From http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/09/0907_smithgenlee.html :
One Sunday (just after the surrender at Appomatox Courthouse - TS) at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Richmond, a well-dressed, lone black man, whom no one in the community—white or black—had ever seen before, had attended the service, sitting unnoticed in the last pew.
Just before communion was to be distributed, he rose and proudly walked down the center aisle through the middle of the church where all could see him and approached the communion rail, where he knelt. The priest and the congregation were completely aghast and in total shock.
No one knew what to do…except General Lee. He went to the communion rail and knelt beside the black man and they received communion together—and then a steady flow of other church members followed the example he had set.
> He went to the communion rail and knelt beside the black man and they received communion together
This is an example of why RE Lee is not so heroic. He *knew* that slavery was wrong, and he defended it nonetheless.
It's one thing to be on the wrong side... but to be on the wrong side and *know* it, and defend that position for political reasons...