Loving Slave Owner... who ever heard of that?!?!!?
Pictured is William Mack Lee, Servant of general Lee. Gladly, the servent, as he was refrenced, was happy and well treated. Below are some exerpts from his writen autobiography.
- I was born June 12, 1835, Westmoreland County, Va.; 82 years ago. I was raised at Arlington Heights, in the house of General Robert E. Lee, my master. I was cook for Marse Robert, as I called him, during the civil war and his body servant. I was with him at the first battle of Bull Run, second battle of Bull Run, first battle of Manassas, second battle of Manassas and was there at the fire of the last gun for the salute of the surrender on Sunday, April 9, 9 o'clock, A. M., at Appomatox, 1865.
- Such an interest we can give our negroes by giving immediate freedom to all who enlist, and freedom at the end of the war to the families of those who discharge their duties faithfully (whether they survive or not), together with the privilege of residing at the South. To this might be added a bounty for faithful service.
The surrender!
Our textbook dose not in depth explain the surrender at appomattox. Well this slide will!
The exchange of messages initated the historic meeting in the home of Wilmer McLean. Arriving at the home first, General Lee sat in a large sitting room on the first floor. General Grant arrived shortly and entered the room alone while his staff respectfully waited on the front lawn. After a short period the staff was summoned to the room.
(Here is an eye witness account of the surrender)
Important exerpts from the eye witness account!
- General Grant began the conversation by saying 'I met you once before, General Lee, while we were serving in Mexico, when you came over from General Scott's headquarters to visit Garland's brigade, to which I then belonged. I have always remembered your appearance, and I think I should have recognized you anywhere.'
'Yes,' replied General Lee, 'I know I met you on that occasion, and I have often thought of it and tried to recollect how you looked, but I have never been able to recall a single feature.'"
The room where lee surrendered
"We have fought this fight as long, and as well as we know how. We have been defeated. For us as a Christian people, there is now but one course to pursue. We must accept the situation.”
The end to a great leader
Robert E Lee still remains in many minds as the the true leader of the civil war. He was a mastermind on the battlefield, humbling, and faithful to all who lay in his wake. His victories at Chancellorsville, Cold Harbor, Fredicksburg, Seven Days Battles and Second Manassas were a true testiment of his ability to command and win. He will be remembered as the man who fought for a cause he didn't believe in, but still did his best!
“I have fought against the people of the North because I believed they were seeking to wrest from the South its dearest rights. But I have never cherished toward them bitter or vindictive feelings, and have never seen the day when I did not pray for them.”
Quick fun fact(s)
- Stonewall Jackson once said " Lee is the only man whom i would follow while blindfolded."
Headquarters Army of Northern Virginia
January 11, 1865
Hon. Andrew Hunter
Richmond, Va.:
Dear Sir:
I have received your letter of the 7th instant, and without confining myself to the order of your interrogatories, will endeavor to answer them by a statement of my views on the subject. I shall be most happy if I can contribute to the solution of a question in which I feel an interest commensurate with my desire for the welfare and happiness of our people.
Considering the relation of master and slave, controlled by humane laws and influenced by Christianity and an enlightened public sentiment, as the best that can exist between the white and black races while intermingled as at present in this country, I would deprecate any sudden disturbance of that relation unless it be necessary to avert a greater calamity to both. I should therefore prefer to rely upon our white population to preserve the ratio between our forces and those of the enemy, which experience has shown to be safe. But in view of the preparations of our enemies, it is our duty to provide for continued war and not for a battle or a campaign, and I fear that we cannot accomplish this without overtaxing the capacity of our white population.
Should the war continue under the existing circumstances, the enemy may in course of time penetrate our country and get access to a large part of our negro population. It is his avowed policy to convert the able-bodied men among them into soldiers, and to emancipate all. The success of the Federal arms in the South was followed by a proclamation of President Lincoln for 280,000 men, the effect of which will be to stimulate the Northern States to procure as substitutes for their own people negroes thus brought within their reach. Many have already been obtained in Virginia, and should the fortune of war expose more of her territory, the enemy would gain a large accession to his strength. His progress will thus add to his numbers, and at the same time destroy slavery in a manner most pernicious to the welfare of our people. Their negroes will be used to hold them in subjection, leaving the remaining force of the enemy free to extend his conquest. Whatever may be the effect of our employing negro troops, it cannot be as mischievous as this. If it end in subverting slavery it will be accomplished by ourselves, and we can devise the means of alleviating the evil consequences to both races. I think, therefore, we must decide whether slavery shall be extinguished by our enemies and the slaves be used against us, or use them ourselves at the risk of the effects which must be produced upon our social institutions. My opinion is that we should employ them without delay. I believe that with proper regulations they can be made efficient soldiers. They possess the physical qualifications in an eminent degree. Long habits of obedience and subordination, coupled with the moral influence which in our country the white man possesses over the black, furnish an excellent foundation for that discipline which is the best guaranty of military efficiency. Our chief aim should be to secure their fidelity.
There have been formidable armies composed of men having no interest in the cause for which they fought beyond their pay or the hope of plunder. But it is certain that the surest foundation upon which the fidelity of an army can rest, especially in a service which imposes peculiar hardships and privations, is the personal interest of the soldier in the issue of the contest. Such an interest we can give our negroes by giving immediate freedom to all who enlist, and freedom at the end of the war to the families of those who discharge their duties faithfully (whether they survive or not), together with the privilege of residing at the South. To this might be added a bounty for faithful service.
