The natural disposition of most people is to clothe a commander of a large army whom they do not know, with almost superhuman abilities. A large part of the National army, for instance, and most of the press of the country, clothed General Lee with just such qualities, but I had known him personally, and knew that he was mortal; and it was just as well that I felt this.

Quit thinking about what Bobby Lee's gonna do to us and start thinking about what we're going to do to him.

Really, Mr. Lincoln, I have had enough of this show business.

I have made it a rule of my life to trust a man long after other people gave him up, but I don't see how I can ever trust any human being again.

There is nothing more I should do to it now, and therefore I am not likely to be more ready to go than at this moment.

I don't underrate the value of military knowledge, but if men make war in slavish obedience to rules, they will fail.

There are many men who would have done better than I did under the circumstances in which I found myself. If I had never held command, if I had fallen, there were 10,000 behind who would have followed the contest to the end and never surrendered the Union.