Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

General Discussion

Historic NY

(40,047 posts)

31. He found it hard not to grant him requests.

Reply to Retrograde (Reply #29)

Tue Nov 18, 2025, 01:34 PM

Nov 2025

[After the war, Lee asked his owner to bring Thomas to Mount Vernon. Although Washington grumbled that he “never wished to see her more,” he acquiesced, noting that he could not refuse his valet’s request “(if it can be complied with on reasonable terms) as he has lived with me so long and followed my fortunes with fidelity.”

link:https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/william-billy-lee|]

Lee is mention many times in Washington's papers.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

35 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Ken Burns "American Revolution" discussing Washington's slave owning [View all] dflprincess Nov 2025 OP

This is so well done JustAnotherGen Nov 2025 #1

I'm glad he's portraying the founders as the miscreants that they were. BannonsLiver Nov 2025 #2

Miscreants? How about fallible humans who were a product of the times they were living in? Rafi Nov 2025 #18

You read it right - fucking miscreants. BannonsLiver Nov 2025 #19

I don't think Burns would agree per se ITAL Nov 2025 #22

That's great. BannonsLiver Nov 2025 #25

I'm not sure I buy the "they were products of their time" argument when it comes to slavery. Aristus Nov 2025 #20

+1 leftstreet Nov 2025 #23

Some of them reviled slavery misanthrope Nov 2025 #32

John Adams never owned a slave 31st Street Bridge Nov 2025 #34

We are watching it now Tree Lady Nov 2025 #3

I'd hope that Burns respected Temporal historical relativism... WarGamer Nov 2025 #4

There are certain truths that transcend time. DemocratSinceBirth Nov 2025 #7

He's presenting facts that have been ignored for a long time nt dflprincess Nov 2025 #8

Like my husband says Tree Lady Nov 2025 #9

In my role as a historian Historic NY Nov 2025 #26

Slave ownership by the Founding Fathers isn't exactly a secret. Paladin Nov 2025 #24

My thought was the right wingers are gonna hate this. CanonRay Nov 2025 #5

That means it's good 31st Street Bridge Nov 2025 #35

Hey, anyone know, what time do they repeat tonight? (early AM) Jack Valentino Nov 2025 #6

I thought it was tv only Tree Lady Nov 2025 #10

My TV guide says moondust Nov 2025 #11

Thanks, but seems it is already repeating on-air- here at 1:52 EST..... Jack Valentino Nov 2025 #13

Times for documentary Lydia Leftcoast Nov 2025 #14

Streaming Episodes Available Now Tom_Foolery Nov 2025 #17

The slavery mentions moondust Nov 2025 #12

I recall hearing about Patrick Henry Lydia Leftcoast Nov 2025 #15

Any man can make himself a king Stacey Grove Nov 2025 #16

I haven't watched this series yet (I'll binge it later), but... Happy Hoosier Nov 2025 #21

Slavery never stopped GreatGazoo Nov 2025 #27

Washigton did free his slaves by his Will Historic NY Nov 2025 #28

Washington was a complicated character Retrograde Nov 2025 #29

He found it hard not to grant him requests. Historic NY Nov 2025 #31

The more I learned about Virginian Founding Fathers misanthrope Nov 2025 #33

Oh my, I am shocked to learn that the founding comradebillyboy Nov 2025 #30