Notebook - William Allan's "Memoranda of a Conversation with Robert E. Lee"

Containers:
Box 13, Folder 1
Creator:
Gordon, E. C. (Edward Clifford), 1842-1922 and Allan, William, 1837-1889
Scope and content:

Between February 1868 and February 1870 Washington College professor and former Confederate Ordinance officer, William Allan, had five conversations with college president Robert E. Lee which he manually recorded in this memo book which he titled "Conversations with Gen. R. E. Lee". Soon after each conversation, Allan described retreating to his office to record the highlights. In 1886, former Washington College Clerk of faculty and Librarian, Edward Clifford "E.C." Gordon shared with Allan, by mail, a similar manuscript reminiscence of a discussion he had with Lee in 1868 on the Sharpsburg/Antietam campaign, specifically the story of Lee's "Lost Dispatch". Allan transcribed Gordon's reminiscence into his memo book – with a background note. (Gordon's original reminiscence was then purportedly returned to him.) The memo book is accompanied by an informative 1886 letter from Gordon to Allan on the Lee conversations. There are also two letters regarding the gift of the memoranda book to Washington and Lee University in 1946 by Mrs. Louisa P. Allan, William Allan's daughter – in – law. Subjects of the conversations include Lee's objectives and strategy at different points during the American Civil War; Lee's decision to resign from the United States Army on April 20, 1861 including his conversations with U.S. Army General Winfield Scott; and commentary, at times critical, of Federal and Confederate generals and leaders including George McClellan, D.H. Hill, James Longstreet, Jefferson Davis, Richard Ewell, Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, Joseph Johnston, J.E.B. Stuart, and John-Fitz Porter. Civil War battles mentioned or discussed include Antietam, Fredericksburg, Gaines Mill and the Seven Days Battles, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, and the fall of the defenses at Petersburg, Va.

Language:
English

Access and use

Location of collection:
Washington and Lee University, Leyburn Library
Special Collections and Archives
James G. Leyburn Library
Washington and Lee University
204 W. Washington Street
Lexington, VA 24450
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Tom Camden
Phone: (540) 458-8649
Phone: (540) 463-8109
Fax: (540) 463-8964
Parent restrictions:
The collection is open for research use. When available, photocopies, digital surrogates, or other reproductions must be used in place of original documents.
Parent terms of access:
The materials from Washington and Lee University Special Collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user assumes full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used should be fully credited with the source. Permission for publication of this material, in part or in full, must be secured with the Head of Special Collections.