History Topic: Did R.E. Lee Betray His Countrymen?

Would Lincoln have died five days later?

Yes, he did betray his countrymen. When he resigned from the U.S. Army and decided to fight for the treasonous inveterates fighting to keep the evil institution of slavery he betrayed his country.

Lee did the right thing. The North had more of everything and it was inevidible that the South would be defeated.

The biggest mistake, in my opinion, was the South's lack of planning before the war...there was little if any. Stockpile supplies and have some sort of agreement with a few European countries that they would support the cause with manpower, supplies and money. As it was, it was simply a matter of time for the South.

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however it's almost criminal to surrender while he still had approximately 25,000 to 30,000 soldiers under his command regardless of the Union strength.

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No matter if they had ammunition, food, or medicines?

30,000 troops isn't much to work with Especially when you are low on ammo and food.

One of his officers suggested this, Edward Porter Alexander. Lee said "You and I as Christian men have no right to consider only how this would affect us. We must consider its effect on the country as a whole...if I took your advice the men would be without rations and under no control of officers. They would be compelled to rob and steal in order to live. They would become bands of marauders... We would bring on a state of affairs it would take the country years to recover from."

Now that he was beaten he was looking at how best for his men and the country to get back to work and farming and being a nation.

ib4darthwikipedias

He did the right and honorable considering the situation.. They had no supplies and while a guerrilla war would've certainly extended the war, it also would've resulted in the destruction of south completely with the same result.. Lee was at his heart, fighting for Virginia and the destruction that would've resulted would have destroyed what he believed in.

He was outnumbered by at least 4 to 1 and had limited resources left. His army had been on the defensive for almost 2 years.

For those that say he betrayed his countrymen when he resigned to fight for Virginia may be right by applying today's standards but in 1861 the states were still viewed as a basis of the republic that the Founding Fathers had created.

"There are certain social principles in human nature, from which we may draw the most solid conclusions with respect to the conduct of individuals and of communities. We love our families more than our neighbors; we love our neighbors more than our countrymen in general. The human affections, like solar heat, lose their intensity as they depart from the centre . . . On these principles, the attachment of the individual will be first and for ever secured by the State governments. They will be a mutual protection and support." - Alexander Hamilton, 1788

It seems this held true for Lee even though he was against the secession of Virginia.

Here's a good article on Lee.

Joseph E. Johnston was the only decent help left and he and his army of NC were separated from Lee's Army.

It was the right call to make. The only general who did not think surrendering was the right move, to my knowledge, was Porter Alexander who was also the artillery commander for the Army of No Virginia. I think everyone else knew it was the only option.