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Ever since the document was examined several weeks ago, it's been a mystery. Initially, it appeared to be a reproduction of the terms and conditions of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's surrender in Appomattox, Va., in 1865. But staff members of the Civil War and Underground Railroad Museum in Center City - who came upon the document while preparing for the museum's relocation - soon noticed pen indentations in the paper, and darker and lighter ink strokes consistent with handwriting. They also found a notation in a 1935 museum inventory identifying the document as an "original." Could this artifact, crudely...

This is particularly relevant since Congressional Democrats spent a whole day passing a resolution - apologizing for slavery and segregation - for something that everyone acknowledges was a crime. All because one of their members is a white guy in a black district in a tough race. http://www.thebulletin.us/site/index.cfm?newsid=19880631&BRD=2737&PAG=461&dept_id=576361&rfi=8

The little known holiday is fine with some Tennesseans, but others don't think the government should still officially honor the Confederate Army General.

Two old steamer trunks sit in the rare-book room at the Virginia Historical Society, looking worn and forlorn. The smaller one was once red but the paint has faded to a dull rust. The larger one is brown with a piece of tin patching a hole in the top. On one side, a name is stenciled: "M. LEE." That's Mary Custis Lee, Gen. Robert E. Lee's adventurous eldest daughter. In 1917, she stored these wooden trunks in the "silver vault" in the basement of Burke & Herbert Bank & Trust in Alexandria. A year later, she died at the age...

Winston Churchill called him "one of the noblest Americans who ever lived," and Theodore Roosevelt called him "the very greatest of all the great captains that the English-speaking peoples have brought forth." But has political correctness turned Robert E. Lee into a villain? That will be the question explored by six historians this weekend at a symposium commemorating the bicentennial of the Confederate commander's birth. "We were afraid that Lee would not receive the honors he should get because of the prevailing political correctness," says Brag Bowling, a Richmond resident who helped organize Saturday's event at the Key Bridge Marriott...

Lee was an avid reader of Northern newspapers smuggled across the lines. From them he gleaned not only bits of military intelligence but also – and more important in this case – information about Northern politics and the growing disillusionment with the war among Democrats and despair among Republicans. One of Lee’s purposes in the Maryland invasion was to intensify this Northern demoralization in advance of the congressional elections in the fall of 1862. He hoped that Confederate military success would encourage antiwar candidates. If Democrats could gain control of the House, it might cripple the Lincoln administration’s ability to...

Robert E. Lee: Icon of the South -- and American Hero By H. W. Crocker III Published 1/30/2007 12:08:14 AM January can be a depressing month. The Christmas decorations come down, the creche is returned to its box (save for those hardliners, like the Crocker family, who leave the nativity set up until 2 February, the Presentation of the Lord), and the tree is dragged unceremoniously from the house. If you've had any time off of work, it ends; the spirit of Christmas can deflate pretty fast, if you're not careful. Even if you are, and you're returning to a...

ATLANTA - With little fanfare or controversy, the House proclaimed 2007 as the "Year of Lee" in honor of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. Lee's birthday was celebrated Friday by a small crowd at the Capitol. Officially, the birthday is one of three Confederate state holidays, but government employees are off the Friday after Thanksgiving. Resolutions saluting people pass the General Assembly almost daily without discussion or much notice, but those recognizing controversial figures usually trigger a debate. For example, last year, a measure commending Oscar-winning actress and Georgia resident Jane Fonda for...

Stratford Hall Robert E. Lee was born here Jan. 19, 1807, at the impressive H-shaped brick home built in 1730-38 by ancestor Thomas Lee. It's in Westmoreland County, about 40 miles east of Fredericksburg. A leading figure under English rule, Thomas Lee produced sons who were leaders of the Revolutionary War. Two sons -- Richard Henry and Francis Lightfoot Lee -- were the only brothers to sign the Declaration of Independence. Thomas' granddaughter, Matilda Lee, inherited the house and married another notable Lee, her second cousin Henry "Lighthorse Harry" Lee. "Lighthorse Harry" was a Revolutionary War hero, a governor...

