Longstreet James Longstreet (1821-1904): Confederate General, Catholic Convert

I’d say almost certainly because of his name. At West Point as a student someone referred to him as “the brilliant Rosey Rosecrans.” Interestingly the original pronunciation of the name is likely Ross-a-crans.

General Rosecrans had two daughters who became nuns although one later left religious life. His son Fr Adrian Rosecrans is buried in St Paul’s RC Church in Manhattan NYC not far from Lincoln Center.
I’ve looked in vain for correspondence between Rosecrans and Longstreet that touches on religion.

I have a lot of information from Helen, I found in Edgefield, SC. I'll have a look and see if there are any references.
 
"Then came 1889 and double disaster.

On April 9, 1889 -- the twenty-fourth anniversary of Appomattox--the farm home burned to the ground. They lost the structure and everything in it--his sword, uniform, spurs, all of this Civil War relics, and he had many. Possibly more damaging, he lost his library, all of this notes, and his correspondence pertaining to his part in the war. The value of the dwelling was estimated at $8000, a sizable amount in those years. It was not insured.

Although the Piedmont Hotel was available, the Longstreets usually spent the summer on the farm so they moved into a small cottage there.

Then, in the fall, Louise became ill. No one seems to know what her ailment was, but on December, 29, 1889, she died. She was sixty-two and had been married to James Longstreet more than forty years.

Very little has been written about Maria Louisa Garland Longstreet, and her tombstone in Alta Vista Cemetery, in Gainesville, reads simply: "A Dutiful Wife And A Fond Mother." Yet, enough is known to say she was an ideal example of a near-perfect wife for an active military man.

Louise, as she was called, was known when Longstreet first met her at Jefferson Barracks as a beautiful and gracious young lady, and she apparently maintained her attractiveness to the end. She was the daughter of a frontier officer in the U.S. Army who moved through the ranks to become a general. Her mother was part Indian, giving Louise high cheekbones and black hair. In her youth, she was trim and athletic. She had been educated "in the East."

As a child she had learned the sacrifices required of the wife of a military officer: long separations from her husband and long nights concerned for his safety and well-being. She understood the responsibility of raising children alone; graciously entertaining important visitors; and heading up social activities for an Army post. She understood the importance of supporting her man, but not discussing command decisions or politics. She nursed him back to health when he was wounded. Louise presented her husband with ten children, and both had grieved together at the loss of five of them before those children reached adulthood. She had been the ideal behind-the-scenes wife for a high-ranking officer, especially one who became a controversial general.

Toward the end of their life together, she did get involved in one outside matter. About a year before her death, the Atlanta Constitution, hearing erroneously that the Longstreet's were destitute, started collecting a fund to be presented to them.

Louise Longstreet promptly declined to take the money, insisting they did not need it. This prompted an article in the New Orleans Times-Democrat, of all places, which stated; "The action of Mrs. Longstreet in refusing for her husband and herself the fund raised by the Atlanta Constitution on the rumor that the General was so reduced in circumstances that his family and himself were likely to suffer for at the actual necessities of life, recalls the fact that all the southern leaders and heroes of the Confederate cause, while gracefully acknowledging the many subscriptions raised in their behalf, have declined to accept this charity, although all, or nearly all of them were in very moderate if not impoverished circumstances." The entire New Orleans story was carried in the Gainsville Eagle on January 37, 1888. The Longstreets were not rich, but they were not in dire circumstances. Louise, a proud woman, regained a great deal of local respect for her husband when she declined the Constitution's offer."

James Longstreet Before Manassas & After Appomattox

Gordon Sawyer
Pages 94 & 95

Two amazing women!!!!
 
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Two amazing women!!!!

Absolutely!! Thanks for bringing brave Louise to our attention. While concentrating on the colorful, strong, energetic Helen Dortch Longstreet, I tended to neglect Maria Louisa Garland Longstreet, who sure was an equally great partner for our general.
He really was blessed to have found two such amazing women in his life. And now I'm even more looking forward to reading Sawyer's book.

What a great post on the International Women's Day today, March 8th. Thank you, @War Horse!
 
Like many, I have tried to find further background on Longstreet leaving Protestantism and entering into full communion with the Roman Catholic Church. As Catholic’s were a distinct religious minority during the CW period and many were the target of ante bellium prejudice and persecution by the Know Nothing Party, it seems remarkable that Longstreet would make the change from Episcopalian to Roman Catholic. My search lead me to first consider other men and women of the Civil War period that either became Catholic , or were themselves Catholic.


