Book Review - General James Longstreet - The Confederacy's Most Modern General by Lieutenant Colonel

I'm a novice when it comes to Civil War history. IWar in 1861. Biographers of the post war era
get lost in the details of the major militarystated Longstreet was smart and ambitious but
campaigns of the war, much less the smalleralso a "know it all." They turned against him for
skirmishes, and even the geography at times. Myrejecting the ideology of the "Lost Cause." Indeed,
interest in the Confederacy relates to myLongstreet was not a politically correct person,
ancestry and my interest in Confederateand according to the author, considered political
currency. I had three great grandfathers andcorrectness a form of dishonesty. Longstreet
three great uncles who served in the war. Duringwasn't interested in political debate and didn't
a recent meeting of our Sons of Confederateengage on the causes of the war, but instead
Veterans Camp, Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Haroldexcelled in the art of war. His view was simple:
Knudsen of the US Army was our guest speaker.once war was decided to be the course of action;
LTC Knudsen is the author of the book, "Generalhis goal was to win it.
James Longstreet: The Confederacy's MostIt was at the Battle of Fredericksburg in 1862
Modern General." I had no idea of who Generalthat Longstreet carried out an effective and
Longstreet was and, at the time, really didn't caredeadly approach to stopping a Union frontal
all that much. After all, Robert E. Lee andassault. He merged firearm advancements with
Stonewall Jackson were my heroes. However,field modifications that Knudsen claims was fifty
Knudsen quickly captured my attention as ityears ahead of its time. Longstreet combined
became apparent that the legacy of Jamesdiscipline, low aiming, and clear lanes of fire, with
Longstreet had been swept under the rug by theone to two rifle loaders for each shooter. This
philosophy of political correctness. I was soproduced an increase rate of fire equivalent to a
enthralled by Knudsen lecture; I was the firstmachine gun in World War I.
person at his book table to purchase a hardboundKnudsen offers a chapter on the "defensive
copy of his book.offense" and a chapter on the vindication of
LTC Knudsen's book is small and is less than oneLongstreet's strategic vision. It was at the Battle
hundred pages. It is tiny in comparison to theof Chickamauga that gave Longstreet the
monolithic volumes that exist on Lee and Jacksonopportunity to attack and set conditions for
and other figures. I have in times past started todecisive victories. It was here that Knudsen
read some of those exhaustive works on the Civilbelieves Longstreet introduced a tactic similar to
War and its heroes, but have rarely completedthat of the Germans used in their tank warfare in
any. It seems I would get bogged down in whatWorld War II, i.e., the Blitzkrieg theory. Knudsen
would seem to be the endless battles and foreverleaves the reader with the notion that if
lost in the explanations of force movements,Longstreet had been in charge of the forces at
placement of batteries, flanking maneuvers and allthe Battle of Chickamauga instead of General
the minutiae of military speak. Even thoughBraxton Bragg, the Union Army would have
Knudsen is militaryesque in his writing, he issoundly defeated.
succinct and keeps the reader's attention. At oneKnudsen does not discuss Longstreet's post
point I asked myself, where are the maps?military career, other than mentioning his
However, I soon realized his descriptions do notinvolvement with the passage of military
require maps. Actually, I believe maps would havereconstruction bills in Congress. However, that
been a distraction.only fueled my curiosity in wanting to do more
Knudsen makes the case that General Longstreetresearch on the general. My research uncovered
has not only been misjudged by history, butthat Longstreet enjoyed a career working for the
actually was one of the most successful generalsU.S. Government and he was a convert to the
of the war. He subtitles his book "TheRepublican Party. Combining this with his support
Confederacy's Most Modern General" and indeed itfor reconstruction and some critical comments he
appeared Longstreet was. Longstreet broke withwrote about General Robert E. Lee, inflamed his
the Napoleonic practices of warfare anddetractors and this distanced himself from his
introduced innovations that not been seen inConfederate colleagues.
nineteenth century warfare. Not until recently hasPortions of Knudsen's conclusion were steeped
Longstreet's reputation begun a slowwith a good bit of military strategic lingo which
re-examination. In fact, it wasn't until 1998 thatrequired me to read it twice to obtain a good
the first monument to honor him was erected atcomprehension. Knudsen background in military
Gettysburg.command structure and control is very evident as
James Longstreet was a South Carolina bornhe knows his stuff. However, parts of the final
West Point graduate who was raised on achapter sometimes leave the reader with a
Georgia plantation. He received his first combatfeeling he is at a military academy receiving a
experience at age twenty four as the US beganbriefing on military policy and doctrine. All in all, I
its war with Mexico. At age forty, he accepted abelieve his book is long overdue and it deserves a
commission as a Confederate colonel with theplace on your bookshelf. You won't be
Army of Northern Virginia at the start of the Civildisappointed.