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How One Of Robert E. Lee’s Best Friends During The Civil War Was A Chicken Named Nellie Hen
The famous General befriended a wily chicken during the dark days of the Civil War
General Robert E. Lee presided over the Confederate troops during the Civil War. Often outgunned, he prolonged the war by strategic movements to avoid being pinned down in any one place. The military leader was held in the highest regard on an almost universal level throughout the South. Despite his popularity with people during the war, there were few closer to him than a seemingly intelligent chicken named Nellie Hen.
With all of the duties impressed upon the leader of an army at war, it’s understandable that there isn’t really time for friends. That is unless of course one forces itself upon you. That appears to be what happened in the case of a chicken who took a liking to the grizzled general.
Sometime in 1862, the confederate army was sent a large shipment of chickens to be used as food for the soldiers. Since the troops had tenuous access to consistent and nourishing meals, the appearance of this poultry was like ringing a dinner bell. There was a mass butchering in preparation of a chicken dinner. However, one bird escaped the chaos, running directly into Lee’s tent.
