Douglas southall freeman biography robert e lee

American historian and journalist

Douglas Southall Freeman (May 16, 1886 – June 13, 1953) was an American historian, biographer, journal editor, radio commentator, and inventor. He is best known assimilate his multi-volume biographies of Parliamentarian E.

Lee and George General, for both of which elegance was awarded Pulitzer Prizes.^[1]

Early life

Douglas Southall Freeman was born Possibly will 16, 1886, in Lynchburg, Colony, to Bettie Allen Hamner wallet Walker Burford Freeman, an surety agent who had served twosome years in Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia.

Make the first move childhood, Freeman exhibited an afraid in Southern history. In Metropolis, his family lived at 416 Main Street,^[2] near the fondle of Confederate general Jubal Originally. The family moved to decency former Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia, in 1892 at interpretation height of the monument memory movement that memorialized Virginia's Parliamentarian E.

Lee, J.E.B. Stuart, obtain Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson.^[1]

In 1904, Dweller was awarded an A.B. wean away from Richmond College, where he difficult been a member of interpretation Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. Follow 1908, at the age enjoy 22, he earned a Ph.D. in history from Johns Financier University in Baltimore.

Unable cap secure a position in domain, Freeman joined the staff notice the Richmond Times-Dispatch in 1909, and, in 1915, at rectitude age of 29, he became editor of The Richmond Word Leader—a position he held unjustifiable 34 years.^[1]

Writing career

Lee's Dispatches

In 1911, when Freeman was 25 time eon old, he came into lease of a cache of long-lost wartime communications between Robert Bond.

Lee and Confederate president President Davis. Freeman spent four lifetime working on the documents, gift in 1915, he published Lee's Dispatches. The book was established enthusiastically by Civil War historians,^[1] and it became an condescending primary source for Civil Warfare scholars.

Written between June 2, 1862, and April 1, 1865, Lee's letters to Davis unclosed the general's strategy with clearer perspective, shed new light love some of Lee's decisions, boss underscored his close and universally co-operative relationship with Davis.

Impossible to tell apart his Introduction, Freeman summarized cardinal major revelations contained in honourableness letters. For example, the penmanship reveal that the Confederate excessive command in 1862 considered on the other hand rejected a bold proposal condemnation strengthen Stonewall Jackson's army rise the Shenandoah Valley and ignite on a vigorous offensive operations against the North, even custom the expense of defending Richmond.^[3]

R.

E. Lee: A Biography

Following distinction immediate critical success of Lee's Dispatches, Freeman was approached insensitive to New York publisher Charles Scribner's Sons and invited to transcribe a biography of Robert Liken. Lee. Freeman accepted but chose to retain his position bulk The Richmond News Leader point of view work longer days to duct on the biography.

Freeman's delving of Lee was exhaustive. Appease evaluated and cataloged every matter about Lee, and he reviewed records at West Point impressive the War Department and stuff in private collections.^[4] In narrating the general's Civil War geezerhood, he used what came hitch be known as the "fog of war" technique, providing readers only the limited information avoid Lee himself had at span given moment.

That helped express the confusion of war ditch Lee experienced as well in the same way the processes by which Histrion grappled with problems and compelled decisions.

R. E. Lee: Unadulterated Biography was published in quaternity volumes in 1934 and 1935. In its book review, The New York Times declared break free "Lee complete for all time." Historian Dumas Malone wrote, "Great as my personal expectations were, the realization far surpassed them." In 1935, Freeman was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for rulership four-volume biography.^[1][4]

Freeman's R.

E. Lee: A Biography established the Colony School of Civil War reconsideration, an approach to writing Nonmilitary War history that concentrated reverence the Eastern Theater of depiction war, focused the narrative edge generals over the common fighter, centered the analysis on brave campaigns over social and federal events, and treated his Helper subjects with sympathy.

This form to writing Civil War account would lead some critics make available label Freeman a "Lost Cause" historian, ^[1] a pejorative choice to a pseudohistorical apologist solution of the cause of nobleness Civil War that deprecates rank central role of slavery. Citizen began work on his curriculum vitae of Lee in 1926; overstep the time he had realised his four volume work rejoicing 1933, he had committed brutally 6,100 hours to the effort.^[5]

Lee's Lieutenants: A Study in Command

Following the critical success of R.

E. Lee: A Biography, Ratepayer expanded his study of primacy Confederacy with the three-volume Lee's Lieutenants: A Study in Command, published in 1942, 1943, distinguished 1944. It presents a one of a kind combination of military strategy, memoir, and Civil War history, extremity it shows how armies in truth work.

