Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-04

campaign and in the second battle of Bull
Run. When Lee organized his army for It's
northern movement Iongstreet was placed
In command OF. the list Corps of the Army OF
Northern Virginia. His corps decided the
day a the second Bull Run battle and he
held the left of the line in the battle of
Fredericksburg and commanded the right
wing OF the confederate forces at Antietann
At Gettysburg.
Longstreet' part in the battle of Gettys-
burg has been the subject of much criticism.
He was the commander of one of the three
great army corps of the confederate forces
which participated In this struggle and was
in charge of the right wing of the army.
There has been much discussion as to his
action during the battle
After the battle of Gettysburg Longstreet
was transferred to Brasgs army with his
entire corps, and nmsnGed the right
wing of the confederate line at the battle
of Chickalnauga. He attempted the capture
of Knoxville and failed, because it was
held too strongly. He rejoined Lee In
1874, and was severely wounded by the
fire from his own troops in the battle OF
the Wilderness. He comma ndcd the 1st
Corps Of the Army Of Ncrthe.n Virginia
from then until the end Of the war and
was Included in the surrender at Apo
ms ttoX Gen. Longs treet suffered from the
wound received at the Wilderness through
out his life, and it Is believed that it had
much to DO with his Ill health and death.
After the War.
After the war Gen. Iongstreet was
member of the firm of Longstreet, Owens
& Co. of New Orleans. and later was ap-
pointed surveyor of the port of New Or
leans by President Grant. He was also
appointed successfully supervisor of in
ternal revenue in Louisiana, posi- master of
New Orleans, and minister to Turkey by
President Hayes, and marshal of The Dis
trlct of Columbia by President Garfield
He was made U. S commissioner of rail-
roads by President Mckinley in 1897, which
position he has held since then.
Gen. Longstreet was married in this city
in 1897 to Miss Helen Dorch, assistant
state librarian of Georgia, an attractive
young woman twenty-five years of age.
The couple took up their residence here and
lived very happily
Mrs. Longstreet's Defense.
An article written by Mrs. Longstreet in
reply to certain criticisms of her husbands
conduct at Gettysburg was published yes
terday In accordance with arrangements
made by Mrs. Longstreet some weeks ago.
By singular coincidence the article APP
peared the day after the famous confeder-
ate died. In the course Of this article Mrs.
LongStreet says: ...
Gen Longstreets operations at Gettys-
burg were above the suspicion of reproach
until he came under the political ban in the
south. by meeting, as he saw 1t, the re-
quirements of good citizenship in the OBJ
servance of his Appomatiox parole
Then the storm broke. He was heralded
as traitor. deserter of his people, deserter
of democracy, &c. In the fury of this on
slaught originated the cruel SANDER that
he had dsobeyed Lees most vital orders.
causing the loss of the Gettysburg battle
and the ultimate fall of the confederate
cause
The sectional complaint that he deserted
democracy is about as relevant and truthful
the assertion that he lost Gettysburg.
He a West Pointer professional SOL
der. He had never cast ballot before the
civil war; he had no politics. Its passions
and prejudices had no dwelling place in mis-
mind. The war was over, and he quietly
accepted the result, fraternizing with ell
Americans. 1t was no great crime
Gen. Gordon's Charges.
Continuing Mrs. Longstreet says:
TT has remained for Maj Gen. John B.
Gordon, once of the Army of Northern Vir
ginia, to revive this dead controversy. He
simply reiterates the old charges In full but
produces no new evidence In their support.
His contribution is of no historical value;
it carries inherent evidence that General
Gordon made no critical examination Of the
documentary history of Gettysburg. He
assumes to render verdict on the Say-S0
of others
in his recent. publication on the civil
war Gordon says that it now seems GER
tain that impartial military critics after
thorough investigation, will consider the
following facts established:
:" First, that General Lee distinctly Or
dered Longstreet to attack early on he
morning of the second day, and If Long
street had done so two of the largest corps
of Meades army would not have been in
the fight, but Longstreet delayed the fight
until 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and thus
lost his opportunity of occupying Little
olrpl he l<av of
he might have done in the morning without
firing o shot or losing man.
1T is competent to point out that Lees
orders to Longstreet on that day were to
attack up the Emmitsburg road He
could not we'll occupy Little Round Top
up the Emmtsburg road, because it was
but fraction less than a mile to the east
of that road. 1t is as clear as monday that
Lee had no thought at first, If ever. that
Little Round Top was the key to the posi-
ton.
'Longstreets official report is very ex-
plicit on this point. 1t was written July %,
1853 On page 35S of his memoirs he says:
~ received instructions from the com
manding general to move with the portion
Of my command that was up around to gain
the Emmitsburg road, on the enemy's left
'.Longstreet had that morning suggested
to Lee that the better plan was a move
ment by the right fla!.k to interpose be-
tween the federals and their capital and
thus compel Gen. Meade to give battle at a
disadvantage, but Gen. Lee persisted in the
direct attack up the Emmitsburg road
After the war 1t was discovered that a
very early attack on the Little Round Top
would perhaps have found 1t undefended:
hence the afterthought that Gen Long
street was ordered to attack at sunrise
Whatever the hour Longstreet was or
dered to attack it was most certainly not
Little Round Top that was made his OBJ
jective.
Gordon continuing, very complacently
assumes that two of the largest crops of
Meade's army would not have been in the
fight of the I'd had Longstreet attacked
early in the morning. He refers to the
Union 9Th and 9Th corps. That statement is
correct only as regards the 9th Corps which
II Is true did not arrive on the field until
late in the afternoon. But 1t took no part
against Longstreet on that day. Indeed, as
1t was not engaged al all. either on the I'd
or Sd of July the time OF its arrival at
Gettysburg is unimportant."
After describing the incidents of the oper-
atoms of that day. Mrs. Longstrcet again
quotes General Gordon as follows:
Fourthly. that the great mistake Of the
halt on the first day would have been re-
paired on the second. and even on the third
day, II Lees orders had been vigorously
executed, and that General Lee died beliey-
ing that he lost Gettysburg at last by Long
streets disobedience of orders.
Rev. DR.. Pendleton's Allegation.
he Are ,ftor