Robert E Lee The Great Emancipator

[J. Beckert]

...products of their time, this is something one often forgets when judging. And of their circumstances. Developement is one more keyword. To be able to reconsider believes, to learn from mistakes and weaknesses and to try to grow. I think, Lincoln did that, Lee obviously, too.

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He was probably thinking along the same lines as Sherman. "War is Hell" . I've heard there was a Civil War General who, after the war, always ordered his meat well done as he couldn't stand the sight of blood on his plate. Is that true?

At least they knew what they did, they experienced the bloodshed, not just on the screen or from another safe place. Today warbusiness is much cleaner for those in responsible positions.

Good points, Eva. Lee and Grant were actually there in the mix, unlike today's leaders. Although he's not nearly as popular as either Lee or Grant, Gen. Custer did things many times on the battlefield to inspire his men to fight that should have gotten him killed. A different time and a different breed.