094 - After The Sound Of Bugles Faded: The Last Years of Robert E. Lee - Part 1

2026-01-26

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About this episode: We begin a two part presentation that tells the story of a man who never truly sought fame and never wanted to be controversial, and yet his destiny casts such a long shadow that to this day, he may well be one of the most noted generals in American military history, and to more than a few, lurks as one who was and continues to be deemed a traitor. He began his military career at 18 years of age, when he entered West Point in 1825. We pick up his life when, after surrendering the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, he c...

About this episode:

We begin a two part presentation that tells the story of a man who never truly sought fame and never wanted to be controversial, and yet his destiny casts such a long shadow that to this day, he may well be one of the most noted generals in American military history, and to more than a few, lurks as one who was and continues to be deemed a traitor. He began his military career at 18 years of age, when he entered West Point in 1825. We pick up his life when, after surrendering the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, he ceased to be a soldier and began his role as civilian and as an educator. Now, at 58, we seek to humanize the so-called marble man. This is the story of the final five and one half years of his life. This is part one of After The Bugles Faded: The Last Years of Robert E. Lee.

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Some Characters Mentioned In This Episode:

Jefferson Davis

George Washington Custis Lee

Mathew Brady

John W. Brockenbrough

John Letcher

William Lloyd Garrison

For Further Reading:

The Last Years of Robert E. Lee: From Gettysburg to Lexington by Douglas Savage

Lee: The Last Years by Charles Bracelen Flood

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Producer: Dan Irving

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