In his extraordinary book, Lee's Later Years, Charles Flood gives a rare blend of history and emotion. After Lee surrendered at the Appomattox Courthouse, he only lived a total of five years before his death. Some people might think he was just a general, but the best years of his life were after the war because he changed the mentality of the South and he changed education. Although Robert E. Lee is best remembered for his military campaigns, this is a part of history that is not told in many history books because he did more than any other An American to heal the wounds of the South and he served as president of Washington College. , which was later renamed after his death Washington and Lee University. The beginning of the book begins with the surrender to Appomattax. On April 9, 1865, General Robert E. Lee signed a letter accepting Grant's terms for the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia. The terms Grant demanded were generous compared to what Lee expected. He feared that his army would face humiliation and prison camps, but the conditions required only the release of the prisoners and the surrender of Lee's army, with the precondition that the army lay down its arms. From that time until the end of his life, Lee never allowed an unkind word about Grant to be spoken in his presence. Throughout the war, Lee had been impressed by the dedication of his soldiers. He issued General Order Number 9, which was his last official communication to his army. The order expressed to the army its admiration and appreciation for them. The tribute was so eloquent that generations of Southern schoolchildren recited it as their counterpart to Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. As Lee returned home to Richmond, his one desire...... middle of paper ...... tells the story of a man worthy of history. This book is truly admirable literature. In conclusion, although some might think that he was just a general; the best years of his life were those after the war for two main reasons. First, he changed his education. But above all, he changed the mind of the South. Without Lee's character during his last five years, the South might have been thrown into chaos. Lee demonstrates the healing power and the difference that education can make. This man truly represents what a true Christian was and should be studied for centuries to come, but as the man he was, as opposed to the general. The last years of this man's life are by far the most astonishing and should receive as much attention as his war years. Works CitedFlood, Charles Bracelen. Lee in recent years. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1998. Print.