Robert E. Lee quotes:

The trite saying that honesty is the best policy has met with the just criticism that honesty is not policy. The real honest man is honest from conviction of what is right, not from policy.

The war... was an unnecessary condition of affairs, and might have been avoided if forebearance and wisdom had been practiced on both sides.

I have been up to see the Congress and they do not seem to be able to do anything except to eat peanuts and chew tobacco, while my army is starving.

A Union that can only be maintained by swords and bayonets, and in which strife and civil war are to take the place of brotherly love and kindness, has no charm for me.

I tremble for my country when I hear of confidence expressed in me. I know too well my weakness, that our only hope is in God.

Obedience to lawful authority is the foundation of manly character.

In all my perplexities and distresses, the Bible has never failed to give me light and strength.

We failed, but in the good providence of God apparent failure often proves a blessing.

My chief concern is to try to be an humble, earnest Christian.

They seemed so united that I loved them as one person. Lee wrote of his son and daughter-in-law on his daughter-in-law's death.

What a cruel thing is war: to separate and destroy families and friends, and mar the purest joys and happiness God has granted us in this world; to fill our hearts with hatred instead of love for our neighbors, and to devastate the fair face of this beautiful world.

What a cruel thing war is... to fill our hearts with hatred instead of love for our neighbors.

I like whiskey. I always did, and that is why I never drink it.

My experience through life has convinced me that, while moderation and temperance in all things are commendable and beneficial, abstinence from spirituous liquors is the best safeguard of morals and health.

We have fought this fight as long, and as well as we know how. We have been defeated. For us as a Christian people, there is now but one course to pursue. We must accept the situation.

I cannot trust a man to control others who cannot control himself.

We must enlist our own snake and strike like a cobra against their vitals with an attack on Washington.

You must study to be frank with the world: frankness is the child of honesty and courage. Say just what you mean to do on every occasion, and take it for granted that you mean to do right.

I have thought from the time of the cessation of the hostilities, that silence and patience on the part of the South was the true course; and I think so still. Controversy of all kinds will, in my opinion, only serve to continue excitement and passion, and will prevent the public mind from the acknowledgement and acceptance of the truth.

What a beautiful world God, in His loving kindness to His creatures, has given us! What a shame that men endowed with reason and knowledge of right should mar His gifts....

The biggest mistake of my life was taking a military education.

No blame can be attached to the army for its failure to accomplish what was projected by me... I alone am to blame, in perhaps expecting too much of its prowess and valor... could I have foreseen that the attack on the last day would fail, I should certainly have tried some other course... but I do not know what better course I could have pursued.

We made a great mistake in the beginning of our struggle, and I fear, in spite of all we can do, it will prove to be a fatal mistake. We appointed all our worst generals to command our armies, and all our best generals to edit the newspapers

Act with a determination not to be turned aside by thoughts of the past and fears of the future.

All that the South has ever desired was that the Union, as established by our forefathers, should be preserved, and that the government as originally organized should be administered in purity and truth.

...the framers of our Constitution never exhausted so much labor, wisdom and forbearance in its formation if it was intended to be broken up by every member.

My heart bleeds at the death of every one of our gallant men.

It is well that war is so terrible, or we should grow too fond of it.

It is well that war is so terrible, or we would grow too fond of it.

We must expect reverses, even defeats. They are sent to teach us wisdom and prudence, to call forth greater energies, and to prevent our falling into greater disasters."

Sir, if you ever presume again to speak disrespectfully of General Grant in my presence, either you or I will sever his connection with this university.

There is nothing left for me to do but to go and see General Grant and I would rather die a thousand deaths.

A true man of honor feels humbled himself when he cannot help humbling others.

Life processes take place in an aqueous medium. All organisms are composed mostly of water, whether they dwell in the oceans, lakes, and rivers, or on the land. Because the physical and chemical properties of water are well suited to the requirements of life, it is no accident that life is a water-based phenomenon.

Private and public life are subject to the same rules-truth and manliness are two qualities that will carry you through this world much better than policy or tact of expediency or other words that were devised to conceal a deviation from a straight line.

The gentleman does not needlessly and unnecessarily remind an offender of a wrong he may have committed against him. He cannot only forgive, he can forget; and he strives for that nobleness of self and mildness of character which impart sufficient strength to let the past be but the past. A true man of honor feels humbled himself when he cannot help humbling others.

I believe it to be the duty of everyone to unite in the restoration of the country and the reestablishment of peace and harmony.

