longstreet was right. This was just a rare blunder on Lee's part.
 
Did you prove me wrong?

You made the accusation, it it up to you to show your evidence. I graciously ask you to present this evidence that Longstreet disobeyed orders, or are we to assume that you are only expressing your ongoing dislike and personal opinion of Longstreet?
 
He didn't after the war. He started his lies. If he was so great, why didn't he stand with the Confederate Soldiers like he did with the union?

Speaking of Jubal Early -- yup, he sure did work up those lies. Thanks for bringing it up :smile:

In case you are in need of a refresher course, this lecture covers it nicely.
 
Lee was - usually - a brilliant commander. His decision to attack without full comprehension of the Union positions and strength on Day Two was aggressively inadvisable. He wanted the "finishing blow" on the AotP and pressed when he shouldn't have. He had the Union forces contained and cornered and, as Longstreet asserted, he should've waited them out and turned his attentions to completely surrounding them and severing their supply lines. If nothing else, he should've waited for better scouting and intelligence (and Stuart) instead of pressing.

His Day Three assault was just out-of-character foolishness on Lee's part. If Day Two's failures hadn't shown him that, I'm not sure what would. He had Stuart by then and really should've utilized the cavalry better to his advantage. If nothing else, he should've given better consideration to a strategic withdrawal from the area to force Meade to surrender the advantageous position.



It's easy to make an explanation after-the-fact for bad decisions. He had THE CITY. He had the Union in a contained position. He might not have liked his chances for foraging, but they were still better than Meade's abilities to replenish his forces while they occupied the higher ground.

In short, Longstreet was right. This was just a rare blunder on Lee's part.
That's an interesting assertion that I never heard before. Did the AnV have enough food and water reserves to supply their men for approximately 3 to 4 days so they could encircle and force the AoP at Gettysburg to surrender? Were no Union forces available that could not break the siege within 48 hours? I seem to recall their eas another Union Corps that was nearby but didn't make it in time to the battle of Gettysburg. Some of our other posters would know more about that like @War Horse .
Leftyhunter
 
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To be fair to Lee as I have stated on other Gettysburg threads Lee had to take big gambles. Jeff Shara pointed out in his novel " the killer Angels " that Lee had to go on the offensive. Lee was aware by mid June of 1863 that their was a good chance Grant and Sherman would seize Vicksburg and capture a large amount of Confederate soldiers. Lee knew that sooner or later Rosecrans was going to mount a major offensive in Tennessee which if successful would allow the AoC to reach the Atlantic Coast and work it's way into Virginia. Lee was not allowed by President Davis to reinforce his Army because Davis needed other troops to block General Butnsides men in New Bern, North Carolina.
Lee had to undertake a risky offensive.
Leftyhunter
 
With perfect 20/20 hindsight one could argue both Longstreet and Lee where wrong. For a numerically smaller army to march deep into enemy territory with out a secure logistical supply line divided into three columns and beat a larger foe who has better logistics is a tall order indeed.
So what if the Confederates seize Gettysburg? The Confederates just can't hang out they need food and can't afford to be encircled.
The Union Army doesn't have to defeat the AnV in a decisive battle they just have to block the AnV advance or slow them down and win through attrition.
Seizing Little Round Top is not going to help the AnV in the long term.
Leftyhunter
Would you say Lee's plan was Audacious:smile:
 
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