Robert E. Lee Quotes
A union that can only be maintained by swords and bayonets … has no charm for me.
Robert E. Lee, 1807-1870, Confederate General in Chief, Letter to his son G. W. Custis Lee, January 23, 1861
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
A variant of this quotation was used by Admiral of the German Navy. See {609658}.
Holland was officially Napoleon’s ally, but he and the French military leaders were not satisfied with the military or logistical support they were getting from the Dutch. Field Marshal Marmont was sent to Holland to “improve” the situation. When one of his demands seemed excessive a delegation of leading Dutch politicians met with him and reminded him that Holland was a sovereign country and France military officers could not issue orders in Holland. This was his famous response.
In this case, he was referring to the situation with the Barbary Pirates who had an incredible extortion racket going in the Mediterranean. If nations would pay them an annual sum each year, they would not attack and seize merchant ships of that country and sell the ships and goods while holding the sailors for ransom. Jefferson favored and authorized war—a naval attack which for many reasons the European nations had not done (they just paid the tribute). Then a peace treaty was finally signed—the first American Treaty.
Robert Edward Lee was an American Confederate general best known as a commander of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He led the Army of Northern Virginia from 1862 until its surrender in 1865 and earned a reputation as a skilled tactician.
