the Lee statue irony

[IamSpartacus]

Robert Lee was a tragic figure in American history. A man from an illustrious pedigree reduced to poverty by a wastrel father, Robert accepted an appointment to West Point as a way to perhaps redeem his family honour and gain some measure of economic security again. He married into George Washington's family by wedding Mary Custis his granddaughter. Robert spent many years in the army corps of engineers with duties which took him all over the country. This was a strain on his family life as Mary didn't like being away from Arlington. Lee was unhappy over his long separations from his wife and children and the slow promotion rate in the army. He did serve with distinction in the Mexican War and served as Commandant of West Point. He wasn't political believing that army officers had no business meddling in such affairs which differed from many of his contemporaries who eagerly sought political favour. As he grew older he turned more and more to religion finding in it solace from his self doubts and his increasing sense of failure in his career. Lee became fatalistic and more rigid in his adherence to duty as a bulwark against the forces impinging upon his life. He did not approve of slavery considering it un-Christian and wicked. He did not approve of secession believing that the country's true strength lay in its shared loyalty to the principles of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. He believed in the Sovereignty of the People which was reflected in the Federalist System. After Lincoln provoked a war on the seceded states Lee refused an offer of command of Lincoln's army of mercenary tax collectors and sided with his home Virginia when that state too left the Voluntary Union in response to Coercion by the General Government. Four hard sad years of war followed. Lee did his duty to Virginia and fought the best he knew how but was ultimately unable to prevent ultimate defeat by a more militarily powerful opponent. Resigning himself to that defeat he resolved to set an example for his former soldiers and civilians by urging cooperation and reconciliation and hoping that the Honour of the Tennessean Johnson followed by his fellow West Pointer Grant would win out over the rabid hate of the Radical Republicans. Lee was extremely distressed by the excesses of 'reconstruction' policies and was angry over the maltreatment of his people by 'those people' (his term for New England Yankees). He still kept his counsel and did not involve himself in politics instead dedicating himself to education as Washington College President. What was his attitude to his fame as a Confederate General? After the war as Lexington he remarked to one of his sons that he felt the greatest tragedy of his life was receiving a Military Education. Hardly a glowing endorsement of military fame. What was his attitude to slavery? He urged Mary to free her slaves (he owned none they were hers). Shortly after the end of the war, there was a communion service in Richmond at an Episcopal Church. Just as the minister invited the congregation to come forward to receive communion a black man entered and walked down to the rail and knelt there. The congregation was stunned and surprised and stood rooted in indecision as to what to do. At that point, and elderly white man walked down and knelt beside the black man. The congregation then followed and the communion service continued. That elderly white man was Robert Lee. It is strange that a statue of Robert Lee is now vilified and spat upon as a symbol of treason hate bigotry and racism by the very people he embraced in Christian brotherhood. Such is the legacy of ignorance, intolerance and lies.

[Donnadogsoth]

Fascinating stuff.  Could you reference a source for this information or did you compose it yourself?

[IamSpartacus]

open source historical accounts biographies lee letters family narratives etc. etc.

[Brainwright]

The really funny part is these civil war monuments were placed during the Reconstruction era.

 

You know, back when the US let people give the government the middle finger without consequence.