Robert E. Lee, Military Leader / Civil War Figure Born: 19 January 1807 Birthplace: Stratford, Virginia Died: 12 October 1870 (natural causes) Best Known As: Leader of Confederate armies in the Civil War Name at birth: Robert Edward Lee Lee was the Confederacy's most famous general in the American Civil War. He attended West Point (graduating second in his class) and became an engineer in the United States Army, serving with distinction in the Mexican-American War. As the Civil War broke out he resigned his commission and joined the forces of the South. In 1862 he was made commander...

Which is why not all the rains that have come and gone since his time have been able to wash out the single name that still sums up whatever is best in us and in this, our ever fecund, always forgiving South: Lee.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- The new president of the University of Texas says he will appoint a panel to decide what to do with four bronze statues on the Austin campus that honor confederate leaders and have drawn complaints for several years. William Powers Jr., who took over as president this month, said the advisory committee would look into concerns about the statues, which include likenesses of Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederate States, and Gen. Robert E. Lee. "A lot of students, and especially minority students, have raised concerns. And those are understandable and legitimate concerns. On the other...

MIDLAND, Texas- Directors of the Midland Independent School District discussed the possibility Tuesday of dropping Confederate references at two schools named for Robert E. Lee in response to a parent's complaint. The board directed school officials to consider changing Robert E. Lee Freshman High School's yearbook to something other than "The Confederate." It also asked officials to consider changing the "Dixie" fight song at Lee Freshman and at Robert E. Lee High School. Parent Shay Templeton, who is black, complained after noticing the name of her son's yearbook. She said she wants all references to the Confederacy eliminated from school...

Confined to her bed in Atlanta by a broken ankle and arthritis, she was given a stack of blank paper by her husband, who said, "Write a book." Did she ever. The novel's first title became its last words, "Tomorrow is another day," and at first she named the protagonist Pansy. But Pansy became Scarlett, and the title of the book published 70 years ago this week became "Gone With the Wind." You might think that John Steinbeck, not Margaret Mitchell, was the emblematic novelist of the 1930s, and that the publishing event in American fiction in that difficult decade...

This Day In History | Civil War April 9 1865 Lee surrenders Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrenders his army to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, Virginia. For more than a week, Lee had tried to outrun Grant to the west of Richmond and Petersburg. After a ten-month siege of the two cities, the Union forces broke through the defenses and forced Lee to retreat. The Confederates moved along the Appomattox River, with Union General Phillip Sheridan shadowing them to the south. Lee's army had little food, and they began to desert in large numbers on...

case of mercy versus justiceBy Paul PratherHERALD-LEADER CONTRIBUTING COLUMNIST The Jewish prophet Micah said this: "And what does the lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." That statement seems as pertinent today, and as complicated, as it must have sounded several thousand years ago. We're at war with terrorists who intend to destroy us. We deal daily with less dangerous, but infuriating, annoyances: self- serving politicians, crooked business partners, drug users, crabby spouses. Meanwhile, God requires us to demonstrate justice, mercy and humility -- all at the same time....

You probably won't find anything special printed on your calendar for the 19th and 21st of January. In case you are wondering, those are the respective birthdays of Generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. As a nation we have already honored Martin Luther King, Jr., and will commemorate the birthdays of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln next month, but Lee and Jackson are especially dear to my heart. They were great men who embodied the inspiring courage, uncompromising honesty, principled conviction and moral fortitude we no longer see in our leaders today. Both Lee and Jackson were men...

Is our nation's history being taught in public schools? Do young people still hear stories about George Washington, Booker T. Washington, and Robert E. Lee? There was a time when schools and businesses closed in respect for the birthday of one of the South's favorite sons--Robert E. Lee. In the modern era, sadly, Lee's birthday is no longer included on many calendars. It is today, Jan. 19. Lee--a man whose military tactics have been studied worldwide--was an American soldier, educator, Christian gentleman, husband, and father. Many include Lee as among the top 10 of the greatest Americans who ever lived....

