I just subscribed to your channel. After briefly scrolling through your video catalog I felt reassured that this channel is subscription worthy. Thank you for filming and sharing the material with the masses.
I was a member of member of Kappa Alpha Order and we had to memorize the Definition of a Gentleman while we were pledges. Robert E. Lee was our “spiritual founder.”
In our urban world, too many, perhaps most people are without a “home”. Uprooted or rootless. It is always painful for me to return to my hometown in East Texas,, not only because the town is much declined from what it was, but especially because the house I grew up in, now exists only in my mind, because it is physically gone and the whole area now covered with a new growth of forest, Robert E. Lee did return to the Capital and so saw Arlington standing there, but it was at the edge of a graveyard, and so he must have felt they same sense of total loss. “Be it ever so humble...”
I had the pleasure of taking an afternoon tour with Ranger Matt on Little Round Top (at least I think it was LRT, its been some years ago). He's an excellent teacher, excellent with kids. Made history of that day thoughtful and engaging for the audience.
Great program Mr. Atkinson, I agree with your comments about understanding history within the context of the times of the event. As a student of history, you have to know what every day life was like at that time - what was it like to live in a house that didn't have hot and cold running water or individual bedrooms or even floors! Thank You. Scott L. Durkop
When I was an SAE pledge in the 1970s we had to memorize and recite in front of the full chapter, “The True Gentleman” by John Walter Weyland. This first quote sounds a lot like the passage I memorized. Our fraternity was founded March 9, 1856 at the University of Alabama. Our founder, Noble Leslie DeVotie was rumored to be the first man killed in the Civil War.
Just got around to watching this. Late, I know. Matt, Matt, Matt- you need to buy a set of hot rollers for your girls. Then it's all in timing since each daughter will need to take turns. And I don't think you want to buy two sets of rollers. The rollers will need to be reheated between uses. Yes, one twin gets curled, reheat, then the other twin. I'm guessing 30 to 45 minutes you're adding so maybe you do want to buy two sets. A curling iron will take even longer. Oh, another entertaining show and I did actually learn something.
Great lecture, really enjoyed your perspective on Lee. I recently heard a different lecture from Ty Seidule, author of "Robert E. Lee and Me”. It is the exact opposite and a fairly disparaging view of Lee. I was wondering if you were familiar with this book and author and if you had any reply?
A few years ago while waiting to go on a tour you were leading. You were talking to the tour group and mentioned that you named your recently born son, Benjamin Lee was after the general. My questioning response was whether it was after General Benjamin Butler? Whenever I've met you since then I remind you of that exchange.
Matt: I hope you read this comment ... You touched on how history and perception has changed over the years.... I suggest that you make this point in your next presentation... Post war, statues of Lee were erected. Schools named after Lee. This was done by the people closest to the era and to those who lived the era. In 1958 the United States Navy named a nuclear submarine after Robert E Lee In the same era, the President of the United States (Eisenhower) kept a portrait of Lee on his office wall... Now currently, statues of Lee are torn down. What changed? Facts? Or something else?
I greatly enjoy your talks, Matt, but must tell you that you did not eat in West-MINIS-ter the night before you gave this program, as no such place exists. The city you refer to in Maryland, where I spent the first 21 years of my life, is West-MINS-ter, as in the abbey in London.
Lee was not fighting for slavery. Not to deny that the economic principle uniting the Confederacy was black slavery, but Lee himself had no love for the institution. Further his whole life was wrapped up in Virginia. Grant’s life had taken a different course. He his family was anti-slavery. His father disapproved of his marrying into a slavery owning family. He lived in a slave state but had no real roots there. He did not take to farming any more than Lee did to being a plantation owner. But he could have gone either way. I have sometimes wondered what Scott would have done if he had been Lee’s age and at Lee’s rank?
Thanks. I beg to differ. I got friends in the neighboring State of Texas who are READY to go it alone. And it doesn’t take much more’n 1 beer to get them drilling…
Sit out the war? Doing what? Where? He knew that the Administration was preparing for war and his home was right across the river. He was honor bound to take a stand, own way or another.
The point he was making is that they both broke oaths. One was successful and is lauded a hero, the other wasn’t and has become a villain. If the results of the respective wars had been reversed, Washington would have gone down as the traitorous leader of a failed rebellion, and Lee would mean to the southern states what Washington means to the United States today. Fate was not to have that, however neither of those men knew what fate had in store, and they both committed treason believing it was the right thing to do. Is one morally superior to the other?
