Traces of Lee in Texas

Subject: Traces of Lee in Texas Fri 20 Jul 2007, 11:41 am

Reading of Robert E. Lee possibly having stayed at Austin's Paggi House during his sojourn in Texas brought to memory a compact and wonderful older volume (published by Naylor of San Antonio, I believe), which deals with this very subject. I don't have a copy of my own, unfortunately, but from the Web and several other sources would like to begin a chronology of those places where Lee stopped or resided during his service in Texas -- especially the locations which might be visited readily today. Can anyone help?

Thanks,

Holly

http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/Lee_in_texas-.htm

http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/LL/fle18.html
_________________
The woman of the frontier made the best of her situation, for she had developed a respect for the land that gave her freedom as well as the courage to live in it.
~~~ from the perspective of Anne Seagraves

Subject: Re: Traces of Lee in Texas Thu 29 Nov 2007, 12:14 am

I finally was able to borrow a copy of Marks of Lee on Our Land, by Maurine Whorton Redway (also a co-author of Early Texas Homes. This little tome is a kind of meditative geography of Robert E. Lee, and seems to be a fine introduction to his life and career for the novice (like myself). A chapter in this book (published in 1972, by the way) covers Lee's service in and movements through Texas.

Am I correct in thinking that the Southwestern frontier -- once including our state -- provided the kind of training for which combat on foreign soils and in distant air-space prepare our military leaders today?

Maurine W. Redway described Texas as "a vast land of fundamentals," which had "buffeted Robert E. Lee's body and purged his soul ... had challenged his stamina and fired his imagination." (page 65) Evidently, he considered our far-flung terrain a "desert of dullness." And truly, what a contrast Texas must have been when placed beside his green Virginia and the placid, ordered East.

It would be good to learn more of his interactions with the Comanches and other tribesmen while serving in our state(mainly at old Camp Cooper, near present Albany?).

'Marks of Lee' is quite general in its coverage and bypasses analysis for the most part.

Here are some of the sites which Mrs. Redway gives as having sheltered Robert E. Lee during his several Texas missions, and which could be visited at her time of writing:

Fort Belknap

The Nimitz Hotel (Fredericksburg)

Landmark Inn, at Castroville
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/landmark_inn/

(what came to be known as) The Lee House at old Fort Ringgold, Rio Grand City (yet extant?)

The Old Stagecoach Inn (or, 'Shady Villa') at Salado
http://www.staystagecoach.com/golf/proto/stagecoach/

Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio

The Menger Hotel, San Antonio

Saint Mark's Episcopal Church, San Antonio

Also, while the registers of other old Texas inns may survive, I recall hearing years ago that the book which Lee and other notables signed at the old Stagecoach Inn (Salado -- and though the original portion of the building is now a restaurant -- with the much newer, adjoining facility, still considered by many to be the longest continually operating inn in Texas) had been stolen .... perhaps during the early 1960s. If this was so, does anyone know if it ever was recovered?

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_________________
The woman of the frontier made the best of her situation, for she had developed a respect for the land that gave her freedom as well as the courage to live in it.
~~~ from the perspective of Anne Seagraves

Subject: Re: Traces of Lee in Texas Fri 30 Nov 2007, 3:57 pm

My f-i-l is a HUGE admirer of Robert E. Lee. He has lots of books on him. I'll see what he's got next time we're in SLEEPERVILLE, uh.....Fair.... Sleep