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

Another interesting tidbit. Gainesville's first Catholic Church, Saint Michael's, held their first services in the basement chapel of Helen's home. There is still a very active Saint Michael's Catholic Church in Gainesville at a difference location.
Thanks for all this, Ellie! Before seeing your comments today, I did not even know that Helen was a Catholic -- and I had always wondered. Sounds like she was not only a Catholic, but quite an ardent one!
 
Gordon Sawyer's book, "James Longstreet: Before Manassas & After Appomattox (Expanded Edition)" also discusses this. Have you read this @War Horse and @FarawayFriend? You would definitely enjoy it!
Gosh, this book sounds great!! Thanks so much for the recommendation. I love it that there's only one chapter about the war that made him famous and that the rest of the book is all about his life before and afterwards. The one review of it on Amazon makes it sound like the writer gets into Longstreet's thinking and motives.
 
An image of Fr. Abram Joseph Ryan, the well known 'Poet-Priest' of the Confederacy and author of 'The Conquered Banner', who confirmed James Longstreet into the Catholic faith. I was surprised at first to learn of this connection.

Father_Abram_Joseph_Ryan.jpg
 
Gosh, this book sounds great!! Thanks so much for the recommendation. I love it that there's only one chapter about the war that made him famous and that the rest of the book is all about his life before and afterwards. The one review of it on Amazon makes it sound like the writer gets into Longstreet's thinking and motives.

Gordon Sawyer, the author of this great little book, lived in Gainesville, GA. In addition to writing, he was a radio commentator and history buff. I learned of him through the Longstreet Society. Sadly he passed away in 2015.

gordon_sawyer_0508.max-1200x675.jpg

Courtesy of the Gainesville Times
 
I don't know if it works for German the way it does for English -- but what I have come to love most about my Kindle Paperwhite is that if I am reading a book in a different language, I can touch any word I don't know, and the definition in my own language pops up

Yes, it's the same here and one of the reasons why I love my Kindle. Another is that I can have a whole library in my coat pocket. And meanwhile therr are really cute genuine leather covers that look just great. Since I came to know @War Horse in 2014 I'm pestering him to buy one, but he still resists! :D

Thanks for all this, Ellie! Before seeing your comments today, I did not even know that Helen was a Catholic -- and I had always wondered. Sounds like she was not only a Catholic, but quite an ardent one!

@Eleanor Rose, didn't you start a thread about that chapel, complete with photos? I wss looking for it but couldn't find it, but I think @KansasFreestater would enjoy it. Or am I dreaming that?:sheep:
 
Another interesting tidbit. Gainesville's first Catholic Church, Saint Michael's, held their first services in the basement chapel of Helen's home. There is still a very active Saint Michael's Catholic Church in Gainesville at a difference location.
Here's a little tidbit that you might enjoy.

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.
 
All this time and I thought that Rosecrans was The Catholic Convert of the Civil War. I had no idea that Old Pete had converted, also. Some really great sourcing on this thread.
I'd say there's more to your statement than meets the eye :smile:

In the class of 1842, two men were roommates at West Point - James Longstreet from South Carolina and William Rosecrans from Ohio. Rosecrans was a brilliant student who tutored Longstreet in mathematics. Both went on to have a 'great war' as Generals, one in the Union and other for the Confederacy. According to the historian Jeffry D. Wert, "Longstreet ....was the finest corps commander in the Army of Northern Virginia; in fact, he was arguably the best corp commander in the conflict on either side." He was considered far ahead of his time in the use of defensive tactics in the advent of an era of killer technologies which would mature with devastating results in WWI. While many generals in the war looked backward to Napoleonic tactics........Longstreet looked ahead and knew that frontal assaults had been made obsolete by technology. If only General Lee has listened to him at Gettysburg, the war may have had a different ending.

General_Rosecrans.jpg
General Rosecrans also has a very good reputation although his one defeat at Chickamuaga has tainted a bit. However, 'few men have been higher regarded by the privates he commanded or the generals of the opposing army. His intelligence, compassion, leadership and patriotism held him above most men." General Lee considered him the best of the Union generals that he opposed during the war - high praise from one of the best generals of all time.

The details of both men's careers can be found in other sources on the web. At the end of their lives and posthumously in the succeeding years both men's reputations have grown and in some cases superseded the myths that grew during the post-war period such as the infallibility of Lee or the invincibility of Grant. Neither men were politicians and oftentimes it takes political skill to 'rewrite' history versus the historical myths perpetuated by the keepers of various flames. Rosecrans was overshadowed by Grant and Longstreet by Lee under whom each served. The great men get all the credit for the good and their subordinates get the blame for the bad. This is not taking way anything way from Grant or Lee, probably the two greatest military commanders in US history and whom I hold in the highest regard, but war is like baseball or other sports. It takes a team concept to win and very often it is the 'star' who garners most of the credit in a victory and a weak surrounding cast often get the blame for a loss. At Gettysburg, Longstreet historically has received the blame for the defeat but Pickett's charge was doomed to failure. Longstreet advised a defensive battle but General Lee thought his Army of Northern Virginia to be invincible. He admitted after the battle that it was his fault that the battle was lost. General Lee considered him his 'Old War Horse' throughout the war and his conduct in battle was never faulted by the great man.

