Gen. Robert E. Lee quotes

View Quote It's my fault. If they fight, we must fight with them. And does it matter after all who wins? Was that ever really the question?

View Quote [thinking] In the morning is the great battle. Tomorrow or the next day will determine the war. Virginia is here. All the South is here. What will you do tomorrow? In the morning the enemy will be up in fortified positions on high ground. Longstreet's corps will be coming up and my boys will be ready to finish the job. If I tell them to withdraw now? No, sir. They've been patient for far too long. With the enemy out there up on the hill, they'll be ready to finish the job. But I don't even know how much is up there. How many men? How many cannon? I don't know the ground or the flanks. I don't know. If I wait in the morning, the early morning, maybe Meade, under pressure, will attack. That would make General Longstreet very happy. But I don't think Meade will come down. And I don't think I can withdraw, so, God's will, thy will be done.

View Quote [to Longstreet, on the nature of the army] Soldiering has one great trap. To be a good soldier, you must love the army. To be a good commander, you must be willing to order the death of the thing you love. We do not fear our own death, you and I. But there comes a time... we are never quite prepared for so many to die. Oh, we do expect the occasional empty chair, the salute to fallen comrades. But this war goes on, and the men die, and the price gets ever higher. We are prepared to lose some of us, but we are never prepared to lose all of us. And there is the great trap, General: When you attack, you must hold nothing back. You must commit yourself totally. We are adrift here in a sea of blood, and I want it to end. I want this to be the final battle.

View Quote They will break in the center. Those people will be gaining men from all directions, guns by the thousands. And Richmond has nothing left to send us. So if we stay, we fight. If we retreat now, we will have fought here for two days, and will leave knowing we could not drive them off. And I have never yet left the enemy in command of the field. No Sir. Retreat is no longer an option.

View Quote [just before Pickett's Charge] With General Longstreet in command, my old war horse, meeting the enemy face to face on ground of his own choosing, and with honour, we will prevail!

View Quote They do not die for us. Not for us. That at least is a blessing. If this war goes on, and it will... it will... what else can we do but go on, you and I? It's always the same question forever. What else can we do? If they fight, we must fight with them. And does it matter after all who wins? Was that ever really the question?

View Quote [deleted scene] Major, this Army will conduct itself properly and with respect to all civilian population at all times. And you will personally report to me any infraction no matter how minor or trivial they may appear.