Top 158 Quotes & Sayings by Robert E. Lee
Explore popular quotes and sayings by an American military man Robert E. Lee.
Last updated on September 16, 2024.
Obedience to lawful authority is the foundation of manly character.
Do your duty in all things, like the old Puritan. You cannot do more; you should never wish to do less.
A true man of honor feels humbled himself when he cannot help humbling others.
We failed, but in the good providence of God apparent failure often proves a blessing.
Say just what you mean to do on every occasion, and take it for granted you mean to do right.
I like whiskey. I always did, and that is why I never drink it.
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.
Never do a wrong thing to make a friend or to keep one.
I think it better to do right, even if we suffer in so doing, than to incur the reproach of our consciences and posterity.
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.
If you have any fault to find with anyone, tell him, not others, of what you complain; there is no more dangerous experiment than that of undertaking to be one thing before a man's face and another behind his back.
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.
A Union that can only be maintained by swords and bayonets has no charm for me. If the Union is dissolved and government disrupted, I shall return to my native state and share the miseries of my people, and save in defense will draw my sword on none.
The devil's name is dullness.
I cannot trust a man to control others who cannot control himself.
The doctrines & miracles of our Saviour have required nearly two thousand years to convert but a small part of the human race, & even among Christian nations, what gross errors still exist!
It is good that war is so horrible, or we might grow to like it.
You must study to be frank with the world: Frankness is the child of honesty and courage.
The education of a man is never completed until he dies.
The war... was an unnecessary condition of affairs, and might have been avoided if forebearance and wisdom had been practiced on both sides.
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.
What a cruel thing war is... to fill our hearts with hatred instead of love for our neighbors.
It is well that war is so terrible, otherwise we should grow too fond of it.
I have fought against the people of the North because I believed they were seeking to wrest from the South its dearest rights. But I have never cherished toward them bitter or vindictive feelings, and I have never seen the day when I did not pray for them.
In all my perplexities and distresses, the Bible has never failed to give me light and strength.
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.
My chief concern is to try to be an humble, earnest Christian.
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.
We should live, act, and say nothing to the injury of anyone. It is not only best as a matter of principle, but it is the path to peace and honor.
In this enlightened age, there are few I believe, but what will acknowledge, that slavery as an institution is a moral & political evil in any country. It is useless to expatiate on its disadvantages.
Never do a wrong thing to make a friend or keep one; the man who requires you to do so is dearly purchased at a sacrifice.
While we see the course of the final abolition of human slavery is onward, & we give it the aid of our prayers & all justifiable means in our power, we must leave the progress as well as the result in his hands who sees the end; who chooses to work by slow influences; & with whom two thousand years are but as a single day.
If a friend asks a favor, you should grant it if it is reasonable; if not, tell him plainly why you cannot: You will wrong him and wrong yourself by equivocation of any kind.
They do not know what they say. If it came to a conflict of arms, the war will last at least four years. Northern politicians will not appreciate the determination and pluck of the South, and Southern politicians do not appreciate the numbers, resources, and patient perseverance of the North. Both sides forget that we are all Americans. I foresee that our country will pass through a terrible ordeal, a necessary expiation, perhaps, for our national sins.
So far from engaging in a war to perpetuate slavery, I am rejoiced that slavery is abolished.
Wisdom is nothing more than healed pain.
Mr. Blair, I look upon secession as anarchy. If I owned the four millions of slaves in the South, I would sacrifice them all to the Union; but how can I draw my sword upon Virginia, my native State?
With all my devotion to the Union, and the feeling of loyalty and duty of an American citizen, I have not been able to make up my mind to raise my hand against my relative, my children, my home. I have, therefore, resigned my commission in the Army.
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, 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.
I was too weak to defend, so I attacked
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I can only say that I am nothing but a poor sinner, trusting in Christ alone for salvation.
No day should be lived unless it was begun with a prayer of thankfulness and an intercession for guidance.
Act with a determination not to be turned aside by thoughts of the past and fears of the future.
It is history that teaches us to hope.
The dominant party cannot reign forever, and truth and justice will prevail at last.
A land without memories is a people without liberty.
There are few, I believe, in this enlightened age, who will not acknowledge that slavery as an institution is a moral and political evil.
Remember, we are all one country now. Dismiss from your mind all sectional feeling, and bring them up to be Americans.
Why, it appears that we appointed all of our worst generals to command the armies and we appointed all of our best generals to edit the newspapers. I mean, I found by reading a newspaper that these editor generals saw all of the defects plainly from the start but didn't tell me until it was too late. I'm willing to yield my place to these best generals and I'll do my best for the cause by editing a newspaper.
There is no more dangerous experiment than that of undertaking to be one thing before a man's face and another behind his back.
The enemy never sees the backs of my Texans!
A nation which does not remember what it was yesterday does not know where it is today.
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.
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.
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