St uncorrected proof of that book standing at this podium during the introduction of our 2007 symposium about robert e. Lee z ofte as isn often true, theres a hi story behind elizabeths rise to historian. She studied with the now president of harvard university. And i must tell a story about drew. When she waswh madee the president of harvard, people were saying le, sh isnt this unbelievable . Shes the first female to be theto president of harvard and i commented to her that i thought it was more remarkable she was the first prepped of thefriend of the confederacy. But she embarked as a career at arlington house. She published clara barton professional angel. Meanwhile, her career took off in a different direction when she entered the u. S. Foreign service and served 20 years. Is now this is typical background for a civil war historian. Zabeth elizabeth served 20 years as a highly decorated senior diplomat and conventional arms negotiator for the state al department. She has spokenl al
Courthouse National Historical park. Ron wilson talks about the terms of the surrender. This is about an hour. Thank you. Its indeed a pleasure to be here. I think this is the 16th seminar. I think we owe a debt of gratitude to Longwood University and to dr. Coles and Patrick Schroder and you ought to give them all a round of applause. [ applause ] how many of you, and there are quite a few of you, have been to the mcclain house at appomattox courthouse . That makes things rather easy for me. Its time for lunch i believe. One thing thats probably not generally known is that the first offer of surrender didnt come from a letter from general grant. It came from a group of officers that have gathered april 7th and these officers concluded that because the circumstances facing the army that it might be best to suggest to general lee that he opened negotiations with general grant. They selected him as their spokesman. William nelson for episcopalian. He approached general lee that day. He w
The book received eventually every prize in the world i think elizabeth, the lincoln prize, our Jefferson Davis award, the richard b. Harwell book award and the Richard Slatten award for excellence in virginia biography. I personally had the opportunity to read aloud an expert from an uncorrected proof of that book standing at this podium during the introduction of our 2007 simple pose yum about robert e. Lee. A sanchez often true, there is a story behind elizabeths emergence as a major civil war historian. She earned an m. A. In history from the university of pennsylvania studying withdrew gilpin faust, the now the president of Harvard University and i must tell a story about drew. When she was made the president of harvard people were sayingment is this an unbelievable, she is the first female to be the president of harvard. And i commented to her, i thought it was more remarkable that she was the first friend of the museum of the confederacy to be the first president of harvard. [ l
How many of you, and there are quite a few of you, have been to the mcclain house at appomattox courthouse . That makes things rather easy for me. Its time for lunch i believe. One thing thats probably not generally known is that the first offer of surrender didnt come from a letter from general grant. It came from a group of officers that have gathered april 7th and these officers concluded that because the circumstances facing the army that it might be best to suggest to general lee that he opened negotiations with general grant. They selected him as their spokesman. William nelson for episcopalian. He approached general lee that day. He would not hear that suggestion. He said there were too many brave and good men. General grant and most of the federal forces moved in. General lee moved the army of Northern Virginia north of the appomattox river. General grant establishes his headquarters at the Prince Edward hotel also known as the ran randolph house which no longer stands. Last ni
Patrick, is as you know his story, in the courthouse in National Historic park. And hes worked with me one of our other speakers, the third speaker today ron wilson, is the person who helped get this seminar together for the first time in 1999, the e 20 0. And then when ron retired patrick took over with working with longwood on this seminar. Patrick has history degrees from Shepherd College and from virginia tech. Hes worked as a Seasonal Employee and probably, as many of you know patrick has written numerous books related to that campaign and other aspects of the war. Several pamphlets. The 30 millionths about lees surrender, cemetery at aplamatics. Probably his most important work is we came to fight, a history of the fifth new york volunteer infantry. He helped finish the vortex of hell. Thats a great book to have. Both of those. Patricks book and the one he helped brian finish. Hes very heavily involved in battlefield preservation, set up the fund with the preservation trust. His