The fight over Robert E. Lee’s beloved home—seized by the U.S. government during the Civil War—went on for decades http://www.smithsonianmag.com/histor...-be-145147007/ Admittedly the article is crap and 96% lies, but it does tell quite a bit about the current conflict, and the state of factual reporting by the left in this country. R.E. Lee freed his slaves 10 years before the war (there was a post about this in the Shoutbox from one of Lee's slaves, a Reverend) and only supported his home against naked northern aggression. Go look at Lincoln's gutting of the Constitution as well.
As I understand it, Arlington was Robert E Lee's home, to the extent that he lived in it. Arlington (and most of its significant chattels aka slaves) actually belonged to Mary Ann Randolph Lee nee' Custis, who inherited it from her father, upon George Washington Custis's death. The Arlington estate was subsequently inherited by Mary's son, George Washington Custis Lee upon Martha's death. After the American Civil war ended, G.W.C. Lee fought a protracted legal battle to regain possession of the estate that he had inherited from his mother; a battle that was ultimately successful, in part... Title to the Arlington property was subsequently transferred by G.W.C. Lee to the United States Government for consideration of the then market value of $150,000.George Washington Custis Lee - Wikipedia There is some argument about R. E. Lee's personal ownership of slaves, that perhaps is made some what muddy by the fact that he hired them out to other plantation owners as contract labour....it is not clear whether he gave those slaves their manumission, or merely on-sold them to other plantation owners. R.E. Lee had no compunction, as executor of George Washington Custis's will, in keeping the slaves inherited by R.E.Lee's wife Mary Anna Randolph Lee nee' Custis, for the maximum term allowed for in G.W. Custis's last will and testament; instead of giving them their manumission immediately. https://americancivilwar.com/author...ral-Lee-Slaves/General-Lee-Family-Slaves.html Robert E.Lee, although not owning the slaves personally, (they were his wife's), his family none the less accrued economic benefits from the slaves continued labour...nor was he a particularly kind, and considerate manager of those slaves. Slavery at Arlington - Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial (U.S. National Park Service) Mary A.R. Lee, though, by all accounts was a kind, considerate, and a quite progressive woman for the times (she apparently arranged that the slaves children be schooled). Perhaps MaryMary Anna Custis Lee - Wikipedia deserves a statue / memorial more so than her better known husband. Robert E Lee's record, concerning slavery and his defence of slavery has been sanitised (some might suggest, whitewashed) over the years by revisionist historians, favouring the confederate 'lost cause mythos'. Bobby Lee, was no friend to the slaves' aspirations of emancipation (except to the limited extent of recruiting them as cannon fodder to the CSA cause), nor was he a proponent of the franchise for African American former slaves, emancipated post bellum. Robert E. Lee owned slaves, and other facts on the Civil War general The Myth of the Kindly General Lee Arlington, Bobby Lee, and the 'Peculiar Institution'
Well at least Bobby Lee showed and wrote about his regret about the war before his death His autobiagraghy post war is a very good read
Do you have a citation for this autobiography? Although many biographies had been written about him, AFAIK, R.E. Lee didn't actually get published an auto biography before his death; nor had one been published post mortum. There is no doubt that Lee regretted the war, but that didn't prevent him from prosecuting it to his utmost ability. Lee's Unwritten Memoir | HistoryNet Undoubtedly Robert E Lee left behind him a number of letters and other primary source documents, that have formed the basis of a number of biographies; each written through the lenses of his biographers....some of them sympathetic and favourable, and some of them hostile and unfavourable, and a number of others, somewhere in between the two extremes.
Ahhh I looking for it I will post it up it was as very good book and I might be wrong I will admit it
No probs...memory sometimes play tricks... There is a book published by one of Lee's sons (Captain Robert E Lee jr), downloadable from the Gutenberg Project website (free download) in various file formats...I'm not quite sure how objective it would be, given that it is written by near kin. Recollections and Letters of General Robert E. Lee by Robert E. Lee Recollections and Letters of General Robert E. Lee from Project Gutenberg the web presentation option is an easier read than the text file option. Perhaps that is what you are referring to.
I'm having a really hard time believing that a respected organization like the Smithsonian would publish lies. @Legion489 - Please find one in the article and let's see what's what.
I don't really know what the big deal with slavery is? A rural economy purchased cheap labor they thought to be savages sold to them by slaver that brought them from mud huts and subsistence living to here and put them to work. When we finally discovered they were human beings, we replaced them with Massey-Ferguson and labor unions so now we all are slaves and with the present buy now, pay later, will always be slaves. It has taken some time for many of us to realize these people were not savages to one degree or another and sometimes the examples set by ancestors of slaves have not set the best example to further that learning.I realize this sound very racist but I don't think I need to point out specific examples because it would further sound racist, when in fact, it is just the way things are. Fortunately, most of the insistant people requireing the removal of historical monuments that commemorate the Confederacy have no real knowledge of the Confederacy, not even to the point of being able to cite a singl engagement, who won, who lost, how many died so they probably won't put it together that Arlington was formerly Robert. E. Lee's home and start tearing down the crosses. I hope...
No problem I will sure go take a look at Gutenberg All I know is Freedom good Slavery Bad Mongo Like Freedom
Let's hope that the author of "My Liberal Diary doesn't read your take on chattel slavery Vs "wage slavery" she / he / zer / ze might lose their $h!t and lose their pink pussy grabber hat wearing privileges.
Yes, I agree with you as the Smithsonian has the knowledge and resources to get it right. Furthermore, as an historical organization they would not doctor history and jeopardize their credibility. Look what happened to German historians due to the Nazis' tainted versions! They are still not respected nor believed. So, I for one would believe a Smithsonian document. Slavery was a fact. It's a part of history. A part of this nation's history. And, while some of the legends own or had slaves, which was acceptable at that time, it does not change the reason they are legends and admired. For, if so, then should we not tear down all Jefferson monuments since he had a child by one of his house slaves? Should we not tear down the Lincoln monuments since he went against the constitution at times to save the nation? And, if so, then why not destroy all history books, all historic documents, all monuments, all history and start fresh, a clean slate? Why know who we are and how we came about and the mistakes we have made as well as the triumphs and achievements? Let's start by tearing down all WW2 monuments since our Marines were told to not to take Japanese prisoners since the Japanese were not taking any and losses were great so there were no manpower to guard them. But, let's not consider those facts. Let's just rewrite history to reflect it how we wish... In my mind this is nothing more than rabble rousing and gives those that wish to cause discontent something to bitch about. Frankly, it saddens me that we allow this to happen. I believe Nathan Bedford Forrest statue has now been removed which I consider to unfair and unjust. He was acquitted of all crimes by a very anti-southern union court and even left the KKK when it became violent but facts matter not to those whose goal was to demean his legend and his legend was his genius on the battlefield...just like Robert E. Lee.
If people would read what I say, instead of what they "think" (I use the term sparingly here, no proof they do, or can) I said they would not have these problems. For example, the issue of slaves. Bob Lee freed his slaves 10 years before the war. As I pointed out, there was a post in the Shout box with a quote from a Reverend who was a slave of Lee's who said exactly that. Go read the replies for a whole list of other mistakes, screw ups and BS in the article.
In other words, you have no direct clue to the truth or falsehoods in the Smithsonian article. Moreover, this thread will survive where the shoutbox remarks will not, so your response is pretty empty. An inability to back up statements is a hallmark of untruthful posters. Now, if you were to state that in your opinion the Smithsonian was a rag not worth reading, nobody could argue the point. However, a broad generalization such as shows in post #1 smacks of ignorance. That is MY opinion.