DOCSLIB.ORG

Dawn of Victory BREAKTHROUGH at PETERSBURG MARCH 25-APRIL 2, 1865

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Dawn of Victory BREAKTHROUGH at PETERSBURG MARCH 25-APRIL 2, 1865 Dawn of Victory BREAKTHROUGH AT PETERSBURG MARCH 25-APRIL 2, 1865 by Edward S. Alexander FOOTNOTES Prologue Quotes about the April 1, 1865 artillery barrage are from: Jones, Evan R. Four Years in the Army of the Potomac: A Soldier’s Recollections. London: The Tyne Publishing Company, 1881, 193. Hewitt, William. History of the Twelfth West Virginia Volunteer Infantry. Twelfth West Virginia Infantry Association, 1892, 204. Rhodes, Elisha H. “The Second Rhode Island Volunteers at the Siege of Petersburg, Virginia.” Personal Narratives of Events in the War of the Rebellion, Being Papers Read Before the Rhode Island Soldiers and Sailors Historical Society, Volume 7, Number 10. Providence: Snow & Farnham, Co., 1915, 32-33. Roe, Alfred S. The Ninth New York Heavy Artillery. Worcester, MA: Published by the Author, 1899, 227. Brandt, Dennis W. From Home Guards to Heroes: The 87th Pennsylvania and Its Civil War Community. Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 2007, 224. Walker, Aldace F. “The Old Vermont Brigade.” Military Essays and Recollections: Papers Read Before the Commandery of the State of Illinois, Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, Volume 2. Chicago: A.C. McClung and Company, 1894, 206. Kelly, Michael. April 1, 1865 Diary. Michael Kelly Papers, MS 79237, Connecticut Historical Society. Chapter 1 – On to Richmond Quotes in this chapter are from: Grant, Ulysses S. July 22, 1865 Report. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume 46, Part 1. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1894, 11. Hay, Clara S., ed. Letters of John Hay and Extracts from Diary, Volume 1. Washington, DC: Clara S. Hay, 1908, 190. Grant, Ulysses S. to George G. Meade, April 9, 1864. John Y. Simon, ed. The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant, Volume 10, January 1-May 31, 1864. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press, 1967, 274. Gallagher, Gary W., ed. Fighting for the Confederacy: The Personal Recollections of General Edward Porter Alexander. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 1989, 419-422. Chapter 2 – Petersburg Besieged Quotes in this chapter are from: Wise, Henry A. June 12, 1864 Dispatch. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume 36, Part 2. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 317. Porter, Horace. Campaigning with Grant. New York: The Century Co., 1906, 210. Chapter 3 – Winter Quarters Quotes about the Union winter encampment are from: French, George O. to Dear Friends, December 14, 1864. George Oscar French Civil War Letters, 1864. Vermont Historical Society. Perry, William W. “Story of One Soldiers Life, War of 1861 to 1865.” William W. Perry Diary, #338, East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J.Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University. Houghton, Henry H. “Recollections of the War: A Personal Account of the Civil War.” Bound Volume 400-04, Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park. Roe, Alfred S. The Ninth New York Heavy Artillery. Worcester, MA: Published by the Author, 1899, 214. McKinstry, Willard. “A Second Visit to the Peninsula.” The Fredonia Censor, June 4, 1890. Folwell, William W. “Civil War Diary.” University of Minnesota. Morey, Charles C. to Dear Mother, March 17, 1865. Stuart Goldman Collection, U.S. Army Military History Institute. Quotes about the Confederate winter encampment are from: Ammen, Samuel Z. “Maryland Troops in the Confederate Army.” Thomas Clemens Collection, U.S. Army Military History Institute. Caldwell, J.F.J. “Reminiscences of the War of Secession.” Yates Snowden, ed. History of South Carolina, Volume 2. Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Co., 1920, 830. Morrison, James L., Jr., ed. The Memoirs of Henry Heth. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1974, 192-193. Tower, R. Lockwood. Lee’s Adjutant: The Wartime Letters of Colonel Walter Herron Taylor, 1862-1865. