The Stewart Report

Where do powerful convictions come from? Many people are born with a strong determination to do the right thing, but most of us are taught, not by words or instructions, but by example.

The years 1861 to 1865 were some of the darkest years in our nation's history - it was our Civil War. And it wasn't Americans fighting some foreign enemy - it was Americans against Americans, neighbor against neighbor, sometimes, sadly, brother against brother. And some, unfortunately, got caught in the middle. Such was the case of Robert E. Lee.

What most Americans don't know today is that Robert E. Lee had been a faithful and highly respected US soldier for over 30 years before the Civil War split our nation. Lee graduated from West Point in 1829 where his classmates admired him for his qualities of leadership and devotion to duty. But in 1861 when the war broke out, Robert Lee was forced to choose between his love and devotion to his country, America, and his home state, Virginia. When President Lincoln offered Lee the field command of the entire United States Army to fight against the South, Lee wrote to his sister this:

“In my own person I have to meet this question whether I should take part to fight against my native state. With all my devotion to the Union and the feeling of loyalty and duty as an American citizen, I have not been able to make up my mind to raise my hand against my relatives, my children, and my home. I have, therefore, sadly resigned my commission in the Army, save in defense of my native state, with a sincere hope that my poor services may never be needed. I hope I may never be called upon to draw my sword.”

And Lee grieved over his decision to leave the US and join the South. He did not favor the South seceding. He didn't even believe in slavery - he owned no slaves. But he did believe in the South's right to break away and start their own new nation.

Well, we all know the tremendous success of Robert Lee as the commander of the Southern troops. He was a genius in military maneuvers and never believed in retreating or backing down. And even though his forces were smaller and mostly ill-equipped, for the first two years the South was actually winning the war. In fact, the South was on the offensive, moving into Pennsylvania and toward Washington, DC when the North and South met on that fateful day, in that fateful battle at Gettysburg in 1863 - and the South never recovered.

But Lee fought on all until April of 1865 when his ragged, sick, and starving army was surrounded at Appomattox Courthouse, and Lee was forced to surrender - the Civil War was over.

But just what made Robert E. Lee such a loved and respected man, even by those in the North?

It was his quality of character.

Listened to a few of what has been come to be known as “The Maxims of Robert E. Lee”. He says,

"You cannot be a true man until you learn to obey. Hold on to purity and virtue. They will sustain you in every calamity. Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more and you should never wish to do less. There is a true glory and a true honor: the glory of duty done - the honor of the integrity of principle. Our only hope he is in God."

After the war, Robert E. Lee did everything in his power to end the bitterness and hatred felt by both the North and the South. He said to all who would listen - "Make your sons Americans".

He established a legacy for all who would follow – Duty, Honor, Country.

What legacy are you setting?

See you again next week. God bless you!

Jerry Stewart