Robert E Lee The Great Emancipator

[Rick Smith]

(06-09-2013 07:14 AM)Gene C Wrote:  

(06-08-2013 07:15 PM)Rick Smith Wrote:  One of the reasons that Lee kept his slaves as long as he did {1859-1862} is due to his decision to educate them before setting them free. It took longer to do it this way. Lee signed the last manumission papers in December of 1862.

A good thing to do, but before we get to excited about Lee's actions, Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclimation on Sept 22, 1862 to become effective Jan 1, 1863. I don't know, but maybe Lee could read the writing on the wall, and did what was going to happen anyway. Your thoughts please

Did Lee have another home other than the Custis Lee mansion in Arlington?

Lee was dedicated to freeing his slaves due to his personal convictions{he believed slavery to be a great moral evil}, which had been owned by his father-in-law, but he was also acting in accordance with the terms of Custis' will, which provided for the freedom of his slaves.

I do not believe that Lee owned any other property than Arlington. All of his father's property had been lost long ago and he and his mother had to live with relatives during Lee's youth. After the War, Lee lived for a time in Richmond with his wife in a house provided by friends, until he accepted the offer to be President of Washington College.