Saturday, June 5, 2010
Lee and Longstreet
I too have noticed the relationship between Lee and Longstreet being strained. I know that it is easy to look back and see that Lee should have listened to Longstreet and perhaps the outcome of the war could have been totally different. But I have to give Longstreet credit. Although he was against going into battle the third day, and considered resigning his post, he did what he was asked/commanded to do. That is why I would not be a good member of the military. I speak my mind (to my detriment) too often.
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I would not classify the relationship between Lee and Longstreet as strained; rather, I believe that there was much foreboding for both as to the outcome of the battle. Remember, Lee was in overall command; he had to always consider political as well as the military terrain. Where Longstreet and Lee were being challenged in their relationship was in the two different views: Lee's focusing on the forest, and Longstreet seeing both the forest and the trees, but choosing to defend the "trees". The Confederate Army was in enemy territory on the second (and last) foray out of Virginia. Lee was desparate for a victory, believing that such a victory would be the death knell of the Union effort to reclaim unity. This clearly affected his assessment of the tactics available to him during the battle. On the other hand, Longstreet (not having to be concerned about the political consequences) was making different assesments, ones that with the 20/20 hindsight of historical viewings were clearly more accurate. The strain was less between Lee and Longstreet, and more because of the differing perspectives each had due to their respective roles.
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