 10-1000 ROBERT E. LEE HANDPAINTEDOne of America's greatest military minds... General Lee Robert E. Lee, has been raised by post-war legend "almost to the status of a god" becoming the very symbol of the Confederacy. Graduating second in the West Point Class of 1829, Lee came from an honored old Virginia family, (traceable to Shropshire, England,1387 ), he served time on frontier posts until The Mexican War, from which he emerged with a considerable reputation. Yet by 1861, after 32 years in the army, he was still a colonel in the 1st Cavalry, with nowhere to go until some of the older generals died or retired. The test of greatness on the anvil of history, began for Lee on April 18, 1861 when he was called to Washington, where an emissary of Lincoln informed him that he was the Presidents first choice to take command of the major army to be raised in the East. Officers senior to him were either to old, or lacked the command skills that were required. Few men have ever had to face such an agonizing test of loyalty. Lincoln was offering what Lee had sought all his professional life, the capstone to any military man's career, and one offered to precious few. But one day before, Lee's beloved Virginia had voted to secede. Inevitably, any Union army would make Virginia a battleground. Just as inevitable Lee "declined the offer", he wrote later, "stating as candidly and courteously as I could, that though opposed to secession and deprecating war, I could take no part in an invasion of the Southern States." Two days later he sent in his resignation, and apologized to his old mentor Commanding General Winfield Scott for taking two days to write it. "It had been", he confessed "a struggle to separate myself from a service to which I have devoted all the best years of my life." After his death in 1870, they found among his effects, the "shoulder eagles" (Colonel's rank) that indicated his rank in the Union Army. With predictions being made on both sides that "the war would be over in a few months, a year at most" . No one could know that, before the war ended, at least 389,684 Union and 260,000 + confederate soldiers would lose their lives another 300,000 + Union and 235,000 + would be wounded in action and the South they fought over would be utterly destroyed. Lee himself would be dead 9 1/2 years later. Outnumber, out gunned, with little industrial base, and slowly being strangled with the Union Naval blockade, Lee nevertheless developed strategies to temporarily offset these disadvantages. By late summer 1864 the Lee's strategy of holding out until the Union presidential election and wearing down the Northern will to continue fighting appeared to be working. Alarmed by the ever increasing casualty rate, the public demanded a solution. In August the Democratic national convention nominated the popular George B. McClellan for president on a peace platform. "After 4 years of failure to restore the Union by the experiment of war, we demand that the immediate efforts be made for a cessation of hostilities." Union casualties on all fronts durning the past 3 months had been a staggering 100,000. Clearly the Lincoln administration was in trouble, and hopes of re-election doubtful. France and Britain, were both waiting in the "diplomatic wings" to recognize the new Confederate States, when Lincoln was defeated.. The year 1863 was to be a turning point for Lee and the Confederacy. It began well enough for both of them , although the winter was so severe that Lee often commented on it in his letters. Then, on March 27 Lee suffered, what we now know was a mild heart attack. The diagnosis at the time was "inflammation of the heart-sac." Still to come was Chancellorsville, less than a month away, and the death of Lee's finest General "Stonewall" Jackson, Gettysburg and Pickett's Charge. But as fate would have it, Sherman's (mobile) infantry attacked Hood's rail supply line 20 south of Atlanta. While Wheeler's cavalry was on a month long raid ripping up and destroying Sherman's rail supply line to the North. Wheeler returned (to late) with barely 2000 of the 4500 men he had started with. Sherman in one of the final and decisive turning point of the war (Battle of Jonesboro August 31 and September 1) took Atlanta. Hood withdrew after burning and blowing up everything of military value in the city. The next day Union troops marched into Atlanta, whose symbolic as well as practical value to the Confederacy had become second only to Richmond's. The North was ecstatic ! This victory had enormous political impact. Lincoln's re-election was assured in November. Lincoln's re-election was viewed as an endorsement of Lincoln's policy of relentless war to the bitter end which of course would doom the Confederate cause. Lee no doubt understood the significance of the re-election, but Jefferson Davis apparently did not. He announced,"The Confederacy remains as erect and as defiant as ever, nothing has changed, in the indomitable valor of its troops or the spirit of its people." Lincoln and Grant responded to this by permitting Sherman's "March to the Sea" a path 50 miles wide and 280 miles long of total destruction from Atlanta to the sea. The "March to the Sea" bled the already staggering Confederacy to death, and ushered in a new type of warfare. At Appomattox Lee received generous terms from Grant, Confederate officers and men alike were paroled and allowed to go home and take their horses with them, "to put in a crop". No one could ever accuse Grant of being overly sentimental, however his respect for Lee was largely responsible for the above terms. He said as he watched Lee ride away to inform his men, "I'm sadden to see the downfall of a foe who had fought so long and valiantly, and suffered so much for a cause." Sculptors Notes: It is impossible to convey the spirit of Robert E. Lee in such a small format like this booklet. However if few words can encompass the spirit of Robert E. Lee, they can only be his own. This quotation is inscribed beneath his bust in the Hall of Fame. ROBERT E. LEE "Duty is the sublimest word in our language. Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more. You should never wish to do less." Well done General Robert E. Lee with Traveler This handsome piece shows Lee at his finest. Our Price: $190.00
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