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On the occasion of Longstreet's visit to Antietam in 1893, a correspondent of the Washington Post recorded the General's opinions on a number of topics. In this, the closing section of the interview, General Longstreet opines on "the trouble with" Jefferson Davis.
"Do you think, General Longstreet, that the Southern cause would have been successful if the administration had been in hands other than those of Mr. Davis?" I asked.
"I haven't a shadow of a doubt that the South would have achieved its independence under Howell Cobb, of Georgia, who was a statesman pure and simple. There were others, perhaps, equally good.
"The trouble with Mr. Davis was his meddling with military affairs: his vanity made him believe that he was a great military genius; that his proper place was at the head of an army, and not in the executive department. He was also jealous of the success of others, especially military leaders. It is not generally known, but it is nevertheless a fact, that he was secretly jealous of Lee; that their relations were strained, and that Lee was always on his guard in dealing with the President. The world knows that the President's attitude toward Johnston and Beauregard was that of suspicion, opposition, and obstruction. He did not venture to antagonize Lee ---that officer's prestige was too great; besides there was no other arm on which to lean. He did not like Stonewall Jackson and called him cranky."
"I haven't a shadow of a doubt that the South would have achieved its independence under Howell Cobb, of Georgia, who was a statesman pure and simple. There were others, perhaps, equally good.
"The trouble with Mr. Davis was his meddling with military affairs: his vanity made him believe that he was a great military genius; that his proper place was at the head of an army, and not in the executive department. He was also jealous of the success of others, especially military leaders. It is not generally known, but it is nevertheless a fact, that he was secretly jealous of Lee; that their relations were strained, and that Lee was always on his guard in dealing with the President. The world knows that the President's attitude toward Johnston and Beauregard was that of suspicion, opposition, and obstruction. He did not venture to antagonize Lee ---that officer's prestige was too great; besides there was no other arm on which to lean. He did not like Stonewall Jackson and called him cranky."
Interview: Reprinted from the Washington Post of June 1893, the interview appeared in The Times Dispatch. (Richmond, VA.), November 12, 1911, page 3.
Image: wiki/Jefferson_Davis
Note: This post is Part 22 of a series on Longstreet's opinions of various Generals and individuals, expressed during an 1893 interview with a Washington Post corespondent. Longstreet's opinions on various individuals are posted in separate threads so they can be easily located - Bragg, Jackson, A P Hill, Early, Ewell, Pickett, Sheridan, Joe Johnston, Beauregard, Hood, Jeff Davis, Lee, Meade, McClellan, and more. Here are the links to Parts 1-21, posted previously:
Part 1 - Intro to the article
Part 2 - Longstreet on Bragg
Part 3 - Longstreet on Jackson
Part 4 - Longstreet on AP Hill
Part 5 - Longstreet on Ewell & Early
Part 6 - Longstreet on Pickett, Sheridan, Five Forks & the Timing of the Surrender
Part 7 - Longstreet on Joe Johnston
Part 8 - Longstreet on Beauregard
Part 9 - Longstreet on Hood
Part 10 - Longstreet on Lee's military attributes
Part 11 - Lee's Best Battle
Part 12 - Lee's Poorest Generalship
Part 13 - Lee's greatest weakness as tactical commander
Part 14 - Lee's tactical weakness at Gettysburg
Part 15 - Meade's Lost Opportunity
Part 16 - Gettysburg Controversies
Part 17 - Post-Gettysburg Relationship with Lee
Part 18 - Lee's Dangerous Confidence
Part 19 - Longstreet on McClellan Part 1
Part 20 - Longstreet on McClellan Part 2
Part 21 - Three Lucky Shots at Antietam
<Up next - Longstreet has more to say about Jeff Davis -to be continued in three more installments of this series.>
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