Talk:Robert E. Lee

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Welcome to the Talk page for Robert E. Lee.

Lee as a slaveholder Section

Ashley Crum from Oak Harbor, Ohio loves Joshua Graber.!!!!! ~Amber Moomey —Preceding unsigned comment added by 96.230.69.181 (talk) 21:30, 4 May 2008 (UTC)

Am I the only one that reads this section as trying to excuse he's large use of slaves because he found himself needing money? Just reading this is quite clear there are weasel words all over the place providing reasons for his time using slaves and even renting them out. Thanks.

It is a generally accepted fact that Robert Lee sought to free his slaves, that he never personally owned more than 30 slaves in his life, and that he believed slavery to be an evil. Is this ever addressed? And what credibility can we give to the report that Lee ordered the whipped slaves to be tortured with the brine? I have researched Lee quite well, I think, and have come across nothing of this like.67.142.161.34 (talk) 03:49, 3 November 2008 (UTC)Alatariel Dashwood, November 2, 2008.

Robert E. Lee in Pennsylvania

From a correspondent:

By modern standards, Robert E. Lee would be considered a war criminal. When he invaded Pennsylvania, Robert E. Lee had his troops round up Negro citizens [not fugitives from the South, but people who had lived their whole lives in freedom], load them into boxcars, and ship them to slave auctions in the South.

Reported source: The PBS series "The Civil War", produced by Ken Burns.

If anyone has a transcript of the program or the accompanying book, can you check this?

WoodenBooks (talk) 19:42, 21 January 2008 (UTC)

I have the Civil War DVD set. It doesn't say this at all. Lee's subordinates did press gang locals into digging fortifications on occasion, though this was not reported at Gettysburg. Lee may not have been aware of it in any event. Poor health during the time of his Gettysburg Campaign allowed for little attention to detail beyond the immediate troop dispositions. On the other hand Union Generals Hooker and Sherman were almost certainly aware and actively encouraging the actions of their troops in the destrction og Fredericksburg and the South Carolina Countryside. I guess those would be considered War Crimes as well. Or we could listen to Ben Franklin when he advised against drawing hast judgements when view the past thru the lens of the present. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 216.181.47.130 (talk) 21:17, 19 June 2008 (UTC)

But that is the question. When Robert E. Lee acted in his times, this was all right. Perhaps this is why one studies history, to know from a historical perspective, what was right or wrong at _these_ times. :) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.136.43.190 (talk) 22:11, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

American Civil War

- I would like to point out that, other than the "American Civil War" being the most common title for this "War between the States," Abraham Lincoln never recognized the Confederacy. During the whole war, the Confederate states were considered as the Rebelling States. This is just one key note, and of course history is always arguable, but many other factors make titling the war as the "American Civil War" more appropriate than "The War for Southern Independence," though I do believe that "The War Between the States" is an interesting angle... but it essentially means "Civil War." I don't believe that "The War of Northern Aggression" is a plausible title, as it was known that if Abe had become president, a few states promised they would succeed. Plus, it was the southern states that fired the first rounds at Fort Sumter. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.221.34.223 (talk) 03:44, 4 March 2008 (UTC)

It says he fought in the American Civil war.

But, the definition of a civil war is "a war between political factions or regions within the same country." It was a war between the union and the confederacy.

We should use a different term, because it was two separate countries fighting each other. We should say, "The War between the states" or "The War for Southern Independence".

(Personally, I wouild prefer it to be called the War of Northern Aggression, but that would be to non-neutral for the wikipedia)

What say ye? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.169.150.182 (talk) 16:14, 24 January 2008 (UTC)

This issue has been discussed exhaustively in conjunction with the article Naming the American Civil War and the consensus of Wikipedia editors is that American Civil War is by far the most common term for the conflict. Hal Jespersen (talk) 16:44, 24 January 2008 (UTC)

Time for an upgrade on Lee?

New letters have emerged and have recently and researched by Elizabeth Brown Pryor, a highly decorated and credible diplomat and historian. As a historian of the civil war, Pryor has written the quintessential biography on Clara Barton, which is considered the authoritative work by historians. Her fairly recent book, "Reading the Man: A Portrait of Robert E. Lee Through his Private Letters," analyzes these overlooked letters and provides a great deal of information on Robert E. Lee, some of which negate some of what we thought to be correct, and illuminating that which we already know or don't know. I have just started reading the book, and I hope others will too, especially if your a college prof. cause that would be cool, and I believe that it would be of much benefit to the people, and to Wiki, if some of the information was reviewed (I.E. Lee's stance on slavery, and underscoring the idea that joining the Confederacy was not instinctive). —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.221.34.223 (talk) 03:53, 4 March 2008 (UTC)

Robert E Lee also had a desendant named Christopher Lee which was after his children —Preceding unsigned comment added by Hellborg666 (talk • contribs) 11:38, 17 March 2008 (UTC)

Auction of letters

I edited the section on the auction of a few of Lee's war-era letters because the prose made no sense. However, it doesn't seem to me that this section even belongs in the article. Documents and artifacts of historical figures, including Lee's, are bought and sold at auction all the time, and the prices will rise and fall with the sentiment of the market. Nothing about this sales seems at all noteworthy. It seems likely that this case piqued minor interest because the seller carried these particular letters around in his auto for a while before realizing what he inherited, but that's insignificant trivia that has no bearing on the subject of this article. It might be otherwise if evidence was presented that these particular letters had an impact on our understanding of Lee and his times. --Kbh3^rdtalk 18:06, 1 April 2008 (UTC)

Agree Gtstricky^{Talk or C} 16:47, 8 May 2008 (UTC)