The Civil War News & Views Open Discussion Forum

Re: Wesley Norris
In Response To: Re: Wesley Norris ()

There are several different versions of this story that came out after the war, printed in different northern newspapers; one version has Lee whipping the half naked women. Most of the story is true, the escaped slaves, the name of the slaves, the name of the overseer, the dates, the payment of return, the jail time, etc., however the details of punishment cannot be verified.

Lee said of the stories,

"The New York Tribune has attacked me for my treatment of your grandfather's slaves," he told his son Custis, "but I shall not reply."

"the statement is not true; but I had not thought proper to publish a contradiction."

"there is not a word of truth in it...No servant, soldier, or citizen that was ever employed by me can with truth charge me with bad treatment."

I guess without the photographs of the scars on the back of Mr. Norris (certainly if they existed the press and history would have them as their center piece of the life of R. E. Lee) the story is unproveable.

_____________________
David Upton

Messages In This Thread

Wesley Norris
Re: Wesley Norris
Re: Wesley Norris
Re: Wesley Norris
Re: Wesley Norris
Re: Wesley Norris
Re: Wesley Norris
Re: Wesley Norris
Re: Wesley Norris
Re: Wesley Norris
Re: Wesley Norris
Re: Wesley Norris
Re: Wesley Norris