Robert E. Lee was the best General for the South, and out smarted every Union General that was put against him. To The South, Lee is like a godly figure to them. He inspired The South even when the North controlled the battlefield, and is still thought highly of by some people in the confederate states. To the North, Lee was a traitor and even lost his citizenship. Although he lost, Lee is still a giant face in history. Lee was born in Stratford, Virginia. Lee was the fourth child of General Henry Lee III, Governor of Virginia, and his mother, Anne Hill Carter, Lee was raised by his mother who taught him about authority, tolerance, and order. Lee was exposed to Christianity at an early age and devoted his life to god. In 1825, Lee was accepted into West Point. There he learned about warfare and how to fight. In 1829, Lee graduated 2nd of 46 in his class, but even more surprising is that he didn’t get a single demerit while attending West Point. Afterward, Lee was appointed as Superintendent of West Point from 1852 to 1855. After he served his term, Lee left West Point to become a Lieutenant Colonel in the 2nd Cavalry of Texas. Lee’s first military campaign was in West Virginia during the Civil War. There he took command of the Eastern Army of Virginia but, only after General Johnson was injured. Lee was greatly outnumbered by the Union Army. Lee came up with a plan to make up for his numbers by attacking General McClellan’s army. In the next days there were a number of skirmishes between Lee’s advancing forces and against McClellan’s army which became know as the Days Battle. After Lee’s success at the Days Battle, Lee gained control of the Army of North Virginia, the biggest army in Virginia. The battle of Chancellorsville... ... middle of paper ... ...e Confederate forces. A Union attack on Petersburg on April 2, 1865 forced Lee to retreat from Richmond and go west. His forces were surrounded. Lee with overwhelming odds surrendered to Grant on April 9th 1865 at Appomattox Court House, Virginia. After Lee surrendered to Grant other Confederate armies followed and the war came to an end. After the war, Lee was tried as a traitor by the Union but after his trial he only got his civil rights taken from him. Lee took the post at Washington University, where he served until his death in 1870. The school is now renamed Washington and Lee. On Sept. 28,1870, Lee suffered a stroke that made him unable to speak. On October 12, 1870, two weeks after Lee’s stroke, Lee died at Lexington, Virginia due to effects of pneumonia. Lee was buried underneath Lee’s Chapel at Washington and Lee University where his body remains today.
Robert E. Lee was a man whose character caused him to be respected by the North and the South, before and after the war. People on both sides recognized Lee as an accomplished leader who valued personal relationships, bestowed honor on those around him, and displayed devout loyalty. It was said, “these bluecoats were saluting a gallant foe, but also one they wished had fought with them instead of against them” (Marrin 190). Lee exemplified a man of such character, causing him to be appreciated by both friends and enemies
Two months before Gettysburg Lee had dealt a stunning defeat to the Army of the Potomac at Chancellorsville Virginia. He then created plans for a Northern invasion in order to relieve pressure on war-weary Virginia and to seize the initiative from the Yankees. His army at a number
Robert E Lee is very quick and smart. He knows how to improve the quality of troops and to nullify the Union’s advantage. Lee is willing to make bold and risky moves, and does not let his defeats hinder his performance. General Lee has great relations with his soldiers, and uses his engineering experience to his advantage.
In conclusion, although some people might think that he was just a general; the best years of his life were after the war for two main reasons. First, he changed education. But most importantly, he changed the minds of the south. Without Lee’s character during his last five years, the south might have been in chaos. Lee shows evidence to the power of healing, and the difference education can make. This man truly represents what a true christian was, and should be studied for ages to come, but as the man he was, as opposed to the general. The last years of this mans life are by far the most amazing, and should get just as much attention as his years in the war.
Both forces were moving towards Pennsylvania, when they converged upon Gettysburg. General Lee decided to take the fighting to Northern soil, and moved his troops to Maryland. While heading north, the two forces converged at Gettysburg, and the fighting began soon thereafter. After news of the fighting, General Meade arrived on the battlefield on the second day of battle..
...d to prevent the total annihilation of the army of Tennessee. Grant also needed help from the navy to win the battles of Fort Henry and Donelson. While Grant needed reinforcements, Lee was able to regroup his battered army after the Battle of Antietam and win the Battle of Fredericksburg the following December.
