Eagle Editorial Board
One hundred fifty years ago, in July 1860, Robert E. Lee was in Texas, commanding a regiment in the U.S. Army. Ulysses S. Grant was working in his father's store in Galena, Ill.
Less than four years later, fate and war -- a civil war, pitting Americans against Americans -- brought them together in the spring of 1864. They had met before, in Mexico, during America's war with that nation in the late 1840s, but knew each other mostly by reputation gained in bitter fighting.
They would first face each other in April 1864 in the thickets of the Wilder-ness, not far from Chancellorsville, where Stonewall Jackson lost his arm -- and, soon, his life -- in a volley from Confederate forces. The battle was pretty much a draw, but something new happened. Instead of stopping while the Confederates withdrew, the Union Army under Grant pursued the men in gray. It was to become a hallmark of Union strategy under the new top commander, who pressed and pressed Lee almost constantly for the next year until Lee surrendered his Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865.
Grant would go on to become president of a reunited nation and write an acclaimed military autobiography completed only days before his death in 1885. Lee, revered not only by Southerners, but many in the North, served as president of Washington College -- now Washington and Lee University -- until his death in 1870.
Now, as we prepare to observe the sesquicentennial of the Civil War, it is appropriate to re-examine the two great military commanders who faced off in war's the final year. One was born the aristocratic son of a Revolutionary War hero; the other came from more humble beginnings.
A great way to learn more about them is close to home, at the Brazos Museum of Natural History.
The museum is host to "Lee and Grant," a fine traveling exhibit organized by the Virginia Historical Society. The tour is part of the National Endowment for the Humanities NEH on the Road program designed for smaller museums. It also is sponsoring the wonderful "Bison: An American Icon" exhibit at Star of the Republic Museum in nearby Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site.
Through artifacts such as uniforms worn by both generals, photographs and text, "Lee and Grant" presents a side-by-side comparison of the two men and the forces that created them and drove them to greatness. While much of the material is intended for adult visitors, there are plenty of activities for children to do, too. And, of course, the always outstanding permanent collection of the museum remains on display.
"Lee and Grant" will be at the Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History through Aug. 11. The museum is at 3232 Briarcrest Drive in Bryan, adjacent to the Brazos Center. It is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is only $5 for adults and $4 for children 4-17, senior citizens, university students and friends -- supporters -- of the museum.
While there, you might want to consider becoming a friend of this jewel of a museum. It truly is a great place to visit throughout the year.
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