Friday, December 5, 2008

Two generals


A bronze medallion on the memorial to the WWI dead at Washington and Lee University.

Washington and Lee is the other institution of higher learning in Lexington. (Of course, Washington and Lee would say that VMI is the other one -- I have no connection to either.) And W&L was here first, in 1780, initially as Liberty Hall Academy and later renamed Washington College, in gratitude to George Washington, who gave them a life-saving gift of valuable stock when they had hit hard times.

At the end of the Civil War, when Robert E. Lee had no place else to go, he was invited here to take up the presidency of Washington College. Five years later he died, and the school became "Washington and Lee."

I'm really taken by this image of these two men in profile, together. Hadn't noticed it before yesterday.

(I'm a northerner, by the way. But like many northerners, I have great respect for Lee. And it is an impressive event in American history that, after the war, he was left to live out his life in peace.)

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Great shot and very interesting information!

Fredrik said...

Nice shot. I'm just watching North & South from 1985 with Patrick Swayze. You have a short but interesting history over there.

MurciaDailyPhoto said...

Thanks to notice us about this part of the history.
Following with the theme from yesterday, I post one more photo about the artillery barracs. I hope you like it.

Jill said...

A nice medallion of two men who contributed much to our nation. I too am a northerner and have utmost respect for General Lee. He was indeed a gentlemen.