Robert E. Lee Julia Ward Howe -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A gallant foeman in the fight, A brother when the fight was o'er, The hand that led the host with might The blessed torch of learning bore. No shriek of shells nor roll of drums, No challenge fierce, resounding far, When reconciling Wisdom comes To heal the cruel wounds of war. Thought may the minds of men divide, Love makes the heart of nations one, And so, the soldier grave beside, We honor thee, Virginia's son

Robert E. Lee, pictured in Richmond shortly after his April 9, 1865, surrender at Appomattox Court House in Virginia. (Photo courtesy of the National Archives) AMERICAN IDENTITYWith Malice Toward None, With Amnesty for All: The Pardon of Robert E. Lee BY DELIA M. RIOS   WASHINGTON -- On Christmas Day 1868, President Andrew Johnson issued a proclamation granting "universal amnesty and pardon" to "every person who directly or indirectly participated in the late insurrection or rebellion." Certainly this included Robert E. Lee, former commanding general of the Confederacy's famed Army of Northern Virginia. So then why, in the summer...

The Truth About The Confederate Battle Flag Leon Puissegur The Confederate Battle Flag has been under the gun of groups that tend to lead people in the wrong way to its inception. These groups, which place forth, the ideas that the flag represents hate and slavery cannot produce a single document to support these ridiculous claims. In fact all the documents found show the contrary to be true. I must point out that the Confederate Battle Flag never flew as a State Flag since its sole purpose was to distinguish the two armies from each other. It has become...

This Day In History | Civil War June 12 1862 J.E.B. Stuart rides around the Union army Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart begins his ride around the Army of the Potomac during the Peninsular campaign, after being sent on a reconnaissance of Union positions by Robert E. Lee. Four days later, Stuart had circled the entire Yankee force, 105,000 strong, and provided Lee with crucial information. General George McClellan spent the spring of 1862 preparing the Union army for a campaign against Richmond up the James Peninsula. By late May, McClellan had inched up the James with relatively light fighting. But...

Lord, Keep our Troops forever in Your care Give them victory over the enemy... Grant them a safe and swift return... Bless those who mourn the lost. . FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer for all those serving their country at this time. .................................................................. .................... ........................................... U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues Where Duty, Honor and Countryare acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated. Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should...

Lord, Keep our Troops forever in Your care Give them victory over the enemy... Grant them a safe and swift return... Bless those who mourn the lost. . FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer for all those serving their country at this time. ...................................................................................... ........................................... U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues Where Duty, Honor and Countryare acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated. Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel...

Q: After having read many accounts of the Civil War, I still don’t understand why South Carolina fired on Ft. Sumter, galvanizing the North into war.  What do you think might have happened had the South continued to let these coastal forts be manned by the Union for a longer time? Hanson: I think conflict was inevitable, because the South had little appreciation of Northern industrial power nor of the competence of a number of formerly nondescript Union officers. The best officers of the Mexican War had joined the Confederacy and there was an erroneous general impression that all superior...

THE MUSLIM WOMEN are back. For several weeks after September 11, they had vanished from the streets of my neighborhood. Now they walk without fear, in their robes and veils. I am glad they are back. Many of those women may hate me. Some may have personal ties to the terror networks. If New York is hit again – say, by a suitcase nuke – it is not impossible that some of those women may end up dancing and ululating in triumph over my ashes. All of that is possible. Yet I am proud that they can walk the streets ...

The Lee County Florida Commissioners have refused a request by the NAACP to change the name of the county which honors Gen. Robert E. Lee. Please click on URL to read entire article http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050126/NEWS01/501260459/1002/NEWS01

The idol of the South to this day, Virginian Robert E. Lee had some difficulty in adjusting to the new form of warfare that unfolded with the Civil war, but this did not prevent him from keeping the Union armies in Virginia at bay for almost three years. The son of Revolutionary War hero "Light Horse" Harry Lee-who fell into disrepute in his later years attended West Point and graduated second in his class. During his four years at the military academy he did not earn a single demerit and served as the cadet corps' adjutant. Upon his 1829 graduation...

In Memory of Confederate General Robert E. Lee born on January 19, 1807.

