American Rhetoric: Movie Speech

"Gods and Generals" (2003)

General Robert E. Lee Accepts Command of the Citizen's Army of Virginia

Audio mp3 delivered by Robert Duvall

 

General Lee: Mr. President, Gentlemen of the convention,

[I'm] profoundly impressed by the solemnity of the occasion for which, I must say, I was not prepared.

I accept the position assigned me by your partiality.

I would have much preferred had your choice fallen on an abler man.