Northern Light
Lt. Colonel
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2014
Maria Louisa Garland Longstreet
Most of us who are interested have probably heard of Helen Dortch Longstreet, who did everything she could to rehabilitate her husband’s reputation, but we are less familiar with the woman who was his first love, who bore his children, and who was married to him for over forty years. This is not surprising, as little is known about Maria Louisa Garland Longstreet.
Louise, as she was known by her family and friends, was born at Fort Snelling in the Minnesota Territory on March 16, 1827, the fourth child and third daughter of Harriet Smith and John Spotswood Garland. John Garland was a native of Virginia and distantly related to James Madison, and was a career soldier in the U.S. Army. Her mother was the daughter of Jacob Smith, founder of Flint Michigan. Louise and her siblings were born at the various places that their father was stationed during the 1820s and 1830s.
When she was fifteen, Louise met James Longstreet at Jefferson Barracks in 1843. He was twenty-one and under the command of John Garland. For Longstreet, it seemed like love at first sight. Her parents thought that she was too young to marry and urged a delay until Louise was older. Longstreet’s regiment was transferred to Louisiana and they were parted for a time.
The Mexican War began in and in the course of it, Longstreet was wounded. While recovering he headed to Lynchburg, Va. where Louise was staying with family. The romance bloomed and after a wait of four years, Louise and Longstreet were married on the evening of March 8, 1848 at the home of her uncle, Judge James Garland on Madison Street, known locally as Garland Hill.
This is the earliest picture I could find of Longstreet, before the war in his United States uniform.
Isn't he cute? LOL
Most of us who are interested have probably heard of Helen Dortch Longstreet, who did everything she could to rehabilitate her husband’s reputation, but we are less familiar with the woman who was his first love, who bore his children, and who was married to him for over forty years. This is not surprising, as little is known about Maria Louisa Garland Longstreet.
Louise, as she was known by her family and friends, was born at Fort Snelling in the Minnesota Territory on March 16, 1827, the fourth child and third daughter of Harriet Smith and John Spotswood Garland. John Garland was a native of Virginia and distantly related to James Madison, and was a career soldier in the U.S. Army. Her mother was the daughter of Jacob Smith, founder of Flint Michigan. Louise and her siblings were born at the various places that their father was stationed during the 1820s and 1830s.
When she was fifteen, Louise met James Longstreet at Jefferson Barracks in 1843. He was twenty-one and under the command of John Garland. For Longstreet, it seemed like love at first sight. Her parents thought that she was too young to marry and urged a delay until Louise was older. Longstreet’s regiment was transferred to Louisiana and they were parted for a time.
The Mexican War began in and in the course of it, Longstreet was wounded. While recovering he headed to Lynchburg, Va. where Louise was staying with family. The romance bloomed and after a wait of four years, Louise and Longstreet were married on the evening of March 8, 1848 at the home of her uncle, Judge James Garland on Madison Street, known locally as Garland Hill.
This is the earliest picture I could find of Longstreet, before the war in his United States uniform.
Isn't he cute? LOL