Posted on 10/10/2010 2:24:00 PM PDT by BigReb555
The American flag, which Robert E. Lee had defended as a soldier, flew at half mast in Lexington, Virginia.
(Excerpt) Read more at canadafreepress.com ...
http://chapelapps.wlu.edu/tertiary.asp?ID=40&Parent=43&NavOrder=1
The headline from a Richmond newspaper read, quote; “News of the death of Robert E. Lee, beloved chieftain of the Southern army, whose strategy mainly was responsible for the surprising fight staged by the Confederacy, brought a two-day halt to Richmond's business activities.” unquote
The American flag, which Robert E. Lee had defended as a soldier, flew at half mast in Lexington, Virginia. General Lee died at his home at Lexington, Virginia at 9:30 AM on Wednesday, October 12, 1870. His last great deed came after the War Between the States when he accepted the presidency of Washington College, now Washington and Lee University. He saved the financially troubled college and helped many young people further their education.
Some write that Robert E. Lee suffered a cerebral hemorrhage on September 28, 1870, but was thought to greatly improve until October 12th, when he took a turn for the worse. His condition seemed more hopeless when his doctor told him, "General you must make haste and get well---Traveller---has been standing too long in his stable and needs exercise."
Virginia Military Institute (VMI) Cadet William Nalle said in a letter home to his mother, dated October 16, 1870, quote;
“I suppose of course that you have all read full accounts of Gen Lee's death in the papers. He died on the morning of the 12th at about half past nine. All business was suspended at once all over the country and town, and all duties, military and academic suspended at the Institute, and all the black crape and all similar black material in Lexington, was used up at once, and they had to send on to Lynchburg for more. Every cadet had black crape issued to him, and an order was published at once requiring us to wear it as a badge of mourning for six months.” unquote
Read entire letter on Virginia Military Institute website at:
http://www.vmi.edu/archives.aspx?id=5517
The rains and flooding were the worse of Virginia's history on the day General Lee died. On Wednesday, October 12, 1870, in the presence of his family, Lee quietly passed away.
The church bells rang as the sad news passed through Washington College, Virginia Military Institute, the town of Lexington and the nation. Cadets from VMI College carried the remains of the old soldier to Lee Chapel where he laid in state.
Memorial meetings were held throughout the South and as far North as New York. At Washington College in Lexington eulogies were delivered by: Reverend Pemberton, Reverend W.S. White--Stonewall Jackson's Pastor and Reverend J. William Jones. Former Confederate President Jefferson Davis brought the eulogy in Richmond, Virginia. Lee was also eulogized in Great Britain.
When all settled down, Mrs. Robert E. Lee said, "If he had succeeded in gaining by the sword all the South expected and hoped for, he could not have been more honored and lamented."
Many thousands witnessed Lee's funeral procession marching through the town of Lexington, Virginia, with muffled drums and the artillery firing as the hearse was driven to the school's chapel where he was buried.
US President Dwight D. Eisenhower knew and appreciated our nation’s rich history. President Eisenhower was criticized for displaying a portrait of Robert E. Lee in his office. This was part of his response; quote "Robert E. Lee was, in my estimation, one of the supremely gifted men produced by this nation." unquote
This Christian-gentleman's last words were, "Strike the Tent."
Rest in peace, General.
IBn-s
Oh...don’t get me started...
Or me either. The South lost. End of story.
Round 2 is coming up, bud.
Few Americans will know of Lee’s greatness and impeccable integrity since he has been vilified and diminished in classrooms for decades.
A former slave, who Lee freed long before the war, stayed with him as his cook throughout the war. Later becoming a minister, he said “No man borne of woman was ever greater than Robert E. Lee.”
I have a real hard time honoring a man who led a group that started a war against the United States.
Oh please. Get over it. Living under The Stars and Stripes isn’t good enough for you? Haven’t enough brave men and women died for that flag?
Yet we always honored him, until this new, post sixties, doper America.
There's no doubt he did great things, but the biggest mistake of his life was joining the enemy of the United States and leading it in battle against said United States. That alone, in my opinion, ranks him at the level of Benedict Arnold, which keeps me from honoring him.
Dixie Ping
“I have a real hard time honoring a man who led a group that started a war against the United States.”
You must mean that war that put a stake in the heart of State’s rights. Is that the war that you refer to?
Since you refer to yourself as a youth I will assume that you have never been taught the true history of this country, if you had you might have a different outlook. I have yet to meet a person under forty, regardless of his level of education who knows even the history we were taught in grade school back in the fifties. No, I don’t refer to the history of the American civil war, I refer to history of all types, World history, American history etc. I have spoken to recent college graduates who majored in history but could not name one battle in the American Revolutionary war and in fact some cannot even name the country we fought for our independence. I don’t meant to be unfair, you may be the exception but unless you are the exception you probably don’t know enough about the real facts to have an opinion.
nah. he is referring to “The War of Northern Aggression “
or as the Baldwin Sisters say...The late unpleasntness between the States.
“I have a real hard time honoring a man who led a group that started a war against the United States.”
I have served this country militarily (USMC) and all of my ancestors of military age at the time served in the Confederate Army. In fact, my family has participated in every war we have ever been in except the Spanish-American War. I have a nephew leaving for his 2nd tour of duty in Iraq next month. I am a proud member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and have no problem honoring my kinfolks who have passed on before me who happened to have served in the Confederate Army. In fact, had I been around at the time, I’m sure I would have served in the CSA too.
I’m also am proud to honor the memory of their leader and one of the finest Christian gentlemen to have ever graced our fair country, General Robert Edward Lee of Virginia.
R.E. Lee ping
for later
If you're referring to that war over a state's right to enslave a human being, then yeah, that one. Which party ran the south? I'm not going to mention any names, but the initials were Democrats.
You mean the war where the confederacy/richmond was more important then the states it defended.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.