Posted on 01/19/2009 6:54:00 AM PST by Iron Munro
Robert E. Lee graduated from West Point at the head of his class and is still one of only six cadets to graduate from West Point without a single demerit.
Unlike Union general, Ulysses S. Grant, General Lee never sanctioned or condoned slavery.
Upon inheriting slaves from his deceased father-in-law, Lee immediately freed them.
Wife’s people trace their heritage to Lee.
I think very highly of Robert E Lee, for reasons listed in this article, and for many others I’ve learned over the years studying the Civil War.
That said, no reason to take a cheap shot at Grant as you do here.
He never owned slaves. He didn’t support slavery.
Bump - before the Yankees invade this thread.
bttt
That must be why the escaping slaves followed his army, and some gave him valuable intelligence.
Grant saw the Mexican American war as unjust, and nothing more than an attempt to expand slave territory. Had did Lee feel about it?
Great article. It makes me proud to have been born at the army hospital at Ft. Lee in Petersburg Virginia. My dad was in the army stationed at Ft. Lee at the time.
I’ll be flying Lee’s flag tomorrow, its my way of saying FU to DC.
Thanks for your article! I’ve always heard good reports on Robert E. Lee, and glad to reconfirm tose reports. A man beyond reproach!
Thanks for the reminder!
Robert E. Lee was a traitor to the United State of America. He should have been hanged along with all Confederate officers.
Happy Birthday General Lee.
We need you now!
I have never read anything that suggested US Grant as a slave owner or pro-slavery. Can you point us to your source please?
“Robert E. Lee was a traitor to the United State of America. He should have been hanged along with all Confederate officers.”
I would be careful, because as of tomorrow, WE are the ones that will considered traitors to the United State of America.
Looks like it only took 10 posts (aee above #10).
Here it is nearly 144 years since Lee surrendered at Appomattox. The good men who fought in that terrible war died long ago. It amazes me that there are many today who still harbor ill feelings for their own countrymen based upon geography and upon events that occurred generations ago.
It's a shame that all these many years later, some people are still looking for a fight.
Happy Robert E. Lee day, from this Yankee.
The rights of states to act of their own accord in matters that are of the best interests of their citizens was why the United States was built as a federal republic, and why the word “states” is in our nations name.
Sadly we have forgotten that, and an all powerful federal entity has risen from it. Conservatives, like the founders as well as the union leaders who DID NOT hang the confederate officers, appreciated the idea.
You may too in the near future given where we are headed.
Not all (or even most) of you are bad...but you already knew I felt that way.
There are many sources - Just Google US Grant Slave.
Here are a few:
http://www.nas.com/~lopresti/ps.htm
http://www.american-presidents.org/2007/02/grant-was-slave-owner.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulysses_S._Grant
(footnotes and references provided)
“A civilian at age 32, Grant struggled through seven lean years. From 1854 to 1858 he labored on a family farm near St. Louis, Missouri, using slaves owned by his father-in-law, but it did not prosper. Grant owned one slave (whom he set free in 1859); his wife owned four slaves (two women servants and their two small boys).”
Yes, and if you've ever read these threads on FR, you know they like to "pile on" and spout hateful nonsense about honorable men like General Lee.
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