Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Poor General Lee Just Couldn't Win...!

The history of the Civil War is just full of terrible and yet interesting facts!

Truth be known, there are so many stories about the war that we don't know, it would take years to try and find a large amount of them. That's why I turn to History.com to try and dig out these little known nuggets of history! You would be surprised what you can learn from a little time spent there!

Robert E. Lee’s Virginia estate was confiscated by the Union and turned into a cemetery during the war.

As war descended on Virginia, Lee and his wife Mary fled their 1,100-acre Virginia estate, known as Arlington, which overlooked Washington, D.C. In 1863 the U.S. government confiscated it for nonpayment of $92.07 in taxes. Meanwhile, Lincoln gave permission for a cemetery to be built on the property, including a burial vault on the estate’s former rose garden. The idea was that, should Lee ever return, he would “have to look at these graves and see the carnage that he had created,” according to his biographer Elizabeth Brown Pryor.

After the war, the Lees quietly looked into reclaiming Arlington but took no action before they died. In 1877 their oldest son, George Washington Custis Lee, sued the federal government for confiscating Arlington illegally; the Supreme Court agreed and gave it back to him. But what could the Lee family do with an estate littered with corpses? George Lee sold it back to the government for $150,000. Over time, 250,000 soldiers would be buried in what is now Arlington National Cemetery.


See? I told ya there was a lot to learn! This one I didn't know until last night!

Let's take a chance and have our coffee on the patio this morning, OK?

11 comments:

Gorges Smythe said...

I'd read that before and was disgusted by it. The Uncivil War was as much the fault of Northern jealousy and greed as of Southern pride and slavery.

Phyllis (N/W Jersey) said...

Thanks for that tidbit of information. I bet there are millions of Americans that did not know that fact - or even thought of how Arlington came to be. Why aren't these facts taught in school?

I'll bring my umbrella - we are supposed to get thunderstorms today!

Rob said...

34 years out of high school and I am still learning new bits of American History. I have been there and never knew that. We did see JFK's grave.

Anonymous said...

I had no idea that was how Arlington Cemetery was begun - that is an interesting factoid. Thanks HermitJim.

linda m said...

I had heard that story before. It was a terrible thing to do to General Lee and his family as the North was just as much to blame as the South. However, Arlington National Cemetery is truly one of the most awe-inspiring places I have ever visited.

Ben in Texas said...

Blame for the War has no place in this story folks, give it up and quit trying to hijack a great blog.

I had heard something about his in HS but thanks for bringing it to mind again.

BBC said...

I don't much care, the future is in a different direction.

Sixbears said...

I did not know that. That was just mean spirited. A disgraceful thing to do to an honorable man.

JO said...

I didn't know this until you posted it this morning. It was a digraceful thing to do. Sad. Thank you for another history lesson.


Coffee on the patio it is.

MamaHen said...

I have visited Arlington also and never knew this bit of information. Very interesting.

HermitJim said...

Hey Gorges...
So much we have yet to learn from that time.

Some sad chapters from the civil war.

Thanks for coming over today!


Hey Phyllis...
If I was ever taught this, I don't remember it.

Interesting to find out how some things came to be!

Thanks for coming over this morning!


Hey Rob...
Seems like there is always something else to learn, doesn't it?

Maybe that's what keeps us young!

Thanks for the visit today!


Hey Anon 7:11...
I only discovered this one myself. I love it when something new to me comes about.

Many thanks for dropping by today!


Hey Linda...
It is indeed a special place to visit! Sort of takes your breath away!

Thank you so much for coming over!


Hey Ben...
I didn't remember hearing anything about this in school, but I'm not sure I remember very much of what I was taught!

Thanks, buddy, for coming over this morning.


Hey BBC...
History can be very interesting, but only for those of us that want to study it a little.

The future holds more promise if we can understand some of our past and learn from it!

Thanks for coming by today.


Hey Sixbears...
Many times the government has acted disgracefully, even back then. Guess some things just never change!

I thank you for the visit today!


Hey JoJo...
Always glad to share a little of what I pick up, sweetie!

I appreciate you dropping by today!


Hey Anne...
It is one special place to visit, no doubt!

Can't help but be saddened when you look out over all those graves!

Thanks so much for coming by today, my friend!