Gen. Grant Speaks-- Part 4: The Civil War and Afterwards

When the Civil War began, Grant eventually received the command of the 21st Illinois Infantry and he saw his first action at the Battle of Belmont (Missouri)  in November 7, 1861.

At Appomattox, when he met Lee for the first time since the Mexican War, he tried to break the awkwardness by asking the Confederate general how things were going on the home front and wished he hadn't because Lee had lost his home at Arlington, Virginia,  which had been taken by the federal government and turned into a cemetery.

A few days later, he had been invited by the Lincolns to attend that play at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C., but his wife absolutely refused to go as she hated Mary Todd Lincoln.  Their excuse was that they were going elsewhere.  They were on a train and got to Burlington when they heard that Lincoln had been shot.

After the war,  He was, however, still in the Army and when people wanted him to run for president he had to make the decision of whether to give up his rank of General of the Army with its $40,000 a year salary or the president's salary of $25,000.

What Did He Do.  --Old Secesh

How Arlington National Cemetery Was Acquired-- Part 1

From the May 28, 2012, History "Arlington National Cemetery: 8 Surprising Facts" by Christopher Klein.

As we commemorate the 150th anniversary of this, the best-known of all National Cemeteries.  The rest of the eight facts are being listed in my Cooter's History Thing Blog this week.

Robert E. Lee married Mary Custis and lived at the house and plantation for 30 years, except when on duty for the U.S. Army.    After he sided with the Confederacy, he left it and never returned.
Robert
On May 23, 1861, Union troops crossed the Potomac and occupied the 200 acre property and house that had been built by George Washington Parke Custis, Mary's father and step-son of George Washington.--

--Old Secesh

You Can Own a Piece of Lee's Hair and Wartime Pocket Knife

From the January 13, 2014, Falls Church (Va) Patch "General Robert E. Lee's Hair for Sale: Guess How Much?" posted by Mary Ann Barton (ed).

A letter, pocket knife and clip of his hair will be auctioned by Quinn's Auction Gallery, Lot #172, tomorrow in Falls Church, Virginia. It has been on loan and display at Arlington House, the Lee Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery for more than twenty years.

Robert E. Lee originally sent the items to a woman in Baltimore after the war who had requested items to raise funds for an orphanage according to a 1907 Baltimore Sun article that accompanies the items.

The auction company estimates the lot will go for $20,000 to $30,000 with a suggested starting bid of $10,000.

In the letter, Lee wrote: "I must apologize for the condition of this knife by stating that it was my companion during the war. REL."

I Wonder If He Had It With Him At Appomattox? --Old Secesh