Duty is the sublimest word in our language

It is easier to make our wishes conform to our means than to make our means conform to our wishes.

True patriotism sometimes requires of men to act exactly contrary, at one period, to that which it does at another, and the motive which impels them the desire to do right is precisely the same.

I can only say that I am nothing but a poor sinner, trusting in Christ alone for salvation.

The enemy never sees the backs of my Texans!

Alabama soldiers, all I ask of you is to keep up with the Texans!

What a glorious world Almighty God has given us. How thankless and ungrateful we are, and how we labor to mar his gifts.

I think it better to do right, even if we suffer in so doing, than to incur the reproach of our consciences and posterity.

You cannot be a true man until you learn to obey.

Get correct views of life, and learn to see the world in its true light. It will enable you to live pleasantly, to do good, and, when summoned away, to leave without regret.

I have fought against the people of the North because I believed they were seeking to wrest from the South dearest rights. But I have never cherished toward them bitter or vindictive feelings. And have never seen the day when I did not pray for them.

The education of a man is never completed until he dies.

We must expect reverses, even defeats. They are sent to teach us wisdom and prudence, to call forth greater energies, and to prevent our falling into greater disasters.

The devil's name is dullness.

It is well that war is so terrible, otherwise we should grow too fond of it.

A land without memories is a people without liberty.

A man may manifest and communicate his joy, but he should conceal and smother his grief as much as possible.

A nation which does not remember what it was yesterday does not know where it is today.

Abandon your animosities and make your sons Americans!

All I ever wanted was a Virginia farm, no end of cream and fresh butter and fried chicken - not one fried chicken, or two, but unlimited fried chicken.

All military history records the triumphs of discipline and courage far more frequently than numbers and resources.

All this has been my fault.

Any victory would be dear at such a price.

As a general principle you should not force young men to do their duty, but let them do it voluntarily and thereby develop their characters.

But what a cruel thing is war to separate and destroy families and friends.

Death, in its silent sure march is fast gathering those whom I have longest loved, so that when he shall knock at my door, I will more willingly follow.

Duty is the sublimest work in the English language.

Duty, then is the sublimest word in our language. Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more; you should never wish to do less.

Every student must be a gentleman.

Everyone should do all in his power to collect and disseminate the truth, in the hope that it may find a place in history and descend to posterity. History is not the relation of campaigns and battles and generals or other individuals, but that which shows the principles for which the South contended and which justified her struggle for those principles.

For I consider the character of no man affected by a want of success, provided he has made an honest effort to succeed.

General Longstreet,when once in a fight, was a most brilliant soldier; but he was the hardest man to move I had in my army.

Go home all you boys who fought with me and help build up the shattered fortunes of our old state

He has lost his left arm, but I my right.

History teaches us hope.

I am as willing to serve now as in the beginning in any capacity and at any post where I can do good. The lower the position, the more suitable to my ability and the more agreeable to my feelings.

I am now considered such a monster, that I hesitate to darken with my shadow, the doors of those I love, lest I should bring upon them misfortune.

I am of the opinion that all who can should vote for the most intelligent, honest, and conscientious men eligible to office, irrespective of former party opinions, who will endeavour to make the new constitutions and the laws passed under them as beneficial as possible to the true interests, prosperity, and liberty of all classes and conditions of the people.

I believe I may so, looking into my own heart, and speaking as in the presence of God, that I have never know one moment of bitterness or resentment.

I can anticipate no greater calamity for the country than the dissolution of the Union. It would be an accumulation of all the evils we complain of, and I am willing to sacrifice everything but honor for its preservation.

I consider the proper education of our youths one of the most important objects now to be attained and one from which the greatest benefits may be expected.

I did only what my duty demanded. I could have taken no other course without dishonor.

I endeavored to give thanks to our Heavenly Father for all his mercies to me, for his preservation of me through all the dangers I have passed, and all the blessings which he has bestowed upon me, for I know I fall far short of my obligations

I have always observed that wherever you find the negro, everything is going down around him, and wherever you find the white man, you see everything around him improving.

I have never witnessed on any previous occasion such entire disregard of the usage of civilized warfare and the dictates of humanity.

I pray that on this day [Christmas] when only peace and good-will are preached to mankind, better thoughts may fill the hearts of our enemies and turn them to peace.

I should NOT be trading on the blood of my men.

I was too weak to defend, so I attacked

I will attack no matter what and win the war!

I would rather die a thousand deaths than surrender.

Ideas are easy to conceive, less easy to execute.

