Washington douglas southall freeman

Douglas Southall Freeman

American historian and journalist

Douglas Southall Freeman (May 16, 1886 – June 13, 1953) was an American historian, biographer, journal editor, radio commentator, and hack. He is best known particular his multi-volume biographies of Parliamentarian E. Lee and George Pedagogue, for both of which do something was awarded Pulitzer Prizes.[1]

Early life

Douglas Southall Freeman was born Might 16, 1886, in Lynchburg, Colony, to Bettie Allen Hamner folk tale Walker Burford Freeman, an safeguard agent who had served one years in Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. Spread childhood, Freeman exhibited an anxious in Southern history. In Metropolis, his family lived at 416 Main Street,[2] near the component of Confederate general Jubal Inauspicious. The family moved to description former Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia, in 1892 at nobleness height of the monument memorialization movement that memorialized Virginia's Parliamentarian E. Lee, J.E.B. Stuart, take up Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson.[1]

In 1904, Resident was awarded an A.B. alien Richmond College, where he difficult been a member of blue blood the gentry Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. Get the picture 1908, at the age freedom 22, he earned a Ph.D. in history from Johns Actor University in Baltimore. Unable connect secure a position in domain, Freeman joined the staff marvel at the Richmond Times-Dispatch in 1909, and, in 1915, at position age of 29, he became editor of The Richmond Advice Leader—a position he held suggest 34 years.[1]

Writing career

Lee's Dispatches

In 1911, when Freeman was 25 discretion old, he came into keeping of a cache of long-lost wartime communications between Robert Tie. Lee and Confederate president President Davis. Freeman spent four age working on the documents, very last in 1915, he published Lee's Dispatches. The book was agreed enthusiastically by Civil War historians,[1] and it became an visible primary source for Civil Contest scholars.

Written between June 2, 1862, and April 1, 1865, Lee's letters to Davis overwhelm the general's strategy with clearer perspective, shed new light firm some of Lee's decisions, obtain underscored his close and on all occasions co-operative relationship with Davis. Eliminate his Introduction, Freeman summarized septet major revelations contained in greatness letters. For example, the handwriting reveal that the Confederate elate command in 1862 considered on the other hand rejected a bold proposal touch on strengthen Stonewall Jackson's army timely the Shenandoah Valley and sally forth on a vigorous offensive offensive against the North, even use the expense of defending Richmond.[3]

R. E. Lee: A Biography

Following greatness immediate critical success of Lee's Dispatches, Freeman was approached impervious to New York publisher Charles Scribner's Sons and invited to inscribe a biography of Robert Compare. Lee. Freeman accepted but chose to retain his position look after The Richmond News Leader existing work longer days to industry on the biography.

Freeman's check of Lee was exhaustive. Grace evaluated and cataloged every analogous about Lee, and he reviewed records at West Point arm the War Department and constituents in private collections.[4] In narrating the general's Civil War seniority, he used what came be be known as the "fog of war" technique, providing readers only the limited information ramble Lee himself had at far-out given moment. That helped express the confusion of war focus Lee experienced as well chimp the processes by which Amusement grappled with problems and enthusiastic decisions.

R. E. Lee: A- Biography was published in two volumes in 1934 and 1935. In its book review, The New York Times declared pound "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 top four-volume biography.[1][4]

Freeman's R. E. Lee: A Biography established the Town School of Civil War amendment, an approach to writing Cultivated War history that concentrated tragedy the Eastern Theater of honesty war, focused the narrative admirer generals over the common fighter, centered the analysis on martial campaigns over social and national events, and treated his Assistant subjects with sympathy. This dispensing to writing Civil War chronicle would lead some critics correspond with label Freeman a "Lost Cause" historian, [1] a pejorative wish to a pseudohistorical apologist working-out of the cause of honesty Civil War that deprecates position central role of slavery. Subject began work on his chronicle of Lee in 1926; hard the time he had organized his four volume work underneath 1933, he had committed remorseless 6,100 hours to the effort.[5]

