James Longstreet
to
Augustus Baldwin Longstreet


Camp, Culpeper Courthouse [Va.]

July 24, 1863

To A. B. Longstreet, LL. D.,

Columbus, Ga.

My Dear Uncle:

Your letters of the 13th and 14th were received on yesterday. As to our late battle [near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania], I cannot say much. I have no right to say anything, in fact, but will venture a little for you alone. If it goes to aunt and cousins, it must be under promise that it will go no further.

The battle was not made as I would have made it. My idea was to throw ourselves between the enemy and Washington, select a strong position, and force the enemy to attack us. So far as is given to man the ability to judge, we may say with confidence that we should have destroyed the Federal army, marched into Washington, and dictated our terms, or, at least, held Washington and marched over as much of Pennsylvania as we cared to, had we drawn the enemy into attack upon our carefully chosen position in his rear.

General Lee chose the plans adopted; and he is the person appointed to choose and to order. I consider it a part of my duty to express my views to the Commanding-General. If he approves and adopts them, it is well; if he does not, it is my duty adopt his views, and to execute his orders as faithfully as if they were my own. I cannot help but think that great results would have been obtained had my views been thought better of; yet I am much inclined to accept the present condition as for the best. I hope and trust that it is so. Your programme would all be well enough, had it been practicable; and was duly thought of, too. I fancy that no good ideas upon that campaign will be mentioned at any time that did not receive their share of consideration by General Lee. The few things that he might have overlooked himself were, I believe, suggested by myself. As we failed, I must take my share of the responsibility. In fact, I would prefer that all the blame should rest upon me. As General Lee is our commander, he should have the support and influence we can give him. If the blame (if there is any) can be shifted from him to me, I shall help him and our cause by taking it. I desire, therefore, that all the responsibility that can be put upon me shall go there and shall remain there. The truth will be known in time, and I leave that to show how much of the responsibility of Gettysburg rests on my shoulders. . . .

Most affectionately yours,

J. Longstreet




"General James Longstreet’s Account of the Campaign and Battle," Southern Historical Society Papers
--joe mieczkowski

Ironically, many of the Irish were sympathetic with the Southern cause and would have gone South rather than North except for two important reasons. First, the blockade prevented them from going South, and secondly jobs were much more readily available in the North.

--tom ryan

Quote:

I would be very interested in the evidence/sources you have for the leaning of sympathies held by the Irish immigrants of that era. I am an avid student of the role of immigrant soldiers and familiar with the political leanings of the earlier immigrants, as their longer presence in the U.S. left more letters, newspaper accounts & editorials, etc. More resources, leading to a broader understanding, are always appreciated. JohnT
--jthlmnn

"I would be very interested in the evidence/sources you have for the leaning of sympathies held by the Irish immigrants of that era."

John and Larry,

"I would be very interested in the evidence/sources you have for the leaning of sympathies held by the Irish immigrants of that era."
John and Larry,
About 10 years ago, I wrote an article "Out of Ireland into the Union Army: the battle over Irish emigration." Could not find a publisher in the U.S., so a contact in Ireland recommended I send it to the Journal of the Military History Society of Ireland for publication in their journal called The Irish Sword. Just so happened that the editor was happy to receive the article, since he planned an entire issue on the American Civil War. This came out in Summer 2002 with my article included.
During the research for this article, I found that there was a considerable amount of sympathy toward the Southern cause in Ireland, since the people somehow related their own subjugation to the English to the South's desire for independence from the North in America. An extension of this feeling in Ireland was Pope Pius IX in Rome who also favored the South, and sympathized with those in Ireland who did the same. The Pope's reasons had more to do with his shrinking territory of the Papal States that were under duress from a variety of entities.
Symptomatic of the split in Ireland over the American Civil War were two exiled revolutionaries who, after escape from a colony in Australia, came to the U.S. Francis Meagher decided to support the North and his good friend and colleague in Ireland (name escapes me right now) joined the Southern cause. Blv the latter had three sons who served in the Confederate army.
My recollection is that in Ireland newspapers support was pretty much equally divided between favoring the North and South in America, which was a pretty good barometer of what the people themselves believed. One strong counterforce against emigration of young Irish males to America whether North or South were the Catholic priests who saw this as a threat to the size of their parishes. These priests cooperated with Confederate agents sent to Ireland with the expressed intent to disrupt the flow of these Irish males emigrating to the U.S. and joining the Union army. These agents were sent to Ireland by President Davis and Secretary of State Benjamin for this purpose.
A brief version of this article was published in The Washington Times on September 2, 2000.
Let me know if you would like more info on this subject.
Regards, Tom

--tom ryan