@@OldHickoryAndyJackson Washington absolutely had a choice. Stay loyal to the powers that be, maintain the status quo, pay the taxes being levied and don’t break the oath you swore as a military officer. He chose not to do that. I’m not at all condemning the American Revolution, but the Canadian colonies, for example, stayed loyal. Combine that with the 50% of the population of the 13 colonies who were either loyal or neutral, and it shows resorting to treason in response to the situation at the time was not at all a forgone conclusion. He was very much making a conscious, pro-active decision when he decided to commit treason. He may have personally felt as if though he didn’t have a choice, but after weighing up the situation, so did Robert E Lee. In both cases Virginia was being told what to do by an external power it did not recognise as having the authority to do so. That external power then resorted to military means to enforce its will on Virginia, and as Virginians they both chose to take up arms against it. On the occasion when Robert E Lee accepted command of Virginias state forces, the government of Virgina actually presented him with George Washingtons sword. Such were the parallels between the two in the minds of the people at that time.
Three Confederate armies surrendered to General Grant: Fort Donalson in February of 1862; Vicksburg in July of 1863 and Appomattox in July of 1865. How many Union armies surrendered to Lee? ZERO.
Excellent presentation.
That’s Ranger Matt, right there. It’s always entertaining to see his new videos, right there.
I just subscribed to your channel. After briefly scrolling through your video catalog I felt reassured that this channel is subscription worthy. Thank you for filming and sharing the material with the masses.
The Best presentation I've ever seen, I've been many to in college.
The man Ranger Matt! Can't wait love when he drops something new. Always laugh always learn.
Thank you so very much for repairing and rebroadcasting this talk.
Glad it was helpful!
I was a member of member of Kappa Alpha Order and we had to memorize the Definition of a Gentleman while we were pledges. Robert E. Lee was our “spiritual founder.”
Very cool , wish I could have had the honor to apply for membership with these gentlemen.
In our urban world, too many, perhaps most people are without a “home”. Uprooted or rootless. It is always painful for me to return to my hometown in East Texas,, not only because the town is much declined from what it was, but especially because the house I grew up in, now exists only in my mind, because it is physically gone and the whole area now covered with a new growth of forest, Robert E. Lee did return to the Capital and so saw Arlington standing there, but it was at the edge of a graveyard, and so he must have felt they same sense of total loss. “Be it ever so humble...”
Amazing. Atkinson is an incredible storyteller.
I had the pleasure of taking an afternoon tour with Ranger Matt on Little Round Top (at least I think it was LRT, its been some years ago). He's an excellent teacher, excellent with kids. Made history of that day thoughtful and engaging for the audience.
Great program Mr. Atkinson, I agree with your comments about understanding history within the context of the times of the event. As a student of history, you have to know what every day life was like at that time - what was it like to live in a house that didn't have hot and cold running water or individual bedrooms or even floors!
Thank You.
Scott L. Durkop
When I was an SAE pledge in the 1970s we had to memorize and recite in front of the full chapter, “The True Gentleman” by John Walter Weyland. This first quote sounds a lot like the passage I memorized. Our fraternity was founded March 9, 1856 at the University of Alabama. Our founder, Noble Leslie DeVotie was rumored to be the first man killed in the Civil War.
Richard Henry Lee was fiscally irresponsible, but he was a good man, a loyal patriot, and a man worthy of both esteem and pity.
this guy is a rock star
Just got around to watching this. Late, I know. Matt, Matt, Matt- you need to buy a set of hot rollers for your girls. Then it's all in timing since each daughter will need to take turns. And I don't think you want to buy two sets of rollers. The rollers will need to be reheated between uses. Yes, one twin gets curled, reheat, then the other twin. I'm guessing 30 to 45 minutes you're adding so maybe you do want to buy two sets. A curling iron will take even longer. Oh, another entertaining show and I did actually learn something.
Great lecture, really enjoyed your perspective on Lee. I recently heard a different lecture from Ty Seidule, author of "Robert E. Lee and Me”. It is the exact opposite and a fairly disparaging view of Lee. I was wondering if you were familiar with this book and author and if you had any reply?
Thank you, President Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglas, for your successful preservation of the Union. and ending slavery. God bless the USA
A few years ago while waiting to go on a tour you were leading. You were talking to the tour group and mentioned that you named your recently born son, Benjamin Lee was after the general. My questioning response was whether it was after General Benjamin Butler? Whenever I've met you since then I remind you of that exchange.