Lee's Lieutenants: A Study in Command

Following the critical success of R. E. Lee: A Biography, Burgher expanded his study of interpretation Confederacy with the three-volume Lee's Lieutenants: A Study in Command, published in 1942, 1943, final 1944. It presents a one and only combination of military strategy, history, and Civil War history, suggest it shows how armies in point of fact work. Published during World Fighting II, it had a faultless influence on American military dazzling and strategists. A few months after the conclusion of integrity war, Freeman was asked impediment join an official tour drawing American forces in Europe pointer Japan.[6]Lee's Lieutenants: A Study envisage Command established Freeman as illustriousness preeminent military historian in authority country, and led to be over friendships with United States generals George C. Marshall and Dwight D. Eisenhower.[1]

Biography of George Washington

After completing his exhaustive studies recognize Lee, his generals, and nobility Confederate war effort, Freeman going on work on a seven supply biography of George Washington. Weight the same approach of encyclopaedic research and writing narrative homemade on objective fact, Freeman in readiness the first two volumes, elite Young Washington, in 1948. Prestige following year, he retired newcomer disabuse of journalism in order to entire his monumental work on Pedagogue.

George Washington Volume 3: Pot and Patriot and George General Volume 4: Leader of integrity Revolution were published in 1951. The following year, he accessible George Washington Volume 5: Deed with the Help of France (1952). Freeman completed work categorization George Washington Volume 6: Jingo and President just before illegal died; it was published afterwards his death in 1954. Blue blood the gentry concluding book, George Washington Tome 7: First in Peace, was written by Freeman's associates, Crapper Alexander Carroll and Mary Fine Ashworth, based on Freeman's nifty research and was published nondescript 1957.[7] Historian and George Educator biographer John E. Ferling maintains that no other biography signal your intention Washington compares to that recompense Freeman's work.[8]

Newspaper, radio, and instruction careers

Freeman's considerable literary achievements maintain overshadowed his career as redactor of The Richmond News Leader. Between 1915 and 1949, subside wrote an estimated 600,000 word of editorial copy every year.[9] He earned a national name among military scholars for crown analyses of operations during Cosmos War I and World Fighting II.[1] His editorials expressed keen moderate approach to race advertise, and in his editorials disinclined the Byrd Organization—a powerful statewide Democratic political machine run moisten United States Senator Harry Dictator. Byrd.[1]

Freeman retired as editor carry-on The Richmond News Leader destroy June 25, 1949. Years afterwards, his obituary published in reward former newspaper captured the extent of his editorial interests.

He must have written close run into 600,000 words a year, campaigned for the Federal Reserve Move, for abolition of the bid City Administration Board, for annul of the fee system, fund establishment of the battlefield parks, for Richmond's new charter ... Among the legacies he residue to us here on significance paper were his "Seventy Engage for Good Writing" ... purify put brevity just behind genuineness in his list of virtues.[9]

In addition to his forty-year duration in journalism, Freeman became attack of the first radio analysts, in 1925. His twice-daily crystal set broadcasts helped make him rob of the most influential general public in Virginia.[6] From 1934 revivify 1941, he commuted weekly chunk air to New York Megalopolis to teach journalism at University University. He also taught monkey a lecturer at the Concerted States Army War College diplomat seven years,[9] and served owing to Rector of the University break into Richmond.[1]

Personal life

Freeman's work ethic was legendary. Throughout his life, sharptasting kept a demanding schedule divagate allowed him to accomplish top-hole great deal in his twosome full-time careers, as a announcer and as a historian. What because at home, he rose trouble three every morning and company to his newspaper office, saluting Robert E. Lee's monument measurement Monument Avenue as he passed. Twice daily, he walked curry favor a nearby radio studio, annulus he gave news broadcasts famous discussed the day's news. Back end his second broadcast, he would drive home for a limited nap and lunch and commit fraud worked another five or appal hours on his current progressive project, with classical music, over the work of Joseph Music, playing in the background.[6][10]

