My brother and I were in this movie as Confederate infantrymen. The scene above was not planned or even in the script. It occurred spontaneously when Martin Sheen, as Lee rode by our ranks, and we all crowded around him, hoisted our hats on our bayonets, and began shouting "Lee, Lee, Lee!" The film crew yelled at us to keep doing it, and they began filming it. But the scene was really a spontaneous, unrehearsed and unplanned demonstration.
He was a West Point graduate who broke his oath to the USA and the US Army and the constitution. Some might feel he had good and noble reasons for doing that, and if so they should agree that his loss of portrait and a few statues are a small price to pay for supporting the enslavement of fellow Americans. I doubt he would mind at all.
People underestimate the status Lee had with his army. They viewed him as their grandpa warlord. Their leader. And they were really ready to walk across a mile of carnage for him. That’s true leader right there
I can honestly say his army would have marched into the infernal regions, battled the Devil himself, and left Hell itself a wreck. If Marse Robert had asked them to do so for him.
My dad knew my great grandfather who fought under Lee during the civil war. He told my dad that when lee passed he was held in reverent awe . . . standing and taking off their hats when he passed with words like 'God bless you general" or mainly silence. They trusted him. Was wounded at Antietam, Fredericksburg and Gettysburg..
to think. all those soldiers for the movie. they showed up to film without getting paid because they loved history so much, they wanted the film to be done right, damn, mad respect right there.
@@justinedwards5021 yeah, enough for hotels, food, and fuel. And those that brought their cannons (yes, really), and horses were likely given some more compensation as well (feed and cannon loads of gunpowder aren't cheap for something of this scale). But in the end, it was still cheaper for the studio in the long run, and allowed them to take the gamble of releasing the film in its full length..... it paid off.
I was one of the reenactors ( 33d. Virginia ) in this scene.... We really were cheering with our heart and soul.... It was a truly amazing moment that I never will forget....
You guys were Lee’s biggest fans by definition. It was like watching Spartacus or Alexander. 1.3 million hits! The audience recognizes the power and magnificence of the scene.
“He was a foe without hate; a friend without treachery; a soldier without cruelty; a victor without oppression, and a victim without murmuring. He was a public officer without vices; a private citizen without wrong; a neighbor without reproach; a Christian without hypocrisy, and a man without guile. He was a Caesar, without his ambition; Frederick, without his tyranny; Napoleon, without his selfishness, and Washington, without his reward.” B.H. Hill -----
@@Coryiodine People seem to forget that not everyone who fought on the confederate side were evil people. While Robert E. Lee owned slaves, he never abused them and he didn't condone slavery. He saw it as a reality of the times and did his best to make the slaves he had as comfortable as possible in the situation they were in. When his father-in-law died, Lee had to execute his will, which included freeing all of his slaves. Lee knew that the slaves wouldn't be successful if the didn't learn how to read and write, but it was illegal to educate them in the South. So Lee and his wife secretly taught his father's slaves how to read and write before liberating them. When the southern states began to secede, he refused to join the confederate ranks while Virginia (his home state) was part of the union. While he didn't agree with everything in the north, he did not believe that secession was the solution. It wasn't until after Virginia seceded that he agreed to join the confederate army. He wasn't a perfect man, but he deserved to be remembered with respect.
I think anyone can respect a man who chooses to fight for his home instead of a faceless hegemony, I think without the bravery of men like Lee and Jackson, Virginia wouldn't be the same state it is today.
During production. All the reenactors were told to treat all the actors who were playing the important historical part as if they were the real historical person themselves. So these reenactors were treating Martin Sheen as if he was General Lee. And Martin Sheen was taken back by this. Sheen was deeply impressed by how committed the reenactors were to the part.
this should've been the ending of the movie :) a celebration of victory, Lee saying goodbye to his soldiers before retiring. It could've very well been the case in real life too, hadnt there been mistakes committed by some wannabe generals.
I can totally see the Shock in Martin Sheen's eyes and on his face as this was all happening. Still even in shock he didn't break character. Totally love this scene.
Gabriel Davila I do too. I tire of the debate who played Lee better Sheen/Duvall/another actor. How many Civil War movies have made it to the big screen? How many are in the works? We were lucky to have this made and even luckier that “Gods and Generals” was made. Because that had a disappointing box office they canceled the plans to make “The Last Full Measure” at all. Sheen and Duvall were both good and we are fortunate to have those movies.
