Robert E. Lee 's Life

The childhood of Robert Edward Lee played a pivotal role in the way he would see the world as a man. Lee was born into an aristocratic family of Virginia with a deeply rooted American history.

Robert E. Lee was a man of family, culture and tradition. Lee was a man who believed in the old English ways in chivalry. The Southern states fought for the same ideals that Lee stood for. Lee believed that this way of life made men to be of a higher class. He was convinced that these old values can build a better nation. Catton express the Confederacy loyalty to these values by saying: “For four years, the southern states had fought a separate war to up held the ideals for which Lee; as if he himself was the Confederacy… the best thing that the way of life for which the Confederacy stood could have ever had to offer” (410).

Lee was born in the slave state of Virginia on January 19, 1807; fifteen years before Ulysses S. Grant, who was born in Ohio, a free state, on the 27th of April, 1822. The two generals led very different lives: Grant came from a religious, hard working, and relatively poor background, Lee was from an honorable family with a respectable amount of money. The two generals studied in the United States Military Academy in West Point, but with very different intentions; Grant did not have any interest on becoming a soldier, but was forced by his father to enter the school and Lee had every intention on becoming a condecorated soldier. These differences ended up greatly defining their years on the Academy; Lee, who aspired to become a great soldier and future commander, graduated second in the class of 1829, while Grant, who was not very fond of military life, was 21st in a class of 39 students and was assigned to the infantry even though he was considered an amazing horse

Robert E. Lee only held the rank of Major General for two days. After Virginia joined the Confederacy its army was transferred to the Confederacy’s main body army. The Confederate Congress decided to make Robert E. Lee their army’s third full General ranking behind Samuel Cooper and Albert Sidney Johnston. Confederate President, Jefferson Davis had Lee become his military advisor. The newly formed Confederate Army was too new and found Lee’s military plans too difficult to carry out. The Confederate Army started losing battles and calling Lee “Granny Lee” (“Robert

He finished second in his class of 1829. He had experience early in his life, serving as a captain under General Winfield Scott in the Mexican-American War. He made himself most prominent in the wars of Veracruz, Churubusco, and Chapultepec. Lee’s general claimed that he was “the very best soldier I ever saw in the field (https://www.civilwar.org/learn/biographies/robert-e-lee). Due to his engineering background at West Point, Lee could use easily strategize against his opponents in war with mathematics and precision, making sure that his plans were very likely to succeed. These skills were later taken into the Civil War, which is a considerable reason of his

The focus of this investigation will be, “To what extent was Robert E. Lee an effective leader of the Confederate Army?” The investigation will analyze Lee’s strengths and weaknesses that contributed to his effectiveness and the overall loss of the Confederacy in the Civil War. The overall character of Lee throughout his lifetime is too broad, therefore, this investigation will focus solely on the testimony of his military background, and the personality traits that led to Lee’s decisions during the Civil War. As a result, Lee the American by Gamaliel Bradford Jr. and Robert E. Lee: The Soldier by Sir F. Maurice are important sources to this investigation, due to the background they give on Lee’s military training, personality, and victories in the battles leading up to Gettysburg.

Lee had given the Confederacy its greatest victory, and was now an idol of the southern people. Lee was one of the most supremely gifted men produced by our Nation. One of the four “greatest Americans” was none other than Robert E. Lee. His picture hung in President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s office. A New York dentist told Eisenhower that Lee helped the United States Government. Lee was a heroic role model to the nation that he has shown when he went to the war. Lee is a bit complicated, but he was extraordinary in what he does. Lee was there to serve the south and protect them. He made sure that they were safe and that the Union would not get in the way of that. His maneuvers were even better.

Robert Edward Lee was born in Stratford, Virginia on January 19, 1807 to an aristocratic family. His parents both played a major role in Lee’s success. His mother Ann Hill Carter descended from a wealthy family while his father Colonel Henry Lee, served as a cavalry leader during the Revolutionary War. At a young age his father passed away, and his leadership roles were challenged. He was one of the six men in his family and had to help support the household. At eighteen he attended West Point MIlitary Academy, where he excelled in artillery, infantry and cavalry. Shortly after his mother’s passing in 1829, Lee was appointed to second lieutenant in the U.S. Military Corps of Engineers. He began courting Mary Curtis who is a member of the Virginia’s aristocracy. After getting Mr. Curtis’s approval they get married and have seven children together.

