Longstreet Was Longstreet Made a Scapegoat?

[gem]

Was Longstreet Made a Scapegoat?

 

[Jimklag]

Was Longstreet Made a Scapegoat?

Does my little black dog poop in the backyard?

 

[Jimklag]

Does my little black dog poop in the backyard?

Seriously, Longstreet had his faults, but the Lost Causers expended a huge amount of ink blaming anything, including original sin, on Longstreet.

 

[johan_steele]

Yes. He was shamelessly maligned by the Lost Cause. It continues to this day for the same reasons; the only thing thT has changed are the names.

 

[Rebforever]

Was Longstreet Made a Scapegoat?

Longstreet made himself a scapegoat.

 

[Jimklag]

Longstreet made himself a scapegoat.

All by himself?

 

[Rebforever]

And misaligned by Unionist today.
*Seven Pines.
*Gettysburg
*Tennessee
*Suffolk

 

[Rebforever]

All by himself?

Yes. Read his memoirs.

 

[jgoodguy]

Longstreet made himself a scapegoat.

Yes he should have remained loyal to the Union and then the Lost Causers would have complained about him beating Lee.

 

[wausaubob]

Yes he should have remained loyal to the Union and then the Lost Causers would have complained about him beating Lee.

George H. Thomas used that strategy. Unfortunately he died before he could enjoy being posted to California. Thomas destroyed his papers and letters, which is a statement in itself of what he thought of the Civil War.

 

[Rebforever]

Yes he should have remained loyal to the Union and then the Lost Causers would have complained about him beating Lee.

He was not good enough to fight for the Union. IMO

 

[Hoseman]

Yes. He was shamelessly maligned by the Lost Cause. It continues to this day for the same reasons; the only thing thT has changed are the names.

It didn't help his cause when he became a republican.

 

[Jimklag]

He was not good enough to fight for the Union. IMO

Not good enough? I'm thinking of Ben Butler, Ambrose Burnside, John C. Fremont, John McLernand, George Stoneman. Which of those was he not better than? Each of those was at least a corps commander - some held independent commands.

 

[jgoodguy]

He was not good enough to fight for the Union. IMO

Please, posting that about a Union army with Burnside, McClellan, Hooker and (sob my hero) Butler might mean you get a cleaning bill for my monitor.

 

[O' Be Joyful]

It didn't help his cause when he became a republican.

There you have it. That was his definitive sin, as far as his becoming the scapegoat. All the other "reasons" conveniently came after.

 

[Jamieva]

George H. Thomas used that strategy. Unfortunately he died before he enjoy being posted to California. Thomas destroyed his papers and letters, which is a statement in itself of what he thought of the Civil War.

Well technically he had his wife do it upon his death.

 

[jgoodguy]

There you have it. That was his definitive sin, as far as his becoming the scapegoat. All the other "reasons" conveniently came after.

Lee died, became a saint and someone had to be the sinner.

 

[johan_steele]

It didn't help his cause when he became a republican.

No doubt that was and still apparently is his unpardonable sin. Democrats at the time had and were still doing such a good job.

At a time when voting other than Democrat could get a man lynched. They knew they couldn't lynch him for real so they did their best to murder his reputation.

 

[FarawayFriend]

Shouldn't this be transferred to the Longstreet forum?

Edit: oh, it was transferred! Thank you!

 

[JerseyBart]

God, Lee...sometimes interchangeable could not be blamed. So ole Jube and other Lost Causers found someone else. Some still believe.