Michael C. The actor for Lee in Gods and Generals was a descendant of Robert E Lee, literally why he looked identical, it was a good choice. Sheen, though he didn’t look as alike was a VERY good actor. not that the other one wasn’t
My word, the raw emotion of that moment. Martin looked as if he was about to cry. I believe he understood from that moment the task Lee had, and the momentous opportunity he had portraying Lee. This movie always makes me tear up.
What really makes this scene work is Randy Edelmans incredible musical score!! That song embodies the Civil War and that Titanic struggle. One of the five best movie scores ever done. HANDS DOWN!!
Martin Sheen did a great job portraying General Lee. To be fair, the actor who played Lee in Gods And Generals was my favorite (Curse me for never being able to remember his name) but I thought Martin Sheen was amazing.
Both Martin Sheen and Robert Duvall portrayed General Robert E. Lee with the utmost respect and dignity. They gave it their very best. Loved both actors and how they portrayed Lee.
To all my fellow reenactors...who I so proudly served at Servant's General Store in Gettysburg....what a moving, tear filled scene. This production not possible without you! Thanks for the great memories. Martin Sheen was amazing. One of the best movies ever!
More amazing is how this scene came to be. This scene wasn't in the script. When the reenactors saw Sheen come out as Lee they spontaneously began to cheer. It was so moving that the director decided to film it and add it to the movie. A similar event actually did happen with Lee at the Battle of the Wilderness. When the Confederate line was about to break, Lee sent the Texans in to plug the gap. When Lee shouted "Texans always move them!", the Texas troops shouted out a cheer back to Lee. A courier witnessing the scene exclaimed with tears running down his face... "I would charge Hell itself for that old man..."
@@lufsolitaire5351 He didn't threaten to lead the charge at the Wilderness, he was prepared to do so and so dispositioned himself at the head of the Texas Brigade. They then shouted "Lee to the rear." and stood still. They only advanced and pushed the enemy back after members of the brigade led Lee's horse to the rear.
I just love the fact that this scene wasn't even part of the movie at first, the reenactors were more or less caught up in the moment when Martin Sheen rode by as Lee, and the Director & others thought "we got to get this on film". Very awe inspiring scene, though!
Are you enjoying heaven papa Lee? I bet you and Winfield Scott have been dining with Napoleon and George Washington very night. What is heaven like papa Lee? I bet it’s like endless endless fields O cotton.
What's so brilliant about this scene, is that it was completely spontaneous. This scene, which is probably my favorite, was not scripted. It came about when Martin Sheen was headed back to get undressed and go to the hotel, as he wasn't scheduled to shoot that day (he had an interview). He decided to ride "Traveler", and while he rode by the tree line, the reenactors emerged from the treeline shouting "Lee!". As described by Patrick Falci (the actor who played A. P. Hill for the film), the scene really show the love that the Confederate soldiers had for their General.
I was 20 years old the day this was filmed I took leave from the USMC to be an extra in this movie. It was indeed a spontaneous moment. we surrounded Sheen screaming Lee over and over shaking our rifles. it was like we were there. one of the most powerful moments of my life. I was an extra in Pickett's charge. I charged with North Carolina NB it was cool because the camera was not on us. we were screaming"break them Boy's" over and over. I later married a girl from North Carolina she gave me three boys - Lee, Jackson and Forrest your daddy is proud of all of you. My best memory is my mama going with me to see this movie. thank you Mama for letting me know where I come from and to be proud. Deo Vendice - God Vindicates
God never vindicated the Confederacy. It was a filthy attempt to create a new nation with slavery as it's economic backbone. It needed to be crushed. As a Marine you swore an oath to defend the United States. However, I am not trying to pick a fight with you. I'm a vet myself. I lived in the south for many years and loved it. I just don't like the Confederacy or anything that it represented. Cool that you were an extra in the film. And if it counts for anything I totally love this scene.
Even as a Sons of Union Veterans member and Union supporter this is one of the most beautiful scenes ever. Really admire how much love and respect people still have for General Lee to this day it's ridiculous that they want to take down his portrait at West Point.
If we saw pictures of general Rommel and General Paulus hanging in the military academy at Berlin that would be.... Disconcerting. One might think Germans were longing for the good old days.
Just because he fought for the slave states, DOES NOT undermine or undervalue his superb conduct & legendary status as a commanding officer. West Point should be ashamed of themselves for wanting to remove his portrait.