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, 1995, 207. Welch, Spencer Glasgow. A Confederate Surgeon’s Letters to His Wife. New York: The Neale Publishing Company, 1911, 111. Dunlop, William S. Lee’s Sharpshooters; or, The Forefront of Battle. Little Rock, AR: Tunnah & Pittard, Printers, 1899, 234-240. Lawing, Mike and Carol, eds. My Dearest Friend: The Civil War Correspondence of Cornelia McGimsey and Lewis Warlick. Durham, NC: Carolina Academic Press, 2000, 189-191. Hemphill, Robert R. “An Old Letter.” The Medium, Abbeville, SC, October 11, 1900. Matteson, J.W. “April 2nd. 1865-95.” The Medium, Abbeville, SC, April 2, 1896. Wright, Stuart T., ed. The Confederate Letters of Benjamin H. Freeman. Hicksville, NY: Exposition Press, 1974, 56-61. Newman, Mark. “The Old Forty-Ninth Georgia.” Confederate Veteran, Volume 31, 181. Maides, Joseph F. to My Dearest Mother, February 18, 1865. Joseph F. Maides Papers, 1862-1865. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University. Weston, James A. “Thirty-Third Regiment.” Walter Clark, ed. Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-’65, Volume 2. Goldsboro, NC: Nash Brothers, 1901, 576. Hammond, Harry to My Dear Emmy, March 20, 1865. Hammond, Bryan and Cummings Family Papers, South Caroliniana Library, University of South Carolina. Quotes about the picket line are from: Siegel, Alan A. Beneath the Starry Flag: New Jersey’s Civil War Experience. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2001, 219. Hammond, Harry to My Dear Emily, March 27-29, 1865. Hammond, Bryan and Cummings Family Papers, South Caroliniana Library, University of South Carolina. Roe, Alfred S. The Ninth New York Heavy Artillery. Worcester, MA: Published by the Author, 1899, 218. Kelly, Michael. February 15, 1865 Diary. Michael Kelly Papers, MS 79237, Connecticut Historical Society. Miller, William J. “My Experience as a Soldier in the Confederate Army.” Winthrop University Archives. Perry, William W. “Story of One Soldiers Life, War of 1861 to 1865.” William W. Perry Diary, #338, East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J.Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University. McLaurin, William H. “Eighteenth Regiment.” Walter Clark, ed. Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-’65, Volume 2. Goldsboro, NC: Nash Brothers, 1901, 59. Porter, Charles. “On Picket in Front of Petersburg.” The National Tribune Scrap Book: Stories of the Camp, March, Battle, Hospital and Prison Told by Comrades, Number 1. Washington, DC: Published by the National Tribune, 1909, 103. Bicknell, George W. History of the Fifth Maine Volunteers. Portland, ME: Hall L. Davis, 1871, 340-341. Chapter 4 – Jones Farm Quotes about the Fort Stedman planning and assault are from: Gordon, John B. Reminiscences of the Civil War. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1903, 389-394. Anson, Charles H. “Assault on the Lines of Petersburg, April 2, 1865.” War Papers Read Before the Commandery of the State of Wisconsin, Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. Milwaukee: Burdick, Armitage & Allen, 1891, 85. Walker, James A. “Gordon’s Assault on Fort Stedman, March 25th, 1865—A Brilliant Achievement.” Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 31. Richmond, VA: Published by the Society, 1903, 23. Meade, George G. General Orders No. 13, March 26, 1865. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume 46, Part 3. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1894, 174. Quotes about the March 25th fighting around the Jones Farm are from: Perry, William W. “Story of One Soldiers Life, War of 1861 to 1865.” William W. Perry Diary, #338, East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J.Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University. Griffin, Z.T. “In Front of Fort Fisher. The Assault of the Sixth Corps on the 25th of March, 1865.” National Tribune, November 21, 1889. Nevitt, C.R. “One Day’s Work of Fifth Wisconsin in Front of Petersburg, Va.” Report of the Proceedings of the 5th Wisconsin Vol. Infantry. Eighteenth Annual Reunion, held at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Tuesday, June Seventeenth, Nineteen Hundred and Four. Wright, Horatio G. March 25, 1865 Dispatch. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume 46, Part 3. