Civil War History - Secession and PoliticsWas it Slavery, or was it States Rights? Perhaps it was the election of Lincoln? What were the real reasons for Southern Secession and what were the political issues in this time of war? Find your answers here in the Secession and Politics Disussion.
I think it is hard for us not to admire Lee, but emotions were very high in the post war era. Many wanted him hanged as a traitor, for which Grant often had to remind people of the terms of surrender which did not allow for tribunals and war trials. The families of dead and maimed AOP soldiers were not cordial to General Lee.
Rick
__________________ "We made a great mistake in the beginning of our struggle.... We appointed all our worst generals to command our armies, and all our best generals to edit the newspapers"
- Robert E. Lee
The Battle Flag of The Madison Light Artillery (Louisiana) MOODY'S BATTERY - 24 Pound Howitzers
Alexander's Battalion
Longstreets Corps
Don't worry my friend. General Robert Edward Lee is, and will continue to be, America's Laureate Military General! Well, unless some left-wing, politically correct "History Professional" decides to perform a 'touch-up' job which is entirely possible considering today's society.
OK, I'm done on this quandry, because if Shelby Foote wrote it, I'm prepared to believe it
I'm not. I've seen quite a few instances where he was wrong, especially in the Ken Burns series.
Quote:
Originally Posted by samgrant
(I'll trust his research):
"Five years after .... he (McClellan) received what was perhaps his finest professional compliment, and received it from the man who had occupied the best of all possible positions from which to formulate a judgement. Asked then who was the ablest Federal general he had opposed thoughout the war, Robert E. Lee replied without hesitation: "McClellan, by all odds."
- pg. 757, Vol. 1, Civil War A Narrative
But where did he get that quote? You can never know, since he never identifies where he gets various assertions.
Don't worry my friend. General Robert Edward Lee is, and will continue to be, America's Laureate Military General!
Nope. Lee is a close second to Grant. Between Fort Sumter and Appomattox, only one general was able to take an entire army off the board--Ulysses S. Grant. And he did it not once but three times.
Found an old post which makes me want to investigate:
When hearing Grant referred to as a "Military Accident," with no distinguishing merit, one who had achieved success through a combination of fortunate circumstances, Lee responded by saying, "Sir, your opinion is a very poor compliment to me. We all thought Richmond protected, as it was, by our splendid fortifications and defended by our army of veterans, and could not be taken. Yet Grant turned his face to our capital and never turned it away until we had surrendered. Now, I have carefully searched the military records of both ancient and modern history, and have never found Grant's superior as a general. I doubt his superior can be found in all history."
-eopfrank
This quote, contrary to what we have discussed above, is as far as I can tell attributed to either one James Grant Wilson (no relation?) and/or one Zachary Kent.
Seems fishy to me, any comments?
__________________ -
"It was a very peculiar time." - Franklin D. Cossitt
Ancestors in USA Army: 6th IA Inf, 11th IL Cav, 1st AL Cav; 122nd NY Inf; 6th MI Cav; 35th MA Inf; 100th IL Inf; 1st CO Inf/Cav; 22nd IN Inf
I would call this very fishy indeed, Julius Ceasar for one, Belisarius, Narses, all used an indirect approach and won victories far superior to Grant's with far slimmer forces (Belisarius + Narses), Edward the Black Prince, Henry V. The list goes on and on. Marlborough and Wellington for a few more recent examples. All the commanders I just mentioned here are praised by BH Liddell Hart in his book Strategy. I highly recomend it. I would say the originator of that quote didnt do his homework.
Yea I would agree.As it was Grant beat Lee because of numbers.He lost as many men as Lee had in his army.True he recognized the circumstances to his credit but to rank him as as a military genius of the ages is absurd(somebody got into Grant's whiskey).I also don't see Lee saying that.
__________________ "The sword is mighty, but principles laugh at swords. Overwhelming force may crush truth to earth but, crushed or not the truth is still the truth." Regards, Ashley
Yep, I agree, This interview doesn't even sound like Gen. R.E. Lee's manner of speech. And...as careful as Gen. Lee was post war, with his personal thought and recollection in regard to the war, I'd say this interview was Yankee ad lib City. Lee had one genuine focus in the post-year period: to educate the promising young men of the South as President of his University.
Cash: In your wildest dream, Lee comes in second as America's Best General. ;-)
Place Gen. Lee with the same numbers of men & material as Gen. Grant; place both Generals & command swithin 20 miles of each other and stand back....way, way back!...and Gen. Grant would have quickly discovered a legitimate need to take a snort from Ol' Barleycorn; a sound miitary defeat!
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