@civil.war.explained: He was 22, a bank clerk in a private's militia uniform, when he rode up to James Longstreet on the morning of First Manassas with a letter of introduction.. Gilbert Moxley Sorrel of Savannah was Longstreet's chief of staff from 1861 to 1864 — the man who saw the Army of Northern Virginia from inside its headquarters. Forty years later he wrote "Recollections of a Confederate Staff Officer," still the best staff officer's memoir of the Confederate army. His own warning about it: "rough jottings from memory without access to any data or books of reference and with little attempt at sequence." Nobody described Longstreet better. Sorrel's first portrait of him, 1861: "Brig.-Gen. James Longstreet was then a most striking figure, about forty years of age, a soldier every inch, and very handsome, tall and well proportioned, strong and active, a superb horseman and with an unsurpassed soldierly bearing, his features and expression fairly matched; eyes, glint steel blue, deep and piercing; a full brown beard, head well shaped and poised. The worst feature was the mouth, rather coarse; it was partly hidden, however, by his ample beard." And Lee's love for Longstreet, the night of Sharpsburg: "Longstreet, big, heavy, and red, grimly stern after this long day's work... rolled in on his clumsy carpet slippers. Lee immediately welcomed him with unconcealed joy. 'Here comes my war horse just from the field he has done so much to save!' his arm affectionately around 'Peter's' shoulder." At Sharpsburg the staff became cannoneers: "Fairfax, Goree, Manning, Walton, myself, and perhaps some others took our horses' bridles as we leaped from them to the guns... so at it we went, the improvised gunners, and were afterwards cheered by being told we did it well and could always get a gunner's berth when we might want it." Gettysburg: "On the second, quite late, 4 p. m., Longstreet made his long-deferred attack on the enemy's left... Longstreet personally leading the attack with splendid effect. His fine horsemanship as he rode, hat in hand, and martial figure, were most inspiring." He watched Lee after Pickett's Charge: "His generous heart could only say, 'It is my fault, I take it all — get together, men, we shall yet beat them.' I saw no man fail him." The Wilderness, May 1864 — Sorrel's great moment. Longstreet's order: "'Colonel, there is a fine chance of a great attack by our right. If you will quickly get into those woods, some brigades will be found much scattered from the fight. Collect them and take charge... Hit hard when you start, but don't start until you have everything ready.'" The flank attack Sorrel led rolled up Hancock's corps — Hancock told Longstreet afterward: "'You rolled me up like a wet blanket and it was some hours before I could reorganize for battle.'" The same day, friendly fire nearly killed Longstreet: "The Lieutenant-General was struck. He was a heavy man, with a very firm seat in the saddle, but he was actually lifted straight up and came down hard... The shot had entered near the throat and he was almost choked with blood." The attack won Sorrel his brigadier's star. Shot through the right lung at Hatcher's Run in February 1865, he heard of Appomattox from a Lynchburg sickbed. His farewell: "It is farewell to the Army of Northern Virginia and its ever-glorious commander. His name, his fame shall forever live!" Sources: Brig. Gen. G. Moxley Sorrel, "Recollections of a Confederate Staff Officer" Photo: Sorrel in Confederate uniform (Wikimedia Commons) #CivilWar #History #AmericanHistory #Longstreet #CivilWarExplained

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Wednesday 14 October 2026 23:34:08 GMT