Robert E. Lee was born in Virginia. He was the fifth child of Henry Lee who had served in the Revolutionary War. He was a very brilliant military strategist. “[He] served as general in chief of the Confederate armies during the Civil War” (Johnson 273). He was loved and respected by his armies and succeeding generations. His personal qualities show how great his speeches and letters were. “[He] was a member of one of Virginia’s finest families and he was [also]

Despite the mistakes his father and brother made, Lee managed to grow learning the ways of a true Southern gentleman. The departure of his father and two older half-brothers made Lee the man of the house at an early age. His mother, Ann Carter, raised Lee in modest circumstances and helped him to learn standard of conduct. Lee grew up in modest conditions, and though he received the normal education for someone of his class, he had to earn his own living and didn’t live the easy-going plantation life that most members of his family did. Since his mother did not have sufficient cash to send Lee to go to college, he chose instead to enter West Point military and academy. He entered in 1825 at the age of 18. At West Point Lee excelled tremendously. He finished second in his class and didn’t receive one demerit during his four years there (A feat that has yet to be repeated since then). Lee entered Engineer Corps after graduation where he was employed to build and maintain military installations and assist the Federal Government in the enormous work of providing internal improvements in order to settle border disputes on the frontier lands.

Robert E. Lee had many successes in leading the United States Army. What made Lee so remarkable was he carried a lot about what the United States government was doing and believed in a good relationship with the personal that are working for the government. We know that Lee held high standards. He was big on honor, and held people to high standards. He graduated West Point as a military commander. Lee was considered one of the bluest of Virginia blue bloods. Lee was a full blown southerner who would give anything he could to get a southern victory. Lee would be the general of the Confederate Army during the Civil War. Lee first will take over and will be in charge from 1861-1865. What Lee’s first task will be to take his army at Second Bull Run and lead them to a Confederate victory.

Born to Revolutionary War hero Henry "Light-Horse Harry" Lee in Stratford Hall, Virginia, Robert Edward Lee seemed destined for military greatness. He served as a military officer in the U.S. Army, a West Point commandant, and the legendary general of the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. Lee's ambition is all peaceful ways of resolving the differences between North and South. He was also stand in the middle of two sides, pro-slavery and anti-slavery. His heart toward hometown finally led him resigned the Army of Union and took up command of the Virginia state forces on April 23, 1863. Lee and his Union army achieved great success during the early War at Second Bull Run and Fredericksburg, especially his greatest victory in Chancellorsville. Lee's first field assignment was commanding Confederate forces in western Virginia, where he was defeated at the Battle of Cheat Mountain and was widely blamed for Confederate setbacks.

Lee was a better general was because of his family background. Born on January 19, 1807, in Stratford Hall, Virginia, Robert Edward Lee had rich knowledge about the military because of his family background. Robert E. Lee’s father, Colonel Henry Lee II, also known as, “Light-Horse Harry,” was a cavalry leader and a commander during the Revolutionary War. Colonel Henry II was one of the war’s heroes and acquired many praises from George Washington. Lee’s mother, Anne Hill Carter Lee, taught Robert E. Lee from a young age the importance to take on responsibilities. Lee enrolled at West Point Military Academy at the age of 18. Robert E. Lee was of the six cadets in his class that finished graduating without a single demerit. He also received perfect scores in artillery, infantry, and

We know for Robert E. Lee his major success leading up to this was success in the United States Army. What made Lee so remarkable was he carried a lot about what the United States government was doing and believed in a good relationship with the personal that are working for the government. We know that Lee held high standards. He was big on honor, and held people to high standards. He graduated West Point as a military commander. Lee was considered one of the bluest of Virginia blue bloods. Lee was a full blown southerner who would give anything he could to get a southern victory. Lee would be the general of the Confederate Army during the Civil War. Lee first will take over and will be in charge from 1861-1865. What Lee’s first task will be to take his army at Second Bull Run and lead them to a Confederate victory (Eilenberg).

General Robert E. Lee’s impact on his leadership style have provide his men hope and loyalty, even on the day he surrendered at the Battle of Appomattox Court House in 1865, which is one also one of the last battles of the American Civil War. His men would be willing to fight, under his command, even to the very end. One of his men stated that they will go in and fight some more, if he order them to do so. General Lee’s leadership impacted even the most exhausted, dirty and hungry men, who were willing to fight and to give their ultimate sacrifice, simply because they believe in him. (Gipson, 2003)