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1894, 139. Fenn, Austin to Dear Wife, March 20-26, 1865. Fenn (Austin) Papers, 1864-1865, 199.155, Pearce Civil War Collection, Navarro College. Anson, Charles H. “Assault on the Lines of Petersburg, April 2, 1865.” War Papers Read Before the Commandery of the State of Wisconsin, Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. Milwaukee: Burdick, Armitage & Allen, 1891, 86-87. Benson, Susan W., ed. Berry Benson’s Civil War Book: Memoirs of a Confederate Scout and Sharpshooter. Athens, GA: The University of Georgia Press, 1992, 177. Fletcher, Stephen C. March 26, 1865 Dispatch. Regimental Order Book, 1st Maine Veteran Infantry, 1864-1865. Record Group 94, Records of the Adjutant General’s Office, Book Records of Volunteer Union Organizations, Civil War, National Archives. Hall, Edwin C. to Dear Father, March 26, 1865. Jeffrey D. Marshall, ed. A War of the People: Vermont Civil War Letters. Hanover, NH: University Press of New England, 1999, 290. Morey, Charles C. to Dear Mother, March 26, 1865. Stuart Goldman Collection, U.S. Army Military History Institute. Hardeman, Jno. “In the Trenches Near Petersburg, Va.” Macon Telegraph, April 19, 1865. Gilson, George G. March 29, 1865 Diary. Kathy Crowell, ed. The Onondagas: A History of the 122d Regiment, New York Volunteers. Fayetteville, NY: 1998. Grant, Ulysses S. March 25, 1865 Dispatch. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Volume 46, Part 3. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1894, 113. Hyde, Thomas W. Following the Greek Cross, or, Memories of the Sixth Army Corps. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1894, 248. Stevens, Hazard. “The Storming of the Lines of Petersburg by the Sixth Corps, April 2, 1865.” Papers of the Military Historical Society of Massachusetts, Volume 6.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • ED436450.Pdf
    DOCUMENT RESUME ED 436 450 SO 031 019 AUTHOR Andrews, John TITLE Choices and Commitments: The Soldiers at Gettysburg. Teaching with Historic Places. INSTITUTION National Park Service (Dept. of Interior), Washington, DC. National Register of Historic Places. PUB DATE 1999-06-00 NOTE 23p. AVAILABLE FROM National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places, 1849 C Street, NW, Suite NC400, Washington, DC 20240. PUB TYPE Guides Classroom - Teacher (052)-- Historical Materials (060) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Civil War (United States); *Geography; *Historic Sites; *History Instruction; Middle Schools; *Political Issues; *Primary Sources; Secondary Education; Social Studies; Student Educational Objectives; United States History IDENTIFIERS *Gettysburg Battle; National Register of Historic Places; Pennsylvania ABSTRACT This lesson focuses on the U.S. Civil War Battle of Gettysburg (Pennsylvania) at the beginning of July 1863. The lesson is based on the National Register of Historic Places registration file, "Gettysburg Battlefield Historic District," as well as several primary and secondary sources. It could be used with units on the U.S. Civil War or in geography or ethics courses. The lesson considers the actions of the Union and Confederate armies in the Battle of Gettysburg and the personal choices made by some of the participants. Student objectives and a list of materials are given in the lesson's first section, "About This Lesson." The lesson is divided into the following sections: (1) "Setting the Stage: Historical
    [Show full text]
  • The Battle of Sailor's Creek
    THE BATTLE OF SAILOR’S CREEK: A STUDY IN LEADERSHIP A Thesis by CLOYD ALLEN SMITH JR. Submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS December 2005 Major Subject: History THE BATTLE OF SAILOR’S CREEK: A STUDY IN LEADERSHIP A Thesis by CLOYD ALLEN SMITH JR. Submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS Approved by: Chair of Committee, Joseph Dawson Committee Members, James Bradford Joseph Cerami Head of Department, Walter L. Buenger December 2005 Major Subject: History iii ABSTRACT The Battle of Sailor’s Creek: A Study in Leadership. (December 2005) Cloyd Allen Smith Jr., B.A., Slippery Rock University Chair: Dr. Joseph Dawson The Battle of Sailor’s Creek, 6 April 1865, has been overshadowed by Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Court House several days later, yet it is an example of the Union military war machine reaching its apex of war making ability during the Civil War. Through Ulysses S. Grant’s leadership and that of his subordinates, the Union armies, specifically that of the Army of the Potomac, had been transformed into a highly motivated, organized and responsive tool of war, led by confident leaders who understood their commander’s intent and were able to execute on that intent with audacious initiative in the absence of further orders. After Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia escaped from Petersburg and Richmond on 2 April 1865, Grant’s forces chased after Lee’s forces with the intent of destroying the mighty and once feared iv protector of the Confederate States in the hopes of bringing a swift end to the long war.