I still watch this scene, even with everything going on today. It brings tears to my eyes. A man willing to go before his general to a certain death is a man to be respected; and a man who is willing to take responsibility for commanding such men, is a rare breed of man indeed.
I`ve watched this clip probably dozens of times and it never fails to bring me to tears. The love and respect they have for Lee transcends everything else and they are willingly to die for him
As a Southern man with confederate ancestors it Still sends chills up my spine no matter how many times I've seen this scène over the last several decades. I been to Gettysburg 3 times. Always in awe of those brave you men.
This actually happened at the battle of Chancellorsville two months prior when Jackson met up with Lee after flanking Hooker. Hundreds of soldiers swarmed Lee and cheered. It also happened again at the battle of the Wilderness when Lee himself led his soldiers forward in battle until being surrounded with chants of, "Lee to the rear." Fearing Lee would be killed in battle soldiers grabbed his horse's bridle and forcibly led Lee back.
This scene wasn't supposed to be in the movie. The reenactors got so into character when Martin sheen rode by to be in place for his next scene they swarmed him and cheered him and the filmmakers loved it so much they left it in the movie. Goes to show you that southerners still love their beloved general 150 years later. Makes me proud one of my ancestors fell during pickets charge
This was one of the most poignant scenes in a truly great motion picture. And it was spontaneous. The Confederate reenactors saw Martin Sheen riding by and they suddenly rushed forward.
One of the most underrated scenes in movie history!! This was not planned, Martin Sheen had no clue. The passion and heart of every single reenactor was too overwhelming to hold back.
I can’t even begin to imagine what sort of happiness and amazement the reenactors were feeling in that moment, to not only be doing their usual role as actors on a larger scale for the movie but also to suddenly see the the man playing the South’s most well-known General suddenly in their midst.
Wayne McClanahan You do realize this takes place right before the vary real event that was Pickett's Charge, in which Lee against his subordinates advice order 12,500 of his men to assault the well defended center of the Union lines at Gettysburg, resulting in one of the worst slaughters of the war.
Mr. Hitman You are correct. this was before Pickett's Charge. General Robert Edward Lee and my gggrandmother, Tabiltha Hardy Williams McClanahan, are blood cousins.
Mr. Hitman, again you are correct subjecting Pickett's Charge. Lieutenant General James Longstreet did attempt to have General Lee to reconsider this plan of action and, of course, the rest is history.
Mr. Hitman, Prior to the assault, the Confederate artillery. approximately 140 cannon, was ineffective by the rounds falling short and/or over hitting their objections.
Mr. Hitman, of the approximately 12,500 Confederates committed, 6555 Confederate casualties resulted. One of the Confederate casualties was Colonel James Keith Marshall, who is my 7th blood cousin. He was the commander of Brigadier General James J. Pettigrew's North Carolina Brigade and while cheering and leading his men forward, he was instantly killed as a result of 2 shots to his forehead. His location was just short of the stonewall at Cemetery Ridge.
I’m a Gen Z Southern Catholic who had family on both sides of the war. Proud to be a Southerner! Damn what the haters say, God Bless The South and God Bless Robert E Lee!
@@Confederate-hj2dcMaryland will forever be a southern state as long as people like me and you live here and keep her traditions alive. Many thanks brother and God Bless and God Bless the South, from an Eastern Shore native.
You are the namesake of another damn good Confederate general, Richard Taylor. He orchestrated the last major Southern victory of the war (a full campaign).
@@loganw1232 - Just as many Republicans, if not more, are equally ignorant to American history. These types of ignorant, lackadaisical comments do nothing to add to the character of Robert E Lee. He was a man of strength and weakness, just like the rest of us.
@@Bigmojojo Yes, if not for his tactical genius than for his gentlemanly character and the way he treated his soldiers under him with respect and dignity. It’s like respecting Julius Caesar without agreeing with everything Rome did. Also, it’s up to the individual to choose what he or she admires not group thinking.
