Lee Post-War Lee

[archieclement]

I'd bet he used that same type of conditional loyalty when he was sulking.

Again I wouldn't characterize remaining silent on something you have absolutely no say in at all as "sulking".

 

[Louisiana Jayhawker]

Not having citizenship does not give one the right to be coldly indifferent to the killing of innocent Americans who are simply trying to vote. The embittered Lee is not prevented from speaking out against the killings by anything but his own hurt pride and anger.

 

[CowCavalry]

Deleted

Be careful, 150 years from now you will be accused of being sullen and bitter for staying home quietly and trying to earn a living in your elder years. You should be out traversing the country, speaking to everyone you can about gang violence.

 

[CowCavalry]

Just going to say, this thread is a perfect example of revisionist history.

Lee rejected the notion of continuing the war as a guerrilla or fleeing to personal safety but instead chose to face the music and formally surrender himself and his army. Not knowing whether he would be hung for treason or jailed, he returned to a quiet and productive civilian life as much as his health would allow, and set an example of reconciliation with his former enemies that is well documented and was universally lauded for well over 100 years.

Now, in the last few years, because he didn't take the public stage and wipe out 300 years of race prejudice (existing both north and south), many want the record to read that Lee was bitter, or sullen, sulking, and vindictive in defeat, when he was none of those, at least not where it mattered; in public.

I think the attempt to put horns on every Confederate now somehow puts angel wings and halos on every member of the Union army and helps dumb down the war to "good vs evil" in many minds.

 

[DanSBHawk]

Just going to say, this thread is a perfect example of revisionist history.

Lee rejected the notion of continuing the war as a guerrilla or fleeing to personal safety but instead chose to face the music and formally surrender himself and his army. Not knowing whether he would be hung for treason or jailed, he returned to a quiet and productive civilian life as much as his health would allow, and set an example of reconciliation with his former enemies that is well documented and was universally lauded for well over 100 years.

Now, in the last few years, because he didn't take the public stage and wipe out 300 years of race prejudice (existing both north and south), many want the record to read that Lee was bitter, or sullen, sulking, and vindictive in defeat, when he was none of those, at least not where it mattered; in public.

I think the attempt to put horns on every Confederate now somehow puts angel wings and halos on every member of the Union army and helps dumb down the war to "good vs evil" in many minds.

I think you're overstating the expectations of post-war Lee a bit. No one expected him to be a 24/7 public advocate for reconciliation. But some people hoped he would have helped the healing process more than he did. His post-war testimony to congress was not helpful for extending civil rights to black Americans.

I understand the point that he was in limbo for a couple years, wondering if he would be prosecuted. But considering his influence, he could have done more, and should have done more, to make things right.

 

[Woods-walker]

Lee experts! Had two questions for the forum.
1) In the post-war years, would you characterize Lee as being bitter towards the USA? What did his writing and post war career suggest?
2) Did Lee live a comfortable and wealthy post-war life? Or did he struggle? Were his means his own, or did he depend on generosity from Southern admirers?

Mike

I am quite late jumping in here but my research on Lee in the post war years indicate his net worth to be about $1 million in today's money.
I think that might be accurate when you consider his offer to help his son financially and to provide $ to his former slaves if they used it for educational purposes. His war time personal servant Mac Lee indeed accepted the financial aid to enter the ministry

 

[Andersonh1]

I wonder if hanging Davis, and/ or Lee, cabinet members, major Southern generals would have produced a better Reconstruction, or would the South have been so mad as to create guerrilla war that went on for years/ decades.

The latter, in my opinion.

 

[Dead Parrott]

I think the attempt to put horns on every Confederate now somehow puts angel wings and halos on every member of the Union army and helps dumb down the war to "good vs evil" in many minds.

I don't think that is going on in this thread at all - that's a smidge too hyperbolic.

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As for post-war Lee, based on his past motivation\behavior, and from what little there is to read about what he said (or less what he wrote), I think you have a spent man, a little bitter and grudging, but accepting of his fate and of providence, feeling he did his duty, was unsuccessful, and politely and formally grumbling that the past is past and let's just move along.

He's not happy, he's not telling war stories, and he's certainly not looking for a spotlight.

I think, given his convictions, his defeat, and his age, that is completely in character for Lee.