Did James Longstreet's strategies work

Answer 1

The ones he was permitted to use did. James "Pete" Longstreet was perhaps the finest general the south had. Longstreet was Lee's right hand man for most of the war.He and Sherman recognised early on that their war was like no other in history. Prior to the War Between the States it took a numerical superiority of about 1.5 or 2 to 1 to carry a defensive position. After his first battle Longstreet discovered it now would take a 6 to 1 ratio to win the field in a direct frontal assault. Longstreet was also a logistical genius who realised logistics were what won wars and battles. From that day on Longstreet advocated fighting defensively, or when he had to go on the offense, to always outflank his opponent.Lee was still obsessed with the concept of a Napoleonic victory whereby attacking and totally destroying the enemy on the field would win the war. When the war ended Longstreet correctly knew that the best way to bring the country together was to accept defeat, get over it, and work with the north. Most southerners disagreed and wanted to keep fighting. Confederate Gen. John Gordon of Georgia could not accept defeat. Gordon could not forgive Longstreet for working with Longstreet's longtime best friend, President U.S. Grant. He saw Longstreet as a traitor (nothing was further from the truth), and spent the rest of his life trying to ruin "Old Pete." Gordon, who found many friends in the newspaper editors of the south,blamed Longstreet for losing Gettysburg and thus the war.I believe Gordon was behind the burning down of Longstreet"s house in Gainesville, Ga. (where I live ) April 9, 1889. Everything Longstreet had was destroyed in the fire on the 24th anniversary of Lee's surrender. The movie Gettysburg is an accurate portrayal of the 6'4" 250 lb presence that was Lieut. General James Longstreet.