General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: If the Confederate Army had invaded the Union more than in July 1863, [View all]exboyfil
(18,359 posts)His suggestion to go around Meade's entrenched position and head towards D.C. was the right call (easy to say in hindsight). Longstreet always wanted to counterpunch from an entrenched position. He and George Thomas are two generals highly underrated with similar styles. They met at Chatanooga with Thomas holding the line after Rosencrans shameful retreat. If Longstreet did not have to answer to Bragg, then he might have broken an Union army on that day.
As to your second point, I always loved the fact that plantation owners/overseers were exempt if they had a certain number of slaves (Rich man's war - Poor man's fight). Of course the North had $300 as the price to get out of the draft (or hire a substitute which went for around $1000).