~ James Longsteet ~
1885 – 1891
George Davis would leave office having lead the Confederacy in an age of economic and political prosperity and yet again another grizzled War of Succesion vet would come in comand of the country. The nation would see a short election with precieved results, that being the Democrats dominating the competition, especialy with their veterine canadate, James Longstreet.
With the public and the thousands of men enlisted in the military behind him he took the nations by storm, arriving in Richmond for his inaguration day like a conquring hero. At the age of sixty four he was the oldest President to be elected in Confederate history, and one of the shrewdest diplomat’s as well.
Longstreets approached the problems of the nation like he was approaching a battlefield, handeling them with care, a plan, and unequaled ferocity, his age, though, slew him down. The now sage looking former general would enjoy a leisurly presidency, working hard to maintain the good relations with the European powers, but most notably his devotion to improving relations with the United States.
While the nation boomed on the home front, Longstreet attempted to see it boom in its relations with its big northern sister. Making many trips over the border into Washington he attended diplomatic meetings, public events, and other festivities. Longsteet would be seen siting beside President Grover Cleveland and even stricking up a friendship with President.
U.S. – C.S. relations would see a dramatic improvement during his term, soothing the old hatreds and tensions that lay between the nations. A new age of understanding co-operation began to florish between the sister countires, though it wasn’t an easy thing. Old feuds die hard, and while this one was slowly dieing, the hatreds between old rivals would never be layed completely to rest.
The Great Oil Rush would spring up under his term as well, causing a great interest in new oil companies in Texas as oceans of oil was being discovered under the rough surrface of the state.
On April 4th, 1887 news reached Richmond from Louisville Kentucky that General Thomas Jackson, was dead. At the age of sixty three the famed General sliped away during the night, dieing a peaceful, honorable death in his sleep.
In honor of his memory, President Longsteet ordered the second largest state funural in the nations history, the largest being Robert E. Lee’s (which I forgot to post :wacko: ), in the nations captial of Richmond. Thousand of people flooded the capital city, Congress delcairing the day a day of mourning for their famed general, one of the nations fathers who, without, would probably never excisted. Speech’s from Longsteet and P. T. Bauragaurd were given on the steps of the White House to the sea of mourners, praising Jacksons life as devout man of god ingenuius general.
Jackson was given a tomb at the Virginia Military Institue and a portarait of him was hung over the grave, burried right next to his friend and national co-father, Robert E. Lee.
“The death of Thomas is a great loss to our nation, but a great gain to heaven…” President Longstreet said to the press during the funural. The nation would forever mourn his loss on that day, but celibrate his assured assention into heaven, qutoing him from the day of his duel with John Pope, “
“…if god will’s that I should die, I will, the way I go matter’s not, for my life..and yours…is always, and forever in his hands…” General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson.
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The Painting Hung over Jackson's Tomb at the Virginia Military Institute ]