The main figures, of course are Sheridan, Sherman’s wife and his son (who became a Priest), P.G.T. Beauregard and Rosecrans. As a side, Jefferson Davis as youngster asked to be Baptized as a Catholic but was denied the request because of his young age and the Jesuits would not do so without the request and permission of his Parents.


The key to understanding Longstreet’s conversion may very well be Rosecrans. The two were roommates at West Point. William was an outstanding student. Longstreet was an average student so Rosey was his math tutor. Both graduated in the class of 1842. Keep that date in mind.


In his first year at West Point , Rosecrans was having serious doubts regarding the proofs and claims of his Methodist Protestant faith and nearly abandoned his Christianity altogether. He came to meet a Catholic Irish bookseller. The bookseller and William developed a relationship around religious questions. By this relationship Rosecrans came into possession of a book published in England called “The End of Religious Controversy” by a Priest named John Milner published in1844. The book was a series of letters from Anglicans to the Catholic Priest asking for explanations on why the Catholic Church is the one true Church. By the time Rosecrans would have read it the Oxford movement in England was setting forth it’s first shoots. It’s a most interesting read : http://www.balderexlibris.com/index.php?post/Milner-John-The-End-of-religious-controversy
Rosecrans became Catholic after reading the book. He was so impacted by this that he shared it with his Brother Sylvester. Sylvester not only became Catholic but he became a Priest and was appoint as the First Bishop of Columbus Ohio. Two the Rosecrans sites were converted and became Nuns. Really remarkable for a Methodist family in Ohio.

Here is where the link to Longstreet comes in. Rosecrans wrote a letter on December 11,1886 regarding his brothers Baptism and reception into the Church.

http://rosecransheadquarters.org/Rosecrans/Crandall Family/Sylvester.htm

In it, William states that his own Catholic Baptism was in 1841. This would have been the year before the Longstreet / Rosecrans graduation of 1842 and when they were roommates. Though it can’t be proven by records it’s almost certain that the two roommates would have discussed Williams Baptism and conversion and the contents of the Milner book. Perhaps Longstreet may have even read Williams copy. Rosecrans was known to be very outspoken on this topic so if anything Longstreet might have gotten more than he wanted on Catholic theology.
Then war calls and the friends are on opposite sides.
Fast forward to Chickamauga twenty two years later Longstreet is now facing his Catholic convert roommate in battle. And shortley after that Longstreet is wounded at the Wilderness by the army led by Grant. Longstreet was in Grant's wedding and a cousin to Grant's wife. One can only imagine what would have been going through his mind. Also consider the loss of his young children from his first wife and the role that would have played in his faith journey. These life events play into the soul of men's lives.

I for one find it difficult to believe a man of Longstreets character and depth would make a major life altering decision to enter into full communion with the Roman Church simply because his feelings were hurt by his friends and neighbors at the Protestant Church he attended. His post war behavior showed the opinion of others did not move or alter his decision much. Was he really so shallow as to have no theological apologetic to make this decision?
It’s not unreasonable to conjecture that his exposure to young Rosecrans passionate and meaningful conversion at West Point and the apologetic in the Milnar book planted seeds in the young Longstreet that grew for decades under the surface and finally , moved by the life experience of prayer , wounds, death, and post war events the Old War Horse swam the Tiber to Rome.
 
Like many, I have tried to find further background on Longstreet leaving Protestantism and entering into full communion with the Roman Catholic Church. As Catholic’s were a distinct religious minority during the CW period and many were the target of ante bellium prejudice and persecution by the Know Nothing Party, it seems remarkable that Longstreet would make the change from Episcopalian to Roman Catholic. My search lead me to first consider other men and women of the Civil War period that either became Catholic , or were themselves Catholic.


The main figures, of course are Sheridan, Sherman’s wife and his son (who became a Priest), P.G.T. Beauregard and Rosecrans. As a side, Jefferson Davis as youngster asked to be Baptized as a Catholic but was denied the request because of his young age and the Jesuits would not do so without the request and permission of his Parents.


The key to understanding Longstreet’s conversion may very well be Rosecrans. The two were roommates at West Point. William was an outstanding student. Longstreet was an average student so Rosey was his math tutor. Both graduated in the class of 1842. Keep that date in mind.


