Who Is To Blame For James Longstreet's Downfall

Lee’s biggest mistakes in the Battle of Gettysburg was Pickett’s Charge. This attack was one of grave miscalculation and desperation. Despite receiving flagrant criticism and concern for the well-being of the army from General James Longstreet, who was Lee’s closest officer and right-hand man, he initiated the attack anyway, which led to mass Confederate casualties amounting in about 6,000 killed, wounded, or captured (Cheeks 1). The Confederate Army already was in short supply of soldiers and the attack greatly devastated their army and the morale of the Confederate States. The charge proved to be effective for a brief period when it momentarily punctured through the Union line, but the Union was able to push back due to their larger and stronger army (Cheeks 1).

The Battle of Gettysburg was the turning point of the American Civil war. General Robert E. Lee was the commanding officer of the Confederate army. During the battle of Gettysburg Lee’s military strategy was to fight offensive. Lee’s goal during the battle was to seize the high ground and out last the union army. The Union army had outnumbered the Confederate soldiers. General Lee’s first hand man was General James Longstreet. Longstreet believes the new technology in warfare would make attacking the Union army bloody for the Confederate soldiers. Longstreet suggests to Lee that defensive warfare tactics such as using trenches and rocks for cover and concealment would be the Confederacy’s best fighting chance. Lee denies Longstreet’s ideas and continued with the plan to fight out in the open and attack the enemies head on. After three days of fighting the Confederate army lost the battle at Gettysburg. Lee’s tactical approaches that led to this lost included the lack of communication and the absence of and with General J.E.B Stuart, Lee’s continuation to pursue offensive attacks and Pickett’s charge.

MG James Longstreet graduated from West Point in 1842, ranking 54 out of a class of 56. Longstreet served during the Mexican-American War and throughout several battles during the American Civil War. MG Longstreet commanded the First Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia and led his wing into the Battle of Antietam on 17 September 1862.

The Battle of Gettysburg was one of the most famous battles of the Civil War. The battle was fought from July 1 to July 3 near Gettysburg. The famous battle was between Robert Lee and his Northern Virginia Army and George Meade and the North's Army of the Potomac, The Union. The original leader of the Army of the Potomac was General Joseph Hooker, but President Lincoln relieved Hooker of his duties and named Meade the new General of the Army. Many soldiers died from both sides during this battle and that is the reason it is known as one of the bloodiest battles. The Battle of Gettysburg was General Robert Lee's second attempt at invading the North and there was a definite aftermath to this battle.

Freemantle was a British man who traveled with Longstreet and the Confederate Army for three months to observe the South, for which he frequently compared to England. He returned to England and published a book about his experience during the Civil War and he predicted that the Confederates would win the war. Throughout his stay, he gathered information about General Lee and the Confederate Army, for whom he considered to be devious and tactful.

commander of the Union forces is George Meade, and that he believes the Union Forces

It is 1863 and people are wondering who will win the war? The war had gone on for two years and the Confederates were marching towards Pennsylvania. Lincoln reacted by making George Meade a General and sending Union soldiers to Gettysburg to take all the high ground. This lead to the battle of Gettysburg the bloodiest battle in the civil war. The Battle of Gettysburg lead to the downfall of the Confederacy because the confederacy lost many soldiers, Gettysburg was the last battle in the North, and Robert E. Lee was losing hope.

July 1, 1863, the bloodiest battle on American soil was just beginning, this battle would be known as The Battle of Gettysburg. This three day battle commenced with Confederate attack led by General Robert E. Lee, on the north of the small town of Gettysburg. Union President, Abraham Lincoln had appointed George Meade as Union commander to counter coming attacks in Gettysburg. This battle would involve other Confederate attacks, ending with a final Union blow on July 3. The final attack by the Union was nicknamed as “Pickett's Charge”. This final Union charge led to a Confederate retreat, most likely because the Confederates lost many of their soldiers. This begs the question: Why Was

On this morning Lee spoke with Longstreet, about how he would like for him to stay behind in the battle so that he would not lose him. Longstreet agreed but also brought notice to Lee about the Union cavalry was already in Gettysburg. Lee was caught by surprise; being told earlier that only militia was seen there. Lee reported that it was John Buford, and that infantry was soon to come if the cavalry was already there. Longstreet thought of taking the defensive end and waiting for Buford to attack. Lee on the other hand disagreed with the defensive tactic and wanted to attack Buford. Of course Lee was above Longstreet and would get his way.

The battle began on July 1st, 1863 when Brigadier General John Buford met the Confederate forces just northwest of the town to slow their advances. General Buford and his troops successfully stalled the enemy until their reinforcements arrived. The Confederate reinforcements, led by Generals Hill and Ewell. The Confederacy forced the Union Army to retreat back through Gettysburg to the south of the town. There they joined the main Union forces led by Major General George Gordon Meade, who had been at the same time preparing to meet the Confederacy’s main forces led by General Robert E. Lee (www.history.com, 2015).

General Robert E. Lee is greatly outnumbered, causing the confederates to be significantly weakened and forced out of their captured enrichments (pg.302). Longstreet was given 15,000 men to attack the Union's center (pg.309), then the confederates attacked. General Meade was the first to ever outguess Lee, having already anticipated Lee's move the night before, enabling him to be ready for attack. The battle was a strenuous seven hours, coming to a halt at 10:00pm.

General Joseph Hooker was the commander at the Battle of Chancellorsville for the Union Army. He commanded a group of men twice the size of General Robert E. Lee men. Yet he was unsuccessful.

He then realized that the two armies may end up fighting in the town. Therefore, he took his two brigades with approximately 2,000 men. In the Confederate camp, Longstreet met with George Pickett. On the morning of July 1, Lee cursed Stuart. Without Stuart, he was blind because he had no idea where the Union army was. When he met with Longstreet, the Confederates used there defensive tactics in order to win the battle, but Lee refused. The battle of Gettysburg began when the Confederates attacked Buford’s men. Buford held the Confederates off until General John Reynolds arrived. Lee arrived in Gettysburg and finds the battle occurring. 2 other Confederate generals arrived and sent word to Lee that they had engaged the Union troops. Lee ordered his generals to attack. Meanwhile, Chamberlain’s regiment began to move north toward Gettysburg. Chamberlain was told that he was the extreme left of the Union line, which meant that he could never retreat. Chamberlain and his men fought the Confederates, but they eventually ran out of bullets. Next, Chamberlain ordered a bayonet charge, and his screaming regiment frightened the Confederates into fleeing. Longstreet’s men had suffered heavy losses in the peach

President Lincoln was on the other end. He had lost all confidence in his army. He thought that after the defeat at Chancellorsville that they were going to lose the war. President Lincoln then named Major George Gordon Meade to succeed Hooker. Meade knew where General Lee’s army of 75,000 troops was heading and Meade ordered his troops to pursue

James Longstreet was born on January 8, 1821, in Edgefield district, South Carolina. At a young age, his father wanted him to pursue a career in the military; hence, at the age of nine, Longstreet was sent to live with his uncle in Alabama in order to receive a better education. In 1838, through the assistance of his uncle, Longstreet was admitted into West Point U.S. Military Academy; he graduated in 1842. Longstreet began his military career by fighting in the Mexican-American War; following the war, he served as a paymaster and on the frontier. However, in June 1861, Longstreet resigned from the U.S. Army; his purpose was to fight for the Confederacy in the Civil War instead.