Celebrate today the birth of a great American: Gen. Robert E. Lee All the South has ever desired was that the Union, as established by our Forefathers, should be preserved, and that the government, as originally organized, should be administered in purity and truth. --Robert E. Lee KENNESAW, Ga.--Why do Ameri- cans continue to remember their past? Maybe, because, it was a time when truth was spoken. Men and women took their stand to give us the freedoms we now enjoy. God bless those, in military service, who do their duty around the world for freedom. The Hall of Fame...

All the South has ever desired was that the Union, as established by our Forefathers, should be preserved, and that the government, as originally organized, should be administered in purity and truth. --Robert E. Lee Why do Americans continue to remember their past? Perhaps it is because it was a time when truth was spoken. Men and women took their stand to give us the freedoms we now enjoy. God bless those in military service, who do their duty around the world for freedom. The Hall of Fame for great Americans opened in 1900 in New York City. One thousand...

Robert E. Lee Birthday Celebration - January 19 - Georgia State Capitol The Robert E. Lee Birthday Celebration this year will be on January 19, at the Georgia State Capitol, starting at 10:00 AM. This is during the Legislative Session. We will form up as in years past at the parking lot at Turner Field and march to the Capitol. The Celebration will then move inside of the Capitol for a program presented by the Georgia Division. This is your opportunity to Honor Robert E. Lee, your ancestors and let the Legislature know that we still demand a FAIR Vote...

I need info. for a report that i have to do this month on Robert E. Lee. I have to wirte at least 1 page on him so any info. at all will be very helpful

Lord, Keep our Troops forever in Your care Give them victory over the enemy... Grant them a safe and swift return... Bless those who mourn the lost. . FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer for all those serving their country at this time. ...................................................................................... ........................................... U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues Where Duty, Honor and Countryare acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated. Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel...

Lord, Keep our Troops forever in Your care Give them victory over the enemy... Grant them a safe and swift return... Bless those who mourn the lost. . FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer for all those serving their country at this time. ...................................................................................... ........................................... U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues Where Duty, Honor and Countryare acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated. Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel...

Lord, Keep our Troops forever in Your care Give them victory over the enemy... Grant them a safe and swift return... Bless those who mourn the lost. . FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer for all those serving their country at this time. ...................................................................................... ........................................... U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues Where Duty, Honor and Countryare acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated. Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel...

Constitution of the Confederate States of America Preamble We, the people of the Confederate States, each State acting in its sovereign and independent character, in order to form a permanent federal government, establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity -- invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God -- do ordain and establish this Constitution for the Confederate States of America. Article I. - The Legislative Branch Section 1 - The Legislature 1. All legislative powers herein delegated shall be vested in a Congress of the Confederate States, which shall consist...

On the verge of the 21st century, some may ask, "Why the Museum of the Confederacy" The answer varies with the person. For me, it is that the culture of which the Confederacy was the final expression can teach us many lessons as our country prepares for a new century. We owe it to ourselves and our society to re-examine that culture. Nor can we afford to let stereotypes - either pro or con blind us to the good things. The culture that gave rise to the Confederacy was imperfect and provincial. But in a way its provincial character was...

(AP) - Hampton resident Erenestine Harrison has dropped her petition to rename Jefferson Davis Middle School in response to strong arguments from individuals and groups dedicated to Southern history. "They convinced me, basically, that this means so much to them," Harrison said. "I don't think the black community cares as much about removing (the name) as much as they care about preserving it."Earlier, she decided to forgo a campaign to change the name of Robert E. Lee Elementary School because she uncovered information indicating the Confederate general's family opposed slavery.Davis served as president of the Confederate States of America during...

A statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee on Richmond's Monument Avenue was vandalized and damaged Saturday, Virginia Capitol Police said. The words, "Happy Birthday, MLK," were painted on the statue sometime between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m., police Maj. Mike Jones said. A light that illuminates the statue was broken, he said. The phrase "Death to Nazis" also was scrawled on the statue.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Warner decries dishonoring of Lee By Christina Bellantoni THE WASHINGTON TIMES Published January 20, 2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vandals desecrated statues of Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson over the weekend and Gov. Mark Warner denounced the vandalism yesterday as "hatemongering." Richmond police, however, declined to classify the incident as a hate crime. The statue of Lee, which stands with other Confederate heroes on Richmond's Monument Avenue, was spray-painted early Saturday morning with "Death to Nazis" and "Happy birthday, MLK." "Vandalism is a crime," the governor said. "The message spray-painted on the statue was certainly hatemongering. A cowardly act...