***** That's why Robert E Lee won all those Campaigns like Grant did right? Well at least Lee never marched 15,000 men into the center of the Union line at Gettysburg and expected a victory. Its not like Grant was given total control of all Union forces including Sherman in the South and Sheridan in the Shenedoah Valley and the Army of the Potomac. Taking your property, LOL, they're called human beings pal and your ancestor made millions of dollars off the backs of free labor. Fuck your been dead relative and his "property." For the record those "Commies" were invaded first and went on to defeat Fascism. That land belonged to the United States Federal Gov't and the Confederacy had no right to exist because NO ONE recognized their right to exist. They were pretty much a terrorist state and they fired first. I have no idea why you idiots are so angry over something that happened to people who you never knew. The war taught the South a very important lesson, the Feds will crush you until you whine like a bitch to stop. Most Southerns are decent folk trying to live their lives. Assholes like you give those people a bad name. P.S. The joke still went over your head.
***** That's war pal, when you fire upon a stronger enemy, prepare for the worst. The Confederacy was hardly the first to find this lesson out. You should check out how many civilians died in the various Napoleonic Wars, millions of civilians died. The South should consider itself lucky that Union soldiers were better behaved than the French.
Katie Browne First of all sweety, Religious morals aren't the only set out there. Basically everything you mention about morals and all that shit is nothing but subjective at best. If "Southern Gentleman" couldn't handle what Grant and Sherman did, then they are inferior soldiers and we are talking in the context of war. Maybe Lee would have been a better person to have a conversation with, but I want the best soldiers to win a war with. Yes factory workers were paid like shit for many years, but they still were above the poverty line. Work is hard, but most men will choose freedom and shit pay over being a slave.
Scripted, or unscripted, this may be the most powerful scene of any movie. The raw emotion in the eyes, and on the face of Matin Sheen is compelling and deeply moving. A scene like this would be nigh impossible to duplicate.
General Lee and General Washing ton have always been my heroes. Two figures from history in command of armies that were out numbered and out supplied in virtually every engagement they fought but held there armies together through sheer strength of will. Both men were revered and loved by the men they led.
Please, do not forget the 10.000 italians who volunteered, fought and died for the Confederacy. The militia of Louisiana had an italian guards battalion, later renamed 6th Regiment European Brigade, and other companies within regiments from Alabama, Virginia, Tennessee and Louisiana. General William Booth Taliaferro served in the Confederate Army as well as the commanders of the 6th Regiment European Brigade, Lt.Della Valle, Captain Marzoni, Captain Santini, First Lieutenant Marinoni and Second Lieutenant Baselli. Thank you from Italy for remembering them.
The shock on Sheen's face only adds to his performance. In this moment, Martin Sheen really was Marse Robert, the beloved commander of the Army of Northern Virginia, and awed by how much his men admire him and are willing to follow him.
I'm not even an American but something is very special and very touchy with that brilliant scene. I'd follow General Lee to death. Hats off and salute for the performance of Mr. Sheen. And hurray for Dixie!!!!!!!
@@britneyspears8286 I support no one except myself - I merely commented on Robert E. Lee's polite and immaculate behaviour, not on his ethics etc. I have some interest in the U.S. Civil War but only in the operational aspects of the various campaigns and battles, not in the moral and ethical aspects of the various issues involved.
My great-grandfather was 19 when he shot in his left hip at Cold Harbor. Spent 48 days in Richmond hospitals then return to duty at Fort Gilmer on the southern defenses of Richmond.Sent by train to the battle at Cedar Creek.Then retreated from Richmond on the agonizing march to Appomattox. Escaped capture at Saylors Creek where his beloved brother Lewis was captured. Stayed with General Lee to the bitter end. Surrendered then walked home to Georgia where he lived out his days in peace and the love and respect of his people.It will be a cold day in Hell before I turn my back on him and the cause he believed in. His name? George Washington Peacock, Co. A, 18th Georgia Infantry, Army of Northern Virginia.
Getting shot anywhere during the War was likely to result in death, because the mini balls they used didn't go straight through like bullets which were used later. They shattered bone. That's why there were so many amputations. One didn't get "shot through the arm", rather, one had one's arm shot off.
One of the biggest things to end the rebellion was the fact that Lee swore an oath of loyalty to the Union. That example was enough for thousands of former Confederates did the same. He was a leader in war and a leader in peace. This is why I don't mind, as a Yankee, monuments of RE Lee. Not Lee the traitor, but Lee the man who honorably ended the war and committed to a life of peace and citizenship.
"Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys; look upon them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death." (Sun Tzu)
I cannot get enough of this video. There are days I wish I could go back in time and be in those fields cheering on General Robert E Lee like those men were.
gump He made it clear in his letter to President Lincoln after receiving his offer to be made Major General of the Union Army. He would never draw his sword against his home and State Virginia. It was a hard decision to make for him because he did live the Union, but he lived his home state more. I would have done the same exact thing if I were in his boots.
