Another Man's Legacy

[L Verge]

I am a great admirer of Robert E. Lee. And so was President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

I recently saw an article in an undated (ca. 1960) issue of the Atlanta Constitution describing President Eisenhower's response to a letter that he had received from a dentist in New Rochelle, NY, after the President mentioned that he had a picture of Lee hanging in the Oval Office (along with Abraham Lincoln's). This mention was made at the Republican Convention and really irritated the dentist. Here is Eisenhower's response:

"Aug. 9, 1960
Dear Dr. Scott:

Respecting your Aug. 1 inquiry calling attention to my often expressed admiration for Gen. Robert E. Lee, I would say, first, that we need to understand that at the time of the War Between the States the issue of secession had remained unresolved for more than 70 years. Men of probity, character, public standing and unquestioned loyalty, both North and South, had disagreed over this issue as a matter of principle from the day our Constitution was adopted.

Gen. Robert E. Lee was, in my estimation, one of the supremely gifted men produced by our nation. He believed unswervingly in the constitutional validity of his cause which until 1863 was still an arguable question in America; he was a poised and inspiring leader, true to the high trust reposed in him by millions of his fellow citizens; he was thoughtful yet demanding of his officers and men, forbearing with captured enemies but ingenious, unrelenting and personally courageous in battle, and never disheartened by a reverse or obstacle. Through all his many trials, he remained selfless almost to a fault and unfailing in his faith in God. Taken altogether, he was noble as a leader and as a man, and unsullied as I read the pages of our history.

From deep conviction, I simply say this: A nation of men of Lee's caliber would be unconquerable in spirit and soul. Indeed, to the degree that present-day American youth will strive to emulate his rare qualities, including his devotion to this land as revealed in his painstaking efforts to help heal the nation's wounds once the bitter struggle was over, we, in our own time of danger in a divided world, will be strengthened and our love of freedom sustained.

Such are the reasons that I proudly display the picture of this great American on my office wall.

Sincerely,
Dwight D. Eisenhower"

The article also includes a photo of the windowed wall with Mr. Lincoln on our left and Gen. Lee on our right - facing each other.

Given that Gen. Eisenhower had faced even more tremendous odds than Lee in helping to win WWII and then facing the results - the Cold War, I think he was quite qualified to judge Robert E. Lee. And, I believe that Abraham Lincoln might well have thought much the same thing about his military adversary...

[RJNorton]

Elizabeth Keckly noted that on April 14, 1865, Lincoln was looking at a picture of Lee and said:

"It is a good face; it is the face of a noble, noble brave man."

[BettyO]

I also seriously doubt that if Lee were not an honorable, competent man and soldier, the US Army would never have given him the option of being supreme commander of the Union forces in 1861; a commission he refused in deference of serving his own state of Virginia.

[LincolnToddFan]

(04-08-2014 01:23 PM)RJNorton Wrote:  Elizabeth Keckly noted that on April 14, 1865, Lincoln was looking at a picture of Lee and said:

"It is a good face; it is the face of a noble, noble brave man."

Keckly's remembrances of her time in the WH with the Lincolns are revealing and fascinating. She caught very severe criticism for that book, some of it quite vicious and abusive, and it cost her her friendship with MTL which is very sad.

But from an historical standpoint it's invaluable, imo.