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Lee and His Son at Antietam

Excerpt from Robert E. Lee’s Civil War, by Bevin Alexander, page 110

A shattered wreck of a battery appeared in the streets of Sharpsburg. A few dirty, staggering gunners followed the exhausted horses. The battery had fought valiantly all day, and had suffered severe losses. The battery commander, Captain W.T. Poague, came up to Lee for orders. Among the begrimed private soldiers was Lee's youngest son, Rob, nineteen years old. Lee told Poague to return to the front.

"Are you going to send us in again?" Rob asked his father. "Yes, my son," Lee answered, "you all must do what you can to help drive these people back." The battery turned and headed back into battle.

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