"Lee was smart enough to know this. Longstreet sometimes did think things throught all the way. Beating Meade at Gettysburg would not have caused Lincoln to surrender."

Doyle, you and I agree on all this. Question though, did you mean to say "Longstreet sometimes did NOT think things through"?

Have you ever read "Destruction & Reconstruction" by General Richard Taylor? Here is his opinion on Longstreet's claims about Gettysburg...

"A recent article in the public press, signed by General Longstreet, ascribes the failure at Gettysburg to Lee's mistakes, which he (Longstreet) in vain pointed out and remonstrated against. That any subject involving the possession and exercise of intellect should be clear to Longstreet and concealed from Lee, is a startling proposition to those having knowledge of the two men. We have Biblical authority for the story that the angel in the path was visible to the ass, though unseen by the seer his master; but suppose, instead of smiting the honest, stupid animal, Balaam had caressed him and then been kicked by him, how would the story read? And thus much concerning Gettysburg."