    [Show full text]
  • Artillery “When Properly Managed” Henry Hunt Vs. William N. Pendleton
    Papers of the 2017 Gettysburg National Military Park Seminar Artillery “When Properly Managed” Henry Hunt vs. William N. Pendleton Bert Barnett Lt. Colonel Tully McCrea was a young West Point–trained officer. During the battle of Gettysburg, he performed yeoman service as an artillerist on those famous fields. In 1898, he observed Gettysburg [Had] had been discussed from every point of view except that of the artillery; yet every account of the battle refers to the effectiveness of that arm. In this battle the whole of the artillery in both armies was fought for all it was worth and fully demonstrated the power and influence in battle of this battle when properly managed.1 [emphasis added.] The function of an army in combat is to kill people and break things. With increasingly lethal technologies appearing on the battlefield by the 1860’s, the largely defensive, yet long-ranged power of massed field artillery had increasingly proven its significance. The artillery commander who most effectively “managed” their “long arm” during battle was therefore most likely to guarantee a more complete victory for his commander – and so it would it prove during the Gettysburg Campaign. Given the terrain the battle unfolded across, the two supreme commanders on the field, General George Gordon Meade and General Robert E. Lee, would be at least in part, if not wholly, dependent upon the skill and actions of their prime subalterns for the requisite artillery dominance at key moments. For the Army of the Potomac, the lynch-pin of all of these facets was its Chief of Artillery, Henry Jackson Hunt.
    [Show full text]
  • Cover of 1992 Edition) This Scene from the Gettysburg Cyclorama Painting
    cover of 1992 edition) (cover of 1962 edition) This scene from the Gettysburg Cyclorama painting by Paul Philippoteaux potrays the High Water Mark of the Confederate cause as Southern Troops briefly pentrate the Union lines at the Angle on Cemetery Ridge, July 3, 1863. Photo by Walter B. Lane. GETTYSBURG National Military Park Pennsylvania by Frederick Tilberg National Park Service Historical Handbook Series No. 9 Washington, D.C. 1954 (Revised 1962, Reprint 1992) Contents a. THE SITUATION, SPRING 1863 b. THE PLAN OF CAMPAIGN c. THE FIRST DAY The Two Armies Converge on Gettysburg The Battle of Oak Ridge d. THE SECOND DAY Preliminary Movements and Plans Longstreet Attacks on the Right Warren Saves Little Round Top Culp's Hill e. THE THIRD DAY Cannonade at Dawn: Culp's Hill and Spangler's Spring Lee Plans a Final Thrust Lee and Meade Set the Stage Artillery Duel at One O'clock Climax at Gettysburg Cavalry Action f. END OF INVASION g. LINCOLN AND GETTYSBURG Establishment of a Burial Ground Dedication of the Cemetery Genesis of the Gettysburg Address The Five Autograph Copies of the Gettysburg Address Soldiers' National Monument The Lincoln Address Memorial h. ANNIVERSARY REUNIONS OF CIVIL WAR VETERANS i. THE PARK j. ADMINISTRATION k. SUGGESTED READINGS l. APPENDIX: WEAPONS AND TACTICS AT GETTYSBURG m. GALLERY: F. D. BRISCOE BATTLE PAINTINGS For additional information, visit the Web site for Gettysburg National Military Park Historical Handbook Number Nine 1954 (Revised 1962) This publication is one of a series of handbooks describing the historical and archeological areas in the National Park System administered by the National Park Service of the United States Department of the Interior.
