James Longstreet
Military Commander
1821 – 1904
Who was James Longstreet?
James Longstreet was one of the foremost Confederate generals of the American Civil War and the principal subordinate to General Robert E. Lee, who called him his "Old War Horse." He served under Lee as a corps commander for many of the famous battles fought by the Army of Northern Virginia in the Eastern Theater, but also with Gen. Braxton Bragg in the Army of Tennessee in the Western Theater. Biographer and historian Jeffry D. Wert wrote that "Longstreet ... was the finest corps commander in the Army of Northern Virginia; in fact, he was arguably the best corps commander in the conflict on either side."
Longstreet's talents as a general made significant contributions to the Confederate victories at Second Bull Run, Fredericksburg, and Chickamauga, in both offensive and defensive roles. He also performed strongly during the Seven Days Battles, the Battle of Antietam, and until he was seriously wounded, at the Battle of the Wilderness. His performance in semiautonomous command during the Knoxville Campaign resulted in a Confederate defeat.
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- Born
- Jan 8, 1821
Edgefield County - Spouses
- Helen Dortch Longstreet
(1897/09/08 - )
- Helen Dortch Longstreet
- Religion
- Catholicism
- Nationality
- United States of America
- Confederate States of America
- Education
- United States Military Academy
- Academy of Richmond County
- Lived in
- Gainesville
- Died
- Jan 2, 1904
Gainesville
Submitted
on July 23, 2013
Citation
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"James Longstreet." Biographies.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 Apr. 2024. <https://www.biographies.net/people/en/james_longstreet>.
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