At a time when merit of the Civil War and its central and peripheral figures are being debated in the marketplace of ideas and opinions, American historian Elizabeth R. Varon has produced a timely work on just those subjects. In her new book, “Longstreet: The Confederate General Who Defied the South,” she discusses the well-known general James Longstreet , who was arguably the Confederacy’s best commander, although she primarily focuses on his postwar career.
For Civil War history enthusiasts, there may not be much new information concerning the general in the first 125 pages, as Ms. Varon discusses Longstreet’s enlistment in the Confederate army and his career as a commander during the war. This, however, does not mean that those who possess foundational knowledge of Longstreet should skip ahead in the book. To do so would be to miss two of the book’s major points.
The first and most obvious point is that Longstreet fought for the Confederacy, but later became an advocate for postwar reconciliation. Secondly, Ms. Varon discusses Longstreet’s relationship with Gen. Robert E. Lee, his participation in the Battle of Gettysburg. Lee considered Longstreet his “war horse,” as the general had proven himself more than capable and reliable. During the most crucial battle of the Civil War, Lee and Longstreet disagreed on the tactics, but since Lee was commander, his orders had to be obeyed.
Under Fire Postwar
The Confederates lost at Gettysburg. Initially, Lee took responsibility for the defeat. But over time, after the war, Longstreet’s generalship came under fire. Confederate officers and commentators suggested the loss, specifically Gettysburg, was due to Longstreet.Ms. Varon presents all sides of the argument, including Longstreet’s personal defense of his military record. No doubt Civil War enthusiasts, especially those who study the Confederate side, will find the perspectives intriguing.
That moment in Gettysburg, however, is not really the crux of the book. Rather the crux is based on the motivations behind the attacks on Longstreet. That motivation arrives because, as Ms. Varon writes, “More so than any other prominent Confederate, Longstreet accepted the war’s verdict as final.” Not only did Longstreet accept the defeat, he worked to convince Southerners to accept it and their new world without slavery. For many Southerners, especially those who fought for the Confederacy, those two pills were nearly impossible to swallow. Of course, as the author notes, “carpetbaggers” from the North did not help the situation.
Ms. Varon shows how Southerners, due to Longstreet’s willingness to abide by the victor’s rule, felt betrayed by the man who had been such a staunch defender of the Confederacy and a military hero. The author shows a man who believed in the rule of war, and that that rule was law. He believed that war and its outcome, above all things, was the last word: the Union victory dictated the last word on slavery and on unified country.
Fighting Back
Despite Longstreet’s generalship in the Confederate Army, he maintained close relationships with Union officers, none more important than Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, who later became president for two terms. Those connections enabled Longstreet to rise through the political ranks in the reunified United States, ranging from railroad commissioner to ambassador to Turkey. His desire to play a role in reunification aroused the ire of his fellow Southerners, which was voiced by the Southern press.
Longstreet, however, proved to be made of sterner stuff. He was as formidable postwar as he was during the war. He possessed intelligence, nerve, and literary skill―all three which proved necessary in the war for his reputation. Longstreet took up the pen against the Southern press and those who attacked his military record, specifically Jubal Early and William Pendleton. These men heralded the “Lost Cause” idea, a notion that suggested the Confederacy’s cause was just and that it could have won the war.
An Important Work
“Longstreet” is a book of imminent importance, and its importance can hardly be overstated in our current political and social environment. While the Left and Right fight over the Civil War’s place in history, Ms. Varon resurrects a man who fought for the losing side, accepted the loss, and sought to bring reconciliation to the nation. He did all this while fighting off personal attacks and defending (physically and rhetorically) the newfound rights of former slaves.In her final paragraph of the book, Varon sums up Longstreet perfectly. “We like to bestow praise on historical figures who had the courage of their convictions. Longstreet’s story is a reminder that the arc of history is sometimes bent by those who had the courage to change their convictions. He accepted defeat with a measure of grace and tried to learn, and then to teach, the past’s lessons. And for that, he commands our attention as one of the most enduringly relevant voices in American history.”