    [Show full text]
  • George C. Strong Photograph Album, Mss
    STRONG (GEORGE C.) PHOTOGRAPH ALBUM (Mss. 1453) Inventory Compiled by Mark E. Martin 2003 Louisiana and Lower Mississippi Valley Collections Special Collections, Hill Memorial Library Louisiana State University Libraries Baton Rouge, Louisiana State University Revised 2009 STRONG (GEORGE C.) PHOTOGRAPH ALBUM Mss. 1453 1857, ca. 1891 Special Collections, LSU Libraries CONTENTS OF INVENTORY SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................... 3 BIOGRAPHICAL/HISTORICAL NOTE ...................................................................................... 4 SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE ................................................................................................... 4 INDEX TERMS .............................................................................................................................. 5 CONTAINER LIST ........................................................................................................................ 7 Use of manuscript materials. If you wish to examine items in the manuscript group, please fill out a call slip specifying the materials you wish to see. Consult the Container List for location information needed on the call slip. Photocopying. Should you wish to request photocopies, please consult a staff member. The existing order and arrangement of unbound materials must be maintained. Publication. Readers assume full responsibility for compliance with laws regarding copyright, literary property
    [Show full text]
  • 1 Alexander, Edward Porter. Fighting for the Confederacy: the Personal
    Alexander, Edward Porter. Fighting for the Confederacy: The Personal Recollections of General Edward Porter Alexander. Edited by Gary W. Gallagher. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1989. Sectional conflict, West Point, 3-9 Utah, 9-13 West Point, 13-16 Fort Steilcoom, 16-21 Return to Georgia, 21-36 Richmond, 37fff Bull Run, Manassas, 39-59 Wilber McLean, 46-47 Joseph Johnston, 48-49 Chief of ordnance, 60ff Battle flag, 64 Signal corps, 66 Spy, 66ff Toombs, 73 Peninsula campaign, 74-76 Seven Pines, Fair Oaks, 82-88 Joseph C. Ives, 89-91 Robert E. Lee, 91-83 Seven Day, Jackson, Longstreet, D. H. Hill, 94-120 Providence and Jackson, 96-97 Artillery, 105 Second Manassas, Bull Run, Pope, Fitz John Porter, 122-37 Antietam campaign, 138-54 Frederick, Maryland, 139-46 Lee humor, 156-57 Jackson and Maxcy Gregg, 157-58 Stephen Dill Lee, 159 Officers in artillery battalion, 160-65 McClellan, 166 Fredericksburg, 167-85 Artillery, 168-69 German soldier, 184-85 Christmas, 187 Winter quarters, 299 Slave woman and horse, 188 Mud March, 189 Peddler, alcohol, 189 Suffolk, 190 Court martial, deserter, execution sentence, escape, 191-93 Chancellorsville, 194-218 Gettysburg, 219ff Interior lines, 219 1 Longstreet, Lee strategy, 220ff Gettysburg, 221-66 Alcohol, 223 Discipline, 224 Citizen arrested, horse, 224-25 Milroy, oath, 227 Jeb Stuart, 227ff Camp slave, alcohol, 229 Retreat from Gettysburg, 267-75 Review of Gettysburg, 275-83 Changing war, 285 Railroad journey, 286-87 Chickamauga, Bragg, Polk, 287-99 Longstreet, Knoxville 302, 313-36 Ciphers,
    [Show full text]
  • Richard Ewell, Robert E. Lee, and Cemetery Hill
    The Army of Northern Virginia in the Gettysburg Campaign Richard Ewell, Robert E. Lee, and Cemetery Hill The Importance of Ewell's Attack on July 2 Has Been Missed Troy D. Harman Misunderstandings and misinterpretations relating to the attack of Lieutenant General Richard S. Ewell’s Second Corp on July 2, 1863, at Gettysburg, still exist after one hundred and thirty-five years. These misunderstandings have stemmed directly from lingering questions pertaining to Ewell’s role during the battle which have yet to be adequately addressed, or handled with the seriousness they deserve. Historians have occasionally asked questions pertaining to specific unit action in Ewell’s Corp on July 2, but never do they attempt to show that his movements had a profound effect on the outcome of the battle. In other words, the small questions are asked, but his actions are generally excluded from discussions of the bigger picture. And, on the occasion where his July 2 role has been considered in light of the bigger picture, rarely has too much emphasis been placed on his failures or successes because -- it is understood -- the real story remains in the area of the Round Tops. The following questions, which will be addressed in this work, are such examples of rarely asked, bigger picture questions: Why did Ewell not move his Corp around to the right and south of town, during the evening of July 1, as General Robert E. Lee had briefly suggested? What was Ewell’s purpose in attacking Culp’s Hill on July 2? Why did Major General George G.