We should not expect slaves to fight for prospective freedom when they can secure it at once by going to the enemy, in whose service they will incur no greater risk than in ours. The reasons that induce me to recommend the employment of negro troops at all render the effect of the measures I have suggested upon slavery immaterial, and in my opinion the best means of securing the efficiency and fidelity of this auxiliary force would be to accompany the measure with a well-digested plan of gradual and general emancipation. As that will be the result of the continuance of the war, and will certainly occur if the enemy succeed, it seems to me most advisable to adopt it at once, and thereby obtain all the benefits that will accrue to our cause.
The employment of negro troops under regulations similar in principle to those above indicated would, in my opinion, greatly increase our military strength and enable us to relieve our white population to some extent. I think we could dispense with the reserve forces except in cases of necessity.
It would disappoint the hopes which our enemies base upon our exhaustion, deprive them in a great measure of the aid they now derive from black troops, and thus throw the burden of the war upon their own people. In addition to the great political advantages that would result to our cause from the adoption of a system of emancipation, it would exercise a salutary influence upon our whole negro population, by rendering more secure the fidelity of those who become soldiers, and diminishing the inducements to the rest to abscond.
I can only say in conclusion that whatever measures are to be adopted should be adopted at once. Every day's delay increases the difficulty. Much time will be required to organize and discipline the men, and action may be deferred until it is too late.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
R.E. Lee,
General
The general's take on negro soldiers fighting in the civil war
Robert E Lee thought that negro soldiers would be a good addition to the war. Here is a letter he wrote to the headquarters, army of northern virginia
Battle strategies of the confederacy under Robert E Lee
West Point with with his rival...
Relevant quotes spoken by the General!
Robert E. Lee quickly realized that Jefferson Davis' plan for a defensive strategy was not reasonable considering the North's economic power.
- It is well that war is so terrible. We should grow too fond of it.
Robert E. Lee
(http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/r/robert_e_lee.html#R8eAvpHu9AkLuZHI.99)
http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/lees%20slave.htm
The TRUE Leader of the Civil War
- It is good that war is so horrible, or we might grow to like it.
Robert E. Lee
(http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/r/robert_e_lee.html)
General has been deemed the best military general in history. One major way to prove that is looking at his preformance in the civil war. ( sarcasticlly) I'm sure you never would've geussed that all that talent didn't come naturally. He went to west point, a U.S. military academy on the Hudson River in New York. Ironically, the 2 main rivals of the war were students there. Young Ulysses and Young Lee studied together at the same academy, and were later rivals in one of the united state's most important wars.
- I was raised by one of the greatest men in the world. There was never one born greater than Gen. Robert E. Lee, according to my judgment. All of his servants were set free ten years before the war, but all remained on the plantation until after the surrender.
Exerpt 2:
Only through attacking could the Confederacy hope to counter the unions’ numbers and industrial power. Lee saw that an offensive-defensive strategy, with well-coordinated attacks by Confederate forces would force the union to react and focus on limited areas. This, in turn, would limit the unions’ ability to attack the South at a variety of points at the same time
- Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more, you should never wish to do less.
(http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/r/robert_e_lee.html#ghDVvgVPMdH8xSFd.99)
January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870
A few important key points!
A true man of honor feels humbled himself when he cannot help humbling others.
Robert E. Lee
(http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/r/robert_e_lee.html#R8eAvpHu9AkLuZHI.99)
Exerpt 1:
He understood, then, that a smaller force of Confederate troops attacking a larger, divided opponent, with concentrated power, could be extremely successful for the weaker attacker. Once the general reached the field of battle his understanding of the operational needs for victory against a modern industrialized opponent were outstanding
- My opinion is that we should employ them without delay. I believe that with proper regulations they can be made efficient soldiers. They possess the physical qualifications in an eminent degree. Long habits of obedience and subordination, coupled with the moral influence which in our country the white man possesses over the black, furnish an excellent foundation for that discipline which is the best guaranty of military efficiency. Our chief aim should be to secure their fidelity
Robert E Lee began going to west point in 1825.He graduated four years later ( second in his class)! He was given a commission in the U.S. Engineer Corps. In 1831 he married Mary, daughter of G. W. P. Custis, the adopted son of Washington and the grandson of Mrs. Washington. In 1836 he became first lieutenant, and in 1838 captain.
Robert E Lee and his wife Mary pictured aroud the time of the civil war!
- The employment of black troops under regulations similar in principle to those above indicated would, in my opinion, greatly increase our military strength and enable us to relieve our other population to some extent. I think we could dispense with the reserve forces except in cases of necessity.
http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/LettersAndrewHunter.htm
General Lee's Horse, Traveller
The McLean House
- General Grant, then nearly forty-three years of age, was five feet eight inches in height, with shoulders slightly stooped. His hair and full beard were a nut-brown, without a trace of gray in them. He had on a single-breasted blouse, made of dark-blue flannel, unbuttoned in front, and showing a waistcoat underneath. He wore an ordinary pair of top-boots, with his pants inside, and was without spurs. The boots and portions of his clothes were spattered with mud.
- Lee, on the other hand, was fully six feet in height, and quite erect for one of his age, for he was Grant's senior by sixteen years. His hair and full beard were silver-gray, and quite thick, except that the hair had become a little thin in the front. He wore a new uniform of Confederate gray, buttoned up to the throat, and at his side he carried a long sword of exceedingly fine workmanship.
- General Grant now stepped down from the porch, and, moving toward him, saluted him by raising his hat. He was followed in this act of courtesy by all our officers present; Lee raised his hat respectfully, and rode off to break the sad news to the brave fellows whom he had so long commanded."
General Lee Passed away October 12th, 1870.
“Get correct views of life, and learn to see the world in its true light. It will enable you to live pleasantly, to do good, and, when summoned away, to leave without regret.”
- Robert was regarded so highly of that the start of the war he was offered command of the union army! He chose to join the south only because he would be fighting against his family, friends, and home is he joined the north.
Thank you for listening!