Longstreet Gen. James Longstreet's funeral procession in Downtown Gainesville, GA

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Gen. James Longstreet's funeral procession in Downtown Gainesville, GA

Marietta, Georgia's, Bell Bomber Plant's (Lockheed) own "Rosie the Riveter" was Helen Dortch Longstreet (1863-1962) - the second wife of Confederate Gen. James Longstreet, CSA (1821-1904). Both lived and passed in Gainesville, Hall County, Georgia and are interred at Alta Vista Cemetery there.

Gainesville, Jan. 6, 1904. Thought to be the funeral procession for Gen. James Longstreet who died Jan. 2. The procession included the Queen City Band, Candler Horse Guards, Governor's Horse Guards, Confederate veterans, family and friends. The burial was in Alta Vista Cemetery. Longstreet was born in 1821; graduated from West Point in 1842; served in the Mexican War; resigned his commission to serve in the army of the Confederacy; held several federal appointments after the Civil War

http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/cgi-bin/vanga.cgi?format=photo&query=id:hal285&Welcome
 
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Now I'm wondering if one of my favorite Lieutenants, T.J. Goree, might have come from Texas to attend. He lived until March 1905, so it's not impossible, I guess. Wonder if there's a news article listing all the attendees?
 
longstreet.jpg
 
That soldier, next to the horse, is he wearing a Pickelhaube? If memory serves, the Calvary bought quite a few of them and were considering their adoption after Prussia utterly crushed the French in 1871(this was also the time that the official language of West Point became German).
 
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Gen. James Longstreet's funeral procession in Downtown Gainesville, GA

Marietta, Georgia's, Bell Bomber Plant's (Lockheed) own "Rosie the Riveter" was Helen Dortch Longstreet (1863-1962) - the second wife of Confederate Gen. James Longstreet, CSA (1821-1904). Both lived and passed in Gainesville, Hall County, Georgia and are interred at Alta Vista Cemetery there.

Gainesville, Jan. 6, 1904. Thought to be the funeral procession for Gen. James Longstreet who died Jan. 2. The procession included the Queen City Band, Candler Horse Guards, Governor's Horse Guards, Confederate veterans, family and friends. The burial was in Alta Vista Cemetery. Longstreet was born in 1821; graduated from West Point in 1842; served in the Mexican War; resigned his commission to serve in the army of the Confederacy; held several federal appointments after the Civil War

http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/cgi-bin/vanga.cgi?format=photo&query=id:hal285&Welcome

Thanks for posting this. I had not seen it before.
 
Now I'm wondering if one of my favorite Lieutenants, T.J. Goree, might have come from Texas to attend. He lived until March 1905, so it's not impossible, I guess. Wonder if there's a news article listing all the attendees?
I searched the Atlanta Papers thinking they would have had more about the Longstreet Funeral but saw nothing. If any one has Fold3 they have access to the Atlanta Constitution paper and there may be some photos there.
 
I searched the Atlanta Papers thinking they would have had more about the Longstreet Funeral but saw nothing. If any one has Fold3 they have access to the Atlanta Constitution paper and there may be some photos there.
It just occurred to me that if Goree traveled to the funeral, he might have been mentioned in the Huntsville, TX papers--by then he'd become an important man (head of the Texas Prison System) and would have made a nice note in the paper. On the other hand, it also occurred to me that he might not have shared Longstreet's reconstruction change of heart and they might not have been cordial by the end.

I may be able to find out more when I go to Huntsville next month...the special section of the library we met in last year is dedicated to his grandson, and I think Goree's papers are there.
 
I searched the Atlanta Papers thinking they would have had more about the Longstreet Funeral but saw nothing. If any one has Fold3 they have access to the Atlanta Constitution paper and there may be some photos there.

In Helen Dortch Longstreet's book "Lee and Longstreet at high tide" she quotes several newspaper articles about the funeral. I found this paragraph very touching, it shows how much Gen. Longstreet was loved by his men, even until the end:

