As countries prosper, the number of problems and their intensity also increase, trouble is simply inevitable. As America continued to grow rapidly throughout the 19th century, some issues became very controversial in different parts of America and thus came the great (American) Civil War. The Civil War lasted five years, starting in 1861 and ending in 1865. Three days within this bloody war had the greatest significance: July 1 to 3, the Battle of Gettysburg. The Union won the Battle of Gettysburg, having returned on the second and third days (Shaara, Michael). The loss was often unfairly attributed to one of the Confederate lieutenant generals: James Longstreet. James Longstreet was born a true Southerner in the state of South Carolina on January 8, 1821 (James Longstreet). Although he was born in South Carolina, most of his early years were spent in Georgia or Alabama (James Longstreet). Longstreet attended West Point from 1838 to 1842 when he graduated (James Longstreet). He wasn't the best student; he finished 54th out of 56 in his class, but was well respected and readily accepted by his peers (James Longstreet). One of his closest friends at West Point was Ulysses S. Grant, a future Union Civil War hero and future President of the United States (James Longstreet). When he graduated, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the 4th U.S. Infantry (James Longstreet). Longstreet saw his first real action in the Mexican War where he was also wounded for the first time, by a bullet to the thigh (James Longstreet). Longstreet moved up the ranking system and in 1858 found himself as Major (James Longstreet). The election of 1860 was a Republican victory and Abraham Lincoln was destined to take... middle of paper... 2014. Rao, Jessika S. "Longstreet, Lee disagreed with attack; Commanders: in an account of a newspaper long after the war, Lieutenant General James Longstreet, who was the commanding officer of Pickett's Charge, describes the attack as an act of "desperation" and "sacrifice of my men" Longstreet wrote: " I have never been as depressed as I was that day." The Sun (2003): No. page. ProQuest. Network. March 30, 2014. .Shaara, Michael. Killer Angels. New York: McKay, 1974. Print.Smith, Karlton ""I've Never Been So Depressed": James Longstreet and Pickett's Charge." General James Longstreet: The Confederacy's Most Controversial Soldier. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1993. Print.