From Manassas to Appomattox : memoirs of the Civil War in America

Product Description

Peer through history at Confederate Lieutenant General James Longstreet, whose steady nature and dominating figure earned him the nicknames "War Horse," "Bulldog," and "Bull of the Woods." Years after the war, Longstreet's reputation swung between Confederate hero and brutish scoundrel. A dutiful soldier with a penchant for drink and gambling, Longstreet spoke little but inspired many, and he continues to fascinate Civil war historians.

In his memoir From Manassas to Appomattox, Longstreet reveals his inner musings and insights regarding the War between the States. Ever the soldier, he skims over his personal life to focus on battle strategies, war accounts, and opinions regarding other officers who were as misunderstood as him. The principle subordinate under General Robert E. Lee, Longstreet provides several accounts of Lee's leadership and their strong partnership.

An invaluable firsthand account of life during the Civil War, From Manassas to Appomattox not only illuminates the life and ambitions of Lieutenant General James Longstreet, but it also offers an in-depth view of army operations within the Confederacy. An introduction and notes by prominent historian James I. Robertson Jr. and a new foreword by Christian Keller offer insight into the impact of Longstreet's career on American history.

About the Author

James Longstreet was a Confederate general under Robert E. Lee.
James I. Robertson Jr. was Alumni Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Virginia Tech and the author of numerous titles. He died in November 2019.
Christian Keller is Professor of History in the Department of National Security and Strategy at War College and is the author of Pennsylvania: A Military History.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
ForewordLong considered one of the most important eyewitness accounts of the American Civil War, James Longstreet's From Manassas to Appomattox remains an indispensable primary source for scholars and students interested in the Confederacy's high command and generalship in the Army of Northern Virginia (ANV). First published in 1896 and reprinted numerous times since, the book still possesses the power to transport readers into Robert E. Lee's inner circle and the momentous decisions made within it that charted the course of much of the war in the Eastern Theater. Its plainly written but powerful narrative, frank observations of contextual realities, and even several moments of humor bring to life the world of 160 years ago when, for several years, the Southern nation struggled to achieve independence from the United States. This handsome new edition by Indiana University Press not only befits the historical significance of the work but also makes it available to a new generation of readers, who, it is hoped, will benefit from it as much as those in the past.
Longstreet, who served as Lee's de facto second-in-command for much of the war (only sharing that distinction, for a time, with Stonewall Jackson), was uniquely positioned to offer insights that no other high-ranking Confederate in the ANV could offer. As a general officer, he participated in every major campaign in Virginia from the beginning of the war to its end, and enjoyed a remarkable longevity vis-à-vis his peers. Lee passed away in 1870, leaving a vacuum for other would-be writers to fill. Yet among the corps commanders and those of equivalent standing in the commanding general's estimation, Jackson died in 1863, J.E.B. Stuart in 1864, A. P. Hill in 1865, Richard S. Ewell in 1872, Richard H. Anderson in 1879, and Jubal Early in 1894. Only John B. Gordon rivalled Longstreet's endurance, dying the same year as he (1904). Thus the native South Carolinian and adopted Alabaman, nicknamed "Old Pete," outlived nearly everyone else who was in a position to comment authoritatively about the inner workings of the South's most significant field army. More importantly, however, Longstreet