If we do not do this our churches will lighthouses without light, wells without water, dumb witnesses, sleeping watchmen, silent trumpets, messengers without tidings, a comfort for infidels, jubilant joys to the devil, and an offense to God.

It is glorious to see such courage in one so young.

It is good that war is so horrible, or we might grow to like it.

It is history that teaches us to hope.

It is well that war is so terrible. We should grow too fond of it.

It's the loneliest feeling in the world-to find yourself standing up when everybody else is sitting down. To have everybody look at you and say, 'What's the matter with him?' I know. I know what it feels like. Walking down an empty street, listening to the sound of your own footsteps. Shutters closed, blinds drawn, doors locked against you. And you aren't sure whether you're walking toward something, or if you're just walking away.

Keep steady in the view of the great principles for which you contend. The safety of your homes and the lives of all you hold dear depend upon your courage and exertions. Let each man resolve to be victorious, and that the right of self government, liberty and peace shall find him a defender.

Lee tells his troops. After four years of arduous service marked by unsurpassed courage and fortitude the Army of Northern Virginia has been compelled to yield to overwhelming numbers and resources.

Let danger never turn you aside from the pursuit of honor or the service to your country ... Know that death is inevitable and the fame of virtue is immortal

Let us go home and cultivate our virtues.

Let us pray for ourselves, that we may not lose the word "concern" out of our Christian vocabulary. Let us pray for our nation. Let us pray for those who have never known Jesus Christ and redeeming love, for moral forces everywhere, for our national leaders. Let prayer be our passion. Let prayer be our practice.

Life Insurance trusts I consider sacred. To hazard the property of the dead & to lose the scanty earnings of fathers & husbands, who have toiled & saved that they may leave something to their families deprived of their care & the support of their labour, is to my mind the worst of crimes.

Live in the world you inhabit. Look upon things as they are. Take them as you find them. Make the best of them. Turn them to your advantage.

Marry...into a family that will enable your children to feel proud of both sides of the house.

My experiences of men has neither disposed me to think worse of them nor be indisposed to serve them: nor, in spite of failures which I lament, of errors which I now see and acknowledge, or the present aspect of affairs, do I despair of the future. The truth is this: The march of Providence is so slow and our desires so impatient; the work of progress so immense and our means of aiding it so feeble; the life of humanity is so long, that of the individual so brief, that we often see only the ebb of the advancing wave and are thus discouraged. It is history that teaches us to hope.

My trust is in the mercy and wisdom of a kind Providence, who ordereth all things for our good.

Never do a wrong thing to make a friend or to keep one.

No day should be lived unless it was begun with a prayer of thankfulness and an intercession for guidance.

Our country demands all our strength, all our energies. To resist the powerful combination now forming against us will require every man at his place. If victorious, we will have everything to hope for in the future. If defeated, nothing will be left for us to live for.

Postal officials say that before Christmas they receive tons of letters written to Santa Claus, but after Christmas how few letters of thanks are sent to him! From childhood onward, human beings seem to be characterized by thanklessness.

Read history, works of truth, not novels and romances

Remember, we are all one country now. Dismiss from your mind all sectional feeling, and bring them up to be Americans.

Respect is based on Friendship,and friendship is based on love and love is so accidental isn't it ?

Say what you mean to do...and take it for granted you mean to do right. Never do a wrong thing to make a friend or keep one...you will wrong him and wrong yourself by equivocation of any kind.

Shake off those gloomy feelings. Drive them away. Fix your mind and pleasures upon what is before you.All is bright if you will think it so. All is happy if you will make it so. Do not dream. It is too ideal, too imaginary. Dreaming by day, I mean. Live in the world you inhabit. Look upon things as they are. Take them as you find them. Make the best of them. Turn them to your advantage.

So far from engaging in a war to perpetuate slavery, I am rejoiced that Slavery is abolished. I believe it will be greatly for the interest of the South. So fully am I satisfied of this that I would have cheerfully lost all that I have lost by the war, and have suffered all that I have suffered to have this object attained.

So far from engaging in a war to perpetuate slavery,I am rejoiced that slavery is abolished.

Such an executive officer the sun never shone on. I have but to show him my design, and I know that it can be done, it will be done...Straight as the needle to the pole he advanced to the execution of my purpose.

Teach him to deny himself.

The consolidation of the states into one vast empire, sure to be aggressive abroad and despotic at home, will be the certain precursor of ruin which has overwhelmed all that preceded it.

The dominant party cannot reign forever, and truth and justice will prevail at last.

The enemy is here, and if we do not whip him, he will whip us.