In life we all want to see things as black and white, cut and dry, and easy to understand. This is not the case with Robert E. Lee. He was smart, loyal and above all, complicated. We like to make him out as some old general guy who fought for the South in the Civil War. Eventually lost at Gettysburg and because it was the turning point of the Civil War; he became famous for losing. He is a lot more than just that. He was an actual person who, from his birth up to his death, dealt with real life situations.
On January 19, 1807, Robert E. Lee was born in Stratford, Virginia to Henry and Anne Lee. His father was a Revolutionary War hero, nicknamed Light-Horse Harry”, also being a Major General. Being born in a military family, Robert seemed likely to follow in his father’s footsteps. When he was 18, he enrolled into West Point Military Academy where he graduated second in his class in 1829. In 1831, he met and married his wife Mary Anna Randolph Custis, the great granddaughter of George Washington and Martha Washington. They later had seven children: four daughters and three sons.
Instead of doing anything combat related he served in the Corps of Engineers, looking over the construction of the United States’ coastal defenses. However, his service in the Mexican-American war in 1846 changed that. Being a member of General Winfield, he made himself stand out, earning three brevets for gallantry and gaining the rank of colonel from the war. After that,
Robert E. Lee was born in January 19, 1807 and is known for being a general of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the Civil War. After General Joseph E. Johnston was wounded in battle the Battle of Seven Pines, Lee became commander in his place. In June 1863, Lee started an invasion of the North, meeting the Union at the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. For three days General Lee attacked the Federal army under in what would later become the most famous battle of the Civil War, because it had the biggest casualties. However after all of Lee’s successful battles, he would later face defeat. April 9, 1865, General Lee would be forced to surrender his army to Ulysses S. Grant. This would cause the ending the of Civil
Robert E. Lee was born January 19, 1807 in Stratford Hall, Virginia. He seemed to become very successful in the military. His family had financial problems and his father had to leave for the West Indies. Robert was in the United States Military Academy at West Point, and that is where he graduated second in his class of 1829. He earned a perfect score in artillery, infantry and cavalry. Despite all of his military bloodlines, he had yet to enter a battlefield. Although he never fought in a battle, he served as an officer in the Corps of Engineers for seventeen years. He supervised and and inspected the building of the nation’s coastal defenses.
Lee and Ulysses S. Grant had different views. Robert E. Lee’s family had a strong influence on him. Lee saw himself as a continuation of his family’s greatness and their role in history. His father, Colonel Henry Lee, was a cavalry leader in the Revolutionary War. He was recognized by George Washington and was seen as a war hero. Robert E. Lee’s family were Virginia aristocrats. Lee was born in a wealthy family, however, his father, Henry Lee, hurt the family financially because he was careless. Robert E. Lee believed the country should look at the old way of living. He believed that people should follow the old ways and that people should be inequal. Ulysses S. Grant believed that the country needed to turn industrial like the North. He believed people needed to be equal to be
Robert E. Lee died on October 12, 1870 at his home from pneumonia . He was buried in a grave underneath Lee Chapel in Lexington. Robert E. Lee legacy will be remembered for his generalship and great leadership in the midst of battle he will be forever remembered in crested in the heart of history as an important figure in the context of history.He leaves americans of all generations after him with a question of loyalty and patriotism to one's country
Lee was a religious, strong and honorable man, who came from a family with fair amount of money. Robert’s family was from Virginia and he was widely influenced by his father’s (Henry Lee) military skills. Even though Henry Lee was an excellent soldier, he deserted the army and left Lee and his mother alone. This decision affect Robert because he was convinced that he had to prove his honor and clean the stain that followed his name. He studied at the West Point Military Academy and graduated second in his class.
Robert E. Lee was one of the most outstanding military leaders during the civil war because he had experience before the war that helped him make smart decisions, he made major impacts on the war which helped the Confederacy, and he was revered by his men.
Sixty years before the dedication of Lee Chapel, on January 19th, 1807 a boy named Robert E. Lee was born into a wealthy Virginia family. Although his family did not stay wealthy most of his childhood, it did not stop him in being successful. Robert E. Lee went on to attend WestPoint, graduating second in his class, and fight in the Mexican War. After spending several years after the Mexican War as the superintendent at WestPoint, he transitioned back into the military. Within months of the breakout of the American Civil War in 1861, Robert E. Lee found himself promoted to full general in the war (Staff). Robert E. Lee did not fully desire to fight for the confederate side as he was not entirely committed to the Confederacy’s pressing values (Lewis).However, he lead his side leaving valiantly, becoming a hero in the eyes of the south. After the war ended Robert
Lee may have had a great Revolutionary War hero as his father but his prestigious background aided him little when his family sank into financial crisis. Lee experienced the ups and downs of leading an army when he found success in the war with Mexico but chastise after failing in Pickett’s charge at the beginning of the Civil War and endured the harsh comments of “Granny Lee” by Confederate soldiers. His name was not restored until the battle of Antietam where he used brilliant military tactics to defeat General McClellan in Richmond, Virginia. Following his astounding victory in Richmond, Lee went on to lead the army of his home state of Virginia into many victorious battles against the Union army. Lee should be remembered for his ingenious military tactics and victories over Union armies that had thousands of more soldiers than Lee ever acquired.
Born January 19th, 1807, Stanford Hall VA. Died October 12th, 1870, Lexington, Virginia VA. Buried October 17th, 1870, Lee Chapel, Lexington, Virginia VA, was the great war general, Robert Edward Lee. He was surrounded by his beloved wife,
Robert E. Lee was an American general known for commanding the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War from 1862 until his surrender in 1865. Robert E. Lee was born on January 19, 1807 at Stratford Hall in Virginia. He then died on October 15, 1870, Lexington,
Many People know Robert E. Lee as the leader of the Confederate Army during the Civil War, but there is more to him then that. Robert Edward Lee, was born in Virginia, January 19, 1807 (Robert E. Lee,1).Lee was born the fourth child of Colonel Henry Lee and Ann Hill Carter. Lee's father, also known as "Light-Horse Harry," had been a cavalry leader during the Revolutionary War. Henry Lee had also served as governor of Virginia. (General Robert E. Lee,1) His father was a revolutionary war hero.Throughout Robert's life when he was younger, he dealt with economic hardship which ended up causing his father to leave.
Lee, general of the Confederate troops during the Civil War was born in Stratford Hall, Virginia on January 19, 1807. Son of War hero during the Revolutionary war Henry Lee also called “Light-Horse Henry”. Due to multiple financial crisis Robert’s father was forced to leave America and escape to the West Indies. Even though this transpired while Robert was a young boy it did not affect him to being accepted at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Through his hard work in school and his interest in education he was able to graduate at being second of his class of 1829. Lee spent seventeen years as an officer in the Corps of Engineers before finally stepping on to the battlefield. Lee’s first time on the field was under General Winfield Scott during the war with Mexico in 1846, after the war he earned three brevets for gallantry and became a colonel. After the war he would become a super attendant at West Point and teach many men that would serve under him in the Civil
While his early years remain unfamiliar to most, these events molded Robert E. Lee's character. Born to Henry and Ann lee on January 19, 1807, Robert E. Lee's figure throughout history commenced in Stratford Virginia. Living up to expectations of his father implied a large aspiration, as his dad proudly served alongside the notorious general, George Washington. After attending Alexandria academy, Robert proceeded to West point, a prominent military college located in New York. Robert, who lacked a single demerit throughout the year remained one of six cadets on graduation day who finished their courses and upheld this reputation. Constantly attentive to his respected mentors this feat advocated by Mr. Lee demonstrates his theology, "Obedience
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 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).