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Title: From Manassas to Appomattox: Memoirs of the Civil War in America by James Longstreet, Jeffry D. Wert ISBN: 0-306-80464-6 Publisher: DaCapo Press Pub. Date: April, 1992 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $22.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.08 (12 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: Interesting Perspective
Comment: While its well noted by numerous individuals that this book contains inaccuracies, I wish the publisher would have noted where they were. In the General's attempt to cover as much of the war as possible for posterities sake, there is way too much detail on minor participants which results in a more boring book than it could have been. But the stories of such "characters" as the look-out scout "Julius Caesar" make this book well worthwhile to read for anybody interested in a first-hand analysis (albeit self serving).
It is, however, sad to see the General take such a self-centered view of his part within the war. I suppose that any person who attains the position of high rank must be very confident to the point of being somewhat cocky, but Mr. Longstreet apparently felt that without his input, the "lost cause" never had any chance what so ever. But again, overall the book is very interesting and no modern day writer with their revisionist viewpoint can match that of an actual participant. People 150 years from today cannot understand what 9/11 was really like compared to us who experienced it as it unfolded. With this grain of salt, I recommend this book.
Rating: 5
Summary: Must be read with an open mind
Comment: If Longstreet had died of his wounds at The Wilderness, he would be in the Pantheon with Lee and Jackson. If he'd never uttered a public word about The War, he might well be in that Pantheon. But after Lee's death, and in the humiliating pain of Reconstruction, Longstreet was the only surviving icon of the Army of Northern Virginia. Longstreet saw The War over and went on with his life. In doing so, he committed the unpardonable sin of renewing his old acquaintances, doing homage to the ruling party, and putting food on his family's table. As the lesser lights among the general officers began to seek a profit from their war, someone had to be blamed for the Army of Northern Virginia's failure. The Virginians wrote the history; the the Georgian, Longstreet, got the blame. Longstreet was an imperfect man and an imperfect commander, but neither Longstreet nor Lee lost the Battle of Gettysburg. Gallant Virginians get that honor. If Viginians Ewell, Early, and A. P. Hill had done anything useful on 2 July 63, American history might well be written with a different accent. By the time of this memoir, Longstreet was a wounded and defensive man under sustained and violent attack by the "Lost Cause" crowd in Virginia. Read his memoir in that context.
Rating: 4
Summary: A Great Book...for the Most Part
Comment: With Lee's death soonafter the War, Longstreet was the most prominent Confederate to write memoirs on the War, and given his responsibilities in both the East and West, he was in a position to offer more insight.
Longstreet is very descriptive when it comes to setting the scene of battle, but he describes the armies' movements very generally. For this purpose, the reader has to be familiar with the battles, which have been covered in depth by other books, so when it comes to summarizing campaigns, the memoirs should be seen as complementary information. In passing, it should be kept in mind that Longstreet couldn't come into possession of all the information available now, and thus his memoirs can't be considered a case closed definitive account.
As others have mentioned, Longstreet isn't afraid to pull punches, which he does at times quite poignantly on Lee's mishaps, most notably of course at Gettysburg. In other instances, he defends himself by criticising others. When Fitz Lee notes that R.E. Lee called Longstreet the hardest man to move in the Army (a comment that can't be confirmed/refuted), he comes to his own defense in part by criticising Jackson during the 7 Days campaign. Hindsight is 20/20, and Longstreet's arguments in the conduct of certain campaigns certainly benefit from the passing of 30 years. At a number of places, Longstreet believes that if his suggestions were followed, the results could have destroyed Union armies or won the War. We'll never be sure if he's right or wrong on these matters.
The memoirs are most interesting during Longstreet's analysis of who deserves credit/shame at certain battles. But where it is most interesting is in rebutting criticism of his war record. The best part of the memoirs are the 3 chapters on each day at Gettysburg, since the postwar criticism of Fitz Lee and Jubal Early aim mostly at that. Fitz Lee most notably mentions comments by R.E. Lee criticising Longstreet that can't be confirmed/refuted with Lee's death. Longstreet does a good job of fending off criticisms of his record for the most part, usually including letters written by other officers to his defense.
The only problem I had with the memoirs was that I found the post bellum chapter of the memoirs woefully short. Throughout the memoirs, Longstreet notes his relationship with certain officers on both sides, including his strong one with U.S. Grant. He briefly covers the controversy in 67 that stirred the anti Longstreet feelings in the South. However, we know Longstreet's battles concerning his record after the War, to the extent that he wasn't even invited to the Army of Northern Virginia's reunion. Longstreet makes almost no mention of this. After alluding to his postbellum relationship with Lee souring due to "political differences" throughout the book, Longstreet doesn't elaborate on it in the postbellum chapter.
In all, Longstreet's memoirs make for a very good general read of the important campaigns and relationships between the CSA's big names. He doesn't dodge accusations and he's not hesitant to place blame where he feels it belongs, whether it's himself or, more often, General Early. That Longstreet isn't afraid to criticize the Southern deities, which in itself drew criticism of his war record from proponents of the Lost Cause, lends a more evenhanded credence to his memoirs, making them a very worthy read.
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Title: Through Blood and Fire at Gettysburg by Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain ISBN: 1879664178 Publisher: Stan Clark Military Books Pub. Date: July, 1996 List Price(USD): $6.95 |
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Title: The Passing of Armies : An Account Of The Final Campaign Of The Army Of The Potomac by Joshua Chamberlain ISBN: 0553299921 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 01 December, 1992 List Price(USD): $7.50 |
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Title: GENERAL JAMES LONGSTREET: THE CONFEDERACY'S MOST CONTROVERSIAL SOLDIER by Jeffry D. Wert ISBN: 0671892878 Publisher: Touchstone Books Pub. Date: 01 December, 1994 List Price(USD): $16.00 |
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Title: "Bayonet! Forward": My Civil War Reminiscences by Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain ISBN: 1879664216 Publisher: Stan Clark Military Books Pub. Date: December, 1994 List Price(USD): $25.00 |
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Title: At the Right Hand of Longstreet: Recollections of a Confederate Staff Officer by G. Moxley Sorrel, Moxley Sorrell, Peter Carmichael ISBN: 0803292678 Publisher: Univ of Nebraska Pr Pub. Date: October, 1999 List Price(USD): $13.37 |
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