Robert E. Lee : A Background Study (1953)

[Music] [Music] in the chapel of Washington and Lee University in the heart of Virginia lies the body of Robert E [Music] Lee from all over the world men come to do honor to the is defender of a culture that is gone from our land gone and yet living forever in the name and the memory of its favorite [Music] son many men have won greatness in Victory Robert E Lee achieved greatness in [Music] feet an understanding of Lee can well begin with the soil in his life story this is very special soil the soil of Virginia West Morland County Stratford Hall birthplace of Robert El the simple fact that he was born in Virginia was a dominant influence in Lee's life for he was first and last a virgin virgan the Le had been in Virginia from as early as 1642 for three generations they were prominent figures in the life of the colony Robert's father was the famed lighthorse Harry Lee who served in the American Revolution and later as governor of the state of Virginia which he referred to as my native country thus a tradition of public service and a love for his native country of Virginia this was the heritage of the boy born here on January 19th 18007 from Stratford Hall the Lees could look out across the land which was their livelihood for the economy of the South was based on agriculture and built on the labor of negro slaves already the this economy this way of living was clashing with a rival economy in the north so the conflict between north and south and his own place in the conflict was another part of Lee's Birthright a few miles up the pomac from Stratford stood the home of Lee's prototype and hero George Washington nearby was the town of Alexandria where from the age of three Robert spent his Boyhood early deprived of a father's care he was raised by his mother Anne Carter she schooled him in the disciplines of self-control and integrity of purpose from her he learned to to live according to the words of Christ If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me in 1824 Young Lee accepted appointment to the United States Military Academy where like the cadetes of today he learned new lessons in self-denial and Devotion to duty and studied military strategy and tactics a science in which he was to become one of the great Masters an honor student from the beginning he graduated second in his class and became Lieutenant Lee of the core of engineers already the stamp of the man was a parent for a classmate wrote he was full of sympathy and kindness while his attention to all duties and his dignity gave him a superiority that everyone acknowledged in his heart Robert's heart soon turned toward Arlington Hall in Virginia just across the PAC from the nation's capital this was the home of George Washington Park custus the adopted son of George Washington his daughter Maryanne Randolph custus became the wife of Robert El Le and bound him to her in a love that with stod years of separation and Misfortune here where his children were born he grew deeper roots in the soil of his native state Lee was first of all a Virginia but as an army engineer he came to know the Union as did few men of his day at coxer Island Georgia at St Louis Missouri at New York and Baltimore at headquarters in Washington Lee helped to build the union it was part of him and he loved it in 1846 came war with Mexico at verac Cruz sordo and Mexico City he distinguished himself as a military engineer strategist and leader of men in battle in 1852 Lee returned to West Point as superintendent but the date was far more significant for the publication of a [Music] book The rallying Cry of the abolitionists it symbolized the growing sectional conflict between the free states of the North and the slave states of the south from the beginning of the nation there was conflict between the trading interests in the North and the farming interests in the South between Advocates of federalism with a strong central government and states rights with final Authority resting in the sovereign states as a son of Virginia Lee's belief in states rights was a part of his belief in the union he wrote as an American citizen I take great pride in my country her prosperity and institutions and would defend any state if her rights were invaded of slavery he wrote in this enlightened age there are few I believe but what will acknowledge that slavery as an institution is a moral and political evil in any country their emancipation will sooner result from the mild and melting influence of Christianity than the storms and tempests of fiery country controversy but the storms and tempests raged talk of secession came more and more from Southern lips such talk offended Lee who spoke of secession as Anarchy and prayed it would be possible to extinguish fanaticism North and South for I can anticipate no greater Calamity for the country than a dissolution of the Union it would be an accumulation of all the evils We complain of and I am willing to sacrifice everything but honor for its preservation but Union was not to be preserved on December 20th 1860 South Carolina voted to seced followed by Mississippi Florida Alabama Georgia Louisiana and Texas secession came after the election of Abraham Lin Lincoln and to lead the federal army he would send forth to Stamp Out the Rebellion Lincoln chose Colonel Robert E Lee here was the highest honor the nation could confer upon a son who had devoted a lifetime to her service Lee's response is reported in his own words I declined the offer stating as candidly and as courteously as I could that though opposed to secession and deprecating War I could take no part in an invasion of the southern states earlier Lee had refused a general's Commission in the Confederate States Army Virginia was still in the union and months before he had written if the union is dissolved I shall return to my native state and share the miseries of my people and Save in defense will draw sword on none [Music] sir I have the honor to Tender the resignation of my commission as Colonel of the first Regiment of Cavalry Lee's decision was absolute for him it could not have been otherwise the sword of Robert E Lee which he had hoped to lay at rest he now raised again at the call of his native state to which there rallied an army of plain citizens men called upon to defend their homes and their rights trained by Lee and led by Lee the army of Northern Virginia wrote a record of Valor and courage unsurpassed in military annals the defense of Richmond capital of the Confederacy was Lee's first and principal task to accomplish this he adopted the policy of maneuver of offensive defense which since has become a model for study by military men the world over for 3 years the union armies fought to capture Richmond in this time Lee repulsed four major offenses in the 7 Days battles in the Second Battle of Manasses at Fredericksburg at Chancellorsville here say military critics Lee fought the most nearly Flawless battle ever planned and executed Ed by an American commander in these hours Robert E Lee tasted victory commentate with his military skill but the army of Northern Virginia was hungry so Lee struck northward to obtain food he also hoped that a victory in Northern Territory might bring about a settlement of the war at Gettysburg this Hope was shattered standing on the spot from which he had watched the miscarriage of his plans Lee said come General picket your men have done all that men could do the fault is entirely my own quick to praise slow to blame tactful considerate just and humble Lee read his prayer book and his Bible [Music] daily from the simple lap desk he carried in the field he wrote We are in the hands of a Kind God who will do for us what is best and more than we deserve the crude mes kit he used bespeaks the simple manner of his life denying himself special privilege he lived as did the private soldier in the r s soldiers knew this and loved him for it lacking food and clothing and Equipment they were sustained by faith in him and by his Creed that the private soldier who fought without the stimulus of rank or individual Renown was the most meritorious class of the army whenever he appeared among them mounted on his famed horse traveler they made open display of the their affection and their trust whether in Victory or defeat they trusted him to spare their toil and their blood to them as to their families at home he represented cause country and all and in their final disaster they still trusted him to decide their fate in surrender even in defeat Lee knew victory for he said there is a True Glory and a true honor the glory of Duty done the honor of the Integrity of [Music] principle Integrity of principle directed Lee after the war to the grounds of Washington College this home in Virginia he chose over an estate offered him in England refusing to abandon his country this simple office he occupied after turning down positions of great honor and Fortune because he held it the duty of every citizen to do all in his power to Aid in the restoration of peace and Harmony thus Robert E Lee the commander who had led the people of the Old South through the war became the college president who set an example for the new South by taking a small impoverished school and building it into a great institution of learning Lee has returned to the soil of Virginia but now he belongs to the nation the common Heritage of young men from every section who may well follow his example and his words truth and manlin will carry you through this world much better than policy or expediency or or any other word that was ever devised to conceal or mystify a deviation from a straight line here there was no mystery no deviation from what he saw as the path of Christian Duty [Music]