Matt 🐐
Matt: I hope you read this comment ...
You touched on how history and perception has changed over the years....
I suggest that you make this point in your next presentation...
Post war, statues of Lee were erected. Schools named after Lee. This was done by the people closest to the era and to those who lived the era.
In 1958 the United States Navy named a nuclear submarine after Robert E Lee
In the same era, the President of the United States (Eisenhower) kept a portrait of Lee on his office wall...
Now currently, statues of Lee are torn down.
What changed? Facts? Or something else?
Ben has grown up
1:13:06 carter was by g-g-grandfahers artillery battalion commander
read the book Rebel Yell about Stonewall Jackson, one of my favorite books and generals of all time. I consider him the GOAT
Read James Robertson
I greatly enjoy your talks, Matt, but must tell you that you did not eat in West-MINIS-ter the night before you gave this program, as no such place exists. The city you refer to in Maryland, where I spent the first 21 years of my life, is West-MINS-ter, as in the abbey in London.
If you win you are a patriot, while the losers are traitors.
Lee was a traitor and fought to enslaved human being; on the other hand ; Grant is a great man that fought to stop the wickedness of SLAVERY.
Lee was not fighting for slavery. Not to deny that the economic principle uniting the Confederacy was black slavery, but Lee himself had no love for the institution. Further his whole life was wrapped up in Virginia. Grant’s life had taken a different course. He his family was anti-slavery. His father disapproved of his marrying into a slavery owning family. He lived in a slave state but had no real roots there. He did not take to farming any more than Lee did to being a plantation owner. But he could have gone either way. I have sometimes wondered what Scott would have done if he had been Lee’s age and at Lee’s rank?
I'm related to him and did u know he had a half brother mulatto Alfred Lee and half sister kizzie
Thanks. I beg to differ. I got friends in the neighboring State of Texas who are READY to go it alone. And it doesn’t take much more’n 1 beer to get them drilling…
My only question is that he appeared to have had a 3rd option, simply resign and take arms against either his state or his country.
Sit out the war? Doing what? Where? He knew that the Administration was preparing for war and his home was right across the river. He was honor bound to take a stand, own way or another.
I would of left by now ...
Saying Lee wouldn't fight against his State and family is more on the right track, comparing him to Washington is a bit of a stretch.
The point he was making is that they both broke oaths.
One was successful and is lauded a hero, the other wasn’t and has become a villain.
If the results of the respective wars had been reversed, Washington would have gone down as the traitorous leader of a failed rebellion, and Lee would mean to the southern states what Washington means to the United States today.
Fate was not to have that, however neither of those men knew what fate had in store, and they both committed treason believing it was the right thing to do. Is one morally superior to the other?
@@cjp8u2 Lee was given a choice, I don't believe Washington had a choice
@@OldHickoryAndyJackson Washington absolutely had a choice. Stay loyal to the powers that be, maintain the status quo, pay the taxes being levied and don’t break the oath you swore as a military officer. He chose not to do that.
I’m not at all condemning the American Revolution, but the Canadian colonies, for example, stayed loyal. Combine that with the 50% of the population of the 13 colonies who were either loyal or neutral, and it shows resorting to treason in response to the situation at the time was not at all a forgone conclusion. He was very much making a conscious, pro-active decision when he decided to commit treason.
He may have personally felt as if though he didn’t have a choice, but after weighing up the situation, so did Robert E Lee.
In both cases Virginia was being told what to do by an external power it did not recognise as having the authority to do so. That external power then resorted to military means to enforce its will on Virginia, and as Virginians they both chose to take up arms against it. On the occasion when Robert E Lee accepted command of Virginias state forces, the government of Virgina actually presented him with George Washingtons sword.
Such were the parallels between the two in the minds of the people at that time.
one of history's most over rated people.
Robert E. Lee what can be said that hasn't been said. The truth. He was a trailer.
Is this stuffwriter?😂
🤬
I’ve watched all of these. Something lacking in this one. Maybe preparation. Too much “comedy”. As always though thank you for the content.
Yes. Clown show.
Three Confederate armies surrendered to General Grant: Fort Donalson in February of 1862; Vicksburg in July of 1863 and Appomattox in July of 1865.
How many Union armies surrendered to Lee? ZERO.