Battles & Leaders of the Civil War: Lee's Right Wing at Gettysburg

One of the most important Confederate generals of the Civil War was Lieutenant General James Longstreet, the man Robert E. Lee called his “old war horse.” Longstreet was arguably the best corps commander the Confederates have, and he played crucial roles at Antietam, Second Bull Run, Chickamauga, the Wilderness, and Fredericksburg. However, Longstreet had a controversial role at Gettysburg, when he was unable to roll up the Union Army of the Potomac’s flank on Day 2 and Pickett’s Charge failed on Day 3. Though Longstreet tried to talk Lee out of the attacks, they went forward, and Longstreet criticized Lee about them afterward, making him reviled among other Confederates. In turn, they tried to blame him for the loss at Gettysburg.  

In one of the most famous Battles & Leaders essays, Longstreet discusses his role commanding Lee’s right wing at Gettysburg, particularly his objections to Pickett’s Charge. His willingness to criticize Lee in essays like this one is what upset his former comrades after the war. This edition of Lee’s Right Wing at Gettysburg is specially formatted with maps of the campaign and pictures of its important commanders.