nt y , ▁although ▁he ▁clearly ▁supported ▁the ▁institution ▁of ▁sla very . ▁ ▁The ▁Lost ▁C ause ▁and ▁The ▁Lost ▁C ause ▁Reg ained ▁both ▁advoc ated ▁for ▁the ▁supre m acy ▁of ▁the ▁white ▁race , ▁supported ▁the ▁re leg ation ▁of ▁black s ▁to ▁a ▁second ▁class ▁status , ▁and ▁accused ▁the ▁U . S . ▁government ▁of ▁alleg ed ▁excess es ▁committed ▁during ▁and ▁after ▁the ▁war . ▁However , ▁The ▁Lost ▁C ause ▁Reg ained ▁reflected ▁much ▁of ▁Pol l ards ▁post - 1 8 6 7 ▁writing ▁in ▁attempting ▁to ▁recon cile ▁former ▁pro - Conf eder acy ▁ideas ▁with ▁new ▁real ities ▁and ▁supported ▁patri ot ism ▁and ▁free - l abor ▁Union ism . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁education ▁Edward ▁Alfred ▁Pol l ard ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁February ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 1 8 3 2 ▁on ▁the ▁Oak ▁R idge ▁Plant ation ▁in ▁Nelson ▁County , ▁Virginia , ▁which ▁his ▁grand father ▁Robert ▁R ives ▁( 1 7 6 4 – 1 8 4 5 ), ▁had ▁built ▁and ▁made ▁his ▁primary ▁residence ▁until ▁his ▁death ▁when ▁Edward ▁was ▁a ▁boy . ▁His ▁mother , ▁Paul ina ▁Cab ell ▁R ives ▁Pol l ard ▁( 1 7 9 6 – 1 8 5 8 ), ▁desc ended ▁from ▁the ▁region ' s ▁powerful ▁( and ▁slave hold ing ) ▁Cab ell ▁family , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁First ▁Famil ies ▁of ▁Virginia ▁and ▁had ▁married ▁Richard ▁Pol l ard ▁( 1 7 9 0