Recollections and Letters of General Robert E. Lee

by Robert E. Lee

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Genres: History, Civil War, Biography, Nonfiction, American Civil War, American History, War

254 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1904

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Captain Robert E. Lee, son of General Robert E. Lee.

Robert Edward "Rob" Lee, Jr. was the youngest of three sons of Confederate General Robert Edward Lee, Sr. and Mary Anna Randolph Custis, and the sixth of their seven children. He served as a private and later a captain in the Confederate armies during the American Civil War. After the war, he became a businessman and author of his father's memoirs, Recollections and Letters of General Robert E. Lee (1904). He died ten years later.

Reviews

[Mom · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's hard to believe that a book written so long ago could still stir such emotion in the reader. I thoroughly enjoyed every page. What an amazing man General Lee was! If he had been aware that his son was going to write his biography, he probably would have burned all his letters or maybe not written them at all; he was such a humble person who did not want to be the celebrity that he was. I am so grateful that he did; I could not put the book down. A more loving, caring, intelligent man we will never meet. The writing is not in the usual form of a biography, as it is written as a documentary of the General's correspondence. In it, we see into the mind and heart of this great leader.

[Gerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book the year I graduated with my Masters degree. It was not quite the book that Lt. Col. GFR Henderson wrote on General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson as it is a book that was compiled by the family of Gen. R.E. Lee after his death in 1871. Still, interesting - Douglas Southall Freeman wrote the definitive account in the 1930's at about the same time that Sir Winston Churchill would begin to write "A History of the English Speaking Peoples" (which wouldn't be concluded until 1957 due to the Second World War). However, what this book did was begin the process of the many stories of the many service members individual accounts from both the Confederacy and the Union. The individual soldier was only as effective as his leader was able to "lead". Given the economically challenged American South of the time and directly following this war - it is amazing to read and more amazing the Confederacy had remained as solvent for as long as it had.

My personal favorite reading of the American War Between the States came from none other than Sir W.S. Churchill in the works as written above.

[Jeff Dawson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an excellent collection of the great Southern General. His son did his father a great service in publishing the authentic thoughts of his father.

The last thing Robert E. Lee stands for is oppression and the Civil War. He did not want the war and hoped Jefferson Davis and others would come to an amicable agreement to avoid the bloodshed he knew would come.

When the die was cast and succession became a reality, he was torn between a country he loved and defended, and his home state of Virginia. He could not see himself warring against his own statesmen and friends. He, like many, that were officers in the United States Army had to make a choice and they chose to honor and serve with their fellow brothers. They were driven by a sense of duty and honor that is seriously lacking today.

General Lee was highly regarded as a great tactician and gentlemen, before, during and after the Civil War, even by his Northern brothers. He was asked countless times for his opinions on how the North was governing after the capitulation. In his letters, he showed he wasn’t pleased but that it was the duty of the defeated to weather the storm and unite the country. At any time, he could have spoken out against Lincoln, Johnson and Grant. He wouldn’t do it. The country had bled enough and it was time to reconcile, rebuild and heal.

Lastly, he was every bit the family man and one hundred percent devoted to his family and extended family.

If you haven’t read this work, I highly recommend it.

I got to excited reading this review and forgot to give the publisher its due. It’s horrible! Seldom have I read a historical work that is so plagued with misspelling, punctuation, bad formatting and repeated phrases. I counted over one hundred, that’s right, one hundred unique editing mistakes. This is unacceptable for such an important work. I’m not going to waste my time listing all of them, but I did send a letter to one of the editors at Konecky and Konecky. It also wouldn’t hurt for Mr. Brett Fishburne to reread this travesty of errors. Get this book right!

Five stars for the content, zero for the editing. Three Stars

[Peter J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this started great for the portion leading up to, during, and immediately following the close of the war, it quickly became dull thereafter; giving detailed discussions of Lee’s visits with acquaintances, etc.

[Crystal Rafuse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say honestly, that I had truly no idea that General Robert E. Lee lived for another 5 years following his surrender to Grant during the Civil War. I mean, I guess I didn't just figure that he'd died and that was the end, but I had no idea how much he really lived, I guess is what I am trying to say.

Being from the North, we don't hear about how he went on to become the President of Washington College in Lexington, VA. We don't hear about his sons, daughters & grandchildren. I've never heard about how well-loved he was by just about everyone in the South, right up until his very last breath. I never knew how well he cared for his rheumatic, wheel-chair-bound wife, or how much he loved and how well he cared for Traveller (his beloved and well-acclaimed war horse), right up until he could no longer do it.

"I have led the young men of the South in battle; I have seen many of them die on the field; I shall devote my remaining energies to training young men to do their duty in life." This quote really shows what sort of person he was, devoted to the task at hand (no matter what that may be, in this case, teaching students at the University), right up until the very end. He was amazing, and a part of me feels just a little bit cheated that I never knew any of this until now.

