# Remembering Robert E. Lee



## Blueridge Believer (Jan 19, 2007)

A hero and a man of character.
http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2007/012007/01192007/248354


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## MrMerlin777 (Jan 19, 2007)

I'm from Roanoke and Appomatox is pretty close. Matter of fact my dad was born there. Touring some of the battlefields around there is pretty interesting. The building where the surrender was signed is still there I believe.

Yes, I think the history bears out the big difference in character between Robert E. Lee vs Ulysses S. Grant.


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## Blueridge Believer (Jan 19, 2007)

MrMerlin777 said:


> I'm from Roanoke and Appomatox is pretty close. Matter of fact my dad was born there. Touring some of the battlefields around there is pretty interesting. The building where the surrender was signed is still there I believe.
> 
> Yes, I think the history bears out the big difference in character between Robert E. Lee vs Ulysses S. Grant.



Appomattox court house brother! Where government by the people, of the people and for the people "perished from the face of the earth".


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## bookslover (Jan 20, 2007)

MrMerlin777 said:


> Yes, I think the history bears out the big difference in character between Robert E. Lee vs Ulysses S. Grant.



Yes. Grant won and Lee lost. I imagine there were several million slaves who were very glad it turned out that way!


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## Blueridge Believer (Jan 20, 2007)

bookslover said:


> Yes. Grant won and Lee lost. I imagine there were several million slaves who were very glad it turned out that way!




You may be right. Grant was forced to free his a little after the war was over.
Also, the slave holding union states had to let thiers go free as well.


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## Herald (Jan 20, 2007)

MrMerlin777 said:


> I'm from Roanoke and Appomatox is pretty close. Matter of fact my dad was born there. Touring some of the battlefields around there is pretty interesting. The building where the surrender was signed is still there I believe.
> 
> Yes, I think the history bears out the big difference in character between Robert E. Lee vs Ulysses S. Grant.




I wish you southern sympathizers would get over your myopia. General Grant's character flaws were many. He drank too much and was an totally inept politician. But as a battlefield commander he was, while not perfect, more than effective. But my real beef with revisionist history is how he treated the South and more specifically General Lee during the entire ordeal at Appomattox Courthouse. 

General Grant treated General Lee with respect, honor and dignity. He had the power to thoroughly humiliate General Lee. He did not. You can read for yourself the encounter of the meeting between these two men and the articles of surrender. They are humbling and display the compassionate side of a man (Grant) who was known as a butcher on the battlefield. Even Lee commented afterwards that he did not expect (nor deserve) such generous terms of surrender from Grant. 

You want to celebrate Robert E. Lee's birthday? Go right ahead. I am Union man through-and-through and I admire how Lee held together a vastly smaller army that was more than a match for its northern opponent. But don't use Lee's birthday as an opportunity to attack Grant.


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## Blueridge Believer (Jan 20, 2007)

BaptistInCrisis said:


> I wish you southern sympathizers would get over your myopia. General Grant's character flaws were many. He drank too much and was an totally inept politician. But as a battlefield commander he was, while not perfect, more than effective. But my real beef with revisionist history is how he treated the South and more specifically General Lee during the entire ordeal at Appomattox Courthouse.
> 
> General Grant treated General Lee with respect, honor and dignity. He had the power to thoroughly humiliate General Lee. He did not. You can read for yourself the encounter of the meeting between these two men and the articles of surrender. They are humbling and display the compassionate side of a man (Grant) who was known as a butcher on the battlefield. Even Lee commented afterwards that he did not expect (nor deserve) such generous terms of surrender from Grant.
> 
> You want to celebrate Robert E. Lee's birthday? Go right ahead. I am Union man through-and-through and I admire how Lee held together a vastly smaller army that was more than a match for its northern opponent. But don't use Lee's birthday as an opportunity to attack Grant.




Fair enough dear brother. Point well taken.


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## Herald (Jan 20, 2007)

Blueridge reformer said:


> Fair enough dear brother. Point well taken.



James, thanks. Now...if you want to talk about a "new" Confederacy if Hillary gets elected...well, I may be convinced to join you!


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## Ivan (Jan 20, 2007)

BaptistInCrisis said:


> You want to celebrate Robert E. Lee's birthday? Go right ahead. I am Union man through-and-through and I admire how Lee held together a vastly smaller army that was more than a match for its northern opponent. But don't use Lee's birthday as an opportunity to attack Grant.



I agree with you, Bill. I admire Lee. Grant was a good general, one that Lincoln sorely needed. 

However, I wonder what would have been the outcome of the war if Lee had at least the same resources as Grant. I think the war would have ended much differently.


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## Blueridge Believer (Jan 20, 2007)

Ivan said:


> I agree with you, Bill. I admire Lee. Grant was a good general, one that Lincoln sorely needed.
> 
> However, I wonder what would have been the outcome of the war if Lee had at least the same resources as Grant. I think the war would have ended much differently.



You are correct dear brother. But alas and anon, it was the will of God. I believe the war was a judgment of the entie nation. We all suffer from it's outcome today.


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## Ivan (Jan 20, 2007)

Blueridge reformer said:


> You are correct dear brother. But alas and anon, it was the will of God. I believe the war was a judgment of the entie nation. We all suffer from it's outcome today.



Amen, brother, amen. I'm afraid that God is preparing to judge us again.


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