The date always comes by surprise, though it has been there all along, in reserve, like the federals in the center of the line that last day at Gettysburg, holding their fire, lying in wait, irreversible as the calendar. And once again we are caught unawares. It is like climbing a mountain every year, scrambling up the cliffs and past the shadows and thickets, finally reaching the top, and finding only the clear sky — a gray Southern sky lit only by the sun of memory. There are names for that view — history, perspective, time. And from that perch...

RICHMOND, Va. -- A statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee on Richmond's Monument Avenue was vandalized and damaged Saturday, Virginia Capitol Police said. The words, "Happy Birthday, MLK," were painted on the statue sometime between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m., police Maj. Mike Jones said. A light that illuminates the statue was broken, he said. The phrase "Death to Nazis" also was scrawled on the statue. ...

"With all my devotion to the Union and the feeling of loyalty and duty of an American citizen, I have not been able to make up my mind to raise my hand against my relatives, my children, my home. I have therefore resigned my commission in the Army, and save in defense of my native State, with the sincere hope that my poor services may never be needed, I hope I may never be called on to draw my sword....." Lee in a letter to his sister, April 20, 1861 The idol of the South to this day, Virginian Robert...

Why do Americans continue to remember their past? Maybe because it was a simpler and slower time. It was a time when truth was spoken. Men and women took their stand to give us the freedoms we now enjoy. God bless those who today do their duty around the world for freedom.With all the good things, there are things that do not make sense. We remember our past heroes, yet efforts are under way to change streets and schools named after such men as: George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.Let America not forget Jan. 19, 2004, the 197th anniversary of the...

HAMPTON -- The woman who proposed striking the names of Confederate leaders from two Hampton schools has dropped half of her petition, saying she's gained new perspective on the character and legacy of Gen. Robert E. Lee. "By looking at his own words, you really can see he was a good, honorable man," said Erenestine Harrison, author of the petition. "The things that changed my mind about Robert E. Lee, I really had to look deep."

<p>RICHMOND - Civil War heritage groups are criticizing Gov. Mark Warner for refusing to officially recognize their commemorative events since taking office two years ago.</p> <p>As Virginians celebrate Lee-Jackson Day today with Mr. Warner's blessing, the groups are urging the Democratic governor to issue a proclamation for a Civil War History Month, a Confederate History Month or a Union Soldier Month.</p>

Confederate flag to fly on Martin Luther King Day (Lee County, North Carolina) Lee County commissioners have approved a request to fly a confederate flag over the county courthouse on General Robert E. Lee's birthday, but this year Lee's birthday falls on the same day as Martin Luther King Junior day. Some residents say the flag represents racism and is inappropriate, but supporters say it is simply a tribute to General Lee and it is not the same flag used as a symbol by some racist groups.

May be it was a simpler and slower time. It was a time when truth was spoken. Men and women took their stand to give us the freedoms we now enjoy. God bless those who today do their duty around the world for freedom. With all the good things, there are things that do not make sense. We remember our past heroes, yet efforts are underway to change streets and schools named after such men as: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and others.. Let America not forget January 19, 2004. The 197th birthday of General Robert E. Lee. From our nation's...

Published on: 2004-01-09 King, Lee celebrations overlap in Lee County By Julia Oliver Staff writer Staff file photo A Confederate flag similar to this one, which dates to the first months of the Civil War, is scheduled to be raised Jan. 19 over the Lee County Courthouse. SANFORD - On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a Confederate flag will fly over the Lee County Courthouse, if the commissioners allow it. This year, in an odd coincidence that has happened only once in 17 years, the holiday celebrating the slain civil rights leader falls on the birthday of Civil War Gen....