LONGSTREET, JAMES A dis tinguished Confederate General in the American Civil War. He was born in Edgefield, S. C., re moved to Alabama with his parents in 1831, graduated at the United States Acad emy in 1842, and was afterwards stationed at various places on the Western frontier. In the _Mexican War he served with distinction in both the Northern and Southern campaigns, received the brevet of captain and major for gallant and meritorious conduct at Contreras and Churithuseo, and at Molino del Rey, and was severely wounded in the assault upon Chapultepec. Afterwards he served chiefly on the Texas frontier, becoming paymaster in 1858. At the outbreak of the Civil War he resigned his commission in the United States Army, and entered the Confederate service with the rank of brigadier-general. He partici pated with distinction in the first battle of Bull Run. and was made major-general in 1862. In the first part of the Peninsular campaign he com manded Joseph E. Johnston's rear-guard during the retreat before McClellan. He took part in the Seven Days' Battle and the seeopd battle of Bull Run, where his opportune arrival and mas terly generalship were instrumental in securing the victory over Pope. (See Bt'LL Eric, SEcoNn BATTLE. OF.) After the battle of Fredericksburg. in which he commanded the Confederate left and repulsed Burnside's gallant but foolhardy at tacks (see FREDERICKSBURG. BATTLE OF), he was promoted to a lieutenant-generalship. At Gettys burg. after having strongly opposed Lee's plans hefore the battle, and having advocated the inter posing of the Confederate army between the Fed eral Army of the Potomac and Washing,ton—a policy which he believed would force Meade to fight on disadvantageous terms—he commanded the right wing of the Army of Northern Virginia, thus directing, under Lee, the most stubborn fighting in that three days' conflict, including the famous charge of Piekett. (See GETTYSBURG.
BATTLE OF.) He then was transferred to the Army of Tennessee under Gen. Braxton Bragg (q.v.), and at the battle of Chickamauga (q.v.). by making an opportune attack. he was instru mental in carrying the day. After undertaking an unsuccessful movement against Burnside, who occupied a strong position at Knoxville, he joined Lee in Virginia early in 1864. Ile took a distinguished part in the Battles of the Wilder ness, where he was severely wounded. Ile re co•ered in time, however, to command the First Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia dur ing the second half of the year 1864. Gen eral Longstreet enjoyed the distinction of being one of the greatest fighters of the Confederacy. and possessed the unbounded confidence and af fection of his soldiers. After the close of the war he engaged in business as a cotton factor in New Orleans, where he later became a Re publican in politics, and from 1809 to 1873 held the °thee of Surveyor of Customs at the Port of New Orleans under General Grant. Later he held the offices of Supervisor of Internal Revenue in Louisiana and Postmaster at New Orleans. In 1875 he removed to Georgia, and in 1880-81 was in Turkey as United States Minister. In 1898 he was appointed United States Railway Commissioner. Besides writing for the maga zines, he published a valuable work dealing with the Civil War, entitled Prom Manassas to .tp pomattox (Philadelphia, 1896).