Longstreet "If Longstreet Says So, It Is Most Likely Not True"/ Robert K. Krick

Bragg and Longstreet were both part of the Knoxville Campaign idea. If he could have beaten Burnside and then returned to Chattanooga to help defeat Grant it would have been a bold victory. If by going to attack Burnside, Grant split off part of his command to chase Longstreet that would have also been favorable.
17th MS was a tough unit - fighters!!
If Barksdale had been at Chickamagua instead of Humphreys, then Snodgrass Hill might have been VERY different.
The 17th certainly was. I believe they were in the thick of it in every major battle in the east from 1st Bull Run to the end, the only exception being 2nd Bull Run when Barksdale’s Brigade was stationed outside Harper’s Ferry IIRC. One more Bgde. like that one in Longstreet’s corps at Bull Run2 might have been the difference between cutting off Pope’s retreat and allowing the escape that happened.
 
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Bragg and Longstreet were both part of the Knoxville Campaign idea. If he could have beaten Burnside and then returned to Chattanooga to help defeat Grant it would have been a bold victory. If by going to attack Burnside, Grant split off part of his command to chase Longstreet that would have also been favorable.
17th MS was a tough unit - fighters!!
If Barksdale had been at Chickamagua instead of Humphreys, then Snodgrass Hill might have been VERY different.
Hindsight is always 20-20, but it seems to me that Longstreet’s tactical failure against an intrenched enemy at Suffolk just 7-8 months prior would have taught him that this thing had no chance. Maybe the idea was good on paper but when he actually saw the fortifications at Knoxville I think the lightbulb should have come on.
 
I wonder how much different the war would have been if you had say swopped out Burnside for Longstreet.

I'm sure there would have been a difference.

Looking at Longstreet's performance in battle after battle... Overall his performance was a big net-positive IMO, a couple negatives here and there but overall a pretty darned good corps commander.
 
Hindsight is always 20-20, but it seems to me that Longstreet’s tactical failure against an intrenched enemy at Suffolk just 7-8 months prior would have taught him that this thing had no chance. Maybe the idea was good on paper but when he actually saw the fortifications at Knoxville I think the lightbulb should have come on.
Mclaws came back from the Fort at Knoxville, explained what was in front of his army and tried to get Longstreet to take a look with him.
Longstreet got adjutated and refused his request and informed Mclaws attack or else.
Lee would listen to Longstreet but Longstreet didn’t listen to his top General. This is somewhere in the ball park.
 
when he lost chattanooga Bragg was done
The Knoxville idea was bold and creative
The issue was the leader - Longstreet-
Away from Lee he was not good. The only worse that Burnside's execution and planning was Longstreet's.
Once Lookout Mtn was compromised, Bragg and Longstreet should have abandoned Chattanooga
 
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