Ridiculous History – “CLASSIC: Did Robert E. Lee hate Confederate Memorials?”
Podcast by iHeartPodcasts
Release Date: April 4, 2026
Hosts: Ben Bowlin & Noel Brown
Episode Overview
This “classic” Ridiculous History episode takes on the complicated legacy of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, specifically exploring the claim that Lee disliked or actively opposed Confederate war memorials. Hosts Ben and Noel weave together Lee’s biography, the emergence of “Lost Cause” mythology, and traces the roots and ramifications of Civil War monuments in the U.S. With their trademark wit and candor, the hosts also connect historical context to present-day debates over statuary and memory in America.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Civil War: Context & Lee’s Biography
[03:06–11:18]
- Civil War as the “most heavily documented, researched war in U.S. history” (Ben, 04:06).
- Lee’s background: Born 1807 in Virginia, son of "Light Horse Harry" Lee, comes from a storied military family.
- Attends West Point, emerges as a decorated officer but also as a Southern plantation slave owner.
- Myth-busting:
- Lee presented himself postwar as having always favored emancipation, even testifying before Congress to that effect.
- Reality: He owned/managed hundreds of enslaved people for over 30 years, with accounts highlighting his cruelty as a slaveholder.
- Lee’s military career: Suppressed John Brown’s raid at Harpers Ferry, offered command of the Union army by Lincoln but declined—“I cannot make war against my own people.”—before joining the Confederacy.
2. Lee After the War and the Birth of the Memorial Debate
[11:18–13:04]; [15:44–18:59]
- After surrendering at Appomattox (April 9, 1865), Lee goes on parole and becomes president of Washington College.
- Myth-making kicks in quickly after Lee’s death: “He was romanticized...people in the South wanted to build statues to him.” (Ben, 12:47)
- Both hosts stress that these memorials fueled toxic, romanticized narratives around the Confederacy.
- Lee’s own stance: Sought national healing, not ongoing division—opposing the memorialization of the war and Confederate leaders.
3. Lee’s Direct Statements Against Confederate Monuments
[15:48]–[19:39]
- Referencing a PBS article (Lisa Desjardins), the hosts share evidence of Lee’s opposition:
- “He stressed this idea that it was very important for a nation that had been torn by war to move past it. And that includes not memorializing it with any kind of symbolism or militant monument remembrances.” (Noel, 15:48)
- Quoting Lee (on Gettysburg memorials, 1869):
- “I think it wiser not to keep open the sores of war, but to follow the examples of those nations who endeavored to obliterate the marks of civil strife, to commit to oblivion the feelings engendered.” — Robert E. Lee ([16:38])
- Ben stresses that Lee feared memorials would “continue to sow those seeds of division and hostility between the winning and the losing sides.” (Noel paraphrasing, 17:03)
Additional Lee Quote (on Stonewall Jackson monument):
- “My conviction is that however grateful it would be to the feelings of the south, the attempt in the present condition of the country would have the effect of retarding instead of accelerating its accomplishment, of continuing, if not adding to the difficulties under which the Southern people labor.” — Robert E. Lee ([19:02])
4. Contemporary Resonance & Monument Debates
[19:39–24:33]
- Fast-forwards to recent events: The 2017 Charlottesville rally, organized in opposition to the proposed removal of a Charlottesville Lee statue, led to violence and national debate.
- Noel notes the “division” memorials still create. Ben references the Southern Poverty Law Center’s count of 750+ Civil War monuments across the U.S.
- The hosts discuss public polling—62% in a 2017 poll thought such monuments should stay as historical symbols; opinions vary and are deeply rooted.
The Nuance:
- Lee also rejected Union/Civil War memorialization. He advocated leaving battlefields peaceful: farms, towns—not sites of division.
- “He really wanted the battlefields to be erased...rather than memorializing them, he saw it as a way to speed reconciliation.” (Ben, 23:27)
- Lee was neither particularly repentant (“wholly penitent”) nor proud—he believed in moving forward instead of “keeping open the sores.” (Ben, 24:14)
5. The Confederados: A Memorial Abroad
[24:33–26:05]
- Shift to the story of 10,000–20,000 Confederate Americans who fled to Brazil (founding Americana, São Paulo) after the war.