In his first year at West Point , Rosecrans was having serious doubts regarding the proofs and claims of his Methodist Protestant faith and nearly abandoned his Christianity altogether. He came to meet a Catholic Irish bookseller. The bookseller and William developed a relationship around religious questions. By this relationship Rosecrans came into possession of a book published in England called “The End of Religious Controversy” by a Priest named John Milner published in1844. The book was a series of letters from Anglicans to the Catholic Priest asking for explanations on why the Catholic Church is the one true Church. By the time Rosecrans would have read it the Oxford movement in England was setting forth it’s first shoots. It’s a most interesting read : http://www.balderexlibris.com/index.php?post/Milner-John-The-End-of-religious-controversy
Rosecrans became Catholic after reading the book. He was so impacted by this that he shared it with his Brother Sylvester. Sylvester not only became Catholic but he became a Priest and was appoint as the First Bishop of Columbus Ohio. Two the Rosecrans sites were converted and became Nuns. Really remarkable for a Methodist family in Ohio.

Here is where the link to Longstreet comes in. Rosecrans wrote a letter on December 11,1886 regarding his brothers Baptism and reception into the Church.

http://rosecransheadquarters.org/Rosecrans/Crandall Family/Sylvester.htm

In it, William states that his own Catholic Baptism was in 1841. This would have been the year before the Longstreet / Rosecrans graduation of 1842 and when they were roommates. Though it can’t be proven by records it’s almost certain that the two roommates would have discussed Williams Baptism and conversion and the contents of the Milner book. Perhaps Longstreet may have even read Williams copy. Rosecrans was known to be very outspoken on this topic so if anything Longstreet might have gotten more than he wanted on Catholic theology.
Then war calls and the friends are on opposite sides.
Fast forward to Chickamauga twenty two years later Longstreet is now facing his Catholic convert roommate in battle. And shortley after that Longstreet is wounded at the Wilderness by the army led by Grant. Longstreet was in Grant's wedding and a cousin to Grant's wife. One can only imagine what would have been going through his mind. Also consider the loss of his young children from his first wife and the role that would have played in his faith journey. These life events play into the soul of men's lives.

I for one find it difficult to believe a man of Longstreets character and depth would make a major life altering decision to enter into full communion with the Roman Church simply because his feelings were hurt by his friends and neighbors at the Protestant Church he attended. His post war behavior showed the opinion of others did not move or alter his decision much. Was he really so shallow as to have no theological apologetic to make this decision?
It’s not unreasonable to conjecture that his exposure to young Rosecrans passionate and meaningful conversion at West Point and the apologetic in the Milnar book planted seeds in the young Longstreet that grew for decades under the surface and finally , moved by the life experience of prayer , wounds, death, and post war events the Old War Horse swam the Tiber to Rome.
Being a convert to the Catholic faith myself, I can't help but agree with your assessment on this one. I, too, had a faithful Catholic 'room mate' at one stage who made the difference in my life. Seeds are planted, and sometimes they grow :angel: I will just add it takes a certain strength of character to go against the flow. That has also been my experience. It took courage for Longstreet to convert against, I'm sure, the misgivings of some others. At the same time, I can't help but wonder how it impacted on his first marriage.
 
I have often wondered about the post war Rosecrans-Longstreet relationship but have foundvery little documentation about it. Supposedly
Fr Abram Ryan - the poet laureate of the Confederacy- played a large role in Longstreet’s conversion.
He was the Priest who accepted him into the Catholic faith. And apparently told him that where he may not feel welcome in other churches due to the decision he'd made, he would always be welcome in the Catholic Church. Can't remember the exact words, but they're somewhere out there!
 
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I have long been fascinated by General Longstreet's conversion to Catholicism and spent some time a few years ago researching it as best I could. Few sources discuss this in any detail. However, I did come across The Rosary Magazine, Vol. 32 published in 1908 in which James Ryder Randall, the author of "Maryland, My Maryland," was quoted as saying he had "heard the story of his conversion from the lips of General Longstreet himself." Mr. Randall attributed the general's decision to convert to Father Abram Ryan. General Longstreet was extremely hurt and offended by the way his fellow Episcopalian parishioners treated him in New Orleans.

This is also documented in The Catholic Stand by Donald R. McClary.
 
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It was in New Orleans on March 7, 1877 that Longstreet converted to the Catholic faith. His conversion was brought about by Father Abram J. Ryan, the poet laureate of the Confederacy. An Episcopalian, Longstreet had noticed that the pews were vacant around him when he went to worship. Father Ryan assured him that in the Catholic Church people came to Mass to worship God and not to give vent to political animosities. Longstreet remained a devout Catholic until his death in 1904. At his funeral his Mass was said by Bishop Benjamin J. Keiley of Savannah, Georgia who had served in the Army of Northern Virginia during the Civil War.

Source: The Catholic Stand by Donald R. McClary
 
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