FYI... this scene was unscripted. Martin Sheen had just finished make-up and was on his way to the Director. The reenactors started cheering him and the Director told the cameraman beside him to shoot the scene.
Aldous Jose A. Castro: Martin Sheen looks humbled and slightly awed by the esteem in which we held our beloved General Lee, that 150 years later the reenacters would still want to honor him, via his substitute.
My wife and are in Gettysburg right now as I’m typing this. It’s our 3rd time coming. If your a Civil War buff and have never been to Gettysburg…You absolutely MUST put that on your bucket list!! It’s a whole lot bigger than you think too. So much to see and learn!…You will love it, I promise!!
I didn't care for Sheen's protrayal of Lee in this film. His southern accent sounded totally fake to me and he looked like some half-crazed leprechaun. I always felt Tommy Lee Jones playing Lee similiar to the way he played Woodrow Call in "Lonesome Dove" would have been a much more realistic choice, but that's just me.
Tommy Lee, really? his face is not right in my opinion, to big, not angular like Lee's. ...there area lot of southern accent varieties, right? I liked him in thsi role, I liked the actor who played Pickett even more!
sherp2u1 I agree with you on Stephen Lang who played Pickett. I also liked Richard Jordan as General Armistead among others. I guess we can agree to disagree on Sheen as Lee.
The accent is not bad, though I think Sheen seems a bit lacking in energy. Lee was from the Virginia upper class. He would have spoken in what is know as the "Virginia piedmont" accent" - including non-rhotic (i.e. British sounding) "r" and a "southern drawl." This pronunciation is dying out today.
I remember my great aunts taking about how their fathers and uncles argued about the coming of the war. The men of the family were strong for the Union until Lincoln called for volunteers to invade the South. The younger men went into the Confederate Army at once. The oldest of my great uncles and the only slave owner n the family went with the Union and joined the first Alabama Union Cavalry. My great grandfather Neely joined the 51st Alabama Partisan Rangers and was a scout and courier for Generals Wheeler and Forrest. My cousin, J.J.Neely commanded a brigade for Forrest. My two great uncles were killed on the same day in the 10th Alabama at Gettysburg. My other great grandfather W.C. Forman of the 18th Alabama was badly wounded at Resaca and crippled him for life. I love this video of Lee. Viscount Wolesley said that the only well known individual that he had ever met that seemed cast from a greater mold than all others was Lee. I taught Civil War and Reconstruction for 35 years at University level and it pains me to see the simplistic reductionist approach that so many in the profession have embraced. The history is not as simple as many simple historians think. Let those who can remember; honor all of the men be they of Kershaw’s Brigade, the Union Iron Brigade or the 54th Massachusetts.
Lincoln didn't invade the south as it is part of the US. The South took up arms against their own countrymen. I love this movie and this was a great scene but I will never sugar coat on who started the war and why it started.
Absolut bester historischer Film wo kein Seite als gut oder böse dargestellt wird. Und die Leistung der Schauspieler perfekt ein Meisterwerk dieser Film
Thomas Hauptmann Mann sieht ganz besonders gut in lee's Augen dieser überwältigend Schock. Dieser Mann diese Person Robert Edward Lee ist eine sehr interessante Persönlichkeit der trotz Angebot des Oberkommando der Nordstaaten Armee zu haben. Sich für Virginia und damit dem Süden entschieden hat. Aber Jaa diese Szene in Gänsehaut pur
i love how this scene wasn't planned, he was just traveling to the next scene and out of no were a cheering adoring mob starts and they rolled with it😅
I play this music everytime I get ready to compete in a race!! It gives me inspiration, hope and dreams that only few veterans share. I love the background drum chorus as well!!!! :)
I think this is the greatest scene in the entire film, ironically, it was not scripted. Martin Sheen (Lee) was riding by and all these reenactors ran out to meet him shouting "Sheen" instead of Lee. The director loved it so much, they started to roll the camera and kept it, and dubbed "Lee" over "Sheen." That's why this scene is so powerful - it was not scripted and the power of human emotion can be seen, no doubt this is what the actual soldiers felt toward General Robert E. Lee back in the day!
im not even an american but the scene was truly amazing! hes such a hero a great man and so committed to his cause equal to hannibal of carthage. even against the odds they stood against titans of their age. salute!