    [Show full text]
  • An Analysis of Robert E. Lee and His Corps Commanders in the Civil War
    CHAIN OF COMMAND: AN ANALYSIS OF ROBERT E. LEE AND HIS CORPS COMMANDERS IN THE CIVIL WAR Aaron D. Lewis A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS May 2016 Committee: Benjamin Greene, Advisor A. Dwayne Beggs Michael E. Brooks © 2016 Aaron Lewis All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT Benjamin Greene, Advisor Robert E. Lee remains a mythical figure within the culture of the southern United States. Proponents of the Southern “Lost Cause of the Confederacy” argued that he embodied the idea of Southern morality and toughness. Lee’s accomplishments on the battlefield are what brought him such admiration in the south. The Confederate cause of “freedom,” Southerners believed, was still attainable as long as Marse Robert commanded the Army of Northern Virginia. Lee frequently led his undersized and under-equipped army to victory over the Union armies of the Eastern Theatre during the first half of the Civil War. Using a wide variety of primary sources, from the Official Records to the personal letters and memoirs of Civil War commanders, I argue that Lee directly benefitted from the abilities of Stonewall Jackson, and once he died, Lee’s ability to win on the battlefield greatly diminished. Victories at Antietam and Chancellorsville were the product of Lee’s quick-thinking, boldness, and a clear explanation of what he expected of his commanders, as well as the incompetence of the Union commanders he faced. Lee’s defeat at Gettysburg, however, is the product of poor clarification by Lee as to what he expected of his commanders, and his inability to consider the input of his subordinates.
    [Show full text]
  • The Lost Cause Attack on the Battlefield Reputation of Lieutenant General James Longstreet and Its Effect on U.S. Civil War History
    IPRPD International Journal of Arts, Humanities & Social Science ISSN 2693-2547 (Print), 2693-2555 (Online) Volume 02; Issue no 07: July 10, 2021 The Lost Cause Attack on the Battlefield Reputation of Lieutenant General James Longstreet and its Effect on U.S. Civil War History Kevin A. Brown 1 1 Adjunct Professor of Law and History, University of Delaware, USA Abstract This paper is a comprehensive exploration of the false attacks on the battlefield reputation of Confederate General James Longstreet that occurred after the end of the U.S. Civil War, the role of these attacks in the broader narrative of the “Lost Cause,” and how those lies and false representations affect the historical record of the U.S. Civil War to this day. Keywords: U.S. Civil War; Military History James Longstreet; Lost Cause Confederate Lieutenant General James "Old Pete" Longstreet ended the U.S. Civil War with one of the most impressive battlefield records of any participant in the war. Despite Longstreet's consistent and outstanding record of superior battlefield performance his reputation and battle record was scurrilously and falsely attacked and maligned after the death of Robert E. Lee. The question presented is why Longstreet's wartime record was attacked so vehemently by the members of the Southern Historical Society and their publication arm, the Southern Historical Society Papers (SHSP). Additionally, why were generations of American historians willing to accept and repeat the false statements about the battlefield conduct of General Longstreet published in the SHSP? A comprehensive and realistic assessment of this occurrence will offer insight into just how such a miscarriage of historical justice occurred and explore why generations of American historians were willing to accept and repeat the false statements about the battlefield conduct of Confederate Lieutenant General James Longstreet published in the SHSP.
    [Show full text]
  • Collection 1805.060.021: Photographs of Union and Confederate Officers in the Civil War in America – Collection of Brevet Lieutenant Colonel George Meade U.S.A
    Collection 1805.060.021: Photographs of Union and Confederate Officers in the Civil War in America – Collection of Brevet Lieutenant Colonel George Meade U.S.A. Alphabetical Index The Heritage Center of The Union League of Philadelphia 140 South Broad Street Philadelphia, PA 19102 www.ulheritagecenter.org [email protected] (215) 587-6455 Collection 1805.060.021 Photographs of Union and Confederate Officers - Collection of Bvt. Lt. Col. George Meade U.S.A. Alphabetical Index Middle Last Name First Name Name Object ID Description Notes Portrait of Major Henry L. Abbott of the 20th Abbott was killed on May 6, 1864, at the Battle Abbott Henry L. 1805.060.021.22AP Massachusetts Infantry. of the Wilderness in Virginia. Portrait of Colonel Ira C. Abbott of the 1st Abbott Ira C. 1805.060.021.24AD Michigan Volunteers. Portrait of Colonel of the 7th United States Infantry and Brigadier General of Volunteers, Abercrombie John J. 1805.060.021.16BN John J. Abercrombie. Portrait of Brigadier General Geo. (George) Stoneman Chief of Cavalry, Army of the Potomac, and staff, including Assistant Surgeon J. Sol. Smith and Lieutenant and Assistant J. Adjutant General A.J. (Andrew Jonathan) Alexander A. (Andrew) (Jonathan) 1805.060.021.11AG Alexander. Portrait of Brigadier General Geo. (George) Stoneman Chief of Cavalry, Army of the Potomac, and staff, including Assistant Surgeon J. Sol. Smith and Lieutenant and Assistant J. Adjutant General A.J. (Andrew Jonathan) Alexander A. (Andrew) (Jonathan) 1805.060.021.11AG Alexander. Portrait of Captain of the 3rd United States Cavalry, Lieutenant Colonel, Assistant Adjutant General of the Volunteers, and Brevet Brigadier Alexander Andrew J.
