Better General: Longstreet or Jackson?

[Old Snapping Turtle]

I know there are many different opinions on these two, but the common belief is that Longstreet was the better defender and Jackson the attacker. But my question is,which was better all around?

 

[Rebforever]

General T.J."Stonewall" Jackson. Give him an assignment and then get out of his way.

 

[uaskme]

Longstreet lived longer. Stonewall was always in the thick of it. Both have their advantages. Nobody else could of done what Stonewall did in the Shenandoah Valley. If there had been a Stonewall in the Tennessee Valley, things could of gone quite differently. Had Longstreet for a Day at Chickamauga. Went pretty well! West was in dire need of someone like these two.

 

[Old Snapping Turtle]

Longstreet lived longer. Stonewall was always in the thick of it. Both have their advantages. Nobody else could of done what Stonewall did in the Shenandoah Valley. If there had been a Stonewall in the Tennessee Valley, things could of gone quite differently. Had Longstreet for a Day at Chickamauga. Went pretty well! West was in dire need of someone like these two.

Well said, regarding the west. I disagree with you on the Shenandoah Valley campaign, anybody who understood defeat in detail could have done that, and Jackson screwed up there. His greatest moment was the flanking attack at Chancellorsville, in my opinion.

 

[Sbc]

Jackson

 

[MikeyB]

Not to diminish from all that Jackson accomplished, but how much of his record benefited from "strength of schedule", particularly in the Valley?

 

[bankerpapaw]

I like Longstreet, however Jackson got the job done. Longstreet was too petulant.

 

[Paul Yancey]

Jackson was a fighter, as tenacious as a pit bull. But he was also clever as evidenced by his ability to move quickly and out maneuver his opponent. Although Jackson had a reputation of not getting along well with fellow officers, I believe that much of that was due to Jackson's extremely high expectations. He expected others to perform as he himself would perform. Still, Jackson was respected and beloved by his men and greatly admired by the people of the South.

Always fun to play the old "what if" game. What if Jackson had been at Gettysburg or what if Jackson had served in the West.
Although I have high regard for Lee's "old war horse", I have always been a fan of Jackson and he is still my favorite General of the war.

 

[Ole Miss]

Geez kinda of like my Daddy can whip your Daddy!
Regards
David

 

[Sbc]

Not to diminish from all that Jackson accomplished, but how much of his record benefited from "strength of schedule", particularly in the Valley?

Perhaps but the same could be said of Lee.

 

[Scott Bowden]

Hi,

The answer lies in two levels. On the "operational" level, it can be argued that Jackson was usually (not always) better than Longstreet.

However, on the "tactical" (or battlefield) level, there was no comparison between these men's performances. Longstreet was far far better, BOTH on the offensive and on the defensive.

Regards,

 

[James N.]

Longstreet lived longer. Stonewall was always in the thick of it. Both have their advantages. Nobody else could of done what Stonewall did in the Shenandoah Valley. If there had been a Stonewall in the Tennessee Valley, things could of gone quite differently. Had Longstreet for a Day at Chickamauga. Went pretty well! West was in dire need of someone like these two.

Until he broke for lunch...

 

[Old Snapping Turtle]

Hi,

The answer lies in two levels. On the "operational" level, it can be argued that Jackson was usually (not always) better than Longstreet.

However, on the "tactical" (or battlefield) level, there was no comparison between these men's performances. Longstreet was far far better, BOTH on the offensive and on the defensive.

Regards,

Care to provide some examples, from battles and campaigns? (I agree, Longstreet was the better General, but Jackson was the Napoleon of the civil war.)

 

[GwilymT]

I'm not sure it's possible to tease out who was in fact a better general. Both were outstanding in many ways and both had their own drawbacks. Jackson, in memory, has the advantage of being a martyr to the cause- as such sympathizers tend to lionize him whereas Longstreet had to live in a world where the CSA lost and make his way in that world. Jackson has the advantage in popular minds of the "what if". Jackson also had a better PR team- the Lost Cause writers made Jackson into some sort of Demi-god whereas they roundly criticized Old Pete due to his post war actions and political stances.

I'm not sure a comparison can be made.

 

[leftyhunter]

I know there are many different opinions on these two, but the common belief is that Longstreet was the better defender and Jackson the attacker. But my question is,which was better all around?

Let's take a look at each Jackson and Longstreet when they were given independent command.
Not an expert but Longstreet certainly had some issues concerning his defeat by General Burnside at Knoxville. Jackson also had some success and failure in independent command.
Leftyhunter

 

[Stone in the wall]

Jackson did more damage. The Lord and the Confederacy blessed Jackson with independent commands from the start. Harpers Ferry 1861 he sacked the B&O railroad trains from Harpers Ferry To Martinsburg. No rails leading south he pulled locomotives south on the valley pike with horses for the Confederacy to use. 1862 Stonewall is loose in the valley defeats 3 armys. After the Seven Days he has Cedar Mountain victory, then he sacks Manassas depot, then sets up the battle of 2nd Manassas. Captures Harpers Ferry (largest surrender of U.S. troops till WW2) and of coares Chancellorsville

 

[GwilymT]

Jackson did more damage. The Lord and the Confederacy blessed Jackson with independent commands from the start. Harpers Ferry 1861 he sacked the B&O railroad trains from Harpers Ferry To Martinsburg. No rails leading south he pulled locomotives south on the valley pike with horses for the Confederacy to use. 1862 Stonewall is loose in the valley defeats 3 armys. After the Seven Days he has Cedar Mountain victory, then he sacks Manassas depot, then sets up the battle of 2nd Manassas. Captures Harpers Ferry (largest surrender of U.S. troops till WW2) and of coares Chancellorsville

The Lord? Is this a quote from someone else?

 

[Stone in the wall]

The Lord? Is this a quote from someone else?

No, Jackson always gave credit to The Lord rather than himself.

 

[GwilymT]

No, Jackson always gave credit to The Lord rather than himself.

Does the Lord also get credit for the bullet that struck Jackson down?

 

[Stone in the wall]

Does the Lord also get credit for the bullet that struck Jackson down?

Some times the Lord takes his favorites first. What is your point?