@Doug Bevins you are a idiot. Who are The traitors. The North violently attacked the South destroying everything in its path. The Confedeates at least kept it to a military campaign. Why wouldn't they fight. Their homeland was being torn up. The people fighting were not fighting to preserve slavery. I am curious how you came to that conclusion. Most of them could not even afford to put shoes on their feet, so how do you expect them to be able to afford slaves. History has been purposely distorted.
Reinhard Heydrich the north was not some unstoppable force that burnt and pillaged homes like it is depicted in movies. The North was a superior force the REACTED to a rebellion within the country, and fought to preserve the Union. Now, each soldier fought for what they believed was right, and their was evil on both sides. Some soldiers, Like Lee, fought for their home state, while others wrongfully fought for slavery. It is a simple concept. Don’t fall for the States Rights Bullcrap argument. The Confederate constitution states that the Confederate States of America was founded upon Slavery and that is entirely wrong. Now, I am a native Virginia, and an advocate for history. I do believe that these historical states and battlefields should remain preserved.
stop discussing who was right or wrong the only thing he's saying is that no matter good or bad we shouldn't forget this conflict and rather learn from it
Very moving emotional scene unscripted as most of us all know by now. It made you feel the devotion and honor these men had for General Lee and their cause to fight for what they truly believed in at the time when others believed it was wrong even up to today. It brings tears to my eyes and Im a Vietnam veteran to see this scene. At the time of this movie if I was of mature age 130 years back it is possible that I would of been fighting there myself for sure being from the North. A truly great scene and movie very well done,.... Glenn.
Really? I guess you don't know who George Washington, Ulsassy S Grant, Douglas Mcarthur, George Marshall, Dewight D Eisenhower are. They didn't fight against their country, they fought for it.
Every 50 years, a US general comes along who is loved by the men who serve. No one still greater than Washington because Washington if he really wanted to, could of taken his army and capture the US for himself as King
The neatest thing about the Civil War to me is that it really wasn't fought all that long ago. I knew my great grandmother fairly well, and she knew her grandfather who fought at Gettysburg. And I'm only 17... There are lots of older folks today who knew Civil War vets when they were growing up too.
No scene in any movie could ever match the emotion shown here. Robert Lee was arguably the most beloved and respected general in American history. I am a Massachusetts man and even I named my son after Robert E. Lee. I believe in the movie Chamberlain said something along the lines of "There is nothing closer to gods on earth than generals on a battlefield."
Michael Leone Interesting fact... This whole scene was unscripted! "The scene shortly before Pickett's charge where Lee is cheered by the troops was impromptu. Some of the supporting cast had organized a 'Thank you' for Marten sheen and the reenactors ran out cheering for him. When the film of this incident was looked over it was dubbed over with troops yelling 'Lee' rather than 'Sheen' and added to the film. " Glad they did!
I remember seeing this movie on Super bowl Sunday in Reno NV. I don't even remember which teams played but this movie was better as I didn't miss anything. The reinactors were so genuine and professional in the formations and battle scenes. The intensity left me exhausted as if had watched the Super Bowl if I had any emotional ties with.
Such a good scene in the movie. This looked like a genuine moment. To those men, at that moment, it really was Robert E. Lee on a horse before them that they were cheering for.
Such a moving and powerful scene, definitely has to be one of the most moving scenes in all of film. Its sad to think that almost all of those men would soon be lying dead in just a few short hours.
...What a scene !!...made even more emotional by the fact that it actually happened in real life. Something intangible reaches us from the past to show us the devotion and love these rebels had for this noble man. Somehow, even knowing the grisly result that happened, there is an unexplained empathy for these valiant men and a beckoning from beyond to us today. Staff officer to Longstreet, G. Moxley Sorrel, wrote many years after the Civil War that when his time comes and he is standing at the pearly gates of heaven, he will mention to St. Peter only one thing : " show me to the Army of Northern Virginia ". There IS something romantic and compelling about being a rebel against authority and following such a noble man into the deadly trial of fire. THAT is why there is so much effort today to erase Lee's memory and the memory of those who were with him.
+John Foster I only wish America can and will one day be blessed with another great man Like General Robert E Lee. General Lee, the perfect example of being both a Great General, a True Soldier and Patriot and one of the finest Gentlemen America ever had. Rest In Piece General Lee, we all miss you but never will forget!