Both men became Catholics. Rosecrans converted before the war and in writing a letter to his family explaining his conversion, his brother Sylvester decided to convert also. Not only did he convert but he became a priest and the first Bishop of Columbus, Ohio. General Rosecrans son became a priest also. During the war, the General catered to his men's religious welfare, Catholic, Protestant or Jewish. He died a devout Catholic in California, near Redondo Beach, CA. His funeral Mass was in St. Vibiana Cathedral in Los Angeles. A great general, inventor and engineer and a great Catholic who even during the war loved a good religious discussion with his officers in his role as an Catholic apologist.

After the war, Longstreet resided in New Orleans, at the time and still a very Catholic city. He became a Republican and jumped wholeheartedly into reunification of the country. This alienated him from most of the Southern post-war establishment who viewed him as a traitor to the cause. He was good friends, as noted in the above quote, with General Grant who subsequently appointed him US Ambassador to Turkey. However, while in New Orleans he noticed that many of the pews around him were empty in his Episcopalian parish due people opposing his political views and 'collaboration' with the enemy. His conversion was brought about by Father Abram Ryan. This good priest assured General Longstreet that in the Catholic Church people came to Mass to worship and politics were left outside the church door. Longstreet remained a devout Catholic until his death in 1904. His funeral Mass was said by Bishop Benjamin J. Keiley of Savannah , Georgia who served in the Army of Northern Virginia during the war.

Two men...West Point roommates.....opposing Generals......two friends......Catholics converts.....looking forward to hopefully meeting once again in heaven....where there is no war, no grief and no suffering any longer.
 
It was in New Orleans on March 7, 1877 that Longstreet converted to the Catholic faith
141 years ago today :smile: God bless General Longstreet. I'll say a prayer for him today.
Two men...West Point roommates.....opposing Generals......two friends......Catholics converts.....looking forward to hopefully meeting once again in heaven....where there is no war, no grief and no suffering any longer.
Very touching sentiments @War Horse , and real food for thought.
 
141 years ago today :smile: God bless General Longstreet. I'll say a prayer for him today.

Very touching sentiments @War Horse , and real food for thought.
Lol, good eye. The only math I did, was Longstreet converted a full 20 years prior to marrying Helen and 12 years and Seven months prior to Louise’s death. It was clearly his idea and a convenient one considering Helen his future bride was also a devout Catholic. :smile:
 
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and a convenient one considering Helen his future bride was also a devout Catholic. :smile:
Definitely worked in his favour :smile: It was interesting to read in this thread that his first wife, Louisa, never converted nor any of their children, and I still wonder about the impact of this on them as a family. Had it been prior to marriage, she may have had to convert to marry him, which was still a thing up until the very recent past. So, he was in it on his own until he met Helen. I'm sure their shared Catholic faith helped to form the very strong basis to their relationship.

I enjoyed hearing about Rosecrans, too, and in my head the jury is still out on whether he was called 'Rosey' because he was known to carry Rosary beads with him on the battlefield, or the more obvious take on his name.

Thanks for all the added info @War Horse
 
Definitely worked in his favour :smile: It was interesting to read in this thread that his first wife, Louisa, never converted nor any of their children, and I still wonder about the impact of this on them as a family. Had it been prior to marriage, she may have had to convert to marry him, which was still a thing up until the very recent past. So, he was in it on his own until he met Helen. I'm sure their shared Catholic faith helped to form the very strong basis to their relationship.

I enjoyed hearing about Rosecrans, too, and in my head the jury is still out on whether he was called 'Rosey' because he was known to carry Rosary beads with him on the battlefield, or the more obvious take on his name.

Thanks for all the added info @War Horse
I’m still looking for the information that states Louise never converted. I probably missed it somewhere. Gordon Sawyer gives one of the best discriptions of Louise, I have ever read. I’ll have to dig it up and post it. She was a strong woman in her own right and Old Peters devoted wife of 40 years. I sometimes think she gets the short end of the stick. Longstreet was fortunate enough to have shared his life with two incredable women.
 
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Speaking of Maria Louisa Longstreet, she wrote this eulogy in 1854 for her son William Dent Longstreet. Willie was only a year old when he passed.