He was an amazing person, and truly, despite surrendering during the war, a complete and utter hero. And I, for one, am so glad his son Robert was able to compile this gathering of his letters and recollections, for me to learn that. I'll never look at General Lee in the same way again!

[Josef Gottlieb · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Complicated Man

Judging from a 21st century perspective, it is too easy for many to condemn General Robert E. Lee as a racist slaveholder who rebelled against his country. Unfortunately for those who hold such a view, the truth is more complicated. Lee was a slaveholder, yes, and he fought for the Confederacy, yes. These were moral failings, and the sin of slavery is by no means unique to the American South. Robert E. Lee also embodied virtues that make it easy to understand why some (even today) admire the man. He truly loved his family, he valued punctuality, he had a sense of honor, duty and loyalty (it is important to remember that, in the antebellum era, citizens were more apt to express loyalty to their particular states than to the union as a whole). He did not fight to defend slavery. He fought to defend Virginia. He bore his defeat as well as a conquered General can, and even his staunchest adversaries recognized his military genius. Aside from all of this, it is foolish to write off an important historical work (a primary source, no less) because of the author, especially when that author is a 19th century man judged by 21st century standards, through the lens of the victorious side (though that side is indeed the morally correct one).

[Drew Norwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of General R.E. Lee's sons (Robert E. Lee, Jr.) guides you through a selection of Lee's letters in order to show his character, thoughts, and habits. It consist mostly of Lee's letters themselves but they are woven together and introduced in a seamless way. The book only briefly touches on R.E. Lee's early life and the war, and instead focuses mostly on Lee's post-war years.

[Phil Sykes · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book I read was called “The Recollections and Letters of General Robert E. Lee” He was a Confederate Civil war General towards the end of the American Civil war. I definitely would not say I agreed with the things he stood for. Although I am glad I chose to read this book, I feel like it’s good to understand the rough points in our country's history. I mean Lee told a lot about his kids, and grand-kids, he sounded like a nice guy, but when I heard some of the laws he stood for I had a whole different opinion on him. It was very interesting to read about the way people thought back then based on where they were located. Lee was very different from the war generals people think of when they hear about them. He was a seditionist meaning he helped lead the confederates to rebel and try to succeed from the north. Hence why the confederates were known as the “rebels”. What I found out from reading this is that back then, the people of the south admired and loved Lee all the way until he passed away. He was very loyal to the people of the south, he devoted his whole life to them. He took care of his wife in her wheelchair, and he sure loved his horses, especially Traveller, his warhorse. He was a great war general, but he ended up surrendering to prevent further damage to the south. He really cared about his homeland, he was very loyal. If you like non-fiction, especially war history, definitely read this. There were real letters inside from Lee, and his family. I liked reading this. I feel like I look at him differently now, not saying what he stood for was good, but he was a great person outside of politics and war. I would definitely read this again, I learned a lot and I wanted to keep reading. I was never bored. I rate it an 8.75/10.

[Kim Dennis · Rating 2 out of 5]

It appears I'm very much in the minority, but I didn't really enjoy this. Based on the title and the name of the author, I was expecting something by General Robert E. Lee. (Call me crazy...) However, this was by his son Robert E. Lee Jr. So I first had to wrap my head around the fact that this was different than I wanted. Then, I realized that the title was pretty apropos. It was A LOT of his letters. Don't get me wrong -- they were sweet, and shed light into his personality, but they all said basically the same thing. He loved his family and animals, and the people loved him, and he didn't love the adulation. There were some other things in there besides the letters, and I enjoyed those parts, but I started this book wanting to learn more about General Robert E. Lee. I did get some of that, but not nearly what I was expecting/hoping.

[Ray Savarda · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a collection of letters from Lee to various persons, with a narrative written by his son, originally published in 1904.
It is somewhat biased, sort of understandably as it is written by his son.
Many letters to family, wife, friends, etc.
The "war years" are a single chapter.
I did not find it all that interesting, I skimmed thru it in about 2 hours, and felt I'd covered enough.
If you were a scholar and wanted to do research, I'm sure it's a useful book. Just for readers interested in the civil war, not so much.

[Michael Crouch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good history of letters

Reading these letters written in his lifetime from days as a cadet in West Point until 2 weeks before death. He always asked about family, friends, and the House and farm. Showed concern for the horses, cow, and the cats.
Even after the war, he wanted fellow southerners to make peace, stayed out of politics, and only met with President Grant when invited.
When he travelling, his letters show the respect and love of the people (even on a trip to Maryland)

[Jasmine Shadows · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful tribute that his son compiled in this collection. He was a humble man with true integrity and strong character. He loved his God, family and country. He was loved by so many. He was a wonderful husband, father, leader and friend. Oh that there were more men with such strong character and convictions. He was a very loyal man, and I am so glad that I was able to read this book. When I finished I felt that I was saying goodbye to a dear friend.