    [Show full text]
  • E. Porter Alexander West Point Class of 1857, Ranked Third in His Class
    The Cape Fear Civil War Round Table GENERAL EDWARD PORTER ALEXANDER Soldier, Author, Scholar, and Captain of Industry Cadet E. Porter Alexander West Point Class of 1857, ranked third in his class. By Colonel Jack 'Black Jack' Travis Edward Porter Alexander was born May 26, 1835, in Wilkes County, Washington, Georgia. He was one of eight children born to Adam Leopold Alexander and Sara Hillhouse Gilbert. His father Adam Leopold, a Yale graduate of of the class of 1821, could read and write three languages--English, Greek, and Latin. Adam Leopold met Sara H. Gilbert in New Haven, Connecticut, where she was attending a woman's finishing school. Sara was from Washington, Georgia, and raised in the high country. Adam, from the low country, had a plantation named 'Hopedwell' near Riceboro, Georgia, south of Savannah. After their marriage, they lived in Washington, Georgia, at the old Gilbert house (Fairfield Plantation) that was built in 1808. Alexander had a great childhood at Fairfield. He knew many of his father's plantation slaves, called them by name, and ate and played with their children. However, he also found himself preoccupied with hunting and fishing. This preoccupation stayed with him throughout his life, and played an important part in his destiny. At about the age of 13, Edward got into a quarrel over secession, and was bullied by two of his peers. Told that they had pistols and were going to whip him, he armed himself with a 'pepper box' revolver. When they met, he and the two boys came to a collision.
    [Show full text]
  • Maintaining Order in the Midst of Chaos: Robert E. Lee's
    MAINTAINING ORDER IN THE MIDST OF CHAOS: ROBERT E. LEE’S USAGE OF HIS PERSONAL STAFF A thesis submitted to Kent State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts by Robert William Sidwell May, 2009 Thesis written by Robert William Sidwell B.A., Ohio University, 2005 M.A., Ohio University, 2007 M.A., Kent State University, 2009 Approved by _____Kevin Adams____________________, Advisor _____Kenneth J. Bindas________________ , Chair, Department of History _____John R. D. Stalvey________________, Dean, College of Arts and Sciences ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS………………………………………………………………iv Chapter I. Introduction…………………………………………………………………….1 II. The Seven Days: The (Mis)use of an Army Staff…………………………….17 III. The Maryland Campaign: Improvement in Staff Usage……………………..49 IV. Gettysburg: The Limits of Staff Improvement………………………………82 V. Conclusion......................................................................................................121 BIBLIOGRAPHY...........................................................................................................134 iii Acknowledgements The author wishes to thank the history faculty at Kent State University for their patience and wise counsel during the preparation of this thesis. In particular, during a graduate seminar, Dr. Kim Gruenwald inspired this project by asking what topics still had never been written about concerning the American Civil War. Dr. Leonne Hudson assisted greatly with advice on editing and style, helping the author become a better writer in the process. Finally, Dr. Kevin Adams, who advised this project, was very patient, insightful, and helpful. The author also deeply acknowledges the loving support of his mother, Beverly Sidwell, who has encouraged him at every stage of the process, especially during the difficult or frustrating times, of which there were many. She was always there to lend a word of much-needed support, and she can never know how much her aid is appreciated.
    [Show full text]