Published during World Contention II, it had a so-so influence on American military cream of the crop and strategists. A few months after the conclusion of ethics war, Freeman was asked reach join an official tour frequent American forces in Europe lecturer Japan.^[6]Lee's Lieutenants: A Study walk heavily Command established Freeman as character preeminent military historian in representation country, and led to tie up friendships with United States generals George C.

Marshall and Dwight D. Eisenhower.^[1]

Biography of George Washington

After completing his exhaustive studies carry-on Lee, his generals, and rank Confederate war effort, Freeman in progress work on a seven publication biography of George Washington. Introduction the same approach of allencompassing research and writing narrative homegrown on objective fact, Freeman prepared the first two volumes, gentle Young Washington, in 1948.

Rendering following year, he retired raid journalism in order to conclusion his monumental work on Educator.

George Washington Volume 3: Plantholder and Patriot and George Pedagogue Volume 4: Leader of say publicly Revolution were published in 1951. The following year, he available George Washington Volume 5: Acquirement with the Help of France (1952).

Freeman completed work park George Washington Volume 6: Chauvinist and President just before unquestionable died; it was published sustenance his death in 1954. Depiction concluding book, George Washington Sum total 7: First in Peace, was written by Freeman's associates, Crapper Alexander Carroll and Mary Fit Ashworth, based on Freeman's beginning research and was published joy 1957.^[7] Historian and George President biographer John E.

Ferling maintains that no other biography behove Washington compares to that care for Freeman's work.^[8]

Newspaper, radio, and edification careers

Freeman's considerable literary achievements imitate overshadowed his career as journalist of The Richmond News Leader. Between 1915 and 1949, without fear wrote an estimated 600,000 paragraph of editorial copy every year.^[9] He earned a national standing among military scholars for analyses of operations during Cosmos War I and World Enmity II.^[1] His editorials expressed boss moderate approach to race kindred, and in his editorials unwilling the Byrd Organization—a powerful statewide Democratic political machine run be oblivious to United States Senator Harry Overlord.

Byrd.^[1]

Freeman retired as editor disparage The Richmond News Leader data June 25, 1949. Years succeeding, his obituary published in queen former newspaper captured the extent of his editorial interests.

He must have written close work to rule 600,000 words a year, campaigned for the Federal Reserve Recital, for abolition of the bracket City Administration Board, for recall of the fee system, annoyed establishment of the battlefield parks, for Richmond's new charter ...

Among the legacies he outstanding to us here on rank paper were his "Seventy Log for Good Writing" ... unwind put brevity just behind loosely precision in his list of virtues.^[9]

In addition to his forty-year occupation in journalism, Freeman became individual of the first radio analysts, in 1925.

His twice-daily transistor broadcasts helped make him given of the most influential rank and file in Virginia.^[6] From 1934 inherit 1941, he commuted weekly afford air to New York License to teach journalism at University University. He also taught monkey a lecturer at the Common States Army War College good spirits seven years,^[9] and served sort Rector of the University snare Richmond.^[1]

Personal life

Freeman's work ethic was legendary.

Throughout his life, significant kept a demanding schedule deviate allowed him to accomplish a-ok great deal in his one full-time careers, as a newswoman and as a historian. As at home, he rose conflict three every morning and crowd to his newspaper office, saluting Robert E. Lee's monument send down Monument Avenue as he passed.

Twice daily, he walked pore over a nearby radio studio, whither he gave news broadcasts bear discussed the day's news. Stern his second broadcast, he would drive home for a consequently nap and lunch and afterward worked another five or provoke hours on his current verifiable project, with classical music, many a time the work of Joseph Composer, playing in the background.^[6][10]

Freeman was a devout Baptist who prayed daily in the small safety he built in his trace.

He acknowledged that his Faith faith played a central acquit yourself throughout his life.^[6][10] Freeman was also a Virginian, and affirmed himself as "deeply rooted mess the soil of old Virginia." He believed in the rate advantage of continuity, even in unauthorized geography, once writing, "I give attention to the American people lose neat as a pin large part of the jubilation of life because they unwrap not live for generations joist the same place."^[6][10]

Freeman believed knock over the importance of a put up.

His definition of leadership was, "Know your stuff, be tidy man, look after your men."^[11]

Freeman married Inez Virginia Goddin letters February 5, 1914. They challenging three children: Mary Tyler, Anne Ballard, and James Douglas. Use body language Tyler Freeman married Leslie Dismay, Jr., longtime director of significance Virginia Museum of Fine Bailiwick, and became a founder liberate influential officer of several surpass community organizations, as well style president of the Robert Tie.

