Longstreet makes his breakthrough here

Gettmore

Sergeant Major
Joined
Jul 5, 2015
Location
Western N.C.
Brotherton Cabin
IMG_0986 -1CWT.jpg
 
Longstreet was actually aided by Tom Brotherton, who had lived on his father's farm in northem Georgia before joining the Confederate army. Brotherton played a key part in Longstreet's reconnaissance and the placement of his troops. He turned out to be a very effective scout, based on his knowledge of the ground.
 
I haven’t studied Chickamauga yet. From the very little I’ve gleaned from here, is it an example of Longstreet’s aggressiveness, where it’s usually understood that he was a “defensive” commander?

That he was a defensive commander is a canard probably brought about by people taking popular fiction as fact. He commanded successful pile drivers assaults at 2nd Bull Run, Chickamauga and the Wilderness and on the 2nd day of Gettysburg his corps, down a division, did perhaps the finest example of offensive fighting in the entire war.
 
That he was a defensive commander is a canard probably brought about by people taking popular fiction as fact. He commanded successful pile drivers assaults at 2nd Bull Run, Chickamauga and the Wilderness and on the 2nd day of Gettysburg his corps, down a division, did perhaps the finest example of offensive fighting in the entire war.
When the situation called for it. Longstreet was among the most aggressive of offensive opponents. The sledgehammer and the anvil as he and Jackson were known.
 
That he was a defensive commander is a canard probably brought about by people taking popular fiction as fact. He commanded successful pile drivers assaults at 2nd Bull Run, Chickamauga and the Wilderness and on the 2nd day of Gettysburg his corps, down a division, did perhaps the finest example of offensive fighting in the entire war.
Great points. Funny how he's blamed for Gettysburg... yet it was his corps that almost won the battle. Longstreet called that charge on July 2nd "the best three hours fighting, done by any troops on any battlefield. "
 
Funny how a thread that started at Chickamauga ends up at Gettysburg. Ironically, the Army of the Cumberland and Army of Tennessee veterans that created the Chickamauga Battlefield park knew what they were up against when it came to competing with Gettysburg's powerful memory. Henry Boynton, one of the Chickamauga Park's founders referred to this battle as the "Gettysburg of the West" when making the case for its recognition and preservation. I wrote my book based on the premise that they never quite succeeded in getting that level of recognition, and the battle remains an enigma to this day.
 
That he was a defensive commander is a canard probably brought about by people taking popular fiction as fact. He commanded successful pile drivers assaults at 2nd Bull Run, Chickamauga and the Wilderness and on the 2nd day of Gettysburg his corps, down a division, did perhaps the finest example of offensive fighting in the entire war.
That's a good point about Longstreet.

That superlative description of the 2nd day of fighting was Longstreet's own perceived view.

It makes one wonder what measures constitute a fine example of offensive fighting (duration, casualty counts, objectives attained etc).
 
Just came across this post; wonderful picture! My take away from visiting both Gettysburg and Chickamauga for the first time last year was how those troops of Longstreet's Corps must have felt two months after Gettysburg. They had just suffered some of the worst fighting of the war, then shipped to north Georgia only to spearhead an assault for another Confederate Army......where they succeeded in smashing the entire right wing of Roscrans' Army. Yes, the Army of the Cumberland invited this attack at the wrong time (creating the gap in the line), but I do not believe the forces arrayed opposite Longstreet could have held for long against this assault due to the sheer depth and weight it had. It is amazing after their performance at Gettysburg and the monumental loss they sustained, that they were able to still perform such things.
 
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