James Longstreet in uniform

I heard that most of General Longstreet's personal war items like his uniform was lost by fire. Is that true? So sad if it is...

Very true.

Battlefield Tour Pays Tribute to Gen. James Longstreet | GCC ...

civilwaratgcc.wordpress.com/2012/04/04/spam-battlefield-tour-pays-tribute-t...
Apr 4, 2012 ... After the Piedmont, we visited the site where Longstreet's home sat until a firedestroyed it. Today the site is occupied by a small part and a ...

His house went up in flames when he was away. Everything he owned, especially his war mementos were destroyed. It was interesting to me, how a house could conveniently go up in flames when he was away from it. Thank goodness his papers and official records he donated to the War Department and are in the Official Records of the Rebellion survived because they were elsewhere in Washington, D.C.

I personally believe it was arson. General Longstreet being vilified for so long and blamed for the loss at Gettysburg his blunder alone--well, General Longstreet wasn't respected by many because of that purposeful trampling on his name, honor and reputation. Hindsight is 20/20, we (in a general sense) know that Longstreet can't be the total reason why Lee lost Gettysburg-- To me, by destroying his mementos, it was another knife into Longstreet's back with a vicious twist to kill more of Longstreet's spirit. It isn't much different to the loss people in New York, New Jersey and elsewhere when their home and personal mementos were destroyed.

We modern students of history were deprived of General Longstreet's papers, personal letters back and forth between Generals Johnston, Lee, Hood, Armistead, "Stonewall" Jackson, J.E.B. Stuart, Pickett, Kemper and gosh knows who else. I can't help but wonder what General Pickett wrote, post Gettysburg--perhaps the answer as to why Pickett's Gettysburg official report never appears in the O.R.s, the contents for which Lee squashed it. We modern students are deprived of beholding his sword(s), spurs, uniform, commission(s), hats and the dip pen he might have used.

Our loss though would never measure to the loss of General Longstreet himself, and his relatives from which came from him from that four year period in time.

Just some thoughts and opinions.
M. E. Wolf
 
It's my understanding ,if you travel around enough,you find out about tons of places that burned down in the 19th century.I remember looking for the site of "Yerbys",where Stonewall actually spent most of his time when around Fredericksburg.There was a room there where that semi-profile picture of him was taken.Possibly the one of A P Hill that is on this thread.Place just poof burned in the latter half of the 19th century.Lightning,they say."Indiana",Hills HQ at Petersburg,as well as Edge Hill,Lees HQ down the road.Nothing really lost but the structures,themselves,no records.maybe a little memorabilia.I dont buy the arson thing.Doesnt mean that opinion isnt valid,I just dont subscribe to it.Next thing you know it'll be Ole Jube hisself,lightin the fire.It's unfortunate,but structures back then were quite vulnerable to the elements.MHO.Shame,nonetheless.Yes ,James Longstreet suffered a tragic bunch in his life,and he lived to be a pretty old codger to ponder it all,too.Might have taken a younger woman in my autumn,too.Think of poor poor Hood.The tragedy just didnt stop at Appomattox CH,did it?Very profound when you think of it,what Lee said on A P Hills death......"we are the ones left to suffer".Man I just love you guys!A thread with pics of Longstreet,Stuart,and my man,Little Powell.What incredible stuff they left for us to study and paint and argue over,and yes zuzah,colorize.
Frank Vizetelly?,the correspondent I try and portray?Dont even know where his remains are.After the Civil War,he was on assignment sketching the wars in Africa.He was with a mixed group of Egyptian and British soldiers that were all massacred.Not a trace of them left.You can only write ABOUT this stuff,you just cant make it up.Never loses my attention.
 
Where did you find this picture? And do you know anything about it? Timeframe on when it was taken, etc? Thank you.
I have no source for this image. Longstreet photos were popular and various photographers copied existing prints and reissued them. The longer beard would date it from the war years. There are a couple of post war photos of him in uniform and his beard is shorter. Beyond that, I have no more information. Here is another carte-de-visite of the same picture.

90501747_10158017971481838_7134926682888077312_n.jpg
 
I have no source for this image. Longstreet photos were popular and various photographers copied existing prints and reissued them. The longer beard would date it from the war years. There are a couple of post war photos of him in uniform and his beard is shorter. Beyond that, I have no more information. Here is another carte-de-visite of the same picture.

View attachment 414212
The reason I ask is, I was debating on buying this image (non CDV). When I came across it, I began researching and it appears to be a rare image of him. It was hard to find and a search led me to CWT, which in turn led me to this thread, then your post. I was curious where you found this picture? Just an internet search? Because even though Google, it's hard to find. Plus I was trying to nail down the date it was taken, etc.
 
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