"Clouds of Glory: The Life and Legend of Robert E. Lee"

[Linda Anderson]

This incident was discussed last year in the Robert E Lee The Great Emancipator thread.

I think Rick Smith's post hits the nail on the head.

"General Lee was responding in the way he did not to promote racial equality, but to diffuse a potentially explosive situation. He was also realistic enough to understand that for better or worse, a significant change had taken place in the world in which he lived.

"Examined carefully, with an understanding of General Lee's faith, he was responding to the situation, not perfectly perhaps, but as Christian gentleman."

I wonder if Dr. Minnegerode gave the black gentleman communion before General Lee got up or if he just stood there paralyzed. Did the black gentleman then have to wait until everyone else had received communion? Did he even receive communion? I wonder how Dr. Minnegerode interpreted General Lee's action.