Robert Edward Lee was born in virginia, the fifth child of Henry “Light-Horse Harry” Lee 1756-1818 of Revolutionary War fame, by his second wife. He was slightly wounded in that war and earned three brevets to colonel. General Scott declared him to be “the very best soldier that I ever saw in the field.Lee’s first field command was in the western part of the state, where he failed to hold back invading Union forces in an area of strong pro-Union sentiment. He was recalled to Richmond, and from March 1862 he was military adviser to President Davis. From this position he was able to influence some operations, notably those of General Thomas Jackson in his Shenandoah Valley campaign.Robert E. Lee served as a military officer in the U.S. Army,
Robert E. Lee was born January 19, 1807 in Stratford Hall, Virginia. He was the leading Confederate General during the United States Civil War and has been thought of as a heroic figure for the south. For the Mexican-American War, he played a big part in causing the American’s a win. Robert first commanded Virginia’s armed forces and finally became general in chief of the Confederate until the end of the Civil War. Even though the Union won the Civil War, he was thought to be a very important person during the Civil War. Robert E. Lee died October 12, 1870 in Lexington, Virginia when he was only sixty-three years old. His life shows many things leading up to becoming part of the Civil War (“Robert E. Lee”).
America has had many people that have made a positive difference to this nation by showing perseverance and putting others first for the greater good for the cause. People from low levels of society and from high levels of society have contributed to change this to become great. Robert E. Lee and his family did not enjoy fantastic wealth (“American Experience”). Robert E. Lee had an impact on this nation from the military standpoint. He had many difficult choices and decisions to make, like to stay with Virginia or to lead the Union Army. Lee served his country with everything he had. He fought on the battlefield, and commanded troops to victories and defeats. Lee never complained about the situation he was in or gave up when the going got tough. How did Robert E. Lee’s successful military career affect his life and how is he considered a prominent figure in American history?
Lee served seventeen years in the Corps of Engineers for seventeen years. He supervised and inspected the nation’s defense groups. In 1846, he himself served his first time in a war. His gallantry in this war against Mexico earned him three brevets. Thus, emitting him from the war with the title ‘Colonel’.
After the Confederate victory at Chancellorsville in May of 1863, General Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia embarked on their 2nd invasion of the north. General Lee’s first campaign into the north resulted in the Confederate defeat at Antietam. The failure of Lee’s first northern campaign raises the question of his motives. The Confederate Army was...
After the surrender at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865 Lee’s military career ended and thus his civilian life began when he returned to his family on April 15. Whatever happened, he had no desire to leave Virginia. "I cannot desert my native state in the hour of her adversity," he remarked to a friend. "I must abide her fortune, and share her fate" (Virginia Historical Society).
Lee”). By 1855, he had returned to military service, where he would remain through the Civil War’s entirety, fighting for American forces in the Mexican-American War until 1861, when he resigned to lead the Confederate Army in the Civil War (“Robert E. Lee” Washington and Lee University). Lee had been offered command of both Union and Confederate forces, but chose the Confederates, as he was a Virginian. After the war and much consideration, he accepted the position of president of Washington College. Lee was focused on expanding educational opportunities. By bringing a law school to Washington College, increasing emphasis on the sciences, as well as adding programs in business and journalism, Lee essentially created the concept of college majors. He also imposed an honor system, stressing that every student “ought to be a gentleman”, which is followed closely and revered by students and staff of the college to the present day (“Robert E. Lee” Washington and Lee University). After his death, Washington College became Washington and Lee University because Lee had had such a positive impact on the university (“Robert E. Lee”). Despite his many accomplishments in war, Lee would be better remembered for his legacy on education. He was a highly skilled military leader, yet he led the losing side. Seeing defeat for what
Robert E. Lee was born in Stratford, Virginia. Robert was the fourth child of Major General Henry Lee III, Governor of Virginia, and of his mother, Anne Hill Carter who was an ancestor of Thomas Moore and King Robert II of Scotland through the Earls of Crawford.(Brasington Jr.,Larry) Robert was mainly brought up by his mother who taught him about authority, tolerance, and order. Robert was exposed to Christianity at an early age and learned to accept it devotedly. In 1825, Robert was accepted to West Point. There he learned about warfare and how it was fought. In 1829, Robert graduated 2nd of 46 in his class, but even more extraordinary is that he never got a demerit while attending West Point. Afterward, Lee was appointed to Superintendent at West Point from 1852 to 1855. After he served his appointment, Lee left West Point to become a Lieutenant Colonel in the 2nd Calvary of the Lone Star State (Texas).
Before the battle, major cities in the North such as Philadelphia, Baltimore and even Washington were under threat of attack from General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia which had crossed the Potomac River and marched into Pennsylvania.