- The town’s annual festival reflects Confederate cultural legacy, but, as hosts note, “for them, not about commemorating a regime… just part of their culture.” (Ben, 25:32)
6. Fact-Checking Lee's Stance & Lasting Ambiguity
[26:05–26:51]
- Citing Snopes, they declare Lee’s opposition to Confederate monuments is “mixture of true and false”:
- True for Stonewall Jackson, some others; less clear how broad or consistent his opposition was.
- “His opposition to Confederate monuments was probably more pronounced than his opposition to Civil War monuments in general, but it was still against [them] overall.” (Noel, 26:51)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- Ben (04:06): “From 4-12-1861 to 4-9-1865, this nation was embroiled in what would later become the most heavily documented researched war in US history.”
- Noel (03:54): “It was real mean spirited, man. Brothers were fighting brothers. Everyone was at each other's throats, the north and the south and why can't we all just get along? And it wasn't any fun, Ben. Wasn't any fun.”
- Ben (16:38, quoting Lee): “I think it wiser not to keep open the sores of war, but to follow the examples of those nations who endeavored to obliterate the marks of civil strife, to commit to oblivion the feelings engendered.”
- Ben (19:02, quoting Lee): “As regards the erection of such a monument as is contemplated...the attempt...would have the effect of retarding instead of accelerating its accomplishment, of continuing, if not adding to the difficulties under which the Southern people labor.”
- Noel (19:39): “This actually was so divisive, it made the news really recently because of...Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, where...an alt-right or a white supremacist group descended on the small college town because of a proposal to pull down a statue of General Robert E. Lee.”
- Ben (21:28): “Faulkner was right when he said the past is not over. It's not even past. And I'm paraphrasing there, but this is an important point...”
- Ben (23:27): “He really wanted the battlefields to be erased, to turn into farms, to turn into towns and other peaceful areas of the nation. Rather than memorializing them, he saw it as a way to speed reconciliation.”
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 03:06–11:18 – Robert E. Lee’s biography, myth busting about Lee and slavery
- 11:18–13:04 – Lee after the war, rise of memorialization and “Lost Cause” mythology
- 15:44–18:59 – Primary source deep dive: Lee’s opposition to memorialization, direct quotes
- 19:39–22:50 – Modern monument debates: Charlottesville, public opinion, Faulkner reference
- 23:27–24:33 – Nuances: Lee’s rejection of both Confederate and Union monuments
- 24:33–26:05 – Confederados: Confederate immigrants to Brazil and their legacy
- 26:05–26:51 – Snopes verdict and final assessment of Lee’s record
Language, Tone, and Approach
- Casual, self-aware, deeply humanizing tone: the hosts punctuate weightier history with pop-culture asides and dry humor (“Was it ‘Eichhorn’? Exactly.” [05:24])
- Openly invite audience feedback and reflection (“Where do you fall in this debate?” [27:27]).
- Willingness to confront uncomfortable truths, especially about myth vs. documented history.
- Light sarcasm and cultural referencing soften—but don’t diminish—the heavy subject matter.
Concluding Thoughts
The hosts ultimately find that, based on both Lee’s writings and contemporary sources, Robert E. Lee indeed objected to the erection of Confederate monuments as well as Civil War memorials more broadly, viewing them as obstacles to national unity and reconciliation. However, the breadth and authenticity of his opposition are complex and have been variably interpreted through time, sometimes to serve opposing political ends. The episode ends noting the intricate legacies of historical memory, with the monument debate still echoing in American society today.
Additional Segments
- Listener Mail: Entertaining detour into topics like “Forgottonia” and “Ordeal by Cake” ([28:07–30:50])
- Memorable Banter: Jokes about being memorialized themselves, and running podcast bits about their producer and “The Quizzter.”