Longstreet Was Longstreet Made a Scapegoat?

I do not blame Longstreet for the loss of the war or cause but he should get the blame for Gettysburg. I do agree on the Lost Causer desire to blame Longstreet for all ills...
I suppose you have to blame someone; I'm more inclined to blame the men who held, the US soldier who said this far and no further.

Blaming Longstreet for the failure of the CS to prevail at Gettysburg comes from either a distinct lack of research or the abject hatred of the man because he dared to become a Republican. Was Longstreet the best the CS had? no, but he was awfully close with only Lee being the superior General. Frankly, I consider him superior to Jackson who had several verifiable cases of the slows... but oddly he gets a pass. I wonder why? A lot of people went after Longstreet after the war, Lee was NEVER one of them, they waited until Lee was dead before they went after Longstreet because they knew full well Lee would have shut them down.

You've said several times that Lee would have or should have said something about Longstreet; but he did not. Lee was blunt when he needed to be and left no illusions as to who he thought were the competent generals vs those who weren't fit to tie the common soldiers shoes.
 
Even if Longstreet was scape goated at least figure out what the facts are. After the war he was villanized. The claim is he became an insurance salesman and a republican.
He wasn't an insurance salesman. He was on a board of directors who oversaw various business concerns. One was an insurance company.
He became a republican after the war. The recently freed were told to watch their backs as these republucans will do more to hinder the freedom cause. It'll be a hundred years.
Although on the surfice he like Lee are done with the war when the war is done with him. But because of others perilous position in the history of the war he is dragged back in by those who need a scapegoat.
 
All these accolades by Lee for Longstreet happen before Gettysburg happened... If memory serves me right...

After Gettysburg, when Longstreet was in Tennessee, Lee wrote him, anxious that Longstreet returned, and when Longstreet did return, Lee welcomed him with open arms. Even after Longstreet was wounded in the Wilderness, Lee welcomed him back and Longstreet remained his trusted adviser.


I do not think you a completely correct. Did Lee approve of Pickett arriving late on day three? Because he was surprised Pickett had not arrived by morning...

Lee approved all the delays of July 2. On July 3, did Lee reprimand Longstreet for Pickett not arriving in the morning? After Gettysburg, did Lee move Longstreet out of his position? No to both.

I wish it was fantasy but Longstreet's slows cost Lee the battle at Gettysburg...

Not according to Lee.

Lee took the blame but I bet he wanted to point his finger at Longstreet.

Where's the evidence? Looks like Lee's head stays next to Longstreet's on that pike.
 
Sorrel literally made things up. As it was Longstreet very nearly succeeded in his objectives.
Well, I don't think Sorrel made things up. I think he was writing the truth as he perceived it.

Unfortunately for the Lost Cause US soldiers are willing and able to fight... Something that must irk them to no end.

That's why Gettysburg was a Union victory. Lee didn't lose it, the Federals won it.
 
Yes, Longstreet was made a scapegoat by Jubal Early and other Lost Cause proponents for "losing" Gettysburg. But Longstreet didn't help his cause and reputation by his criticism of Lee and by joining the republican administration.
 
So I just happen to be reading Sword of Lincoln by Jeffrey Wert. I would refer the Longstreet haters to page 285. last paragraph. He notes that lee did not make up his mind on a July 2 attack plan until late in the morning.

But keep on believeing there was an order for a dawn assault July 2 that was ignored.

And blaming Longstreet 100% completely ignores how succesful his attack was (ignoring the lack of support from Anderson's division as had been planned) and ignores how incompetent Ewell was on the other end of the line for 2 days.
 
Yes, Longstreet was made a scapegoat by Jubal Early and other Lost Cause proponents for "losing" Gettysburg. But Longstreet didn't help his cause and reputation by his criticism of Lee and by joining the republican administration.
If his cause was to continue the cause then there was no better political party to join.
 
So I just happen to be reading Sword of Lincoln by Jeffrey Wert. I would refer the Longstreet haters to page 285. last paragraph. He notes that lee did not make up his mind on a July 2 attack plan until late in the morning.

But keep on believeing there was an order for a dawn assault July 2 that was ignored.

And blaming Longstreet 100% completely ignores how succesful his attack was (ignoring the lack of support from Anderson's division as had been planned) and ignores how incompetent Ewell was on the other end of the line for 2 days.

I don't think Ewell was incompetent. Ewell's men almost succeeded in taking Cemetery Hill the night of July 2. They didn't take Culp's Hill due to a combination of the terrain, the darkness, George Sears Greene's foresight and tough leadership, and David Ireland's tenacity and bravery, as well as the grit of the Union fighting men.
 
I don't think Ewell was incompetent. Ewell's men almost succeeded in taking Cemetery Hill the night of July 2. They didn't take Culp's Hill due to a combination of the terrain, the darkness, George Sears Greene's foresight and tough leadership, and David Ireland's tenacity and bravery, as well as the grit of the Union fighting men.

Ok maybe incompetent is a strong word, but he did not accomplish any of the goals that Lee had for him. He let Johnson flail away at Culps for 2 days without much oversight.
 
With the 12th Corps off Ewell's flank the ability to to push on Culp's is hindered. By Using Ed Johnson's division to secure the flank Culp's is lost.
Seeing this Lee comes over to speak with Ewell more than once about moving his corps back to north of the Seminary. If Lee thought Ewell could take Culp's Lee would not have made multiple visits. Early talks Ewell who talks Lee into letting Ewell attack the next day.
This hinders any plan for Longstreet as Lee's two flanks can only be so far separated.
 
Take a note from Sorrel and Longstreet's slows...

Longstreet believed that Lee was committing a grave mistake by attacking the Union position instead of fighting a defensive battle. His opposition to Lee’s plans affected his conduct. Moxley Sorrel noted that on July 2, Longstreet "failed to conceal some anger" and that "there was apparent apathy in his movements. They lacked the fire and point of his usual bearing on the battlefield." Longstreet knew early on the morning of the second day that his divisions would assault the Federal lines, and he did little to prepare for the operation. When Lee settled on a specific attack plan, Longstreet marched his two divisions of 14,500 men, despite delays and a countermarch, with reasonable celerity.

The very last statement of whatever you quoted (please cite) contradicts your premise.
 
Longstreet wasn't fast. By any means. Doesn't mean blame the war on him tho. Would you rather he just jumped all onto Lee's plan on day three feeding men into a doomed fight? They aren't all his men but they are his men. And unless he gets more it is doomed.
People wants to blame Pete but didn't blame Pickett.
 
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