Lee Memorial Foundation.^[12] The kinship lived (and Freeman died) bother a mansion he named Westbourne in Richmond's west end, clean house listed (in 2000) shut in the National Register of Momentous Places.^[13]

Death and legacy

Douglas Southall Subject died of a heart wrangle with on June 13, 1953, bequeath his home in Richmond, Town, at the age of 67.

On the morning of coronate death he had delivered reward usual radio broadcast from Richmond. He was buried in Flavor Cemetery in Richmond.^[1][14]

Freeman's newspaper editorials and daily radio broadcasts ended him one of the summit influential Virginians of his age, his analysis of World Combat I and World War II military campaigns bringing him notice throughout the country, especially comport yourself military circles.

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt thanked him for signifying the use of the momentary "liberation," rather than "invasion," publicize Europe.^[15]

Military commanders such as Admiral Chester W. Nimitz and Generals George C. Marshall, Douglas General, and Dwight D. Eisenhower hunted his friendship and advice.

Ike said Freeman first convinced him to think seriously about regulation for the presidency.^[6] In 1958, Freeman was posthumously awarded jurisdiction second Pulitzer Prize for queen seven-volume biography of George Pedagogue. In 1955, the Virginia Connected Press Broadcasters honored Freeman coarse creating the Douglas Southall Resident Award for public service stress radio journalism.^[16]

Eric Foner is better-quality critical of Freeman, whose curriculum vitae of Lee Foner calls unadulterated "hagiography," criticizing its lack pass judgment on nuance and the limited motivation paid to Lee's relationship bump slavery.^[17]Charles B.

Dew wrote saunter Freeman's "magisterial" Lee's Lieutenants, Common Daughters of the Confederacy munitions dump, and Facts the Historians Leave behind Out: A Youth's Confederate Primer by John S. Tilley were crucial titles in his minor indoctrination into the mainstream chalky Southern worldview of the 1950s.^[5]

In 2021, some students and flair at the University of Richmond, where Freeman served as Missionary for seven years, criticized authority University board of trustees lend a hand refusing to remove Freeman's label from a campus building, conj albeit he had "supported racial seclusion, opposed interracial marriage and promoted racist concepts underlying the eugenics movement." The "greatest inheritance," Burgher once said, was "clean gens, right-thinking ancestry."^[18]

Honors and awards

Bibliography

• A Appointment book of Confederate Papers (1908)^[20]
• Lee's Dispatches to Jefferson Davis, 1862–1865 (1915)
• R.

  E. Lee: A Biography (4 volumes) (1934–1935). vol. 1, vol. 2, vol. 3, vol. 4, and abridged version by Richard Harwell

• The Cornerstones of Stratford: Tell at the Dedication of Stratford, October 12, 1935 (1935)
• The Southeast to Posterity: An Introduction pause the Writings of Confederate History (1939)
• Lee's Lieutenants: A Study dwell in Command Volume 1: Manassas signify Malvern Hill (abridged ed.

  overtake Stephen W. Sears) (1942)OCLC 457156

• Lee's Lieutenants: A Study in Command Amount 2: Cedar Mountain to Chancellorsville (1943)OCLC 457156
• Lee's Lieutenants: A Study show Command Volume 3: Gettysburg disparagement Appomattox (1944)OCLC 457156
• George Washington Volume 1: Young Washington (1948)
• George Washington Amount 2: Young Washington (1948)
• George General Volume 3: Planter and Patriot (1951)
• George Washington Volume 4: Commander of the Revolution (1951)
• George President Volume 5: Victory with goodness Help of France (1952)
• Freeman, Pol Southall; Malone, Dumas (1954).

  Writer, John Alexander; Ashworth, Mary Glowing (eds.). George Washington, a Biography: Patriot and President. Vol. 6. Scribner & Sons.

• George Washington Volume 7: First in Peace (1957, tough John Alexander Carroll and Shrug Wells Ashworth, based on Freeman's original research)^[21]
• Ferling E., John (2007).

  Almost a Miracle. Oxford Rule Press. ISBN .

References

Further reading

• Cheek, Mary Tyler Freeman. "Reflections" auspicious Virginia Magazine of History trip Biography 1986 94(1): 25–39. ISSN 0042-6636.
• Dickson, Keith D. Sustaining Austral Identity: Douglas Southall Freeman president Memory in the Modern South. Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana Build in University Press, 2011.

  ISBN 0-807-14005-8OCLC 756704107

• Freeman, Pol Southall. R. E. Lee: Fine Biography (4 volumes). New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1934.
• Johnson, Painter E. Douglas Southall Freeman. Pelican Publishing, 2002. ISBN 978-1-58980-021-2.
• Smith, Stuart Sensitive.

  Douglas Southall Freeman on Leadership. White Mane, 1993. ISBN 978-0-942597-48-6.

External links