WHO WAS JAMES LONGSTREET??
For the last 160+ years, enough has been written about the American Civil War that the tomes would fill buildings! Depending on the author, the same story could be viewed from a Northern bent or a Southern story of antebellum ways of life.
Even so, the most succinct description of the conflict has not been fully accepted by our whole country, since it is considered by some groups to be the "War of Northern Aggression", "Mr. Lincoln's War" or other descriptors. This 19th century crisis, which caused a split amongst its citizens so large in its views of society, loyalty, and economy, to state a few, that its magnitude, emotionally, was bigger than the Grand Canyon is to geology.
Through this epic debacle, brother was fighting brother, extended families were on opposite sides, and all men had to decide what they believed almost overnight (between November, 1860 and March,1861). And, once Secession became a political reality in the South and Lincoln called for volunteers to end this rebellion, the die was cast.
My ancestors were here in the US for over 100 years by the time I was born. My father was born in New Jersey and moved the family to Georgia. 'Pete' (as they called me) Longstreet spent his formative years with my uncle in South Carolina, listening to local people visiting my uncle's home and espousing southern rights, destinies, and philosophies, which helped develop my loyalties. After my father died, when I was young, and my mother moved the family Alabama, friends there help me get an appointment to West Point.
It was there that I made lifelong friends that I would see on my side of the War's battles as well as across those battle lines, including my very close friend, U.S. Grant, who chose to stay with the Union, despite having Southern slave holding in-laws. Feeling that I could not fight against family from Alabama or South Carolina, my decision was made very quickly, and just as quickly, I jumped into the fray and fought in almost every major battle on the Eastern front, from Manassas to Appomattox Court House, and was present with R. E. Lee at the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia in April, 1865.
So why am I portrayed as a traitor to the South and treated as a pariah by my comrades? Was I really a traitor to the Southern cause during the war? Was I the reason the Confederacy lost the battle of Gettysburg and, ultimately, the War?
On Tuesday evening, June 4, and out of the depths of history, "Old Pete" comes to speak to our group about his origins and views, and hopefully, to answer these questions.
