143 years after the end of the Civil War, Confederate General Robert E. Lee made a stop in Harrisonburg’s Court Square Theater Monday night to tell the “other side” of the story. At least that’s what 63-year-old re-enactor Al Stone would like you to believe.
The retired private investigator and Hinton, W. Va. native has been involved with the re-enactment community since 1990 and began portraying Lee in 1995 after studying the character for five years.
“I’m going to ask you to step back in time with me,” Stone said as he began his nearly two-hour presentation to a crowd of around 230 students and community members.
Emulating the persona of Lee and surrounded by period clothing and arms, Stone used historical precedent to explain how the thought of secession was not a new one in the colonies. He began by discussing the events of 1776 and explained the rationale behind the Declaration of Independence and the difficult choice to secede from Great Britain.
War with “Mother England” had been raging for years since the Declaration of Independence, but England was also in conflict with France. Since France was a closer opponent and easier to engage, Stone said, the colonies were able to gain independence.
In those early years, the colonies were able to coexist, he said, but issues began to emerge that would expose the flaws in the Articles of Confederation. In June, 1787, a convention was formed to examine the document, including the differences in opinion on the topic of slavery. In leiu of a revision, the Constitution was drafted.
Following the adoption of the Bill of Rights in 1791, Stone said things went “fine” until 1795, when France inquired about pending war debts. A 28 percent whiskey tax was levied in response that angered Pennsylvania to the point of rebellion. Troops were able to quell the rebellion and that tax was later repealed.
This action by the government, and Hamilton’s concept of implied powers, Stone called a breech of the contract. “It’s implied that because we are the central government, we can do what we want to do,” he said.
After these events, the thought of states’ secession emerged several times – first in 1803 in New England, and in the South during the War of 1812.
By 1815 at the conclusion of the war, there was no longer a motivation to secede, Stone said, and although the importation of slaves had legally ceased, a blind eye was turned by government to importing more.
In 1825, noted expert in Constitutional law William Rawle wrote a book entitled A View of the Constitution of the United States. According to Stone, the book, which was read by military students at West Point, further planted the idea that if a government is unfit, states have the right to secede.
When that decision was finally made in 1860, the southern states took with them 80 percent of the funding to pay existing tariffs, Stone said.
The large amount of funding being lost by the federal government made it essential to maintain the South, and Stone explained Lee’s mentality about a personal commitment to loyalty.
“If your state exercises its Constitutional right and withdraws, your loyalty must be to your state, or else you are a traitor,” he said. “I made a promise to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution … I did my duty. You should never do less.”
Following a brief break, Stone opened the floor to questions for General Lee. Topics ranged from how the war would have been different if Stonewall Jackson had not been killed to what relationship Lee had with General Grant.
When asked about whether the loss of “Jeb” Stuart or Jackson was most difficult, he said, “You’re talking about two of the greatest leaders to have ever lived.”
“The combination of the two was absolutely perfect … [Stuart] never brought me any bad information. He was my eyes and ears.”
Stone’s presentation of Lee appealed to the audience because he broke history down to simple terms, according to Carson Via of Waynesboro, who is a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. “When he explains it, it’s a whole lot more interesting than reading books,” he said.
Another one-time re-enactor and fan of civil war history, Harrisonburg cab driver David “Blakwulf” Chiag said, “It puts a unique perspective by seeing it from the eyes of someone who’s been there, so to speak.”
Stone’s appearance was sponsored by the James Madison University ROTC and realtors Lee & Associates.
After removing his hat and speaking on his own behalf, Stone advised everyone to brush up on history and to read the Constitution. “Don’t take my word for it. Do it yourself.”
i didn’t make it to the event but i am very happy to see someone get beyond the simple minded notion that the good north destroyed the evil south because they loved african americans and hated slavery. if we ever do “win” (please note the appropriate use of quotation marks) in the middle east (and i don’t anticipate we will) the equivalent will be the history books telling of how magnanimous america brought liberty and democracy to the middle east, pulling them out of years of poverty and turmoil, just because we thought they deserved to be free. i know it seems like a hard sell now, but winners get a lot of leeway when losers are lying burned and broken. i think it’s great that mr. stone provided information on some of the economic factors that contributed to the south’s secession and that he’s attempting to teach a new generation that this most horrible conflict in our nation’s history was a bit more complex than many of us today realize, or are willing to believe.