Thou art gone to the grave but we will not deplore thee.
Though sorrow and darkness encompass the tomb.
The lamp of His love is thy guide through the gloom.
The Saviour has passed through its portals before thee.
Thou art gone to the grave, but we will not deplore thee.
Since God was our ransom thy guardian thy guide.
He gave thee He took thee and He will restore thee.
For death has no sting since the Saviour hath died.
 
Definitely worked in his favour :smile: It was interesting to read in this thread that his first wife, Louisa, never converted nor any of their children, and I still wonder about the impact of this on them as a family. Had it been prior to marriage, she may have had to convert to marry him, which was still a thing up until the very recent past. So, he was in it on his own until he met Helen. I'm sure their shared Catholic faith helped to form the very strong basis to their relationship.

I enjoyed hearing about Rosecrans, too, and in my head the jury is still out on whether he was called 'Rosey' because he was known to carry Rosary beads with him on the battlefield, or the more obvious take on his name.

Thanks for all the added info @War Horse
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.
I'd say there's more to your statement than meets the eye :smile:

In the class of 1842, two men were roommates at West Point - James Longstreet from South Carolina and William Rosecrans from Ohio. Rosecrans was a brilliant student who tutored Longstreet in mathematics. Both went on to have a 'great war' as Generals, one in the Union and other for the Confederacy. According to the historian Jeffry D. Wert, "Longstreet ....was the finest corps commander in the Army of Northern Virginia; in fact, he was arguably the best corp commander in the conflict on either side." He was considered far ahead of his time in the use of defensive tactics in the advent of an era of killer technologies which would mature with devastating results in WWI. While many generals in the war looked backward to Napoleonic tactics........Longstreet looked ahead and knew that frontal assaults had been made obsolete by technology. If only General Lee has listened to him at Gettysburg, the war may have had a different ending.

General_Rosecrans.jpg
General Rosecrans also has a very good reputation although his one defeat at Chickamuaga has tainted a bit. However, 'few men have been higher regarded by the privates he commanded or the generals of the opposing army. His intelligence, compassion, leadership and patriotism held him above most men." General Lee considered him the best of the Union generals that he opposed during the war - high praise from one of the best generals of all time.

The details of both men's careers can be found in other sources on the web. At the end of their lives and posthumously in the succeeding years both men's reputations have grown and in some cases superseded the myths that grew during the post-war period such as the infallibility of Lee or the invincibility of Grant. Neither men were politicians and oftentimes it takes political skill to 'rewrite' history versus the historical myths perpetuated by the keepers of various flames. Rosecrans was overshadowed by Grant and Longstreet by Lee under whom each served. The great men get all the credit for the good and their subordinates get the blame for the bad. This is not taking way anything way from Grant or Lee, probably the two greatest military commanders in US history and whom I hold in the highest regard, but war is like baseball or other sports. It takes a team concept to win and very often it is the 'star' who garners most of the credit in a victory and a weak surrounding cast often get the blame for a loss. At Gettysburg, Longstreet historically has received the blame for the defeat but Pickett's charge was doomed to failure. Longstreet advised a defensive battle but General Lee thought his Army of Northern Virginia to be invincible. He admitted after the battle that it was his fault that the battle was lost. General Lee considered him his 'Old War Horse' throughout the war and his conduct in battle was never faulted by the great man.

Both men became Catholics. Rosecrans converted before the war and in writing a letter to his family explaining his conversion, his brother Sylvester decided to convert also. Not only did he convert but he became a priest and the first Bishop of Columbus, Ohio. General Rosecrans son became a priest also. During the war, the General catered to his men's religious welfare, Catholic, Protestant or Jewish. He died a devout Catholic in California, near Redondo Beach, CA. His funeral Mass was in St. Vibiana Cathedral in Los Angeles. A great general, inventor and engineer and a great Catholic who even during the war loved a good religious discussion with his officers in his role as an Catholic apologist.

After the war, Longstreet resided in New Orleans, at the time and still a very Catholic city. He became a Republican and jumped wholeheartedly into reunification of the country. This alienated him from most of the Southern post-war establishment who viewed him as a traitor to the cause. He was good friends, as noted in the above quote, with General Grant who subsequently appointed him US Ambassador to Turkey. However, while in New Orleans he noticed that many of the pews around him were empty in his Episcopalian parish due people opposing his political views and 'collaboration' with the enemy. His conversion was brought about by Father Abram Ryan. This good priest assured General Longstreet that in the Catholic Church people came to Mass to worship and politics were left outside the church door. Longstreet remained a devout Catholic until his death in 1904. His funeral Mass was said by Bishop Benjamin J. Keiley of Savannah , Georgia who served in the Army of Northern Virginia during the war.

Two men...West Point roommates.....opposing Generals......two friends......Catholics converts.....looking forward to hopefully meeting once again in heaven....where there is no war, no grief and no suffering any longer.
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.
 
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