"Just as the near relatives and dearest friends were gathered about the grave, there stepped up an old veteran and delivered the Stars and Bars as the last, loving message from General Jenkins, of North Carolina. With this old flag and the Stars and Stripes, the Greneral was buried. Then, just as the body was about to be lowered, another figure bent with the ravages of time and trembling with the emotion that bespeaks a tender heart and brave courage made his way to the circle about the grave. His interruption of the services was beautiful beyond all hope of describing. "I want,'' he said, and he hesitated not as one who has forgotten some carefully prepared speech, but rather as one whose heart was getting the better of his attempt at expression, "I want to bury this jacket, my old gray jacket, with my General. I've got my papers, too, my enlistment papers. They're all here, and they're all clean. I wasn't an officer, but I belonged to Longstreet's command, and I'd rather be a private in the old corps than, than Well, I've served my time, and the General, he's served his time, too. And I reckon I won't need my uniform and papers again. But I'd like to leave them with him for always. They were enlisted under his command, and as I don't ever want to be mustered out again, I'd just like to leave them with him always, if you don't mind." And as no one minded unless it was in the most beautiful way possible, the faded gray jacket and the enlistment papers were lowered with the crossed flags of two republics and many floral offerings as a last loving tribute to General Longstreet, who, with the final sounding of taps, again passed for ever and ever to his waiting commander and his old command."
From the Atlanta, Georgia Constitution. By Alan Rogers.
Gainesville, Georgia, January 6th, 1904

https://openlibrary.org/books/OL6945772M/Lee_and_Longstreet_at_high_tide
 
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In Helen Dortch Longstreet's book "Lee and Longstreet at high tide" she quotes several newspaper articles about the funeral. I found this paragraph very touching, it shows how much Gen. Longstreet was loved by his men, even until the end:

"Just as the near relatives and dearest friends were gathered about the grave, there stepped up an old veteran and delivered the Stars and Bars as the last, loving message from General Jenkins, of North Carolina. With this old flag and the Stars and Stripes, the Greneral was buried. Then, just as the body was about to be lowered, another figure bent with the ravages of time and trembling with the emotion that bespeaks a tender heart and brave courage made his way to the circle about the grave. His interruption of the services was beautiful beyond all hope of describing. "I want,'' he said, and he hesitated not as one who has forgotten some carefully prepared speech, but rather as one whose heart was getting the better of his attempt at expression, "I want to bury this jacket, my old gray jacket, with my General. I've got my papers, too, my enlistment papers. They're all here, and they're all clean. I wasn't an officer, but I belonged to Longstreet's command, and I'd rather be a private in the old corps than, than Well, I've served my time, and the General, he's served his time, too. And I reckon I won't need my uniform and papers again. But I'd like to leave them with him for always. They were enlisted under his command, and as I don't ever want to be mustered out again, I'd just like to leave them with him always, if you don't mind." And as no one minded unless it was in the most beautiful way possible, the faded gray jacket and the enlistment papers were lowered with the crossed flags of two republics and many floral offerings as a last loving tribute to General Longstreet, who, with the final sounding of taps, again passed for ever and ever to his waiting commander and his old command."
From the Atlanta, Georgia Constitution. By Alan Rogers.
Gainesville, Georgia, January 6th, 1904

https://openlibrary.org/books/OL6945772M/Lee_and_Longstreet_at_high_tide

FF, that is very touching. I again must buy yet another book.
 
It just occurred to me that if Goree traveled to the funeral, he might have been mentioned in the Huntsville, TX papers--by then he'd become an important man (head of the Texas Prison System) and would have made a nice note in the paper. On the other hand, it also occurred to me that he might not have shared Longstreet's reconstruction change of heart and they might not have been cordial by the end.

I may be able to find out more when I go to Huntsville next month...the special section of the library we met in last year is dedicated to his grandson, and I think Goree's papers are there.
If I'm not mistaken Goree and Longstreet remained very close friends until the end. I will try and find evidence as to whether or not he attended the funeral. I would be surprised if he were able to attend if he did not.
 
FF, that is very touching. I again must buy yet another book.

I can only recommend it. In the first part she proves that all accusations concerning his actions in Gettysburg were wrong. Then she gives an account of his life, both private and military, and in the appendix there are all these obituaries fom differnt newspapers. I'm only halfway through it, but I do enjoy it immensely.
I don't know if there is still a printed version, but it can be downloaded or read online (see link above) and there is a very good Kindle edition from Amazon. That's the one I 'm currently using.
 
I can only recommend it. In the first part she proves that all accusations concerning his actions in Gettysburg were wrong. Then she gives an account of his life, both private and military, and in the appendix there are all these obituaries fom differnt newspapers. I'm only halfway through it, but I do enjoy it immensely.
I don't know if there is still a printed version, but it can be downloaded or read online (see link above) and there is a very good Kindle edition from Amazon. That's the one I 'm currently using.
Thanks FF
 
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