Recent Posts

Been reading the book Sickles at Gettysburg by James Hessler.  It is a very good read…but…..I’m in the middle of the book now just before he (Sickles) gets wounded….at this point he seems to fault Longstreet with the execution of the attack on the second day….even though Longstreet personally led Wofford’s Georgia brigade into the fight, according to Hessler, he led it into the wrong area…. And then there's the attack of McLaws’ division not stepping off at the same time as Hood….   Another thing I do like is that he seems to go through various versions of the stories…i.e., the various staffers, brigade commanders, etc.  This is worth the read in itself…Even though you’ve probably read all this before…(he quotes Coddington, Phanz, et al…) he does try to give all the versions so you can draw your own conclusions….but it is from the Federal perspective for the most part.    Another interesting tid bit is that he challenges the premise that the confederate attack was supposed to be en echelon…a staggered attack from right to left…the brigadiers all complained in their reports about a lack of support on their flanks…If you've read this please post your opinions...if not, I would recommend the book as the post war section has quite a bit about Longstreet in it and Mr. Hessler is considering Longstreet for the subject of his next project.

We are often asked why we choose to be Living Historians because it requires a lot of energy, time and money. Once in awhile we receive a gift for our efforts and my husband, Ron Hawkins, who portrays Gen. James Longstreet at the Gettysburg reenactment,  received his gift this past year. A young lady attended the 146th Reenactment and became so interested in Gen. Longstreet's story that she chose to portray him for her history project at school. In preparation for this project she interviewed Ron, and we helped to provide a uniform and props for her presentation.  Prior to her presentation only two people knew of General James Longstreet, but Michaela's effort changed all that.  She is to be commended for taking the initiative and ignoring the gender boundaries that often influence young girls.  Ron wanted to celebrate the spirit of this young lady and to commend her for her effort, so Ron brought Michaela on stage at the conclusion of his talk on Saturday July 3rd at the 147th Gettysburg Reenactment.  At the conclusion of this year's reenactment, Michaela told her dad that she was a living historian.  This little lady certainly did the General justice!

[Dr. William Garrett Piston]

October 9 and 10, 2010

From Manassas to Appomattox: James Longstreet, Civil War General

Gainesville, Georgia

 

·        Overview of James Longstreet as Civil War General with expert presentations and lectures

·        Tour of Longstreet sites in Gainesville

·        Longstreet’s Piedmont Hotel maintenance project

·        Silent auction

·        Evening social 

·        4 Meals included

                                                                             

Featuring:

Dr. William Garrett Piston has been teaching in the History Department at Missouri State since 1988.  His fields of specialization are American military history and the Civil War and Reconstruction. Piston is the author of Lee’s Tarnished Lieutenant: James Longstreet and His Place in Southern History 

Dr. Rich DiNardo is Professor for National Security Affairs at the U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College and author of James Longstreet: The Man, The Soldier, The Controversy

Colonel Blackjack Travis has written several historical articles for national publications, such as The Civil War News, Artilleryman Magazine, and the Confederate Veteran. Col. Travis was the founder of Alexander's Battalion of Artillery attached to Longstreet’s Corps consisting of 25 guns and over 400 re-enactors

Richard Pilcher. President of the Longstreet Society. Will speak at the Piedmont Hotel on the people who visited there and why they came.

Seminar registration fees are as follows:

$155  members;  $135 Life members;  $185 new members

 

The seminar is headquartered at The Holiday Inn Lanier Centre Hotel, 400 E.E. Butler Parkway, Gainesville, Georgia 30501, (P) 770-531-0907, (F) 770-531-0788. The hotel sleeping room rate for seminar attendees is $75 a day. The hotel costs are not included in the seminar registration fees.

 

 

I saw the article and agree that it was well done. The article referring to Jackson's (cover photo) view of deserters  executions didn't deserve front page. But that's just my opinion.

It has been answered:

The annual seminar
From Manassas to Appomattox is
Saturday and Sunday, October 9 & 10, 2010
(Columbus Day Weekend)

See you in Gainesville

I need a reminder and could not find on website, the dates
and location of 2010 Seminar.

Thanks
don

______________My Review on the LaFantasie book at Amazon.

"Glen W. LaFantasie has done it again. He managed to misread and trash one of the South's greatest generals...again.

His essay on Longstreet begins and ends with misinterpretations of events in Longstreet's life. His perchance for quoting Longstreet detractors doesn't enhance his work either.

For example, LaFantasie quote's a conversation between Gen. Longstreet and his old servant and about how the servant said "Something must have scared you mighty bad to change you from what you was when I had to care for you." Lafantasie trys to persuade us that this is evidence of Longstreet's lifelong aposty. In reality, the servant was just commenting on how Longstreet had changed from being a young ruffian with little religious bent to a more subdued pious senior citizen. I don't see how you can read anything other than that in the old servant's statement. Then Lafantasie quotes from McLaw's well-known "humbug" letter, but doesn't tell you that Mclaws wrote other letters stating what a good soldier James Longstreet was.

Furthermore, the whole disloyalty thing is blown way out of proportion by Wert which, of course, gives Lafantasie and ilk more fodder for their pee-shooting quotations. Heck, all (thousands) who quit the US Army to go South were techincally traitors. So why is Longstreet being singled out for special treatment in that regard. Besides, it was customary for soldiers (officers) who resigned from the Army to wait a few days and then move off and not wait for a comfirmation on the resignation. Does anyone know of a resignation that was turned down? But Wert likes to spice his narratives with a little dark drama, so why not put Longstreet on the spot. After all, he's been trashed by just about everybody else. So, does Lafansie's work deserve a better rating? Yes, IF he had done some original research on his own and not just quoted others and then making (sometimes ridiculous) inaccurate statements in his work.

Lafantasie has a good narrative style. He speaks well and the dialogue flows well, but he trips on the facts. Sorry, Glen. Forget about the bucks for once and try to get it right for a change."

The April 2010 Issue of Civil War Times includes a reprint of an interview with General Longstreet that was originally published in the Philadelphia Weekly Times in 1879. Although a lot of what Longstreet says in the interview will be familiar to Society members or anyone who has read one of the Longstreet biographies, I don't think I've ever seen the whole interview reprinted before and I found it to be very interesting reading. Longstreet's answers are considered, well-articulated and persuasive. It will be interesting to see if there's any reaction from readers in future issues, especially given Longstreet's opinion that Joe Johnston was the best of the Confederate generals.

The issue also includes a drawing of Longstreet on the last page of the magazine--the "Characters" page. Old Blue Light got the cover, though, in connection with an article on Confederate executions.

The Museum of the Confederacy's annual symposium is on Saturday, February 20, 2010, from 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.  The four presidents that are to be discussed are Washington, Jefferson, Jackson and Tyler.  I have provided a link for those that are interested.


http://www.moc.org/site/Calendar/485782310?view=Detail&id=102681

The basic small white stone was the initial headstone.