"It is well that war is so terrible, lest we should grow too fond of it."
Posted on 04/20/2011 4:48:12 PM PDT by central_va
1861 - Colonel Robert E. Lee resigned from the U.S. Army. Two days earlier he had been offered command of the Union army.
Grow up.....
Thanks for the link. Got it bookmarked.
Free Dixie!
President Dwight Eisenhower wrote the following letter in response to one he received dated August 1, 1960, from Leon W. Scott, a dentist in New Rochelle, New York. Scott’s letter reads:
“Dear Mr. President:
“At the Republican Convention I heard you mention that you have the pictures of four (4) great Americans in your office, and that included in these is a picture of Robert E. Lee.
“I do not understand how any American can include Robert E. Lee as a person to be emulated, and why the President of the United States of America should do so is certainly beyond me.
“The most outstanding thing that Robert E. Lee did was to devote his best efforts to the destruction of the United States Government, and I am sure that you do not say that a person who tries to destroy our Government is worthy of being hailed as one of our heroes.
“Will you please tell me just why you hold him in such high esteem?
Sincerely yours,
“Leon W. Scott”
Eisenhower’s response, written on White House letterhead on August 9, 1960 reads as follows:
August 9, 1960
Dear Dr. Scott:
Respecting your August 1 inquiry calling attention to my often expressed admiration for General Robert E. Lee, I would say, first, that we need to understand that at the time of the War Between the States the issue of Secession had remained unresolved for more than 70 years. Men of probity, character, public standing and unquestioned loyalty, both North and South, had disagreed over this issue as a matter of principle from the day our Constitution was adopted.
General Robert E. Lee was, in my estimation, one of the supremely gifted men produced by our Nation. He believed unswervingly in the Constitutional validity of his cause which until 1865 was still an arguable question in America; he was thoughtful yet demanding of his officers and men, forbearing with captured enemies but ingenious, unrelenting and personally courageous in battle, and never disheartened by a reverse or obstacle. Through all his many trials, he remained selfless almost to a fault and unfailing in his belief in God. Taken altogether, he was noble as a leader and as a man, and unsullied as I read the pages of our history.
From deep conviction I simply say this: a nation of men of Lee’s caliber would be unconquerable in spirit and soul. Indeed, to the degree that present-day American youth will strive to emulate his rare qualities, including his devotion to this land as revealed in his painstaking efforts to help heal the nation’s wounds once the bitter struggle was over, we, in our own time of danger in a divided world, will be strengthened and our love of freedom sustained.
Such are the reasons that I proudly display the picture of this great American on my office wall.
Sincerely,
Dwight D. Eisenhower
[Source: Dwight D. Eisenhower Library, A Presidential Library Administered by the National Archives and Records Administration, “Dwight D. Eisenhower, Records as President, 1953-1961; White House Central Files, President’s Personal File Series, Box 743, Folder: PPF 29-S Lee, General Robert E.”]
Perhaps I should adopt a more serious tone and offer more substantive commentary - like this for instance:
It’s a great yankee tradition: talk a lot of crap but when it comes time to put up or shut up they turn tail and run. leftwingqueerbait2008 is doing just like his chickenshit forefathers did when they saw the Southern armies running at them with the Rebel Yell. *snicker*
The College, my girlfriend or the Inn? Yes, to all three :-)
"It is well that war is so terrible, lest we should grow too fond of it."
One of my distant relatives. :) A great man.
You should give up your job of being a troll.
Just goes to show you that even back then the Hudson river club took care of their own members first.
I am not discounting Lee’s military ability. Nor am I discounting his loyalty to his state, and to his men. I just have trouble with changing horses in mid-stream.
I guess a Boot licking Yankee wouldn’t understand a man like Marse Lee, beyond your comprehension.
So, you think that the Founders should have stuck by the King?
Were they not traitors in the eyes of the crown?
I think you have the position wrong my southern friend. If anyone was licking boots at the end of the war, it was not my northern ancestors.
All kidding aside (and I am kidding.)
I often wonder why Northern folks do not embrace their heritage. There seems to be more of a “winner’s guilt” up here about the fact that their great grandfathers fought for the Union. It is nothing like the pride of the south. I respect that.
Methinks that if things got nasty again, you and I would be on the same side this time.
“There seems to be more of a “winner’s guilt” up here about the fact that their great grandfathers fought for the Union. It is nothing like the pride of the south. I respect that.”
All Americans inherited the victory of the Union and the defeat of the South. It is who we all are. The Confederate soldiers that some feel the need to disparage were American soldiers, same as the Union soldiers.
That Lee was among the greatest of Americans is fact. That soldiers the world over still study his campaigns and strategy is fact.
The only problem we, as Americans need to redress that is a legacy of the Civil War is the demise of the 10th Amendment. Unchecked growth of Federal Power at the expense of powers constitutionally belonging to the States is a direct result of the Civil War - it established that Federal Power grow unchecked, until States force it to be otherwise.
It will take something as dramatic as the Civil War to get the 10th Amendment back - perhaps the impending failure of federal promises at all levels will be the event.
So the Civil War does live on - just not the way some would imagine.
The bigger question is, are they traitors in your eyes?
They committed treason against the country in which they lived, yes. Clearly, if they lost all of those in charge would have hanged. Would I have supported such treason? I probably would have.
The fact that the North decided not to try those in charge of the Confederacy (or at least most of them) was more of a political decision rather than a legal one.
To the winners go the spoils. And the history is written by the winners. The north won. That point is clear. Therefore, from the perspective of a northerner (me) those that rebelled against the Union were traitors.
From the perspective of a southerner, they were freedom fighters and honorable.
I do not disagree that Lee’s tactics and leadership are worthy of study. As are the leadership skills and tactics of Rommel (with whom there was a lot of similarity.) But, in order to do that you must put aside your feelings of their politics and national leadership under whose command they lead their armies.
I think you and I will never agree on that point. And that is OK. I enjoy the discussion, but I will not duel you no matter how hard you press the point!
Happy Easter!
I can agree with virtually everything you’re written with just one quibble: “And the history is written by the winners.” Usually when I see it offered (or shouted) it is offered hand in hand with the “might~makes~right” strawman.
Can you honestly think of any other conflict in which the “loser” was able to contribute to the narrative as much as the American Civil War? Take these FreeRepublic threads as an example - we debate them continuously (usually without resolution of anything but a boost to our egos ;-) - and except for the occasional “you lost, get over it” they go on unmolested. They aren’t quelled unless the participants get unruly.
I may not extend the commendation to the leadership, but I agree absolutely that they were men of honor - on both sides.
Have a pleasant Easter
In other words, might makes right.
And if truly believe that, then you should gleefully embrace the de facto repeal of the 10th Amendment and the resulting all powerful centralized government because that is the path the country went on following Lee's surrender at Appomattox.
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