Sculpted by Gary Casteel
 
1863 Signed and Numbered Limited Edition Monument Replicas
 
Born in Edgefield District, South Carolina, on January 8, 1821, the son of a farmer, Longstreet spent his early years in Augusta, Georgia.  At the age of nine he was sent to live with his aunt and uncle in order to attend Richmond County Academy, Georgia’s finest preparatory school.  Following the death of his father in 1833, his mother and the rest of the family moved to Somerville, Alabama, but Longstreet stayed with his aunt and uncle in order to finish school.  He entered West Point in 1838 via Alabama and graduated in 1842.  His early army service included frontier duty in Missouri, Louisiana, and Texas, and he was wounded at Chapultepec in Mexico during the Mexican War.  With two brevets and the staff rank of major he resigned his commission on June 1, 1861, and joined the Confederacy. 
 
Commanding a brigade, he fought at Blackburn's Ford and 1st Bull Run before moving up to divisional leadership for the Peninsula Campaign.  There he saw further action at Yorktown, Williamsburg, Seven Pines, and the Seven Days.  In the final days of the latter, he also directed A. P. Hill's men.  Commanding what was variously styled a "wing," "command," or "corps," the latter not being legally recognized until October 1862, he proved to be a capable subordinate to General Robert E. Lee at 2nd Bull Run, where he delivered a crushing attack.  He also saw service at South Mountain, Antietam, and Fredericksburg.  He was an excellent division commander, maintaining a good standard of discipline in his command, and was loved by his men who called him “Old Pete”.
 
By now promoted to be the Confederate Army’s senior lieutenant general, he led an independent expedition into southeastern Virginia where he displayed a lack of ability on his own.  Rejoining Lee, he opposed attacking at Gettysburg in favor of maneuvering Union General George G. Meade out of his position.  Longstreet, who had come to believe in the strategic offense and the tactical defense, was proven right when the Confederate attacks on the second and third days were repulsed.  Detached to reinforce General Braxton Bragg in Georgia, he commanded a wing of the army on the second day at Chickamauga.  In the dispute over the follow-up of the victory, he was critical of Bragg and was soon detached to operate in East Tennessee.  Here again he showed an incapacity for independent operations, especially in the siege of Knoxville.  Rejoining Lee at the Wilderness, in the confusion of battle, Longstreet was severely wounded by Confederate troops.  He resumed command in October during the Petersburg operations and commanded on the north side of the James River.  Lee's "Old War Horse" remained with his chief through the surrender at Appomattox.
 
After the war he renewed his friendship with Ulysses S. Grant (an 1843 West Point graduate) and became a Republican.  He served as President Grant's minister to Turkey.  He also served as commissioner of Pacific Railroads under Presidents McKinley and Roosevelt, from 1897 to 1904. Criticized by many former Confederates, he struck back with his book, From Manassas to Appomattox.  He outlived most of his high-ranking postwar detractors.  He died at Gainsville, Georgia, on January 2, 1904, the last of the high command of the Confederacy.  He is buried in Gainsville.
 
This monument was dedicated 1904 and is located in the Alta Vista Cemetery (Block 03, Lot 036, Grave 04), in Gainesville, Georgia.