Jack Smack We just don't have men like Robert E Lee anymore. Someone who was the perfect example of what it means to be both a Soldier and a Gentleman.
You see how many people cheered on Robert E. Lee, how Abraham Lincoln was seen later in life...And you realize these were not just men to the people...They were walking Legends...
what a powerful, moving scene that portrays the charisma and inspiration that Lee had on his troops....no other General has been so beloved and endeared to his men as Lee
This scene was beautiful to watch, yet like one person said it is chilling. Because you know at this part of the movie that Pickett's Charge is about to take place for these soldiers. Still the way this was shot, unscripted mind you, and the music just makes you cry.
I am not American, but this scene certainly puts in perspective Lee's standing and status among his soldiers - he was as big to them as any rock star or super star of any kind in contemporary times. No wonder the confederacy was able to hold out for as long as it did running on empty for about 3 months short of 2 years after Gettysburg.
The statues belong in Museums not on government property. I don't give a damn how good a general or a nice person Lee or any of the others were, in the end they fought to break up America. You can't call yourself a true patriot and worship the side that fought and killed to break this country up. You can study them, teach or write books about them, hell you can even appreciate some of their military success from a tactical standpoint. But they in no way what so ever deserve to be idolize.
@@Bigmojojo At the time, southern people talked about the civil war as a "second war of independence". In fact the Great seal of the confederacy had George Washington on it. They considered themselves patriots as they refused to fight against their own people. On the other hand, many of them had fought the Mexican War to protect America. These people shouldn't be judged by our own 21st century mentality, but from their perspective at the time. Taking your point of view into account, they should remain on public property because future generations should learn about what happened, so that history doesn't repeat any more. Applying typical RU-vid or Twitter censorship or pretending as if history didn't happen as it did, will only lead us to repeat the same mistakes. Lincoln said once: "If America es ever destroyed, it won't be from the outside, but from the inside". Education and not concealment is the key. Have a nice day.
Marty Sheen did a keen job portraying Robert E Lee...all the way down to his Virginia accent...and the intensity in his expressions here in this scene rallying his boys
General's like Lee, Grant, Washington, Jackson, Pershing, Roosevelt, and Patton are some of the greatest American Heroes. We need more general's like them to bring morale and spirit to some of the American troops today. They were better general's than some of today's.
***** Ike, Jackson, Stuart, Hancock, and Chamberlain I can agree with. Bradley not so much. And the ones that did become politicians were not the bad ones. Most of our best leaders were military people.
***** While Lee and Davis never got a pardon, Longstreet was able to because of Grant. I'm sure Grant would've did his best to get a full pardon for them. I don't consider Lee a traitor. I feel that he is an example of how to lead an army and the bond between him and the ANV was very strong.
I could watch this a million times & not get tired of it!! I wished we could get another great leader to stand up for us like he did!! Especially today!
@Roger That get a life! This was old history, & this is the only country to abolish slavery. Get over yourself!!! Not every man in the south fought for slavery. The whole war wasn't just over slavery. We get it slavery was bad, but that's what is wrong with society today all ya'll ever talk about is the negative in life. Complaining & moaning about negativity instead of being happy & thinking about positivity. I'm sorry you're a miserable person. Be blessed sir!
@Roger That like I said not everyone faught for slavery.. idc what you spit at me. Also like I said it was history and you're still being sad & negative. Like I said yes slavery was bad, but this country has abolished it. By the way I'm sure not 1 union soldier owned a slave either.. by the way after the war some of the union soldiers were said to have burned down houses, and plantations and suched raped the southern women, & their slaves. So if you're still so bitter at the south I hope you're bitter against the north too sir. Good day
@Roger That I guess you woke up this morning in mood for an argument. None the less you obviously don't like Lee or Dixie so why are you even on this forum??.... oh that's right like we continue to say we just asked to be left alone, but I guess it's too hard for peeps like you to understand. Also like I continue to say & will continue to say not everyone faught for slavery! I guess the free black Confederate soldiers fought for slavery too huh. Keep supporting your beloved union who rape & murderd Native Americans , innocent women, & slaves. I'm not going to continue to argue with you anymore. I have a life & a job. Like I said not everyone in Dixie fought for slavery, & GOOD DAY SIR!!
A similar event happened during the battle of the wilderness when Lee was leading his men from the front a cavalry commander witnessing it said with tears in his eyes I’d charged hell for that old man but seriously this just shows how loved Lee was by the men under his command
