Robert E. Lee
In preparing this little volume, I have drawn freely upon the larger biographies of General Lee, particularly upon the elaborate and excellent one by the late General A. L. Long, and upon those of General Fitzhugh Lee, Rev. J. William Jones, and Professor Henry A. White. Their love of their great subject makes me feel sure that the surviving authors will not begrudge lending of their substance to a writer who fully acknowledges his indebtedness to them, and whose sole desire is to add a small tribute to the ever-increasing fame of one of the world's noblest sons. In order, however, to secure substantial accuracy, I have used many books bearing on the war for the Union, such as Grant's Memoirs,"Henderson's Stonewall Jackson," etc., and have consulted the records where it seemed necessary. I must frankly admit that, in the course of my studies, I was often tempted to abandon them in despair ; for nearly every author seemed bent on defending Ms own hero from every possible criticism, and on praising such commanders on the other side as his own favorite had defeated. In the mental confusion that overcame me during this bewildering reading, I was almost rash enough to conclude that, with a few books and a steadfast determination to praise Lee, I could acquit myself of my task in a most determined and manful fashion ; but now that it is finished I am apprehensive that, not being a specialist in military history, I have fallen into errors even in my bare outline sketch. If I have, I trust that they will be forgiven me because I have loved much. For my enthusiasm I do not ask to be forgiven, although I find that that is a serious fault in these critical days. My admiration for General Lee has always been considerable, but I questioned the full greatness of his powers until I began to study his life closely. Then I learned to see him as he is, — not merely a great son of my own native State, not merely a great Southern general, not merely a great American in whom citizens of every section may take just pride, but, better than all these, a supremely great and good man, whose fame should not be limited by the chauvinistic conceptions of patriotism so rife among us to-day, but should be as wide as humanity, or, better still, as his own exquisite spirit of charity and brotherly
1101162371
Robert E. Lee
In preparing this little volume, I have drawn freely upon the larger biographies of General Lee, particularly upon the elaborate and excellent one by the late General A. L. Long, and upon those of General Fitzhugh Lee, Rev. J. William Jones, and Professor Henry A. White. Their love of their great subject makes me feel sure that the surviving authors will not begrudge lending of their substance to a writer who fully acknowledges his indebtedness to them, and whose sole desire is to add a small tribute to the ever-increasing fame of one of the world's noblest sons. In order, however, to secure substantial accuracy, I have used many books bearing on the war for the Union, such as Grant's Memoirs,"Henderson's Stonewall Jackson," etc., and have consulted the records where it seemed necessary. I must frankly admit that, in the course of my studies, I was often tempted to abandon them in despair ; for nearly every author seemed bent on defending Ms own hero from every possible criticism, and on praising such commanders on the other side as his own favorite had defeated. In the mental confusion that overcame me during this bewildering reading, I was almost rash enough to conclude that, with a few books and a steadfast determination to praise Lee, I could acquit myself of my task in a most determined and manful fashion ; but now that it is finished I am apprehensive that, not being a specialist in military history, I have fallen into errors even in my bare outline sketch. If I have, I trust that they will be forgiven me because I have loved much. For my enthusiasm I do not ask to be forgiven, although I find that that is a serious fault in these critical days. My admiration for General Lee has always been considerable, but I questioned the full greatness of his powers until I began to study his life closely. Then I learned to see him as he is, — not merely a great son of my own native State, not merely a great Southern general, not merely a great American in whom citizens of every section may take just pride, but, better than all these, a supremely great and good man, whose fame should not be limited by the chauvinistic conceptions of patriotism so rife among us to-day, but should be as wide as humanity, or, better still, as his own exquisite spirit of charity and brotherly
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Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
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Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940013664029 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | VARIETY BOOKS |
| Publication date: | 01/16/2012 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| File size: | 3 MB |
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