[Morning Glory]

Interesting to read the letters of this well-known but not-well-known-about General! It glosses over much of the war, focusing on his leadership, character, and family life. A reflective book like Personal Recollections of Andrew Carnegie.
His rebukes and advice to Rob regarding bachelorhood and subsequent shock at his bachelor pad were priceless.

[Joy Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very good in revealing what the General was like and I was impressed with his compassion, dignity and faith. The fact that a high percentage of the book was letters that he wrote made it harder to read after awhile, but it did reveal his heart. The story of his life was well written and interesting, and I'm glad I read it.

[Malcolm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Its been said that they who win the wars get to write the history books according to their own agenda. Certainly this has been the case surrounding the Civil War. This fantastic book offers the prisoners of ignorance a parole.

[Massanutten Regional Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miriam, Central patron, June 2019, 5 stars:

Excellent first source material.

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

No better resource to study the character and composition of one of the greatest men in our beautiful nation’s history.

[Anastasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a different portrait of the Southern cause from the agenda-driven curriculum taught in public schools!

[Benjamin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most people know of Robert E. Lee as the South's beloved general of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. It is interesting that those five years seem to dominate the rest of his life, though he spent the majority of the rest of his years as the president of Washington University (later Washington and Lee University) trying to put the war days behind him. His letters reveal the heart of a man anchored in social ideals of the past while confronted with new national and social contexts following the war. A man who loved children and longed to be close to his family, Lee craved the comfort that only solitude and simplicity could afford. The narration of his letters by his own son offers the reader a glimpse of the way that the Civil War haunted him regardless of his efforts to leave it all behind. A good read for those who wish to take a moment away from the "grand histories" to get to know a human being obscured by them.

[Jared · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up as an audio book as we were preparing to go on vacation. It is an amazing collection of personal letters and a truly interesting insight into the father/husband/friend and the leader. Being edited by his son, I wonder if there are any other perspectives on REL, but he really does seem a gentleman in the truest sense of the word. It also provides a window into the perspectives of the time relative to their "servants", the justifications for cessation, Reconstruction, etc. Personally I thought it got a little long, but overall it was an excellent use of my time and I would recommend it whole-heartedly. If nothing else, it made me want to reach out to my family and collect their life stories.

[Cayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never really did think much of the Confederate general until I picked up this book. Even though the war was long and arduous, the man made time to write letters to his wife. When I read his letters, I could sense his love and concern for her health and well-being. I admire his loyalty to his family as well as his devotion to his country. He demonstrated many fine qualities as a military leader and later as college president. This is definitely worth reading. I think you will find your respect for this man growing with every page!

[Charlene Morehead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Getting to know Robert E Lee

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves American history. To read the many personal letters of REL brings him to life...as if he were actually writing to us...I came to know this wonderful man of compassion not only for mankind but for all creatures of the earth...his love of his horse Traveller and the cow and many cats and dogs. His wonderful love of God and strong faith were in evidence all through the book so well done by his son Rob...when he took his last breath I felt I had lost a very dear friend!

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I didn't think that I was going to but I did. It is a compilation by his son of his letters and notes more or less ordered by chronology.

Among other things, it turns out that he was a lousy father (by today's standards although probably average by the standards of the mid 19th century).

What it does show, however, is the strength and character of the man rather than the deified myth that he has become.

[Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book was very well written, with the exception of him not describing the civil war as much as someone who commanded in it should. He spent most of the book talking about his family and his life other than the civil war especially his opinion on his position in the army and what he did in the Mexican-American war. I would recommend reading this if you are in to history and want to learn more about one of the biggest things that has happened in U.S. history.

[William P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you think I am going to critique the writings of one the greatest Generals in history ,forget it.
I do want to thank Barnes and Nobles publishing for making these type of books easier to own,
They have published many Civil War books that were written ages ago, we would never have been able to find the originally published books. The Barnes and Noble Library of Essential Reading.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an incredible book. I learned so much that I didn't already know about this American hero/icon from the view of his son CPT. Robert E. Lee and from letters written by the GEN. himself to his family and friend. I defiantly recommend this book.

[James Smithson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed reading this book. I feel that it gave me a feeling of how RE Lee realy was as a person. I cam to know him, and his family. I learned of his life and the things he liked. I saw the places he enjoyed going to. I am glad to have read this book.

[Kathy Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It simply glows with a son's love and respect for his father. While not a modern, objective look at General Lee, it provides a glimpse of the family life that was so important to all the Lees and shows us the concern and abiding love that Lee had for his children.

[Becki · Rating 4 out of 5]

very interesting book. loved hearing/reading what General Lee had to say. The man loved his family and his God more than anything. Such a strong Christian. I have even more respect for him now than I did before.

[Sheena Rodriguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book! It gave a chance to read and be able to take a look at such a great man of history beyond the battlefield. Give an understanding of his personal life. I enjoyed reading about his live and affection towards his family, this country and animals. Learned much.