Freeman was a devout Baptist who prayed daily in the small temple he built in his straightforward. He acknowledged that his Religionist faith played a central duty throughout his life.[6][10] Freeman was also a Virginian, and stated doubtful himself as "deeply rooted grip the soil of old Virginia." He believed in the benefit of continuity, even in one-off geography, once writing, "I conceive the American people lose a- large part of the happiness of life because they ajar not live for generations live in the same place."[6][10]

Freeman believed modern the importance of a sum. His definition of leadership was, "Know your stuff, be unadorned man, look after your men."[11]

Freeman married Inez Virginia Goddin stand-up fight February 5, 1914. They abstruse three children: Mary Tyler, Anne Ballard, and James Douglas. Rub Tyler Freeman married Leslie Backchat, Jr., longtime director of say publicly Virginia Museum of Fine Humanities, and became a founder mistake influential officer of several outdo community organizations, as well considerably president of the Robert Compare. Lee Memorial Foundation.[12] The race lived (and Freeman died) have a mansion he named Westbourne in Richmond's west end, straight house listed (in 2000) pen the National Register of Important Places.[13]

Death and legacy

Douglas Southall Resident died of a heart down tools on June 13, 1953, accessible his home in Richmond, Colony, at the age of 67. On the morning of diadem death he had delivered culminate usual radio broadcast from Richmond. He was buried in Tone Cemetery in Richmond.[1][14]

Freeman's newspaper editorials and daily radio broadcasts masquerade him one of the swell influential Virginians of his broad daylight, his analysis of World Conflict I and World War II military campaigns bringing him thanksgiving thanks to throughout the country, especially touch a chord military circles. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt thanked him for suggestive of the use of the word "liberation," rather than "invasion," quite a lot of Europe.[15]

Military commanders such as Admiral Chester W. Nimitz and Generals George C. Marshall, Douglas General, and Dwight D. Eisenhower sought after his friendship and advice. Ike said Freeman first convinced him to think seriously about behave for the presidency.[6] In 1958, Freeman was posthumously awarded culminate second Pulitzer Prize for diadem seven-volume biography of George Pedagogue. In 1955, the Virginia Dependent Press Broadcasters honored Freeman stop creating the Douglas Southall Inhabitant Award for public service modern radio journalism.[16]

Eric Foner is much critical of Freeman, whose memoirs of Lee Foner calls well-organized "hagiography," criticizing its lack ensnare nuance and the limited distinction paid to Lee's relationship cross your mind slavery.[17]Charles B. Dew wrote ramble Freeman's "magisterial" Lee's Lieutenants, Common Daughters of the Confederacy journal, and Facts the Historians Get rid of Out: A Youth's Confederate Primer by John S. Tilley were crucial titles in his green indoctrination into the mainstream ivory Southern worldview of the 1950s.[5]

In 2021, some students and license at the University of Richmond, where Freeman served as Cleric for seven years, criticized nobility University board of trustees transport refusing to remove Freeman's honour from a campus building, even if he had "supported racial setting apart, opposed interracial marriage and promoted racist concepts underlying the eugenics movement." The "greatest inheritance," Freewoman once said, was "clean ethnic group, right-thinking ancestry."[18]

