h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Robert E Lee and His Pet Chicken - A Study in Southern Gentility - A87801546
Author: Dmitri Gheorgheni - U1590784

Florida Sailor has done a good job of explaining the US Civil War terminology to us.

I would find that task overwhelming. So I thought I'd just tell the story of Robert E Lee and his pet chicken instead.

I think it adds something to our idea of what these people were like to know that Robert E Lee had a pet chicken.

Maybe one day, we should talk about Abe Lincoln and the kittens...

A fun read about an interesting side of the General that is not commonly known.

A pick two about the letter to his wife;

My first question was what is a 'Bremo' - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bremo_Historic_District

>>I suppose Robert would not eat 'Laura Chilton' and 'Don Ella McKay.' Still less would he devour his sister 'Mildred' [these were the names of pet chickens].

I do not think 'Mildred' was an actual chicken - http://www.nps.gov/arho/historyculture/mildred-lee.htm

I do notice that 'Nellie Hen' is conspicuous by her absence.

The one thing I noticed in William Mack Lee's work is he has his dates totally wrong. He clearly puts the date of the fatal dinner on 3 July, 1863. I doubt Lee had a formal occasion with his officers while trying to get his shattered army out of Gettysburg

The 'Battle of the Wilderness' was fought on May 5-7, 1864. Might be worth a mention just to give a sense of time. Do you have a date for the letter?

Well done

F S

Hey, thanks!

I'll footnote Bremo. I assumed it was the estate. The letter was in 1865. I'll see if I can find the exact date. I believe that book was edited by Lee's son, and he indicated in that note that Mildred was the name of the chicken, and Lee was NOT referring to his sister.

I agree - only one person on the internet appeared to find William Mack Lee suspicious, and he also pointed out that the man had his dates wrong. He also had generals coming to dinner who probably weren't all there at the time.

Okay, I added some notes - and fussed at this William Mack Lee about saying Stonewall Jackson rose from the dead to come to supper.

Let me know if it needs anything else to be clear.

Oh, and the letter was from after the war - October 1865.

Now I see the family humour!

Imagine naming a chicken after your daughter

I remember reading that the 3rd Reich wanted to name their great battleship after Hitler, He insisted that nothing that could possibly be defeated should carry his name. That is why the battle was fought with the 'Bismark' -good call!

Back to the subject at hand, I would like to see the 'October' date included with the letter. It places it far enough from the surrender to remove the idea that Lee was parading them before his starving troops. (even if he did)

By they way, I have seen chickens brought to re-enactments as pets, usually on a string.

F S

Good work FS well done (Again )

Chickens on a string....

You got it. I added 'October'. It won't help, half of them won't know when the war ended, but you can only do so much.

Actually, what I think was happening was that his wife had to move, and Lee was giving her advice about where to take the animals. Remember: the Feds stole Arlington, turned part of it into a cemetery to 'punish' Lee, even though what they did to Lee, they also did to the memory of George Washington...silly.

I've read that later, Robert, Lee's son, petitioned and got the land back. Then the government bought it from him, which is nice to know.

I like the idea of the chickens on a leash, too, Bob.

I like this Dmitri it shows that people in positions of command such as Robert E Lee command greater respect from those they lead when they reveil thair human side.

I did not expect most readers to understand the importance of the month, and I do not desire any explanation. If someone is interested enough it gives them all they need to know

The subject of Arlington probably deserves its own entry - http://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/History/Facts/ArlingtonHouse.aspx

About the chickens, I remember one was carried by a young country girl of about 14, another belongs to an older couple who come by my fort regularly, I am not sure it is always the same one though. They do attract the public's attention

F S

Arlington should, indeed, have its own entry.

Details like chickens make those re-enactments worthwhile. It's the little things that help people understand, I think.

Like the people in these pictures: A67015956

Very true good looking photographs where do they get equipment that good

They are all reproductions, most are available from commercial companies. The best stuff are made by the re-enactors themselves both for personal use and private sale. A very few original items can be found, but they are usually too expensive and fragile for use on a battlefield. Period photographs and museum artefacts are the most common sources for the patterns.

It is interesting that often the more unique items were preserved, and it is sometimes the case that a unit might all carry an item that only two or three men might have actually had during the war.

Many units had their own uniform , and accoutrements. These varied by year, and theatre of war.

Most units have a few members who spend a good deal of research on what items should be worn and carried.

This is not an endorsement, but here is a sample of some of what is available http://www.quartermastershop.com/reenactor_groups_by_state.html

F S

Looks well organised is it just the civil war era

Some people do the Revolution, or Colonial era. But don't get me started on people dumb enough to re-enact World War II.

totally love this entry - I have absolutely nothing to say about it apart from that I can't wait to see it on the FP!

This is a lovely entry.

It does make you wonder about the values of these honourable gentlemen. They kept slaves, fought bloody battles ...and looked after their pet chickens.

As Franz Werfel said of the Polish colonel, some of the finest minds of the 15th Century.

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