Why James Longstreet Matters: A Paragon of Unity (OLLI)

Considered by many to be “Confederate Number 3” behind Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee, General James Longstreet was the first major victim of the "Lost Cause” interpretation of the Civil War and Reconstruction that dominated Southern historiography from the 1860s to the 1960s.  Unfairly blamed for Lee’s defeat at Gettysburg in 1863 (not by Lee) and other Southern battlefield failures, Longstreet was reviled for decades by "Lee-cult” romantics for his acceptance of the Union victory over the Confederacy and his cooperation with the reunification measures and goals of Reconstruction. Like Ulysses Grant, Longstreet towers today as a figure of both historical significance and contemporary meaning.  In 90 minutes, this class will provide context for understanding this amazing American life.