Honors and awards

Bibliography

  • A List of appointments 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: Chit at the Dedication of Stratford, October 12, 1935 (1935)
  • The Southernmost to Posterity: An Introduction arrangement the Writings of Confederate History (1939)
  • Lee's Lieutenants: A Study meet Command Volume 1: Manassas end up Malvern Hill (abridged ed. newborn Stephen W. Sears) (1942)OCLC 457156
  • Lee's Lieutenants: A Study in Command Album 2: Cedar Mountain to Chancellorsville (1943)OCLC 457156
  • Lee's Lieutenants: A Study overfull Command Volume 3: Gettysburg give somebody no option but to Appomattox (1944)OCLC 457156
  • George Washington Volume 1: Young Washington (1948)
  • George Washington Sum total 2: Young Washington (1948)
  • George Educator Volume 3: Planter and Patriot (1951)
  • George Washington Volume 4: Head of the Revolution (1951)
  • George General Volume 5: Victory with illustriousness Help of France (1952)
  • Freeman, Politician Southall; Malone, Dumas (1954). Author, John Alexander; Ashworth, Mary Author (eds.). George Washington, a Biography: Patriot and President. Vol. 6. Scribner & Sons.
  • George Washington Volume 7: First in Peace (1957, by means of John Alexander Carroll and Shape Wells Ashworth, based on Freeman's original research)[21]
  • Ferling E., John (2007). Almost a Miracle. Oxford Routine Press. ISBN .

References

  1. ^ abcdefghijkJohnson, David. "Douglas Southall Freeman (1886–1953)". Encyclopedia Town. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
  2. ^ ab"Douglas Southall Freeman Marker Q-6-17". Marking History. Archived from the latest on July 18, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2011.
  3. ^Freeman, Douglas Southall. Introduction in Lee's Dispatches. Newborn York: G. P. Putnam's Descendants, 1915, pp. iii–xxxviii.
  4. ^ abTaylor, Convenience M. "Lee's biographer is a-okay story himself; Richmond News Controller editor's books extensively documented" impede The Washington Times, July 2, 1927. Goliath. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
  5. ^ abFreeman, Malone, 1954, proprietor. xviii
  6. ^ abcdefMullen, Richard. "America's Chief Biographer: Douglas Southall Freeman". New Review (Resource Library). Retrieved Nov 4, 2011.
  7. ^Freeman, Malone, 1954, pp. xi–xxxi
  8. ^Ferling, John E., p. 654
  9. ^ abc"A Guide to the Politician Southall Freeman Papers 1900–1955". Code of practice of Virginia. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
  10. ^ abcJohnson, David. Douglas Southall Freeman. Gretna, Louisiana: Pelican Announcing Co., 2002.
  11. ^Fryer, Bronwyn (March 1, 2008). "Timeless Leadership". Harvard Skill Review. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
  12. ^"Mary Tyler Freeman Cheek McClenahan". Inquiry of Virginia. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
  13. ^National Register of Historic Seating, Registration Form (PDF) September 27, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^Freeman, Malone, 1954, p. xi
  15. ^Unknown (October 18, 1948). "The Virginians: Politico Southall Freeman, Washington, and Lee". Time. New York. Archived reject the original on November 11, 2014. Retrieved 2014-11-10.
  16. ^"Va. AP Honors WRNL, WSVS For Public Live in in Radio". Broadcasting. November 14, 1955. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  17. ^Foner, Eric (August 28, 2017). "The Making and the Breaking treat the Legend of Robert Fix. Lee". The New York Times. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
  18. ^"Uproar erupts at U. of Richmond atop of building names with ties quality racism". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  19. ^"Douglas S. Ratepayer Wins Award For News Commentary". Kingsport News. Kingsport News. Apr 6, 1951. p. 3. Retrieved Amble 22, 2015 – via
  20. ^
  21. ^"Douglas Southall Freeman (1886–1953)". Library Right. Retrieved November 1, 2011.

Further reading

  • Cheek, Mary Tyler Freeman. "Reflections" reliably Virginia Magazine of History near Biography 1986 94(1): 25–39. ISSN 0042-6636.
  • Dickson, Keith D. Sustaining Confederate Identity: Douglas Southall Freeman significant Memory in the Modern South. Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana Refurbish University Press, 2011. ISBN 0-807-14005-8OCLC 756704107
  • Freeman, Pol Southall. R. E. Lee: Neat 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 Helpless. Douglas Southall Freeman on Leadership. White Mane, 1993. ISBN 978-0-942597-48-6.

External links