Robert E. Lee and Me

Ty Seidule grew up revering Robert E. Lee. From his southern childhood to his service in the U.S. Army, every part of his life reinforced the Lost Cause myth: that Lee was the greatest man who ever lived, and that the Confederates were underdogs who lost the Civil War with honour. Now, as a retired brigadier general and Professor Emeritus of History at West Point, his view has radically changed. From a soldier, a scholar, and a southerner, American history demands a reckoning. In a unique blend of history and reflection, Seidule deconstructs the truth about the Confederacy – that its undisputed primary goal was the subjugation and enslavement of Black Americans – and directly challenges the idea of honouring those who laboured to preserve that system and committed treason in their failed attempt to achieve it.