Disdainful? I have never thought of General Lee's use of "those people" in that way. I believe General Lee's use of that term was to instill in his men the thought that they were fighting human beings, i.e. "people", and not degrading them down to animals or lesser creatures (like soldiers tend to do in all wars). General Lee was a Christian soldier and demanded that his men acted as such towards the enemy. Southern soldiers were certainly not identified by any terms of endearment by "those people". The "people" who wrote this is clearly waving a very weak bloody shirt, a tradition in many of "those peoples" minds. This "people" cannot be pacified with any argument you may give on the virtues of General Lee. To "people" like him John Brown was a saint and martyr, the only true American; the U.S. Constitution...only words; Southerners...ignorant, non-American, heartless beast; The Declaration of Independence... charming and old fashioned.
General Lee's reputation is not only held up by Southerners but by the very people he fought. Union men have been some of the strongest supporters of General Lee, and if they were alive today, I believe would support his recognition as a great American. General Lee, by law, by decree, by his actions is a historic patriot American whose history should be taught to all generations.
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David Upton