Born on January 8, 1821, in South Carolina, James Longstreet was one of the principal generals in the Confederate Army and served as second in command to Robert E. Lee. He was a corps commander in both the Army of Northern Virginia under Lee in the eastern theater as well as fighting alongside General Braxton Bragg in the Army of Tennessee.
After the war, Longstreet`s reconciliation with General Grant and his adherence to the Republican Party made him an object of scorn in the South. In particular, many have argued that his poor performance at Gettysburg led ultimately to the South`s defeat in the war.